Is Ageu finally ready to prove his worth?

[BBC] Despite defeat at Falkirk and a draw at Kilmarnock heading into the extended international break, the bigger picture for Hearts looks encouraging. A quick Tynecastle health check suggests the patient is in decent shape. Wouter Vrancken has transformed the style of play within months, guided Hearts into the Conference League and the League Cup semi-finals. With a realistic chance of lifting that trophy for the first time in 63 years, there is far more to savour than sulk about. We sit third, which is roughly where I expect us to finish, despite an injury list dominated by central midfielders and defenders. It has reached the point where I am trying to track down Vladimir Romanov's spiritual healer, Rima, and persuade her to bring the golden stick to Oriam. Vrancken is already hugely popular with the support. Winning his first Edinburgh derby in emphatic fashion at Easter Road certainly helped, but it is the direction he has restored that feels most significant. I cannot remember a recent Hearts manager uniting the fanbase quite so quickly. The break should offer some much-needed breathing space. Getting Oisin McEntee, Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Ageu fit and up to speed would strengthen the squad before a gruelling run of twice-weekly fixtures as the European adventure begins. Much has been said about the defence's inability to keep clean sheets. That may be a trade-off we have to accept under Vrancken, but midfield is the bigger concern. Stuart Findlay and Harry Milne have struggled in recent matches, while the Laurent Mendy and Tomas Magnusson pairing does not give the defence enough support when Hearts build from the back. Then there is Ageu. It is remarkable we still do not really know whether Hearts' record signing is any good. There was excitement around his debut at Livingston last season, but injuries have denied us enough evidence to form a fair judgement. Nobody should pile pressure on a player who has spent so much of his Hearts career on the treatment table. Equally, if Jamestown Analytics identified him as worthy of a club-record fee, there is a reasonable expectation he can become a midfield mainstay. His brief cameo at Kilmarnock offered little more than a reminder he exists. The extended break may finally give the Brazilian the chance to build fitness, find rhythm and show why Hearts invested so heavily. Further forward, Calvin Miller and Josh McPake have made promising starts, while a settled partnership with JJ Williams or James Wilson could help Claudio Braga rediscover last season's form. Hearts are not yet the finished article, but there is enough quality, momentum and belief to make this feel like the start of something exciting and, after too many false dawns, that is a prospect worth embracing.