Livi 0-1 Morton - Sat 18th Jan '14

Shiels says Livi's win can be positive for Ton



KENNY Shiels insists he would rather face a Livingston side who just recorded a surprise win away at table-topping Dundee than one that had suffered a stinging Dens Park defeat.

John McGlynn’s Livi lock horns with Morton at the Energy Assets Arena tomorrow and go into the fixture off the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 victory against the Dark Blues.

But Shiels, pictured, whose own team managed a constructive 0-0 draw with Raith Rovers, viewed that as the preferable outcome as far as his team’s chances of victory this weekend are concerned.

The way the Ton boss sees it, a club who have just suffered a sore setback go into the next match dead set on a positive reaction — and more often than not get it.

He told the Tele: “It will be tough against Livington, it really will. They’re a tough opponent and come into this game after beating Dundee. But I prefer to play a team that has just won to be honest — and Livingston have just gone and beaten the league leaders.

“With a team that has lost — and maybe concedes four, five, six or even seven — you watch their statistics in the next game.

“West Ham lost 6-0 to Manchester City in midweek recently and then went and beat Cardiff on the Saturday.

“A couple of seasons ago Manchester United lost to 6-1 to Manchester City but then went on to keep five clean sheets in a row.

“It galvanises the players. They want to go and repair something. Teams tend to waken up. I always find that, in adversity, teams come back the next week and do well.

“I’m not saying it always happens or that a team that won the previous week won’t perform as well, but we are due a result and I just have a feeling that it’s going to be tomorrow.

“It’s a gut feeling I’ve got. Am I usually right with my gut feelings? I don’t know! But I want a win and believe we can get it. We got a draw last week and that has given us a platform. We need to build on that, and we do that by continuing to improve.

“I think it’s quite obvious we need goals. We need them badly and that’s something we’ve been working on.

“We got more shots away against Raith, but it’s still not enough. Teams I manage attack with more aggression and more bodies in the box.”

www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/sport/morton/articles/2014/01/17/485317-shiels-says-livis-win-can-be-positive-for-ton/?