“I think a lot of it was down to energy and application more than anything else,” Steven Naismith said following the loss. “Fleetwood were willing to press more aggressively and that’s what got them their joy.” Now fast forward to the present.

Naismith’s words could easily have come from Sunderland’s French manager Regis Le Bris after their 3-0 defeat at Tynecastle Park on Saturday.

Hearts demonstrated more energy and application. It was Hearts who pressed harder. The first and third goals were particularly satisfying for Hearts.

The majority of the more than 17,000 people in attendance at Craig Gordon’s testimonial on Saturday bounced out of the stadium and into Gorgie, already eager to return.

Aberdeen travel to town on Monday night for what promises to be a mouthwatering and captivating encounter, the final game of the first week of the season—a sold-out event under the lights in EH11. Supporters have emerged from the Premier Sports Cup group stage for the first time since 2021.

There was plenty of intrigue surrounding new head coach Derek McInnes, the squad, and new signings, so it didn’t have to be tolerated.

Everyone knew it was all about Aberdeen, who hadn’t won at Tynecastle Park since December 2016, when McInnes was in the visiting dugout and Hearts started with Faycal Rherras, Perry Kitchen, and Krystian Nowak.

So, the fans are eagerly anticipating the start of the Premier League season. The only complaint is that it doesn’t arrive sooner.

McInnes issued a word of caution following the 4-0 victory over Dumbarton last week. “Pre-season is never a real indication of whether you’re ready or not,” the coach said. “I had great preseasons but started the season poorly. I’ve experienced the opposite.”

However, as of Saturday, Hearts appear to be well prepared. In contrast to 12 months ago, when the team appeared unprepared.

Hearts had played three friendlies in front of fans, as well as a couple more behind closed doors, before facing Rangers at home. By Monday, the team will have played five friendlies and four League Cup matches.

Since travelling to Spain a month ago for a warm-weather training camp, the team has grown steadily, gaining fitness and then match sharpness.

On paper, the League Cup group stage appeared to be perfect, but McInnes will have wanted to improve in several areas, especially given the level of opposition.

It did, however, allow him to give the vast majority of a bloated squad plenty of game time while experimenting with different formations and personnel within them.

As a result, the intensity increased, reaching a peak against Sunderland. There are some caveats. It was a friendly, and Sunderland was behind schedule, but Hearts’ game plan was spot on.

It startled the visitors, but it was exactly what the biggest home crowd of the summer wanted to see, and it was important to give them an idea of what this Hearts team could look like under McInnes’ leadership.

In the last two months, fans have seen the new head coach go on his own journey. Some questioned his appointment, but those doubts were quickly dispelled, even before a ball was kicked.

In the eyes of fans, he has carried himself like a ‘proper Hearts manager’ and said all the right things. From how much he wanted the job to how he perceives the team and its identity on the pitch.

“I think of the best Hearts teams that I’ve come up against as a player and as a manager, whether it was Jim Jefferies’ first team, George Burley’s teams, Craig Levein’s first teams,” he told the crowd at his introduction.

(Image: Paul Devlin – SNS Group)

“When you come out here to Tynecastle, you’re hit in the eyes pretty quickly, both physically and with aggression, pace, and intensity.

Sometimes I get the impression that when teams come here now, everything is sanitised. “After the kickoff, teams enjoy themselves and settle into the game. I’d prefer it to be the opposite.

I’d like players to believe that they don’t enjoy going to Tynecastle as much as they did previously, and that it’s an intimidating place.” McInnes will be the first to admit that words are meaningless unless they are backed up by actions on the park when it counts.

However, the team has been trending in the right direction for the past four weeks. So far, the new signings appear to have improved the team, with Stuart Findlay, Oisin McEntee, Claudio Braga, and Alexandros Kyziridis all making significant contributions.

There have been some questions about where they have been coming from, but their impact has increased confidence and trust in the way the club is working with Jamestown Analytics.

However, there is a problem with the squad size, with two more signings on the way – Pierre Landry Kabore and Tomas Bent Magnusson – bringing the total to 31.

Exits will occur, but the process will be complicated and time-consuming over the next four to five weeks.

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