Heart of Midlothian boss Wouter Vrancken is looking to replicate last season's strong Scottish Premiership showing despite his rebuilt squad having to adapt to "a totally different style of play".
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 1st in Premiership, 70 pts, 21W-7D-5L from 33 games, recent form LWDWW.
Heart of Midlothian finished runners-up last season, losing out to reigning champions Celtic in Glasgow on the final day after having led for most of the campaign. But head coach Derek McInnes moved to Rangers along with top scorer Lawrence Shankland and key midfielder Cammy Devlin, while Heart of Midlothian have also lost their two main goalkeepers.
Vrancken has brought in 12 new players along with different methods on the training ground but stresses the targets are still the same. "Level-wise, it's a totally different style of play, so comparing levels is difficult," he said.
- Will Scottish Premiership return to two-team title tussle?
Heart of Midlothian lost 2-0 at home to Sturm Graz on Tuesday for a 6-0 thrashing on aggregate and Vrancken knows his side need to improve at Pittodrie.
"For us, it's being ready as soon as possible, quality-wise, because there are a lot of new things, staff but also players. But still we need the results. It's about results and showing the quality there." Heart of Midlothian are currently 1 point clear of Rangers at the top of the league table, with 58 goals scored and 28 conceded this season.
Currently sidelined for Heart of Midlothian are Ageu, Christian Borchgrevink, Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley, and Alexandros Kyziridis.
Vrancken has studied Aberdeen closely and expects some tactical changes in Stephen Robinson's first full season in charge.
"This would be really, really important," he added. "I think when we can make that happen, it makes a lot of difference.
