Hearts v
Aberdeen
IT MAY not have been the best of times for Hearts keeper Antti Niemi, who has conceded 14 goals in his last three games, but the Tynecastle management have not lost faith in his ability.
Despite losing six goals against Hibs, three against St Johnstone and five against Celtic, one of which he was badly at fault over, Hearts assistant manager Billy Brown still believes that Niemi is currently the best keeper in Scotland.
He even went as far as to
suggest they had gotten him at a bargain price of #475,000 from Rangers, but stopped short of
suggesting the Ibrox club could be doing with him just now.
The match against Aberdeen today is yet another test of the resolve of the Tynecastle outfit which, as the goals lost by Niemi shows, are in the middle of a dreadful run of form.
Although they will have taken confidence from their fighting performance against Celtic in the CIS Insurance Cup on Wednesday evening the reality is that they still lost 5-2 and will have to start
winning games to placate their supporters. Despite the fact they have been leaking goals Brown was full of praise for Niemi, who he believes has been one of the club's most consistent performers this season.
''He was unfortunate to loose the third goal against Celtic, but he is the top goalkeeper in Scotland and has has been faultless for us,'' said Brown. ''He is a great save maker, good with crosses, and overall a class goalkeeper. To get him for the price we did was a real steal at the time.''
Although Hearts are in the
middle of an injury crisis at
present, one man who is benefiting from it is Northern Ireland internationalist Andy Kirk.
The youngster had been on the fringes of things at Tynecastle when Stephane Adam and Gary Wales were fit, but with both of them being long-term injury
victims Kirk has grabbed his chance.
He performed well against Celtic and with Gordon Durie also absent for today's game through injury Kirk will lead the Tyne-
castle attack.
He accepts that the recent wrath against the team from the supporters is justified and felt they had to respond by putting together a decent run of results.
''Obviously some players confidence gets low at times like this, but we must go out and play the way we normally do and not go into a shell,'' said Kirk.
''I felt we performed well for the 90 minutes against Celtic and if we can play like that every week there is no reason why we shouldn't be contesting with the top three teams in the league.''
Meanwhile, Aberdeen manager Ebbe Skovdahl is confident of victory at Tynecastle this afternoon, because he believes his young players are even better than the current crop coming through at Celtic Park.
The Dane was in Edinburgh to watch the Parkhead club's midweek CIS Cup win over Hearts when Martin O'Neill's youngsters Stephen Crainey, Jamie Smith, and Colin Healey scored in their 5-2 extra-time win.
He is expected to name five players under 21 years-of-age in the team to face Hearts and is convinced they have the class to end a run of four games without a win.
Skovdahl said: ''Without doubt we have some young players who are better than Celtic had on show during the week and that is one reason why we can go to Tynecastle feeling confident of winning.
''We are not as effective as Celtic when it comes to winning matches, but we have played
better football than they produced against Hearts the other night.
''I was at the game and it was exciting, but a bit scrappy and physical at times with Hearts bound to feel they were hard done by with the final scoreline.''
Last season's top scorer Arild Stavrum will be back from the start to boost their chances after recovering from the back injury and flu that has effectively kept the striker out since August.
Fellow Norwegian Thomas
Solberg also returns for the first time since limping off with a groin strain after just five minutes of the season opener at Dunfermline.
Philip McGuire took over at East End Park that day and has gone on to do so well that he recently earned a lucrative new three and a half year deal to stay at Pittodrie, but has now picked up an ankle ligament injury which is expected to keep him out for at least a month, allowing Solberg the chance to regain his starting place.
BOOKIES' VIEW: Hearts
5-6, Aberdeen 11-4, draw 12-5.
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