Big chance to revive Hearts

WITH the eccentric Eduard Malofeev deposited in Minsk, Valdas Ivanauskas should now be able to cultivate the positive attitude apparent during the second half of Hearts' draw at St Mirren last weekend.

Motherwell visit Tynecastle tomorrow as the need for league points magnifies by the week in Gorgie following a winless run of nine matches, most under the shambolic tutelage of Malofeev. Yet, through all the turbulence of the last week, there has remained one beacon of hope for Hearts in a footballing sense: The encouraging second-half performance at Love Street hinted at a much-needed revival.
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Malofeev has been taken out of the firing line and sent to the relative tranquility of the third club in Vladimir Romanov's footballing empire, MTZ Ripo of Belarus. The veteran Russian cited "problems" with Ivanauskas for his dire six-match reign in Edinburgh, conveniently forgetting that the Lithuanian was more than a thousand miles away on sick leave whilst Hearts took only three league points from a possible 15.

Now there is the opportunity for Ivanauskas to build on a modest foundation following last week's encouraging display in Paisley. Crucially, the possibility for interference from Malofeev has been removed. From a 2-1 interval deficit last Saturday the visitors recovered to take a point back to Edinburgh, and the apparent desire following the suspension of captain Steven Pressley the previous day must augur well for this weekend.

The squad received confirmation of Pressley's banishment at the team hotel last Friday night, and Ivanauskas will be praying that no such calamities arise over the next 24 hours. The captain's suspension will continue, and in his place, 23-year-old Lithuanian Marius Zaliukas is expected to start against Motherwell.

Zaliukas' introduction as a substitute against St Mirren had a steadying effect on what was a swaying Hearts ship after St Mirren scored twice in a three-minute first-half spell. He even nodded his first goal for the club in the second period to secure the 2-2 draw.

Initially tried out as a midfielder following his August loan move from FBK Kaunas, Zaliukas has adapted admirably to the centre-back role in recent weeks and offers much more composure as part of the defence than he does when in front of it.

"He was one of the guys when we played Hearts in September that we didn't have clue about - who he was, where he played or how he played," said Motherwell manager Maurice Malpas. "We know a wee bit more now. We know Hearts have big, strong, physical players like him. We have to make sure we do our jobs on all their players and cause them problems in defence."

Pressley's omission from training this week has ensured a more downbeat mood than usual within the home camp, but the hunger often absent during what was a horrible November for Hearts may just be returning on the pitch. Taking three points from Motherwell, therefore, is an absolute must for a side who still harbour European aspirations despite sitting sixth in the SPL table.

Paul Hartley is suspended, not by Hearts but by the SFA, following his dismissal at Love Street. French midfielder Julien Brellier is expected to deputise with Bruno Aguiar assuming a more advance role in midfield. Edgaras Jankauskas and Andrius Velicka should retain their places in attack.

Malpas, pictured right, continued: "Despite their recent results, you do know what kind of team it will be: a big, strong, physical team. If they can get their noses in front they're a difficult team to play against. One or two will be missing, like Elvis and Hartley, but there will be others coming in who will be desperate to prove they should be playing.

"If you stand back and watch these guys play, there is no doubt they can play."

Malpas and his players will step off the Motherwell team coach with a spring in their own steps. Their last two performances have yielded impressive victories at home to Falkirk and, last weekend, away to at Inverness. The demoralising 6-1 home defeat by Hibs last month is now a distant memory in Lanarkshire.

"We came back after the Hibs game and did well against Falkirk," said Malpas. "We hadn't been given the chance to play against Hibs because the game was over and done with so early. So to beat Falkirk and then get a result at Inverness has been very pleasing for us.

"We are looking to win games to catch the teams above us. Inverness are two points above us and we want to catch them; Falkirk had a great win last weekend and they're now three points ahead. That's how we think on it."

Malpas is precluded from fielding Calum Elliot tomorrow as per the restrictions of his loan deal from Tynecastle, but that would appear the only complication for the Fir Park manager, who will turn look for goals from Scott McDonald, David Clarkson and Richie Foran.

"Calum has been a substitute for us in the last couple of games," he said. "He came on against Falkirk and scored a goal, but he is a big miss for and has done very well since coming to Motherwell. He is something different to what we have. He is a bit frustrated not to have scored more goals but I felt he's done well.

"We will definitely notice his absence on Saturday but that was part of the agreement when we did the loan at Hearts."

Motherwell sit a mere six points behind their opponents going into this fixture and Malpas quietly senses the chance to reduce that deficit to three given the disorienting effect Pressley's absence can have.

"We have to put them under pressure to see how they do handle it," said Malpas. "But if we aren't up to scratch then the off-field activities won't have any effect on Hearts.

"If we play as we can and pose them a few problems, then we'll see if the off-field stuff has troubled them any.

"You could say it might galvanise them, or it might affect them in a negative way.

"Anybody who goes to Tynecastle and does well has done so because they've been well-organised, disciplined and they've worked their tail off. They've maybe worked Hearts into making mistakes, and that's pretty much part of our mentality."

Ivanauskas is of similar make-up. Perhaps the Lithuanian can begin to show his true colours again with Malofeev a distant memory.

Taken from the Scotsman