Ivanauskas looking to add quality but not quantity to Hearts squad

ALTHOUGH negligent in front of goal, there was enough endeavour and enthusiasm evident in this performance from Hearts to add weight to the conviction that better times are around the corner for the Tynecastle club in 2007.

While the absence of the influential Edgar Jankauskas up front and Julien Brellier in midfield through injury meant Hearts fell short of the standard set in their bustling first-half performance against Hibernian last week, this was still an enterprising display in which the creative energy of Paul Hartley fashioned any number of scoring opportunities.

Valdas Ivanauskas, the head coach, was well aware slack finishing had cost his side a couple of points in Ayrshire. Bearing in mind that two midfield players - Hartley and Rudi Skacel - scored the bulk of the team's goals last season, it's been evident for some time that Hearts lack a clinical finisher in attack.

As Anthony Stokes took his tally for the season at Falkirk to 14 at the week-end, Andrius Velicka remains Hearts' top scorer with six and hasn't been on target for eight games. Since Roman Bednar, four, Jamie Mole, three, Mauricio Pinilla, two, and Jankauskas,one, aren't exactly prolific in front of goal either, one would guess that a player who can supply the finishing touch on a regular basis will be a priority on Hearts' shopping list this month.

For all the resources at their disposal - Ivanauskas, for example, can perm any two from no fewer than six full-backs - it's also a puzzle why Hearts don't have a defensive midfield player on their books to provide cover for Brellier. Against Kilmarnock, Bruno Aguiar was paired alongside Hartley, and while this combination was positive going forward, Hearts often looked vulnerable when Jim Jefferies' men counter- attacked. This was because they didn't field a player in central midfield whose main strength is winning the ball. Hearts have also deployed defenders such as Ibrahim Tall and Marius Zaliukas in the position this season with little success when it's clear they need another specialist.

Ivanauskas insists Hearts will make "quality rather than quantity" their watchword in the transfer market this month. In that respect, it will be interesting to see if a seasoned centre-half is another of their priorities. Christophe Berra looks an outstanding prospect, but it's asking a lot of the young Scot to assume the responsibility previously shared by men of the calibre of Steven Pressley and Andy Webster.

While Berra and Zaliukas put in decent individual performances against Kilmarnock, whenever the back four held a high line Hearts were vulnerable either to a little dink over the top or a clever through pass.

Allan Johnston's subtle touches tore holes in the visiting defence on a number of occasions. Hearts, who now lack an experienced organiser at the back, were fortunate both Gary Wales and Steven Naismith missed chances every bit as clear-cut as the ones squandered by Bednar.

Although Jefferies rightly heaped praise on James Fowler for curbing Hartley's effectiveness, the Scotland player was still Hearts' most likely source of a goal. A wonderful piece of skill just before half-time set up Velicka for a header at the back post, a delightful interchange with Takis Fyssas in the second-half gave the left-back space in the box for a driven shot and a crossfield pass, which flummoxed centre-half Simon Ford, left Bednar to blaze a shot over the bar with only goalkeeper Graeme Smith to beat. The Czech centre-forward was honest enough to admit his second touch was "terrible" and that he should have scored. In his defence, he countered that, after a season disrupted by injury, he's not yet fully match fit. "If I go a while without an injury, then I think I can be in good form," he said.

Ivanauskas spoke encouragingly of "self-confidence" returning to Hearts' performances after the club endured a torrid time on and off the field in October and November. Having collected seven points out of nine from games against Dundee United and Hibernian as well as Kilmarnock over the festive period, Hearts are entitled to regard challenging for second place as a realistic target in the second half of the season.

Now trailing Aberdeen by three points and Rangers by two as they prepare to meet Dunfermline tomorrow, Ivanauskas added: "It's been important to get our self-confidence back. I think we are strong enough to get second place. We need some changes and are looking for quality players. We need quality not quantity. We are looking exactly at our problems and I hope we can find these players."

Jefferies would also like to bolster his squad this month, but is working at the bargain end of the market. How much longer the ebullient Naismith continues to be involved at Kilmarnock will, of course, depend on whether or not an acceptable bid comes in for the player, who has already caught the eye of Arsenal.

"Although I didn't score against Hearts, I've got four in my last three games and I think I've done alright," noted the attacking midfielder. "To be honest, I'll just need to wait and see whether I'm still here at the end of the season. I think everyone knows Kilmarnock are not in a position to reject a big offer.

"They'll need to look at any offer which comes in and decide what's best for the club."

Taken from the Scotsman