I don’t buy it- Halliday in denial over Hearts lying down

Andy Halliday has denied claims that Hearts lie down against the 2012 Ibrox Tribute Act.

To the surprise of virtually no one Steven Naismith’s side were easily turned over at Hampden on Sunday by a team that had taken just one point from their trips to Ross County and Dundee.

Hearts were behind after just five minutes, there was no noticeable reaction with Cyriel Dessers finishing them off in the 79th minute then able to set up Fabio Silva for a tap in but the on loan Wolves striker opted to dive from seven yards out.

The Gorgie side were well beaten to take their aggregate scores against Philippe Clement’s side to 13-1 across five matches with four of Dessers’ last six goals coming against the men in maroon.

Halliday made the well worn trip from Ibrox to Tynecastle in 2020 before moving on to Motherwell in January, listening to the utility man on Radio Clyde last night the Daily Record reports Halliday saying:

I don’t buy into this teams lying down for other teams and whatnot. Rangers fans are always saying Aberdeen lie down to Celtic because I don’t think Aberdeen have beaten Celtic since 2016 or 17. But look at the game they made of it on Saturday.

Hearts just didn’t put up a performance that they’re capable of on Sunday. They went to Ibrox this season and were 1-0 up in the 9st minute. They conceded a penalty in the 93rd minute and then a winner from Danilo in the 95th minute for 2-1 .

I think they had good 20-25 minute spell in the second half when they put Rangers under a lot of pressure, but without creating much. But again, looking at the start, you felt as if Rangers were a bit fragile considering they’d won two games in eight and off the back of poor performance at Dens Park and Dingwall.

So you really expected Hearts to fly out the traps and get after Rangers, get in their faces and make it uncomfortable for them. But if you watch three people in John Lundstram, Mohamed Diomande and Todd Cantwell, I felt they could do whatever they wanted for the first 30 minutes.

That was the real surprising aspect and what Hearts fans will be really disappointed with.

Twice this season Aberdeen have been level with Celtic after 90 minutes, over the last four seasons Celtic have only won once at Pittodrie by more than a goal which contrasts sharply with the record Hearts have with another Glasgow club.

Hearts are 11 points clear in second place in the SPFL Premiership and host Clement’s side on the final day of the season.