Neil Critchley insists Hearts will be on the attack against Copenhagen

The head coach says his side will have to be good on the ball and take the game to Copenhagen.

Neil Critchley insists Hearts will be on the attack against CopenhagenSNS Group

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley declared attack was the best form of defence as he stressed they did not want to leave Conference League progression to the last game.

Hearts take on top seeds Copenhagen in the Danish capital in their fifth game of the league section, but they sit above their hosts on six points in 17th place in the table ahead of the penultimate match of this phase.

Quoted on his club’s official website, Critchley said: “They’re a strong team. A very good team, the best team we’ve met in this competition so far.

“Technically they’re very good, they have a clear way of playing, a clear identity, in and out of possession.

“Sometimes the best form of defence is to attack. If we just come here and try to park the bus then that’ll be an issue, we’ve got to try and play our game as well and try and do our very best to control the game when we have those chances.

“We know we’re going to have to be good without the ball because we’re playing against a good team technically who control the game, but also we have to be good on the ball as well.

“When we win the ball back we have to make sure that we don’t just turn it over and give it straight back otherwise it’ll be a long evening, we have to have our courage and be brave and play our football and try and make it our game as best as we can.”

Critchley dismissed suggestions that the pressure was off his side given Copenhagen are favourites.

Hearts won their opening two league games before losing the following two, the most recent defeat coming against Cercle Brugge after Lawrence Shankland missed a late chance to level from the penalty spot.

“We’re above Copenhagen in this competition so they need to win and we need to get something from the game,” Critchley said.

“We missed an opportunity in Bruges. We didn’t perform well enough on the night and we don’t want to go to the last game.

“If that’s the case, then so be it, but we have an opportunity, we’re here and we’ll give it everything we can to make sure…. our supporters are travelling in great numbers again, that we try and do everything we can to give them a great memory and a great evening.”

Hearts are again without Beni Baningime, but Frankie Kent is in contention to return.

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