I’ve every faith I’ll get a big response from my wounded Blues: Healy
Boss tipping his men to hit back after Showgrounds defeat
LINFIELD boss David Healy has admitted there’ll be no hiding place when his wounded team face Portadown at Shamrock Park this evening (5.30pm).
The Danske Bank Premiership title holders crashed to their first defeat in six outings at Ballymena United in midweek, but it was a result that left Healy scratching his head wondering how his boys managed to shoot themselves in the foot.
They succumbed to a second-half double from Dublin defender Conor Keeley — goals that could still give the former Northern Ireland striker nightmares come the end of the season.
Although they bossed the game for long spells, the Blues had only an Andy Waterworth spot-kick to show for all their dominance.
It means there is no room for error against a Portadown side smarting from a five-goal hammering by fellow basement strugglers Carrick Rangers in midweek.
“We will need to be better,” stressed Healy. “Portadown have nothing to lose, it’s traditionally a tough game down there. They had a poor result in midweek, so there is no doubt they’ll be looking to improve on that.”
With in-form striker Shayne Lavery on Northern Ireland international duty, the enigmatic Joel Cooper suspended — he was dismissed at Ballymena — and many injured players in the queue for the treatment room, Healy admitted his squad will be tested.
He added: “We have quite a few injury issues at the minute but there is no point in complaining, you get on with it.
“I have come out recently and I know other managers have also complained about the chaotic schedule these players are facing, but no one seems to listen.
“Yes, we are fortunate to be able to play and be doing something we love, but the other side of the coin is we are playing so many games it’s bound to take its toll.
“Obviously, we are still missing Shayne. It was great he was called up to the international side, which his performances of late have warranted, and it was great he got some game time. We now have a suspension to Joel, which I didn’t think was warranted, but that’s for someone else to judge.
“It’s a squad of players I have belief in. No matter what team goes onto the pitch at Portadown, they must remember they are not only playing for themselves, but also for me the manager, the backroom staff, the board and mostly the Linfield supporters who will no doubt be watching the game on livestream.”
Although Healy was critical of his team’s defensive antics at the Showgrounds, he believes they should have left with at least a point.
“We didn’t do enough in the final third,” he said. “It’s always been a grievance of mine, we let teams off the hook too many times. We don’t capitalise when we are on top.
“In our last game (against Crusaders) we had the bit between our teeth and I always felt we could come back. When we got back into it against Ballymena with the penalty, I was thinking there was plenty of time left and we could go on and win it.
“But we conceded poor goals, which I’ve discussed with the players. In fact, we probably have conceded too many poor goals this year and the trend continued.
“The game was there for us, they were points that got away. Leaving the Showgrounds with a point may not have been the worst result, but we contrived to make sure that didn’t happen.
“We made it easy for them at times with a lack of cutting-edge passes, or cutting-edge finishes. We need to be clinical and ruthless in the final third.”