Stephen Elliott shows ambition to salvage point

Published Date: 12 September 2011
By Paul Forsyth
at Caledonian Stadium
PAULO Sergio seems like a decent bloke, funny at times, and noble in his desire to change the way Hearts play, but it is early yet to be singling him out as some kind of footballing sage. He is not the first coach to scrap midweek days off, introduce double training sessions and ask his players to pass the ball more often.
There were times in Saturday's 1-1 draw at the Caledonian Stadium when he was made to look no more astute than those who are mocked for learning their trade in Largs.

Hearts tried to stroke the ball around, but it got them nowhere, so they altered their system - to one that suited Inverness even more - and, in the end, had old-fashioned character to thank for the late equaliser by Stephen Elliott that rescued a point.

True, they only found themselves behind after Jamie MacDonald's catastrophic error, but had it not been for a series of subsequent saves by the same player, they would have lost this one. While Sergio has got more right than wrong in his six weeks at the club, there were signs here that the players are not easily putting his ideas into practice.

In a mind-numbing first half, Hearts seemed to be content with nudging the ball back and forth across the midfield, but when it came to performing the same trick in more advanced positions, they weren't good enough.

Sergio wants his team not only to pass the ball, but to do so at speed, for possession maintained at a pedestrian pace succeeds only in allowing opponents to regroup.

After an opening period in which Hearts barely found a way through, Sergio identified the need for change. He chose to withdraw Arvydas Novikovas, bring on David Templeton and ditch the lone-striker policy in favour of a 4-4-2 formation. Terry Butcher, the Inverness manager, later sounded surprised by the decision, which he said gave his team more room to play in the midfield.

Not that tactics had much to do with the opening goal. Six minutes into the second half, Adrian Mrowiec studiously teed up MacDonald for a clearance, even pointing at the section of turf over which he was about the pass the ball, but the goalkeeper somehow let it travel across and beyond his body. On a greasy surface that had caught out several players already, he slipped while trying to hook the ball away, leaving Nick Ross to take advantage. The midfielder laid the ball back to Gregory Tade, who slapped it into the bottom corner of the net.

MacDonald's mistake seemed to unsettle Hearts, who suddenly found themselves sliced open much too easily for Sergio's comfort. Twice, when Tade burst clear of a square defence, the visiting side had their goalkeeper to thank for not falling further behind. Andrew Shinnie diverted a cross narrowly past the near post , while Richie Foran, a constant pest to Andy Webster, could not believe his luck when Danny Grainger misjudged a cross to the back post. The Inverness striker stepped inside his marker and released a shot that MacDonald again saved well.

The second half was as open and entertaining as the first had been dull, with Hearts also taking it upon themselves to show more ambition. Templeton produced the best solo effort of the afternoon when he dribbled past an opponent and smacked a shot off the crossbar. After Sergio had replaced Marius Zaliukas with Mehdi Taouil, an equaliser appeared to be within reach.

It arrived with nine minutes left. When Templeton crossed, Elliott got in ahead of his marker, Thomas Piermayer, to turn it against the left-hand post. It was a weak shot that crossed the line with a helpful spin off the woodwork.

Like the team's overall performance, it was no thing of beauty, but a point is a point. Sergio later said that, if a match cannot be won, it is important not to lose, which they didn't.

Butcher said that it was two points dropped, and you could see where he was coming from. He has had a wretched time of it with injuries this season, but again he seems to have plugged the gaps, this time with David Davis, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Aidan Chippendale from Huddersfield Town.

Both made their debuts on Saturday, with Davis in particular showing the kind of industry and attitude that will serve the Highlanders well.

Taken from the Scotsman