Institute struggling like Rodgers’ Liverpool side

Institute are in serious danger of doing a ‘Liverpool’ this season.
Institutes leading marksman Stephen OFlynn has left the club.Institutes leading marksman Stephen OFlynn has left the club.
Institutes leading marksman Stephen OFlynn has left the club.

This time last year they like Brendan Rodgers side were flying high at the top of the league (all be it Championship One), but this season they have struggled to score goals and while they aren’t creating a host of chances like Liverpool, they have been getting into good situations but haven’t taken their opportunities.

This weekend the Waterside men face Ballymena United, at the Riverside Stadium, on Saturday (KO 3pm) and boss Paul Kee is hoping they can start finding the back of the net.

“There are similarities and I was thinking about that on Sunday, when I was watching the Manchester United versus Liverpool game,” he said.

“Although Liverpool have sometimes been criticised for their effort, but that’s something I can’t say about us, even on Saturday when we were 4-0 down everyone was still running around and making an effort and I can’t fault them for that.

“But yeah like Liverpool we are struggling to score and that’s our biggest challenge now.

“We aren’t struggling in other parts of our game, but we are struggling to score goals and that’s what wins you matches.”

After the Ballymena encounter, the Waterside outfit entertain bottom side Warrenpoint Town on Boxing Day and Kee knows how important both games are to his team.

“We are going into the third series of fixtures now and if you had have asked me at the start of the season would I have been happy sitting where we are now in the table at this stage of the season, I would have taken it,” he said.

“However we desperately need points going into this Christmas period, we desperately need a win and we have to make sure that we have people taking responsibility with the chances which we are creating.”

One man, who probably could take those chances which the Stute boss is talking about, wouldn’t be involved now.

Kee confirmed that while the January transfer window still isn’t opened up striker Stephen O’Flynn has left the club after his announcement to join Crusaders next month came out last week.

“Look in my opinion Stephen’s mind isn’t right in terms of playing for us, his mind is on his move to Crusaders next month,” Kee added.

“That is why I decided to pull him out of the squad which took on Cliftonville last Saturday and it’s also the reason why he has left the club now.”