Fans are keen to see more of the Jambos’ new signings after suffering a third defeat of the season against St Mirren last week
Hearts’ Ageu
After defeat in Paisley last week, there’s no better way for Hearts to get their title tilt back on track than with an Edinburgh derby win.
Hibs visit Tynecastle having lost in Gorgie on their last visit, but secured revenge at Easter Road in December.
David Gray’s men would love nothing better than to throw a major spanner in the works of their rivals’ title plans.
The Jambos are without the spine of their team for this one as well, with October’s match winner Craig Halkett suspended and both Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland injured.
Hearts do have plenty of options within their squad however. In fact, fans would like to see McInnes utilise them more often.
New signings coming in for a brief appearance then disappearing for a while has been a theme this season.
New right back Jordi Altena has been in and out. Islam Chesnokov made his debut off the bench in the Scottish Cup defeat to Falkirk before embarking on an intense fitness training programme.
Rogers Mato got a brief run out at Dundee Utd then wasn’t quoted against St Mirren last Tuesday.
Going back further, Landry Kabore started the 3-3 draw wit Motherwell, was hooked at half-time then wasn’t seen again for a bit.
Ageu impressed off the bench against Livingston but has suffered from injuries ever since.
Even Alexandros Kyziridis was drop fed into the team during the League Cup group stage.
McInnes wants to get his new faces into the team regularly, but has warned that throwing guys in and hoping they’ll be okay is dangerous.
“I get the clamour for these players and people saying Ageu should be playing now and things like that,” he said. “When you sign players you want them to be ready to play and there’s no two ways about it.
“Chesnokov and Mato are both exciting players and I think they’ll prove to be good players for us but I watch training I see what I see and it’s two lads who their seasons finished in November.
“Mato obviously had the benefit of the AFCON tournament and training to prepare for that and then his involvement in that and I do think there’s got to be an understanding that the change in the dynamic in terms of the type of football they’re coming into is difficult enough coming straight from when they’re fully up to speed rather than still maybe in that sort of little pre-season feel for them.
“So we’ve been working hard to get both lads up to speed. The good thing is both lads are aware of that, both lads understand that and both lads are totally throwing themselves into the work so they’ve been doing extra but we’re hopeful that both of them are ready to have that part to play between now and the end of the season.
“Ageu had two days training ahead of Celtic and then this is the thing people assume as soon as they’re on the bench they must be ready to play and that’s the danger sometimes.”
With that in mind, how could Hearts line up for tonight’s derby? It’s likely many of the above will be in from the start.
Predicted Hearts XI
Provisional Hearts squad
Goalkeepers
- Alexander Schwolow
- Craig Gordon
Defenders
- Jordi Altena
- Christian Borchgrevink
- Michael Steinwender
- Frankie Kent
- Stuart Findlay
- Jamie McCart
- Harry Milne
Midfielders
- Beni Baningime]
- Oisin McEntee
- Marc Leonard
- Ageu
- Tomas Magnusson
- Blair Spittal
- Alan Forrest
Forwards
- Sabah Kerjota
- Islam Chesnokov
- Alexandros Kyziridis
- Rogers Mato
- Claudio Braga
- Landry Kabore
- Elton Kabangu
