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Steven Crawford

David Healy offers up honest assessment as Linfield's title defence ends

David Healy pulled no punches as he offered up an honest assessment of Linfield's season.

The Blues boss feels his side have not done themselves justice this season as they chased a fifth league title in a row.

Healy was left frustrated in midweek as Bobby Burns' 91st minute goal earned Glentoran a share of the spoils and he said it was symptomatic of their season.

Read next: Linfield announce link-up with Italian kit manufacturer

"We have not done ourselves justice this season with the squad of players we have," he said.

"We were right in and amongst it two or three times this year and ready to push on, but when the important moment came, it by-passed us and we didn't take advantage of when we were in good form.

"The draws we've had at home this season, including Wednesday night, against Coleraine, Crusaders and Cliftonville, when you accumulate points we should have done better in, that's why we are fighting and scraping for second place.

"It's hard for me as a manager to be individually critical of any of the players.

"The players are honest enough and I know where we have fallen short this year.

"We have missed good chances at key times but that's something we are trying to look at as we want to always improve.

"Sometimes a little bit of confidence drains out of you.

"It looks as if we are waiting on somebody else to score instead of somebody grabbing the game, grabbing the ball or grabbing the opportunity when it comes.

"Nobody is being alive to a tap-in, a scrappy one or being desperate to score. It looks as if we just don't have that at the minute."

Linfield head to Coleraine this afternoon with Healy keen for his side to grab a win to avoid the "chaos of the European play-offs".

"We spoke to the players and the one thing we don't want to be doing is scrambling in the chaos of the play-offs," he said.

"It's in our hands at the minute as we are three points ahead of Cliftonville with three games left.

"If you go and win two games, it may be enough to save something from the season.

"We need to make sure we are not part of the chaos and carnage that comes at the end of the season.

"We have three games to salvage some sort of positivity from the season.

"Yes, the League Cup was good on the day and whatever else, but it doesn't secure you any European spots.

"We need to make sure we are playing as well as we can to try and get as many points as we can over the next three games. Hopefully, that's the case."

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