3 minute read
Chris Shields Interview
FROM THE DRESSING ROOM CHRIS SHIELDS
It was definitely a case of so near, so far in Austria on Thursday night and to have left Vienna with no points was very frustrating. We gave everything, even getting it back to a goal right at the death, so to have taken nothing out of it is really tough to take.
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We got off to a great start. Their keeper slipped but Pat Hoban will take it and it was brilliant for him, personally, to score a goal in the group stages. I’ve played that sort of pass a few times in my career and getting the ball into the box early was something that we spoke about during our video analysis in the build-up to the game. It worked out to a tee and it’s always nice when something you’ve worked on during the week comes off on the pitch. I’m sure Shane Keegan enjoyed it. He pointed it out on the video so it was something that was in my head.
Apart from the goal, I thought we started really well and settled into the game. We were disappointed to go in level at half-time because I thought we had done enough to be in front at the break but there was definitely a sense that there were more goals there for us and that we were well in the game. Even when we went 2-1 down, there wasn’t any great panic and we knew we would get another chance. Davy did well to win the penalty and we got that bit of luck when it went in.
Unfortunately, luck just went against us when Greg Sloggett’s header flew just wide. They’re the fine margins in Europe. I know it’s tough, and I wasn’t the one up heading the ball, but you can’t pass up chances like that at this level. If that had gone in, I think we would have gone on to win it. It was so unlucky for Greg because he had a great game. Their third goal was a killer and it was hard to bounce back from that. You can’t gift goals like we have done recently, especially in Europe. At this level, you’re going to be punished. This standard of football is ruthless and you can’t give teams a yard of space.
I think the performance showed the potential that’s in this group of players. We built on what we did on Matchday 1 against Molde. You can maybe write off the Arsenal game because they operate at a different level but we’ve really contested the games against Molde and Rapid Vienna and we should have taken something out of both games. The younger lads in the squad who are playing in the group stages for the first time - the likes of Darragh Leahy, Greg Sloggett and even
Mickey Duffy - can take great confidence from how they have performed and went toe-totoe with players you normally watch in the Europa League on a Thursday night. We’ve competed with them and it’s razor-thin chances that have separated our games. We definitely feel that we can take something from the past three games. We know what all of the teams are about and we have a grasp of how they all play.
From my own point of view, it’s nice to get messages on social media and people contacting you to say you’ve played well. I’m not really one for retweeting stuff about myself. I’ll let the club do that! I might have had a good game but, ultimately, it doesn’t mean that much.
Our focus is now on qualifying for Europe again. It’s been tough going from Thursday to Sunday for the past three weeks so having an extra day’s recovery has worked in our favour. We know what we have to do this evening and we intend to do it, whether that’s through the ball being flicked over the line by somebody’s knee or calf! The performance will almost go out the window and the game is almost like a cup tie where it’s all about getting the job done. Unfortunately, I’m suspended but we have enough experience in the squad. I missed the Europa League playoff against KI and the lads got the job done and I don’t see it being any different tonight.
