Head coach Derek McInnes says Hearts will continue to set mini targets as the men in maroon prepare to begin the second round of Premiership fixtures against Dundee United on Sunday.
The Jambos picked up nine wins and two draws from the first round of fixtures, which sees them sit nine points clear at the Premiership summit and while acknowledging there’s work still to be done, he insists his side are there on merit.
Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference, McInnes said:
“I think it's just those little mini targets. Obviously, we've completed the first round of fixtures, and I wanted us to try and be top of the league. Obviously, we had work to do that. I think the good thing for us is we are there on merit, we're not just scraping results a lot of times.
“Sometimes results are tighter than others, like every game you'd expect, and the Premier League is tight. We're scoring plenty of goals, we've had plenty of clean sheets in the 11 games prior to what we've had already.
“Healthy competition. I still think there's a strength in numbers to come back, like Frankie Kent's back training this week and Ageu's back training this week. So, we feel as though the squad is in a really good place and we're enjoying the games.
“I think we're all the same as what the Hearts supporters are. We can't wait for next fixture, to be honest. We're looking forward to the game on Sunday and it's a different challenge. Saturday's challenge against Dundee was a different type of challenge to the game against Celtic, the last time out at home.
“But it's the same three points in terms of what we need to turn up and do to make sure we work well. There's nothing for me to feel as if there's going to be any downturn in our performances. We just need to keep our shoulders at the wheel, recognise we need to keep improving, keep trying to win that fight with ourselves to get better and hopefully we can pick up wins as we do that.
“But Dundee United, no doubt, will come here with a game plan and an approach and they'll think they can get a result. That's the way the Premiership is. I don't think there's many teams who would come to Tynecastle and not think they can get a result. So, there's work to do for us.”
The Jambos welcome Jim Goodwin’s side to Tynecastle this Sunday and McInnes is keen to ensure his side continue to be strong on home soil.
“I think I spoke about it when I got the job, about making sure that everybody talks about how they love coming to play at Tynecastle, all these away teams and managers say it all the time, I say it myself, but they’ve also got to hopefully have that sort of dread about coming as well. Knowing exactly what they're going to get, and I think the players need to enjoy playing at home. I cannot think of a successful team in any league in any part of the world in any era who weren't a good home team. Everything's so much more difficult if you can't win your home games and be that team.
“We've been really strong on the road this season so far, but normally the bedrock, the platform for any successful campaign is your home form.”
It was announced earlier in the week that Lawrence Shankland had been recalled to the Scotland squad, alongside Craig Gordon, having missed the recent camps and McInnes expressed his delight for his number nine.
“I wasn't surprised with Steve letting me know on Sunday that Lawrence was going to be in the squad and I'm delighted for Lawrence, he was over the moon when I told him which is good for him, I think it's good for me and Hearts and for Lawrence himself and for the national team that Lawrence has got that motivation now to be part of the World Cup.
“We're hoping that we can get the results in the next couple of games that confirm we're placed in the World Cup and then every Scottish player has got to be doing all they can to be part of that, it's too big a moment for them in their careers not to be part of it and I think Lawrence is clear, his motivation has been there from the outset, from the start of the season here but any added motivation of being involved in the World Cup must be good for us as well.”
You can watch Derek’s press conference in full on Hearts TV.
