Two draws and four defeats, three of them 3-0 thumpings, show that Killie still have some way to go before they can challenge the top four sides.
Most disappointing on Wednesday night was the lack of penetration and invention in the final third of the field. Allan Johnston is showing more glimpses of the skill that led to several big-money transfers not so long ago, but how often does he turn his trickery into a telling contribution? Gary MacDonald is a shadow of the player he was at the turn of the year and looks in need of a rest.
I feel questions need to be asked of Kilmarnock's tactics at the start of Wednesday's match. Reading the team sheets, the two sides seemed to be similarly matched with two wide players on either side of a four man midfield, but Killie started the match with Danny Invincibile moved from his right wing position where he has covered many miles with athletic performances all year, to join Kris Boyd in the centre with Naismith just behind. This left a huge whole on the Hearts left which they exploited fully for the opening fifteen minutes and they could have been four up in that time.
I would like Jim Jefferies to come out and say that he got it wrong, that as he was without Gary Locke, he had no defensive midfielder on he pitch, and that four across the middle would have been better. Kilmarnock have good young players who would react positively to a sharing of the blame rather than be left to shoulder the burden of the fans' disappontment.
There has never been a better example of how important Locke is to Kilmarnock than this match; how many believe that Lee Wallace would have scored that vital first goal if Locke had been on the pitch?
Kris Boyd doesn't look fully recovered from his latest injury and this leaves a big onus on Steven Naismith's shoulders, yet he still looks to be the shining light that will be biggest plus to be taken at the end of the season.
The top six is now the only target left to be achieved this season, and it is vital that this is secured as there will not be funds for Jefferies to offer new deals to many of the out-of -contract players without the financial benefits that the top half brings.