Craig Levein's Dundee United take on Hearts today and the manager thinks his side can get a result their recent performances deserve. It will be their first time back to Tynecastle since Levein took over the managerial responsibilities at Tannadice last October. He knows the Gorgie ground well after playing for them for 14 years and coaching there for almost four. And while United have won only once in the league since the turn of the year, the Hearts legend insists all that has been lacking has been clinical finishing. They have scored only twice in the past seven games.
Levein said: "We have not been winning and we want to put that right, but the boys have not been playing badly. In fact, I'd say they've been playing better than when I first arrived and we were winning games. Last week against Motherwell, when we were not as good as we have been, we still did enough to win and only drew. The week before we lost in the last minute at Inverness after playing well and creating enough chances to take the points. All that has really been lacking is us taking chances, because we have been creating quite a few recently."
Levein was responsible for making changes at United - to seal up a leaky defence - at the cost of lack of goals. According to Levein, the tactic is part of his long-term strategy. He went on: "I've maybe sacrificed a bit in attack, but we had to do something about the defence and we now have them working well as a unit. I've also may done a few things with an eye on next season when we'll probably have a different system, but that's something I need to look at as well."
Levein left Hearts in 2004 to move in as manager of Leicester, but Tynecastle holds fond memories for the former Scotland star. However, that understandable fondness for the club does not stretch to gifting them another three points. He said: "I was 14 years there as a player and another four as manager so of course I have a lot of happy memories, but I am going there with Dundee United now and I want to win. Having said that, I know that if Hearts play their strongest team and they perform to their best, it will be a very difficult game."
