Steven Naismith’s Hearts line-up was a disaster and I'm still raging about unacceptable sin - Ryan Stevenson

Thursday night in the Czech Republic should have been a free hit for Hearts.

It’s a Europa League play-off against an experienced European side who got to the knockout stages in the Conference last season – with the safety net of group stages no matter what. But not any more. There is massive pressure on Hearts now – and it is all self-inflicted after that disaster at Falkirk.

I’m not exaggerating, it was a disaster. Going out of the Premier Sports Cup at this stage is a total nightmare for my old club. I’m still raging about it. And the reaction from the manager hasn’t helped either. I’m sure Steven Naismith was trying to put a brave face on it after the game but you can’t shrug this off as a lesson learned about the depth of his squad. Hearts should be aiming to win trophies, not just compete for them. Going out at this stage is totally unacceptable – as was Naismith not playing his strongest team on Saturday.

Everyone who has watched Scottish football over the last year or so would have known Falkirk were going to be a tough test. They’ve been flying under John McGlynn and have already beaten Dundee United earlier in the competition. This tie always looked a stinker – and that’s why Hearts had to play their best team.

It’s all right talking about those early missed chances eventually coming back to bite them but it seems ridiculous when the only man who looks any way capable of sticking those kinds of chances away is left sitting on the bench. Hearts are so reliant on Lawrence Shankland for goals it’s frightening. Last season the next top scorer was Kenneth Vargas and he didn’t even hit double figures.

It’s clear none of them have the ability to find the net like Shanks so it was a major gamble leaving him on the