Stephen Kenny is ‘raging and hurting’ after seeing the wheels come off Ireland’s Nations League bid.
The Boys in Green slumped to a second defeat in five days after going down to Ukraine at Aviva Stadium.
And Kenny is feeling the heat ahead of Saturday’s clash with Scotland as he tries to avoid an unwanted hat-trick.
“I’m just raging that we didn’t get one win in the two narrow games,” he said. “We had built momentum and belief, but this has set us back.
“We’re hurting at the moment and we don’t have time for that, because of the quick turnaround.”
Kenny had wanted to top the Nations League group, but refuses to accept that Ireland are in a relegation battle to League C.
“No, I don't think so,” he said. “We have 12 points to play for so it’s premature to say that.
“There are points to be won and that’s our intention.
“We could have four points but we don’t but we don’t want to get into the habit of losing matches like we did the last couple.”
Ireland were second best for the second game running and failed to work a Ukraine side showing 10 changes from their World Cup playoff defeat to Wales.
“That’s two games that hung in the balance,” said Kenny. “We didn’t deserve to lose to Armenia and tonight was a game that we started well and finished strong.
“The game was very stretched with not many chances for either team. We didn’t consistently pass the ball well in the match.
“And their goal is a fluke. A free-kick that takes a massive jump off the ball and goes into the net.
“We didn’t create loads of chances but neither did they. It was a very even game and we just came out on the wrong side of it."
Asked how he can turn the fine margins into Ireland’s favour, Kenny said: “Getting that first goal is critical.
“In the game on Saturday we had quite a few chances to get the first goal but couldn’t get it. Tonight, less so.
“The selection of our passes has to be a little bit better, and the crosses.
“But the front three played well. Jason Knight was exceptional for periods, Chiedozie Ogbene was a threat and Callum Robinson linked the play.
“But we went direct too often for my liking, and we have to address that.”
Kenny continued: “I can’t fault the players. They left everything out there and gave everything of themselves
“I told them before that it wasn’t enough to give 100% and that you have to extract every ounce of yourself in pursuit of the result. But we came out the wrong side.
“We have to bounce back and dust ourselves down.”
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