Frustrated Hearts manager Neil Critchley claims Rangers got off with one as his wasteful Jambos side fluffed their lines at Ibrox.
The Gers ran out 1-0 winners over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership clash courtesy of an early Cyriel Dessers strike.
But that goal doesn’t tell the full story of the match with Hearts spurning a number of opportunities to at least level the contest.
It’s something a frustrated Neil Critchley touched on come full time with the Hearts manager insisting his side should’ve got something v Rangers.
‘Hearts should’ve got something from Rangers game’
“(I have) a range of emotions really,” Critchley told Sky Sports. “I thought we started the game too tentatively.
“Obviously conceding in the first five or six minutes, not getting off to a great start.
“But I thought we grew into the game after that. I thought we played really good football, controlled a lot of the game, I thought second half we were excellent.
“In some ways I am proud of the performance but I don’t want to be a nearly team. We should’ve got something from that game.
“We more than matched Rangers for long periods. We’ve had a big opportunity after half time we’ve missed, Beni had a chance as well.
“So when I looked on to the pitch I thought, that’s a Hearts team, giving their all, playing good football, going right to the end.
“But we should’ve got something from that game and I want us to come here and show more belief in what we’re doing.”
Neil Critchley: Hearts missing finishing touch
Neil Critchley has also admitted that Hearts are missing their finishing touch amid criticism of Rangers-linked striker Lawrence Shankland.
The Jambos captain now has one goal in 18 games this season, with Shankland taking responsibility for the midweek Europa Conference League defeat to Heidenheim.
When asked if finishing in the issue for the Tynecastle club, Critchley could not have been clearer on the subject.
“Definitely,” said Critchley when asked if his team as missing the finishing touch.
“First half we got to the middle third quite often but we were quite wasteful so they had quite a few opportunities on the counter attack breaking.
“But second half we said at half time ‘make more passes in the mid third and we’ll push them back’ and we did.
“So at least we were losing the ball closer to their goal but that final little bit, that final cross, shot, bit of composure, bit of quality was missing from our game.
“And it’s something that we need to work on if we want to get more from the games that we’re playing.”
