All hail Derek McInnes and his Kilmarnock cojones to see off Hearts – John Greechan's tactical insight
dailyrecord.co.ukWe hear a lot about bravery in football. About players being strong enough to ask for the ball under pressure, to take chances when the risk is equal to the reward.But what about the gaffers who have the cojones to lay everything on the line, when the heat is being cranked up and every point is a prisoner?
They often get overlooked.Let’s hear it, then, for Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes. A coach whose reputation for caution belies a boldness laid bare in Saturday’s home win over Hearts.
While the theme of a rip-roaring afternoon at Rugby Park may well have been one of home defiance, especially when the hosts were reduced to ten men for the last half hour, there was also much to admire in the courageous approach they took to stymieing a visiting side boasting some fairly fearsome firepower.McInnes deciding to simply go man-for-man against the Hearts starting front three of Josh Ginnelly, Alan Forrest and Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland was a master stroke.Admittedly, left centre-back Jeriel Dorsett didn’t make the best of starts, gifting Shankland possession for the early opener.
But it was partly a forced error, with how effectively Hearts had closed down the defender’s options.It demonstrates how the back three of Dorsett, Lewis Mayo and the absolutely outstanding Joe Wright were willing to take individual responsibility in a good collective performance.Using twin strikers Christian Doidge and Kyle Vassell to unsettle the Hearts back line, Kilmarnock made no apologies for playing off second balls and looking to whip in crosses for the two target men.
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