Heart of Midlothian midfielder Jordi Altena has admitted the club's mounting injury list has left players baffled, with two more players ruled out ahead of Thursday's Europa Conference League meeting with Thun.
Calvin Miller and Tomas Magnusson became the latest additions to Wouter Vrancken's unavailable list after Sunday's Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Hibs, taking the injury count deep into double figures.
Unprecedented injury toll
Altena said the situation is unlike anything he has experienced in his career.
“No, we're also looking at each other like, 'What is happening?'” he said. “You know what I mean? It's big numbers now and it keeps on going, so no, I've never experienced this type of situation, but it is what it is. It's just bad luck, I think. I don't know.”
The Dutchman believes the injuries cost Hearts a place in the Premier Sports Cup final, with almost an entire team now sidelined.
Impact on cup defeat
“Yes, it's a big blow for us because I think we are on a good route,” Altena said. “I think everybody trusts each other, even with injuries, so it's an unexpected one, to be honest. It disturbed us (the injuries) a little bit, for sure, because the guys who came in clearly needed to find the rhythm.”
He added: “You saw the second half was much better, but we were 2-1 down, so we kept pushing but didn't score. I think the injuries didn't help, for sure. Of course it does impact us. It's a pity for the guys themselves, for sure, but I think if you see the injury list now, it's also a lot of important players for us. But I don't think that's an excuse for us to lose today because I think we deserved more than we have now, to be honest, if you see the second half, for sure.”
Cover shortages and European test
Vrancken faces a shortage of cover in several positions, with Laurent Mendy likely to be the only available central midfielder for the Thun game because of injuries and the fact Yan Dhanda is not in the European squad. Altena could be asked to play there after impressing in the role in the previous defeat to Trabzonspor.
“I don't think that's a big problem,” Altena said. “I think there are a lot of players now who play out of position. I think you just step on the field and go and do your thing and work hard. I think that's the base of everything, and I think everybody did it well. I think myself also, but again, I think we deserved way more than what we got on Sunday, but it is what it is.”
Vrancken left Hampden disappointed but refused to be overly critical of his side. Altena said: “At the end of the game, he just said that he was proud of the second half and that he thought we deserved way more than we got in the second half. He said that in the first half it looked like we were a little bit distracted because of the injuries. We just need to keep on moving. This is football and we need to keep going.”
Hearts took an opening point at home to Nordsjaelland before losing away to Trabzonspor. Altena acknowledged there is room for improvement in Europe.
“I think we played quite well in Europe, as did we in the league, but it's just some specific points that we need to improve on, especially scoring goals and defending goals,” he said. “It sounds a little bit easy, but I think at the end of the day it is like this: you need to be ruthless in the final third at both sides, so I think that's something we can improve on.”
