Lawrence Shankland could be forgiven for asking himself how it’s come to this.
The Hearts striker has gone from John Robertson’s heir apparent to public enemy No.1 at Tynecastle. The prospect of the fans singing “Shankland, Shankland get tae f***” last season was frankly ridiculous. But that is what happened on Thursday night as Shankland bore the brunt of the travelling fans’ fury in Brugge after blazing a late spot kick over the bar in their 2-0 Europa Conference League defeat to Cercle.
It might have been the Belgian beer talking and emotions were running high after the skipper skied his penalty at 1-0. The way the Jambos’ season is going, of course the hosts went up the park and doubled their advantage in stoppage time. That’s now two European defeats on the bounce, one win in six and four defeats on the bounce fore Neil Critchley. Despite improved performances, results remain rotten and things need to turn quickly.
Shankland’s fall from grace has been a major factor. Thirty-one goals last season, 29 the year before. Just one this term – a last gasp equaliser against Ross County that bounced in off his head back in September.
It’s not as if Hearts aren’t creating chances. They fashioned enough to win in Belgium, and plenty in the first half against Celtic at the weekend. They are just spectacularly failing to take them and while Shankland certainly isn’t the only culprit, he’s the one much more is expected of.
Things are either going straight at the keeper or he’s missing the target. A first half flick that would have given Hearts the lead on Thursday night trickled agonisingly wide. Kenneth Vargas, who has one eye on a move to a higher level but seemingly neither on where he’s putting his shots, fired straight at the keeper, as did Alan Forrest.
But Shankland’s pitiful penalty summed up his season. Confidence is shot, and fans demanded to know in hindsight why he was even allowed to step up. Critchley, as you’d expected, launched a public defence of his No.9 and the hope would have been that a successful conversion would have set Shankland off on the goal trail once again. Instead, the fans appear to have turned.
Accusations of not trying or caring are wide of the mark. He’s not simply ditched his professional pride – he’s in a slump he can’t shake.
He’s yet to be dropped this season, but this could be the time and his starting spot against Aberdeen on Sunday is now under serious threat. The alternatives, or lack thereof, are another issue. Perhaps the most damaging legacy of Steven Naismith’s reign is the dearth of viable options to step in.
Kyosuke Tagawa didn’t exactly stake a strong claim as Shankland’s back up last season, but showed in flashes he could chip in. Moving him on made some sense. Deciding Hearts didn’t need to add another option up front was inexplicable.
James Wilson has produced a couple of goals off the bench and a late leveller at Easter Road will never do you any harm as a Hearts striker. But asking a teenager to lead the line in a struggling side could be a recipe for disaster given the pressure he’ll be under as long as Hearts languish in 11th.
Musa Drammeh has been eased into Scottish football. He’s been prolific in bounce games and ripped in a consolation against Celtic on Sunday. But another baffling Naismith call meant he wasn’t registered for Europe so is limited to domestic outings.
So between now and January, Hearts need to hope Shankland suddenly snaps out of it. For his sake as well as the club’s.
The 29-year-old entered the final year of his contract fresh from the season of his life. A bumper contract offer from Hearts was knocked back to see what else would come his way.
The short answer to that is nothing. The lack of interest (despite the constant links to Rangers) was surprising, although Hearts’ determination to keep their top scorer regardless, reasoning that he could help fire them to another £5million European group stage jackpot was understandable. As was the clamour to see him given more of a chance at Euro 2024 when Scotland needed a goalscorer.
Now, the situation has changed dramatically. The Hearts contract offer is off the table and while they are still open to talking, another one is likely to be for significantly less than what Shankland could have cashed in on.
Someone might look past this season’s struggles and try to do a cut price January deal. On recent form, Hearts might even consider it. The most likely scenario is Shankland enters the summer as a free agent, although where he’ll end up could now depend on him salvaging his own form in the second part of the season.
From looking like launching himself into Hearts legend status, it would be a sad end.