‘Teams have learned how to defend better against us’ – Liam Scales insists Hoops must adapt
Liam Scales of Shamrock Rovers in action against Longford Town's Karl Chambers during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Shamrock Rovers defender Liam Scales admits that the league champions need to up their game as rivals have worked out how to cope with the Hoops.
Ahead of a mouth-watering clash with fellow league leaders St Patrick's Athletic next month, Rovers do battle with Waterford and Drogheda United, though manager Stephen Bradley has warned his charges to keep that Dublin derby out of their minds until their next two rivals have been dealt with.
Rovers are on a three-game winning run, the latest success a 2-1 defeat of Bohemians, but all three wins have been hard-earned, injury-time winners against Longford Town and Drogheda United and contentious penalty decision which secured the points at home to Bohs, proof that opponents are asking more questions of the Tallaght side this term.
"Definitely we do," Scales said when asked if his side need to do more.
"We saw patches of it against Bohs in the first-half where we're getting up the gears and up our levels. Last year we were able to blow teams away early, but teams have kind of learned how to defend a bit better against us and it's always going to be harder to break them down. But in the first-half, we got to our levels.
"We started very well and were good in the first-half but they upped it coming out in the second-half and we had to deal with it. That happens, especially in derby games and you have to deal with what is thrown at you.
"We did find it tough but Danno (Dan Mandroiu) was in on goal for the penalty and I would have backed him to score if he wasn't pushed. We did break them down eventually," added Scales.
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