Linfield's David Healy highlights 'emotional roller-coaster of disappointment' as key to process

​A 4-0 high-profile, high-stakes loss to Glentoran in which high-flying Linfield had that sinking feeling marked one which left Blues boss Healy “slightly embarrassed” – but with resolve for the rapid response so often the mark of his trophy-laden time in the Irish League.

"That first-half performance was nowhere near the required standard to win any game, never mind a derby game, never mind against a good side in Glentoran,” said Healy on BBC Sport NI. "We let ourselves down tonight, we let the club down tonight.

"Certainly I'm the head of it, I'm the manager...I'm slightly embarrassed after the game about the overall performance and certainly our first-half performance, the scoreline.

"But it's only us that can put it right, we've got big games coming up.

"We discussed before the game that this was the start of a big month.

"We haven't started so well but what we need to make sure that we do is we regroup, we stick together...we've been good at that over the years."

Healy highlighted frustration at the manner of the goals conceded, from his team’s perspective.

"A long straight ball (for the first goal), we dealt with the first one but we didn't deal with the second one,” he said. "The second goal was basically another cross into the box, a cutback, something that we talked about.

"The third, again, Johnny Russell's got a long throw, we've watched enough games over the last number of weeks when he's played that you have to take care of the long throw.

"We didn't and we find ourselves completely on the backfoot.

"Glentoran, to their credit, were good in the first half - they over-run us, they looked hungry.

"Which, again, is a frustration on my part."

Healy refused to hide any from the immediate disappointment – but also reiterated his faith in his players’ ability to produce a positive reaction, having entered Friday off a sole defeat in 12 games on a run which included two wins over the Glens.

"We had a brief chat with the players...we don't really do post-mortems after the game,” he said. "I've huge trust and belief, especially with the experienced players in and around the dressing room.

"They (the players) are the first to admit...tonight we hold our hands up to say we've under-achieved and under-performed.

"There was a lot tonight that we basically should have, could have and certainly need to do better at.

"The players are disappointed...when you commit so much to the training week and you get the performance that we did and the mistakes that we made.

"One thing that we will want and get, as we've more often than not got, is a reaction to a poor performance and poor result.

"That's the most important thing...sometimes to get to the joys and highs of being a champion team, sometimes you've got to ride the emotional roller-coaster of disappointment.

"But I've been resolute before, the players in the dressing room will need to be resolute, which I'm sure they will.

"We'll come back and we'll come back fighting.”