Sky Sports Lawrence Shankland Hearts woes worsen as fans chant for striker to GO after penalty miss.

The number nine blasted a spot kick over the bar that would have levelled the game.

 

Neil Critchley defended Lawrence Shankland as Hearts supporters screamed for him to leave after their away loss in Europe.

Shankland missed a penalty in an away loss against Cercle Brugge in the Europa Conference League, resulting in two unanswered goals for the hosts. The Scotland international has only one goal this season, but he has contributed significantly to the team’s style of play.

His wastefulness, however, has recently enraged many followers, with the Jambos faithful expressing their displeasure in Belgium. The travelling supporters yelled, “Shankland, Shankland, get to [expletive]”.

Critchley has defended the striker who led the Scottish Premiership scoring charts last season, while refusing to single out any players for criticism after the loss. “I understand [the] frustration, I get it,” Critchley remarked when asked about the Hearts supporters’ reaction, which numbered over 2,500 at the Breydel Stadium in Bruges.

“I would never blame a player for taking a penalty. I said we win and lose together, and he took it upon himself to take the penalty, which he missed. He only needs to stay with himself and not be too downhearted, and we must do the same.

“We wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for him [Shankland], because he scored the goals that helped us get here and finish where we did last season. It’s a team game, and it’s not only Lawrence’s responsibility, but also the other players’. Kenny [Vargas], Alan [Forrest], Yan [Dhanda], [Blair] Spittal, whomever that is, and the forwards, [Liam] Boycie, James Wilson, and Barrie McKay, have all came on and played minutes. You are hoping for one of those guys to score or produce, which we have not done.

“Of course he can [handle the weight of being club captain in the last year of his contract while on a goal drought]. He is an experienced player with broad shoulders, and we will remain with him, stand by him, and provide him with the necessary support. That is really crucial right now.

“We’re quite upset that we weren’t able to offer them [the supporters] a goal to celebrate or three points tonight. It’s natural disappointment; we’re all disappointed. When you’re going in large groups, paying money, and travelling a long distance, you want to have a fantastic evening, just like everyone else. Unfortunately, it has not occurred.”

When asked if his team could have won if they had produced an equaliser, he replied, “I believe so. Because I believe that in the second half, as their energy level dropped, they would allow us space on the pitch, and we began to pass the ball and manage the game better.”

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