Gary Rowett: I think the team failed to find their rhythm in the game and didn't show their full potential.

Following Leicester City's 0-1 away defeat to Portsmouth at Fratton Park, Gary Rowett expressed his disappointment with the result. The manager, in reviewing the south coast loss, acknowledged that the outcome of the game was unpredictable. However, he pointed to the team's lack of finishing ability and poor handling of Portsmouth's conceded set pieces as key reasons for failing to secure points.

After the match, Gary Rowett said: "I think it was going to be a war of attrition, a very tough match. You realize that the outcome often comes down to set pieces or other key moments. After all, to remain competitive in the Championship, you have to consistently put in a high level of performance."

"When you're playing away in Portsmouth, you have to stay calm. I think we didn't really find our rhythm or play to our full potential, but overall we were okay. In the last 20 minutes of the first half, we gradually stabilized and started to control the ball and move it around better. However, we probably didn't show the quality we should have in the attacking third."

“In fact, we didn’t show that very well. But the opponent is a team that keeps you alert and constantly responding defensively. The situation in the second half was not much different, and I think we started the same way. What’s frustrating is that we conceded a goal from a set piece when the game had become more stable.”

“I think the two teams are evenly matched. They didn’t create many chances, and neither did we, and we ended up scoring from within eight yards. We need to do better defensively and deal with these situations more effectively. This has been a major problem for us almost all season, especially in recent games.”

“We actually chased back quite well after that, and I don’t think there was a problem with the team’s mentality. We also created some good chances. Hamza Choudhury had a chance to score in the first half, Yannick Vestergaard also had a shot, Paterson Daka’s header was saved by the goalkeeper, and he also missed a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper.”

"If you fail to capitalize on your opportunities and score with headers in these crucial moments, it's very difficult to win at this level. I'm very disappointed again; the result was already decided, and we ended up with no points."

Leicester City are currently 23rd in the Championship, eight points away from safety. After suffering two consecutive defeats, and influenced by the results of other matches that day, they have only three games remaining in the season.

Gary Rowett continued, "We didn't have much time left, and there were periods in the game when we seemed unable to hold on until the 90 minutes were up. When you come here, there are always moments when the opponent puts pressure on you, and you have to respond accordingly, it's that simple. Of course, they got a chance from a set piece, which became a key turning point in the game."

“Other teams will use this method, and we must be prepared to deal with it. As things stand, if we can’t handle every set piece well, we’ll have to rely on scoring near-perfect goals to win. It’s really disappointing, but we must remain professional.”

"I feel sorry for the fans, especially given the high cost of living these days, who have to spend their hard-earned money to travel with the team. I really wish I could express more to them. I am very disappointed with our recent results. They have always supported us, but we have failed to repay them in terms of performance. This even makes me feel a little guilty, and I can only apologize for that."

"We still have a slim chance, and all we can do now is keep fighting for it. Hopefully, other teams can give us some help, but ultimately we have to win on our own. If we can't get a win soon, everything will quickly become a foregone conclusion."

“I believe only victory can truly bring confidence. Unless the whole team firmly believes we can do it, I still believe we have the ability to win. I’m somewhat surprised that we didn’t win more games, because our overall performance and the chances we created were more than enough to warrant a win. But we conceded goals due to some very careless and even unnecessary mistakes. We’ve discussed this issue before, and it happened again today.”

Image source: Internet/Leicester City official website