Why Hearts signed Motherwell's Blair Spittal on pre-contract

Yan Dhanda had already agreed a summer move to the capital earlier in the year. And after the Gorgie club wrapped up a second pre-contract signing on Thursday night with the addition of Livingston full-back James Penrice, fans didn't have long to wait for the third when news broke of Blair Spittal's impending switch to Gorgie.

Hearts' interest in Dhanda and Penrice was fairly public and well-known, but the club's third summer signing was one that caught a few onlookers off-guard. Like Dhanda and Penrice, other Premiership clubs were in the race for Spittal, but it is ultimately Hearts who have triumphed.

So, what kind of player are Hearts getting then? What exactly is it about Spittal that caught Naismith's eye, and where is the 28-year-old likely to fit in at Tynecastle Park? Let's take a look.

READ MORE: What Hearts can expect from James Penrice: Technique, drive, bags of potential

Hitting new highs

Spittal has always been a technical player - and the former Dundee United, Ross County and Parick Thistle midfielder has chipped in with goals and assists throughout his career - but he has found a new level this season. Kilmarnock's Danny Armstrong (10) and Celtic's Matt O'Riley (10) are the only Premiership players to have registered more assists than Spittal (nine) this term - and the 28-year-old's under-the-hood stats are impressive too.

The graphic above shows how Spittal (red) compares to the league average for central midfielders in key metrics for playmakers, and the results are eye-catching. He doesn't offer all that much off the ball, but in possession he is one of Scotland's most creative players. Spittal ranks very highly for xG assisted, both from open play and set-pieces, suggesting that he is consistently fashioning relatively high-quality chances. His scoring contribution (goals and/or assists) is also very high, as you would expect.

When we delve a little deeper into the advanced passing data, Spittal continues to hold his own among the very best the Premiership has to offer. The graphic below includes the creative passing statistics for all midfielders and wingers with at least 900 minutes of Premiership football under their belts, and Spittal is once again a standout. 

Spittal is a technically gifted player, as Hearts discovered to their detriment in a 1-0 loss to the Steelemen at Tynecastle Park back in September.  With the game tied at 0-0, an expertly timed through ball from the former Queen's Park man sent Callum Slattery through to score the game's ony goal.

Spittal receives the ball, but he’s more interested in the space to his right, so he plays a one-two with Slattery and gets into a dangerous area.

Spittal gets it back, and he’s been afforded time on the ball. Slattery has spotted a gap in Hearts’ defence and is sprinting in behind. Spittal carefully chooses his moment to release, and then it’s a simple finish for his team-mate.

READ MORE: Why a Hearts pre-contract move for Yan Dhanda makes sense for everyone

Versatility

Spittal has more minutes to his name this season than any other player at Motherwell (including goalkeeper Liam Kelly) and it isn't hard to see why. Not only is he the most creative player on the books at Fir Park, he also happens to be one of the most versatile. Spittal has featured all across the midfield this season - as a No.6, a No.8. a No.10, a winger and a wing-back - and has been especially productive when deployed as a wide playmaker on the left, or as a No.10 behind the striker.

Being comfortable in a variety of positions and roles certainly doesn't do Spittal's chances of selection any harm, and his broad skill-set allows him to slot into other positons as and when required. Hearts Standard spoke to an individual involved in Scottish football who has worked with Spittal, and they say that Spittal's appeal to Hearts is obvious.

“It's a no-brainer for a manager who values good attitude and wants people who will set standards,” they said. “He does it all through his application. He helps set standards with his effort and intensity and general demeanour toward what it is he has got to do. Technically he is very good on the ball, can receive it anywhere, and is good with both feet, which gives you the opportunity to make the most of certain matchups.

“This season there has definitely been more in terms of his goal output and assists but he has played a little bit further forward more frequently. His versatility is underrated. When Dujon Sterling came in at Rangers there was a big thing about him being able to play anywhere. Spittal is the same.

“This season alone he's played about six different positions. He's the sort of character where if the manager asked him to play as an extra goalpost, he'd do it. That's the sort of boy he is. No maintenance, almost. He will do whatever he is asked to do with minimal fuss, with minimal need to coach him on what it is you need him to do.

“He is a very intelligent player who uses his awareness and understanding of the game to his advantage more than any physical tool. He's not fast – he's never going to run away from anyone – but he is very sharp in everything he does. And his positional awareness, whether it is defensively or on the ball: if you look at some of his goals, the spaces he picks up is exactly where you want an attacking midfielder to be – late runs into the box or the edge of the area anticipating the ball to break out.”

Below are a few typical examples of Spittal's on-pitch intelligence. Here’s a case in point from Motherwell’s most recent game against Celtic. Lennon Miller has just waltzed into the box thanks to a wonderful bit of skill from the youngster, and Spittal is in a great position. 

He doesn’t budge though, recognising that he’s in a brilliant position. When the cutback from Miller arrives, Spittal drills it first time in at the far post.

Here he is against Ross County, playing in a wider position on the left. He gets the ball and shifts it out wide, but Spittal already has one eye on the gap County have left at the back.

The trap is set. Motherwell play the ball infield and Spittal races forward, eager to attack the space.

A neat reverse pass sends Spittal through with the goal at his mercy - and the finish is sublime.

Spittal is good at spotting space but just as importantly, he has a good understanding of when to time his runs too. Here's an example from the end of last season that illustrates the point nicely. Motherwell have got the ball in a promising area and Spittal's eyes light up when he spots a gap on the edge of the area. 

The ball is worked to Kevin van Veen, who is on the same wavelength. The Dutchman tees up Spittal just as he enters the D, and no one can close him down before it's much too late.

