Liam on AUTO pilot as City bid for slot at top
LOAN STAR CONFIDENT CLUB WON’T NEED PLAY-OFFS FOR PROMOTION
LIAM Walsh has laid out his ambition for the remainder of his time with Coventry City.
The Bristol City loan star has enjoyed an impressive run of form with the Sky Blues, with whom he’s confirmed he’s staying for the rest of the season.
And the 22-year-old, who has earned popularity with the fans with a string of eye-catching performances at the heart of Mark Robins’ midfield where he has perfectly complemented skipper Liam Kelly, is confident the club can achieve a top-two promotion spot come May.
Asked about his immediate future, Walsh said: “100 per cent I will be here until the end of the season.
“I am fully focused on what I am doing here and I will try to do it as well as I can.
“As a club we are more than capable of going up automatically at the end of the season and that is our aim but we are taking it game by game.
“I need to keep my head down and keep playing well for the team.”
The combative midfielder also has an eye for goal, with four to his name so far and going agonisingly close to making it five at Fleetwood on Tuesday night.
“It was a great save from their ‘keeper,” he said, reflecting on his second-half chance in the goalless draw.
“I ran at their back four, saw an opening and struck it and I thought it was in but the keeper made a great save.
“I was going to set the ball back but I got a call to turn from one of the lads and I tried to get that winning goal.”
City made it four clean sheets in a row against Joey Barton’s side and Walsh has praised his side’s defensive work, but knows that there must be more action at the other end of the pitch as well.
“We have had four clean sheets in the past four games so we need to start doing our thing at the other end of the pitch as well,” he said, “but that doesn’t just mean the strikers because football is a team game so it lies with everyone.
“We needed to test their goalkeeper because of the weather conditions. First-half we were against the wind so we needed to get a little bit closer to get our shots off and they defended well so credit to them.
“Matty Godden and Max had a few chances but we just couldn’t find the goal.”
As for the dreadful conditions, the game played in bitingly cold high winds, Walsh said: “The weather conditions weren’t the best but you have to deal with them and it was made even tougher by Fleetwood as it is always a tough place to come. “The two halves were completely different and it was really hard to play in, we had good possession in our own half but as soon as we got to the final third, we either made a sloppy pass or sloppy shot. “Yes, the weather conditions don’t help but both teams were playing on the same pitch in the same conditions.
“But the gaffer said at the end, if you can’t win the game, don’t lose it and we managed to get a good point.”
I am fully focused on what I am doing here and I will try to do it as well as I can. I need to keep playing well.
Liam Walsh