Neil Critchley wasn't overly enamoured with the Heart of Midlothian performance in the 2-0 win over Ross County, but he was delighted with how his players went about their business.
Hearts were made to work for their victory, with Don Cowie's side instructed to sit behind the ball and frustrate the hosts.
It took the home side a while to settle but they found their breakthrough via Elton Kabangu, kept it tight at the back and added a second late on through substitute Jorge Grant.
It all added up to what Critchley described as a "professional" display that puts Hearts back into the top six of the Scottish Premiership.
The head coach also spoke about the race for the top six, Michael Steinwender going from "strength to strength" and the "outstanding" Elton Kabangu.
Here is everything Critchley said after Hearts defeated Ross County.
Your thoughts on the performance from your team today?
“In the end, you'd class it as a routine home win, but we've had to fight and work really hard for it, as Ross County make you do that.
“It's not easy when a team basically puts 11 players behind the ball on the halfway line. It's very difficult to play against. You have to be patient and you have to work for your openings, and we did that with a fantastic first goal.
“A really good team goal. It's important to get the first goal. And then they had to go for the game, more attacking subs on, and open the game up, which you'd expect them to do. I thought the subs came on and made a real difference for us as well.
“So that just shows it's all about the squad. It's a squad game and I thought it was a fantastic second goal. In the end, we've deserved to win the game.”
How pleased were you with the fact that your team had been 1-0 up for so long, but it didn't start to get nervous or anything?
“It can, but the team just kept playing the way they were. I said that to the players after the game: we were calm in that moment. We looked like a good, solid, organised, professional team.
“That was a professional win. If you're not creating loads of chances at the other end, then make sure that we're solid, we're compact, we're hard to play against. And we were. I don't think Craigie's [Craig Gordon] made a save, really, in the whole game.
“We've had to defend some set pieces, which we've defended really well. It's nice to get a clean sheet, because I don't think we've had one here for a while. And I've said that half-time: if we keep a clean sheet, we'll win the game.
“A good team is always based on a good defensive organisation first.”
You made ground up on every team of all that played today. It’s coming out of the stage of the season where it's vital now, isn't it?
“All results have gone in our favour today, which is positive for us. So it's been a good day all round. Sunshine was out, fantastic pitch. We scored two goals, kept a clean sheet, and the results have gone for us.
“We're in a good place. We get a little bit of time to rest. Some players will play in midweek, and then we get time to rest and get ready for a really exciting challenge at Celtic in a couple of weeks' time.”
Is getting the stage points more important than performances now?
“As a coach, you always want both. You know over a period of time that performances will lead to good results. So you want to be performance happy and result happy. You're always after those, searching for those two things.
“But of course, if you're not going to perform well and you can still win, then that's a sign of a good team as well. But I don't think, in my opinion, we were the better team and fully deserved to win this game today.
Eight in 11 now for Elton Kabangu who seems to come alive in the box.
“Elton is such a threat all the time. He keeps getting into goal-scoring situations and positions. And he's been frustrated because he's missed a few recently. But his mentality is top. It doesn't let him affect him.
“He had a couple of chances in the second half. He's always on the move. And inside the penalty box, he's hard to keep quiet. You know, defenders, he's a menace.
“He's hard to hold. It was a really good team goal. We were asking him just to play slightly wider and hang outside the outside centre-back. And he did that.
“And he dived behind him. And Beni slid a brilliant weighted pass through for him for the first goal.
“I'm delighted for Elton because I know recently, when he's missed a few chances, that plays on his mind. But it shouldn't do because since he's been here, he's been outstanding.”
You mentioned the clean sheet. Michael Steinwender seems to go from strength to strength. What's equally impressive is that he came in what was effectively a pre-season for him.
“Yeah, definitely. I think he goes from strength to strength. I agree, and I think he'll get better.
“He's only 24. He's got his best years in front of him. And when he adapts to the nature of this league, the intensity of it, because it's different from the league that he's come to, he'll improve.
“Again, excellent mentality. Even if there's a mistake, it doesn't affect him. He's always there. He's so focused. He's a really good guy to have around the place in the dressing room.
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“If you think about the defenders that we're actually missing today, we were not available to us.
“For him and Lewis [Neilson], who hardly know each other, let alone played with each other, for them to come in and play as they did is credit to them.”
What's the next few days look like? Player’s off for a couple of days?
“Yeah, they'll get some days off over international break, but there'll be some training as well.
“We'll have a midweek game as well for the ones who have not been playing. Then they'll get a period of rest, which is important.
“Hopefully, fingers crossed, touch wood, the players who are going away on international duty come back in good health and we can go and attack the game at Parkhead.”
