Source: Team_Talk
Shape up or ship out - Jefferies
Jefferies questioned his players' will to win after they slipped 11 points behind the Lanarkshire men, who took just 13 minutes to effectively seal the Scottish Premier League contest.[LNB]Mark Reynolds headed home in the second minute after Hearts failed to pick up Jim O'Brien at a short corner and the unmarked John Sutton soon finished off Keith Lasley's cross following a smart move by the hosts.[LNB]Motherwell looked dangerous whenever they went forward in the first quarter and only David Templeton's 70th-minute consolation, seconds after O'Brien had lashed home a third, prevented them from going third on goal difference.[LNB]Hearts face Hibernian at Tynecastle on Saturday and Jefferies, who believed Laryea Kingston was his best player "by a long way", knows they must improve.[LNB]"We said forget that game," Jefferies said.[LNB]"The derby is a different game, the form book goes out the window. "There's a passion between the supporters which makes it a great atmosphere but if we don't show the passion, we'll be in trouble.[LNB]"I'm hoping, having been involved in derbies, that's one thing you should be guaranteed. It wasn't good enough here.[LNB]"That was the worst it has been since we came in. A lot of those players have to use this time between now and the end of the season to prove to us that they've got a future at this club. On that performance, some of them let themselves down badly."[LNB]The whirlwind start helped Motherwell extend their unbeaten SPL run under Craig Brown to 12 games and the players have been rewarded with some time off before their next game against Dundee United at Tannadice on March 27.[LNB]"We have given them a rest for this week - that's because we have got so many guys from distance," Brown said.[LNB]"To get a few days at home, they deserve it. I said if they win this week, they are off next week. Those who go away have got a maintenance programme, they are not doing nothing for the week."[LNB]The strength of team spirit is evident though by the fact that some of the players will still be together on their week off on a trip to the Cheltenham Festival, encouraged by assistant Archie Knox.[LNB]Winger O'Brien said: "You saw the Rangers team that won nine (league titles) in a row, they were quite close and Archie is all for that.[LNB]"We've worked really hard and had a lot of midweek games. The gaffer has been excellent with days off.[LNB]"He knows rest is important as well as working really hard. If we get the rest it means we're ready for the run-in."[LNB][LNB][LNB] Scottish Premier Without Old Firm. Click here to bet.
