IT was the question every Hearts fans wanted to know the answer to. Their side dominated the majority of the first derby game of the season but they were denied all-out bragging rights. The recurring problem they have converting possession into goals and, ultimately, points, was again the focus of Csaba Laszlo's post-match press conference but when asked if he would be able to address the issue in January and purchase a striker capable of finding the net, he was unable to respond.
"Believe me, if I give you an answer about this situation, I am not the coach here tomorrow! This is the truth."
The truth is that an addition is desperately needed.
"For so long we don't have strikers that can score and then you don't win game
s and you have to have the players behind to hold on for the draw. If you look at the opponents squad, they have (Derek] Riordan, (Colin] Nish and even (Anthony] Stokes, very good strikers who even from nothing can create a chance and we have Christian Nade. He was a hard worker today and against Celtic he showed a good performance but behind him there is not enough competition.
"I have said before my job is to prepare the team but so far I can't prepare for success because we create but we can't even force saves. There was good opportunities for a clear shot or maybe they shouldn't shoot and it should have gone left or right or they could have gone on one against one, this is what a striker must do well."
Instead, the biggest talker in terms of Hearts threatening Graham Stack's goal, came as the match snuck into time added on. Jamie Mole was the player through but as Chris Hogg and the keeper combined to foil him, he tumbled to the turf. The home fans screamed for the spot kick and although the striker later undermined the legitimacy of their claim, Stack admitted he had been worried for a split second.
"I knew I hadn't touched him but there have been some dodgy penalty decisions in the last couple of weeks so my heart was in my mouth, I would be lying if I said it wasn't, and I was relieved to see the ref didn't give it. I think it was the right decision. Hoggy got a bit of the ball but I've not touched him and Hoggy's not touched him and I'm not condoning diving but it's one of those where he is maybe entitled, in the last minute of the game in an Edinburgh derby, to look for whatever he can. Maybe his momentum took him over but there was no contact that was untoward."
"I spoke to Moley after and he said it wasn't a penalty," admitted Hearts right-back Jason Thomson."I thought it was from where I was but he said it was never a pen." He added the team would take confidence from the performance and while he thought they should have gone on to seal the win, he confessed that their lack of penetration up front meant they were "relieved" to get the point.
It was a feeling shared in the opposition camp, where it was accepted that they had performed well below their recent best. Manager John Hughes said they had been forced into a reshuffle and a less attacking formation, not because they were worried about what Hearts could do but because of a series of injuries. But he said that losing Merouane Zemmama and Sol Bamba to the stand and Derek Riordan to the bench for the first half should not be considered an excuse. He was ultimately pleased with a share of the rewards, though.
"I was expecting more from my players in terms of passing the ball better. I don't think we passed it at all but it takes a certain kind of mind-set and self-belief to say that whatever stage I'm on or environment I'm in, I will still get on that ball and pass it. The second half was better but I will take the point given the way we played. To be at your best and still come here and take a point shows good signs."
Having come through the last 34 minutes of the match, Hughes said he was sure Riordan would now be fit enough to meet up with the Scotland squad for next weekend's friendly against Wales.
