ReactionCeri Holland: It's really disappointing - we'll review and improve quickly

The Reds were beaten 4-1 by Everton in their first competitive match under new head coach Gareth Taylor, held at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Cornelia Kapocs’ forceful finish had put the hosts ahead on 12 minutes and an encouraging opening half also included Gemma Bonner hitting the bar and Holland a post.

But a clinical showing from the Blues saw them level, gain the lead in added time before the interval, and then strike twice early in the second half to take the points.

• Read our match report from Anfield here

Read Holland’s thoughts on how the game unfolded below…

On the result and the mood afterwards…

I think firstly, it’s a really, really disappointing way to start the season, the result. We know that’s not what we wanted to do and it’ll hurt for us and our fans. But I think when you take away the result, we have to look at what we did well. I think the first half, we have controlled the majority of that half, 40 minutes I think. Then they obviously get the goal just before half-time. But I think the signs were there that were really, really positive in that first half. And then obviously after half-time, just coming out and conceding three goals really, really quickly, we can’t let that happen. You have to stay in games, in this league particularly. We’ll go away and review that.

On if the team can feel ‘hard done by’ due to hitting the woodwork twice and missing chances…

I don’t think we feel hard done by, we have to accept that we’ve let moments of the game get away from us. We’ve had our chances and we’ve threatened their box. I think they’ve had four or five shots and taken every single one. You have to sometimes look at that, and we’ll go away and improve and review.

On what was different in the second half to the opening 40 minutes…

I don’t think the goal has really knocked us just before half-time. We felt like we controlled the half, we were positive at half-time, we had done what we wanted to do. But like I said, the five minutes after half-time, we can’t concede that many goals that quickly. They’re little things we have to tidy up on – they make a big difference in these games. Really, really disappointing result but we have to go away, review the good things, review the bad things and improve.

On how the squad can ensure it doesn’t affect the rest of the season…

We’re really early into the journey with Gaz and we’re still kind of getting to grips with his style. I think we showed some really positive signs and I hope the fans saw that as well. We’ll go away and we have to review. We have to review quickly and improve and tidy up on those bits.

On whether it ‘hurts even more’ to have lost after showing how good they can be…

I think you can look at it two ways. We obviously showed really good signs. We’ll get fitter, we’ll get stronger. The way that we want to play requires that. We’ll go away and, like I said, we’ll just have to review. We have to get better and we have to go again.

On how much she enjoys Taylor’s style of play…

Yeah, really, really enjoying it so far. It has been really, really positive. It’s different. I’ve really, really enjoyed working with him and I think he has been fantastic with Chad [Gribble] since he came in. The team has taken fully onboard in a really short amount of time. We’re early into that journey so we have to be mindful of that I think, but we are fully aware we have to improve quickly.

On playing in a more advanced position on the wing on the day…

I just play where I’m told to play! But I’m really enjoying kind of learning a different position. Obviously I play there for my country and I really enjoy that style of the game. I really enjoyed the first half in particular and felt like I created some stuff for the team. It’s all part of the learning.

On Taylor’s message to the team post-match…

I think he’s really positive. We have to take the good and we have to take the bad. He just said we have to review and improve, and do that very quickly.