Kye Rowles admits his Hearts form has dipped but knows what he needs to do to recapture his best performances.
It's been a tough time in Gorgie of late with the Jambos on a five game losing run in the league and six in all competitions including a Scottish Cup quarter-final loss to Celtic. That form has meant red-hot Aberdeen have opened up a five point cushion in the race for third spot and potential European group stage football while Robbie Neilson was also axed as a cause of the recent run of results.
Steven Naismith has taken over on an interim basis until the summer but was unable to kick off his reign in style with Hibs picking up the Edinburgh derby bragging rights to secure a huge three points of their own and keep their top six destiny in their own hands. Rowles knows Hearts are on a bad run of form and everyone associated with the club knows they must do better. He is ready to turn things around instantly with Ross County visiting Tynecastle tomorrow in the final card of fixtures before the league split.
READ MORE: Robert Snodgrass vows to tell 'his side of the story' as he breaks Hearts exit silence
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Rowles told the Edinburgh Evening News: “The group are very self-critical and want to do their best for the team. Even when we were on a good run, everyone was saying: ‘Come on, we can do this and that better.’
"We are in a bad run of form and everyone understands that we all need to be better, myself included. I’ve been poor in a few games, especially the last two months or so, just leaking soft goals.
“My position in games has been off. A couple of times in each game, it’s my decisiveness on when to go in for a challenge and instead sit off and be a bit too safe about it. I want to be more decisive and 100 per cent in what I’m doing, instead of stand-offish and not 100 per cent invested in that action I’m about to do.
“Once I get that back consistently – I felt I did have it back last weekend [against Hibs] – it will help the team. If you don’t concede goals, you don’t lose games. We are really focusing on shoring up the back line. We are all trying to move forward and learn from our mistakes to really limit the opportunities the opposition get.”
He added: “The whole group is good at it. We had a few longer chats after that St Mirren game. Everyone was very honest with themselves in front of everyone.
"We all know where we stand and we want the best moving forward. There’s no point hiding behind anything just to try and protect yourself. We are ready to turn it round this week, for sure.”
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- Robert Snodgrass vows to tell 'his side of the story' as he breaks Hearts exit silence
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