Neil Critchley explains what Hearts did against Celtic that he never wants to repeat

Critchley set his team up in a bold 3-4-1-2 formation with the intention of playing on the front foot, but while there were positive moments and chances to score, Hearts were picked off by the speed and quality of Celtic attacks with Daizen Maeda netting a double either side of a strike from Jota to end the match as a contest by half-time.

Hearts changed into a more defensive shape after the break and retreated into their own half to avoid any further damage, and Critchley admitted it was a tactic he hopes never to repeat.

"I thought we started the game very well, on the front foot, pressed well, good organisation, created some good moments," he said. "At 3-0, the game's gone and then it was a bit of damage limitation really, which is not the team or what I ever want us to be. I'd much rather we played like we did in the first half.

"Giving them half of the pitch, I don't enjoy that. I'd much rather see us go for the game and if sometimes you live by the sword, die by the sword, so be it. I don't think Hearts and who we are as a football club has ever been built on surrendering half the pitch and sitting behind the ball and hoping that we get a breakaway or a set-piece to win the game. So I've got no complaints with how the players played."

Critchley hopes his players can learn from the defeat as he looks to develop a team that is capable of going to venues such as Celtic Park and competing for 90 minutes without putting everyone behind the ball.

"I don't want the players to lose belief in who I want us to be," he added. "In my opinion, as a coach, you always have to protect or develop the traditions of the football club.

"It's always been built on going toe-to-toe, being on the front foot, being aggressive. We'll learn from that. I want us to be that team and get better at being the team we were in the first half and doing that for longer, and doing it better and doing it against top opponents.

"That's what we've got to strive for. That's where we want to be and this is the type of teams we want to be playing against and competing against for longer every week. That's my test as a coach and that's where I want us to move forward as a club.

"The principles of how we play the game, I will live and die by that and protect those principles that I think represent the club that I think we should be."