HEARTS lost for the first time last week, injury will deprive them of some key players until next year and yet they sit top of the Premiership after nine games.

Next up is the League Cup semi-final with Celtic in Edinburgh and then Hibs travel to Tynecastle. Both are winnable. Did anyone see this coming? Do you remember where they were a year ago?

Craig Levein is a good manager. He has a habit of annoying folk but knows football and footballers. It’s a handy trait to have given what his job is.

The way they dominated Aberdeen for 45 minutes and then stood strong in the final 25 minutes is the sign of a team to be taken seriously.

Hearts probably won’t win the league but they will have a great season

Had Hearts kept Kyle Lafferty at Tynecastle and on the straight and narrow then maybe, just maybe, they could have a proper crack at the title. Derek McInnes was right to say this is the best Hearts team in years – but they are short of being champions.

That being said, they could beat Celtic next Sunday, finish second and there is always the Scottish Cup.

Levein has some good individuals at his disposal but, more importantly, as a collective they work brilliantly together.

Talent, hard work and football intelligence is a decent combination. And Steven McLean, the 36-year-old with dodgy knees who was outstanding in this game, could play for another ten years.

Steven Naismith is, so far, the player of the year

And by a country mile as well.

Naismith was outstanding against Aberdeen, scored his tenth club goal and while he missed a penalty, not for the first time, he scored one and all day was a menace.

Wearing the captain’s armband on Saturday, the Scotland international led by example against Aberdeen where he and McLean were close to unplayable in the first-half.

With all the injuries he’s had, there is no way this now veteran should be running about a field the way he does. That was his third 90 minutes in nine days.

Tynecastle Park is a wonderful place to watch football

Derek McInnes was right to praise the effect the home fans have away down in Gorgie.

The stadium, still not finish by the way but we’ll allow that to slide, boasts one of if not the beat atmosphere in Scottish football.

The pitch is tight, the stands right on the players, the locals know how to push buttons and it makes for an intimidating place. Aberdeen and Celtic have been defeated there already

Can Aberdeen beat Rangers next Sunday?

Yes, if they remember that when a referee blows that whistle thing, that’s time for the game to start.

But Aberdeen are a hell of a team of taking too long to get going. They lack intensity at times, can be meek in the tackle and the suspicion that big games are too much for some players has not gone away.

They were bullied in the first-half and Steven Gerrard will be aware of that. With Hampden going to be mostly red, white and blue, McInnes needs his players, all of them to show bravery on the ball and take responsibility.

Graeme Shinnie gets a pass here because he was the only Aberdeen player who was on it from the first minute.

OVER 93 minutes we had 44 fouls

And that’s the ones which were awarded. Feint hearts not required in this game and, let’s be honest, we do love games which verge on the mental.