Michael Smith insists that Hearts need to up their game after a testing run of matches and results.
The Jambos will take on Fiorentina in their fourth Europa Conference League Group A match on Thursday, knowing a positive result greatly enhances their chances of making the knockout stages. Robbie Neilson's side are adjusting to life playing in Europe alongside their Premiership campaign and it has brought some disappointing matches.
Hearts have lost eight of their last 12 and fell to a 3-0 defeat at Tynecastle to Fiorentina last week. Experienced defender Smith says club and fans alike are not being given enough by recent displays and that the screw now needs turned. He explained: "We just feel like we are letting people down at the minute and that is on us, the players. We have not been good enough and we know that. It is down to us to turn it around. We worked our socks off last season and even the season before to get to this level.
READ MORE : Hearts handed UEFA fines as two incidents on Europa Conference League duty lead to punishment
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"We all feel that we are maybe letting ourselves and the club down a little bit with some of the showings we have given.
"That is down to us. Things have happened and we have put in poor performances but we need to regroup. We have still got a chance of progressing so we can’t just lie down and die.
"We go away again to Florence this week and we know what we are up against but we have to go there and give a better performance."
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