Barnes: We Gave Ourselves Too Much To Do

- Harvey Barnes speaks to LCFC TV after Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League loss to Arsenal
- The Academy graduate had a number of chances in the second half
- Gabriel and Emile Smith Rowe sealed the points for the Gunners

The Foxes fell 2-0 behind after only 18 minutes, with Gabriel and Emile Smith Rowe handing the clinical Gunners a significant advantage on Filbert Way.

Barnes was one of two changes at half-time, and although City created several goalscoring opportunities, they were unable to capitalise on their bright moments and suffered a first defeat in six games in all competitions.

“It’s a disappointing one for us,” he told LCFC TV. “Obviously, the first half, as a team, we weren’t good enough and we gave ourselves a big task going into the second half.

“We performed a bit better in the second half, but we couldn’t get the goal to get us back in the game. It’s a disappointing day.

“We went into the game with so much confidence, so to start the game like we did, it’s not like us. We spoke before and said we needed a quick start, and got the opposite of that and gave ourselves a big task and, in the end, they were the better team.”

Alongside Ademola Lookman and Patson Daka, Barnes was tasked with coming off the bench to change the outcome of the match, however Aaron Ramsdale’s impressive performance kept City out in the second period.

“We changed the formation to be a bit more attacking, and I think we were,” he said. “We had a lot more possession in the second half, created some good chances and Aaron Ramsdale made some great saves, so credit to him for that, but for us, we know we’ve got to be better.

“It’s an opportunity missed, and we want to go into every game to pick up three points, so we’ll be disappointed with that.

“There were a few great saves, but for us [we need to be] a bit more clinical at times. The goals we conceded, we need to look at them. They’re disappointing ones. As a whole, on the day, it was a tough task for us and we gave ourselves too much to do.

“When you come on and the team is down, you do whatever you can to help the team get back in the game. Me and Ade [Lookman] came on at half-time and we tried to make an impact.

“We both had a few chances and, on another day, they go in and we get ourselves back in the game. Today, that didn’t go our way.”

Barnes, however, was buoyed by the swift turnaround in fixtures, with Spartak Moscow visiting King Power Stadium in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.

He added: “That’s the best way to look at it – you want the games to come as quick as they can so you can rebound and bounce back to get the momentum going again going forward.

“We’ve got a busy period from now until Christmas and the New Year, so we want to win as many games as we can. Starting next week, we’ll be looking to bounce back and get ourselves going.”