Maresca: A Tough Result For Us
- Leicester City fell to defeat at The Den on Tuesday, losing 1-0 to Millwall
- Ryan Longman scored a 59th-minute goal to snatch victory for the hosts
- The Foxes remain top of the Sky Bet Championship by one point
- Enzo Maresca analysed a frustrating evening for the Foxes
A 1-0 defeat in south London on Tuesday evening cut the gap at the top of the table to one point, with Ryan Longman’s screamer the difference between the sides on Tuesday evening.
Reflecting on a disappointing night for his team, the Italian pointed to a resolute Lions defence as a key factor in frustrating the travelling Foxes across the opening 45 minutes. While the second period proved to be more fruitful, throwing on several attacking players in a bid to earn at least a point, the elusive goal never arrived.
“It’s a tough result,” the 44-year-old commented following full-time in the capital. “We tried [in the] first half but struggled a little bit. They defended very well, very narrow, very close. It was difficult to find space and solutions. [In the] second half, as we expected and has happened many times, we found more spaces.
“It was better for us, but even with that they were defending fantastically. We created chances - we had the Kel (Kelechi Iheanacho) one, the Ricky (Ricardo Pereira) one, the Pat (Patson Daka) one also.”
Following the elation of Saturday’s late victory, Leicester were feeling contrasting emotions as the twists and turns of the Sky Bet Championship continue. Once again, it is a quick turnaround, with the Foxes travelling to Plymouth Argyle on Friday night (8pm BST kick-off).
“It’s a matter of balance,” City’s Manager explained. “When you win you feel there and when you lose or drop points, you feel a little bit down. But now in this moment there is not time to think too much.
“It’s a matter of recovering energy, being focused on the next one and going again on Friday. And in the last five games, try to win as many as we can and then we’ll see at the end.
“For us, for everyone, it’s the same. Every team is struggling to win games. The Championship is very tough, especially the last eight to 12 games, because you are at the end of the season.
“Now every team is playing for some target, so it becomes even more difficult. It’s important especially in the moment we are in now at the end of the season. We knew already and we need to be patient until the end to try to win games.”