Melbourne Victory interim head coach Steve Kean was disappointed his side was unable to get anything from the A-League clash against Macarthur.
Victory was again left to lament missed chances as Matt Derbyshire’s brace and a James Meredith header saw Macarthur to its win at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday.
Elvis Kamsoba had pulled Victory back to a 2-1 deficit late on before Derbyshire’s sealer.
Speaking at his post-match news conference, Kean discussed the game and the club’s injuries, with Robbie Kruse forced off in the first half.
on the game…
“I wouldn’t even say we threw it late, I think the first six or seven minutes of the second half I think I can remember five chances so I think we had a real go, but obviously we give ourselves a bit of a mountain to climb conceding a very early goal, but credit to the players. We said at half-time let’s just try and go out and win the second half, score the next goal and put a lid on the first half and just make sure we have the majority of the chances, which I thought we did. That’s a positive thing that we’re creating the chances, but we’re disappointed we don’t score more goals on the evening, but we can only just keep creating, the boys gave everything, effort, commitment was there, just that little bit where I think we’ve got to trust that the ball’s going to get to the back post and maybe not react and maybe get there a little bit earlier and believe that it’s going to get there earlier and I think we’ve got a couple of tap-ins at the back post.”
on conceding goals…
“I think we’re giving ourselves a lot to do. If you need to score three goals in the second half of any match to win a game, that’s difficult, but give credit to the players, at least they’re having a massive go, but what we want to do is not give ourselves that mountain to climb. Anybody can slip over. I think in commentary I’m led to believe that the lads thought the pitch was slippery, but I thought the pitch was excellent to play on, the condition of the pitch made it a fast, slick ground to pass the ball. Anybody can slip. We’re just disappointed we didn’t get something from the match because if somebody looks at the result they’ll think we were a bit of an easy pushover, and I certainly don’t think we were that.”
on Kruse…
“I think he just rolled his ankle a little bit so speaking with the medical team we’ll get that scanned tomorrow when we get back to Melbourne and hopefully it’s only a couple of fibres and it’s not a big tear, if at all torn. He certainly rolled his ankle and he couldn’t run it off and it stiffened up, but it’s not swollen which is positive so hopefully it won’t be a long one because we miss Krusey when he’s not on the park, that combination between him and Rudy (Gestede), I think they’ve got a good understanding and we missed that. We tried Elvis initially in behind Rudy and again we moved young Lleyton Brooks there, but just trying to find ways where we can open up the defence so hopefully we can get Krusey back.”
on Marco Rojas and other injuries…
“He had a very good, positive scan the medical team tell me that there is bone healing in his injury and now we’re going to get Callum McManaman hopefully back for the next match, he’s going to be very close, as is Adama (Traore), who had a virus today but we’re hopeful he can get through and be fully fit so we will get people back and hopefully Krusey’s scan is not a bad one and we can try and get some points.”