How Hearts have changed since losing to Killie at Tynecastle
What to expect ahead of a huge game at Rugby Park on Sunday
When Kilmarnock went to Tynecastle and won at the end of October it was just the second match in charge for the hosts’ new manager, Neil Critchley.
A controlled performance maintained an excellent record in Gorgie for Derek McInnes’ side, but things have been on the slide since then.
That was Killie’s last win ahead of a run of just two points from a possible 18 and, as we’ve already outlined, Sunday is now a veritable six-pointer.
With Critchley now having taken charge of 12 games in all competitions, will it be a significantly different side that comes to Rugby Park on Sunday?
We’ve taken a look to see how Hearts have changed since that night in Gorgie.
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Under Critchley, Hearts have typically played in a 4-4-2, as they usually did under Naismith, or a 4-2-3-1.
Against Copenhagen on Thursday night this became a compact 4-3-3 out of possession.
Like Killie when they travelled to Denmark in the summer the Jambos were on the end of a 2-0 defeat, Critchley’s side offering very little in the way of an attacking threat as they recorded just two shots with none on target for an expected goals (xG) of 0.07.
Of course, a European defeat to a side that, after a bad start, is topping the Danish league, isn’t the best yardstick so how have Hearts changed since that second game in charge for the manager?