We Lacked Quality In Key Areas, Says Morgan
- LCFC Women manager Jonathan Morgan says the team must now regroup after a third WSL defeat
- Morgan was speaking following the 4-0 reverse at West Ham United at the weekend
- There is little time to dwell ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup Quarter-Final clash with Man City (7pm kick-off)
- The Foxes will need to put the defeat behind them quickly as focus shifts to the cup, he adds
Hosts West Ham United collected all three points at Chigwell Construction Stadium with a blistering first half performance that included strikes from Tameka Yallop, Claudia Walker and an Ashleigh Plumptre own goal.
A fourth was added late on as the Hammers picked up their first win of 2021/22, a milestone City are still looking to reach after three games of their maiden WSL campaign.
Speaking to LCFC TV after the final whistle, the Foxes manager felt City did not execute the gameplan that was required to secure a positive result in the capital.
“We are disappointed with today, but we can put it down to one of those days where we were just off,” Morgan reflected in his post-match interview. “We’ll look to regroup now, move forward and go again.
“We knew they start fast and we knew it was going to be quite an open game based on the way the two teams play, but unfortunately for us we didn’t have the quality in possession today and we just mixed up a few things out of possession.
“We didn’t really exploit the areas that we identified which made the game a bit easier for them and obviously we can’t always just rely on Tash [Flint] and Jess [Sigsworth] to be the hold-up players.
"It just boils down to the fact that we probably played into their hands a little bit today. We had to make a couple of subs. Maybe the fitness wasn’t where we hoped for this type of game but it is good to have a few of the players back.
“We’re still struggling with a couple but that’s why you’ve got squad depth, to hopefully see out these games. It was just the application of the game but we go back to the training ground and we just re-focus and regroup. We just look to move forward now.”
Switching thoughts to Wednesday’s Vitality Women’s FA Cup Quarter-Final away to Manchester City (7pm kick-off), Morgan is hoping the players can put the league defeat behind them.
The visit to City Academy Stadium is part of last season’s re-arranged competition and a reward for knocking out top-flight opposition in the previous round.
He continued: “Going into Man City, a few of these girls will start again and another few of the girls will come in and then we’re preparing for Spurs at King Power Stadium. It means the girls can’t dwell on it.
“They can’t overthink things because they’ve now got to turn their attention to the next situation. Playing against Man City, it’s always nice to play the big teams because you want to test yourself against the best.
Morgan: We Know We Can Be Better
Manager Jonathan Morgan believes LCFC Women must recover and move forward quickly following the loss to West Ham United.
“Hopefully it will give us the platform to have a solid game to spring into Spurs on Sunday. They are professionals, and they will focus on whatever game is put in front of them. But I think it is nice just to get a little bit of a break away from the league and go into the FA Cup.
“We’ll see how Man City are after their game and start planning and put something forward in training for the girls. We get to play with a lot more freedom because there’s nothing for us to lose.
"If we do get to the final, we’re going through a very difficult route - Liverpool, Man United and now Man City. Anything can happen in the FA Cup, it’s a one-off game. We’ll see what happens on Wednesday.”
All times BST.