'Big, physical Hearts': Current Tynecastle team defy stereotype as cinch Premiership crime-count revealed
and live on Freeview channel 276
Of course, anyone who has watched the men in maroon for any particular length of time knows this is complete nonsense, but that doesn’t stop pundits repeating it whenever they flail about for analysis of Hearts throughout the years.
It’s particularly untrue of the current side, who boast such footballing heavyweights as Cammy Devlin, Alex Cochrane, Michael Smith, Barrie McKay and Josh Ginnelly in their starting XI on a near weekly basis. Robbie Neilson’s side don’t win games by smashing the opposition into surrender, but by trying to outplay them with the ball at their feet and producing moments of magic in the final third.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdUnderlining this point, and going against the tired stereotype, is the crime-count table for each team in the cinch Premiership so far in 2022/23.
The Tynecastle outfit are actually in joint-first for red cards this season with six, same as Livingston. However, the other categories tell a very different story.
The 45 yellow cards the club has received is second lowest only behind Celtic. That’s because with 265 fouls, only Aberdeen and bottom-placed Dundee United have given away more.
As for being on the receiving end, no team has suffered more fouls this campaign than Hearts. Jambo players have been hacked down 334 times, which is 20 more than the nearest side Kilmarnock.
Message from the editor
Thank you for reading this article. If you haven't already, please consider supporting our sports coverage with a digital sports subscription.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.