READ MORE: Jorge Grant's Hearts progress: The inside track on Hearts nearly man

Final third impact

Another huge plus point is Spittal's technical ability, which naturally lends itself to prowess at set-pieces. “He is good on both feet, so he can take different types of corners and different types of free kicks from different areas,” our source told Hearts Standard. “He gives you a real ability to be flexible with things you want to do.”

Spittal has only registered one assist from a set-piece in the league this season, but he has perhaps been let down by his team-mates' profligacy. The graphic above shows how Spittal compares to set-pieces taken by midfielders and wingers with at least 900 minutes under their belts. Although he ranks relatively poorly for assists registered, his xG assisted and key passes are among the best rates of any player within our sample. Eagle-eyed readers will note that Ross County midfielder Yan Dhanda, who will move to Tynecastle on a free transfer this summer, is also a standout in this regard.

Spittal's creativity isn't limited to dead-ball situations, however. He can be every bit as deadly from open play, particularly when receiving the ball out wide when there are plenty of men forward. His excellent technique means he can put a lot of power and dip into his deliveries while remaining accurate, and these can cause opposition defences all sorts of problems. 

Here's Spittal in action at Ibrox. Rangers have successfully repelled an initial ball into the box from a corner before it's shifted out to Spittal for the second phase out on the right. He takes a touch before hitting a cross towards the back post.

The trajectory and late dip means it's near impossible to defend - and Dan Casey just has to nod the ball in to seal a huge win for Stuart Kettlewell's side. 

He also has an eye for a through ball. Most assists have come this way. Take a look at the two examples below - in both instances, Spittal plays a brilliant pass forward early on, threading the needle in between the centre-halves and sending his team-mates through for a one-on-one with the goalie. Both the timing and the execution are flawless.

Now, Spittal might not get similar opporunities at Hearts. After all, Motherwell are one of the Premiership's most effective counter-attacking sides, and Steven Naismith's side spend many fixtures patiently probing for a way through a deep-lying defence. Those gaps often simply aren't there. But Spittal has another attribute that can help in such scenarios, and it's an area where Hearts are currently lacking: shooting from distance.

The graphic above shows the positions where Spittal has had a pop at goal from outside the box this season. We can see that he tends to take up good positions around 25 yards out and to the left where he can cut inside onto his favoured right foot, and he tends to work the goalkeeper at the very least.

Spittal can be very dangerous in this area - as County recently discovered to their peril. In the example below, Spittal receives the ball out wide but has acres of space in front of him. His team-mate's run out to the left creates an opening - and Spittal takes full advantage of the space.

READ MORE: New year, new Nieuwenhof: The inside track on midfielder's Hearts renaissance

Where he fits in at Hearts

As someone who is comfortable in a variety of roles, it's fair to ask - what is Spittal's best position? Our source believes they have the answer.

“I think playing just behind the striker is his best position,” they said. “He's really good at picking up space, really good at receiving in different areas and making runs beyond the striker or pulling into deeper spaces to allow the wing-backs to go beyond. He's got that positional awareness and ability to read what is happening to allow others to get into the right spaces as well.

“He's really good at drawing defenders into him to create more gaps for others as well. He works incredibly hard but he's got that intelligence to see the space, find the space, occupy the space. That's what allows him to be effective. If he is playing off one striker then he is used to that.”

There is just one slight issue: at present, there isn't usually a No.10 role available in the Hearts midfield. Naismith could of course change this during the close season - Dhanda, too, is a natural No.10 - but if not, then Spittal will likely be challenging for playmaker role on the left of the midfield three, allowing the 28-year-old to get into the sort of areas we've just examined where he can really hurt teams. Right now, it is usually a position occupied by Jorge Grant.

The above radar compares Spittal's output this season (red) to Grant's (blue) across some key metrics for a playmaker. We can see the two players share a similar profile, excelling in similar areas, but with one key disinction: Spittal out-performs Grant in most areas. Dhanda will also be arriving in the summer and again, the shape of the pair's radars suggests they will be vying for the same position in the starting XI.

The above radar shows how Spittal (red) compares to Dhanda (blue) and it's a similar story. There are a couple of areas where the County playmaker matches or even out-performs Dhanda's output. But, crucially, Spittal hits more shots and key passes per game and reaps the rewards, as evidenced by his vastly superior goal contribution rate.

As well as playing across the midfield, Spittal has spent most of his career deployed at right wing and right wing-back, gaining a firm understanding of what is required in the role. He isn't the sort of player to go on a mazy run and take on two or three defenders - for all his qualities, Spittal isn't exactly an out-and-out winger - but his versatility provides options for Naismith to make in-game tactical tweaks as and when he sees fit. As a tactically reactive coach, it is easy to see why Spittal caught Naismith’s eye.

“If a team are playing a certain style or formation you can put him in different positions,” our source explained. “For example, if you are playing with wing-backs and think you are going to have a large percentage of the ball, play him as a wing-back and it will give you someone who is technically very good in a defensive area with a good attacking output – and allow you to be quite forward with what you want to do.”

Such a recommendation is surely music to Naismith's ears. All managers seek options on the park to change a game if it's not going according to plan, and Hearts' tendency to start games slowly before improving as the game wears on means that versatile players gain even more importance in Gorgie. It is undoubtedly a sizable string to Spittal's bow, but it is no coincidence that his best-ever campaign has come when he is playing in positions where he can regularly get into dangerous areas where he can really hurt the opposition.

Spittal has always been a solid player and an impressive technician, but it has taken until now to find a role that gets the best out of him. At Motherwell, that's exactly what happened and the Steelmen have reaped the rewards accordingly. The template for how to get the most out of Spittal is clear to see: Naismith simply has to follow it once the playmaker pitches up in EH11.