Will Hearts get old Shankland back this season?
Now that the ink has dried on Lawrence Shankland’s new three-year contract with Hearts, fans may be wondering which version of the striker they will get.
Will it be the devastating striker from a few seasons ago? Or the one who struggled last season, scoring infrequently and even dropping out of the team at times? Regardless, the Hearts fans are happy with his retention, given the increasingly inevitable scenario of him leaving and having to be replaced.
With only eight Premiership goals last season, four of which came in May as his contract expired, the Scotland international’s output was a shadow of what he had produced the previous two seasons. Each of those league seasons produced 24 goals, demonstrating the type of strike rate that made Derek McInnes desperate to re-sign the Scotland international.
So, whatever version of Shankland can we expect to see in this campaign?
What went wrong last season?
Under previous head coach Neil Critchley, it just wasn’t clicking. Shankland was withdraw from the area he threatens in most too often and was played deeper.
His expected goals per league fixture dropped to 0.3 from 0.5 and 0.7 in the previous seasons.
His shots on target fell to 30 after averaging just over 50 in the two previous campaigns, although his minutes on the pitch were fewer. Assists doubled but his overall impact was considerably reduced.
“Last season was difficult,” Shankland conceded, speaking to the media on Wednesday for the first time since re-signing. “It can be tough mentally at times.
“That was a whole group thing but, as the captain, you take a bit of responsibility and it can go on your shoulders a bit.
“We had to draw a line under that. Then it was down to making a decision that was best for me and my future.”
Why was McInnes so keen to keep him?
IMAGE SOURCE, SNSNew Hearts head coach Derek McInnes is delighted to have retained Shankland
There was no doubt McInnes was desperate to keep Shankland, but why? Working with him as a child at Aberdeen would have been beneficial, but being the recipient of his gifts would also have played a role. “To get somebody with Lawrence’s pedigree that almost guarantees you goals, who is a free agent, is nigh-near impossible,” McInnes told me.
“He brings experience, composure, touch, and leadership qualities, but we’re signing him because he knows his way to the goal, he knows the league, and I believe we’ll have a better chance of meeting the demands with Lawrence here.” “We have other [strikers] with many other attributes, but we don’t have many natural finishers.
“For that reason alone it was so important we got Lawrence.”
Century of goals & silverware new target
Conversations with McInnes have convinced Shankland that his abilities will be used, and he will be given opportunities to rediscover his scoring touch. When asked on Wednesday if he expected to be pushing for 25-30 goals next season, the 29-year-old was categorical. “I would be, aye,” was his quick response. “The two seasons prior, I shown that on that type of club, I can be effective and score a lot of goals.
“I do believe that coming here this season has been the right thing for me and I can believe I can re-find that form.” With his future sorted, what goals does the former Dundee United, Aberdeen, and Ayr United striker have for the next three seasons?
Former Hearts head coach Steven Naismith told BBC Scotland that Shankland has lifted himself to legendary status at the club after committing his future.
Two goals to cement appear to be the striker’s priority. “Scoring 100 goals [for the club] is something that I think is achievable for me,” says Shankland. “More significantly, we should aim to get our hands on a trophy. “When I initially arrived to Hearts three years ago, that was something I wanted to do.
“It’s not easy but if we can go and win a trophy and put your name in amongst those names, it always helps.”
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