It's A Long Season, Says Winks
- Leicester City were beaten 1-0 by Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon
- Harry Winks admitted there was a sense of frustration in the away dressing room after the game
- He says perspective will be key as the Foxes look to continue their record-breaking start to the season
Just City's third reverse of the campaign, but their second in a row, Enzo Maresca's men remain top of the Sky Bet Championship going into the final international break of the calendar year.
Winks, who joined the Club in the summer, has started every league fixture for Leicester this term, but is set to miss the visit of Watford in a fortnight after picking up a fifth yellow card.
"It’s really frustrating because I think we dominated the game," the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder said at full-time.
"We were in control. They gave it a good go, but look at the last two games, we've conceded from a corner and a free-kick, and it's cost us the game and it's so frustrating.
Middlesbrough Take The Points Late On
The main moments from Leicester City's 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough on Saturday.
"When you play as well as we have and we've created the chances, dominated the game, these are the games where you have to take your chances.
"That's what gives the opposition that sort of moment to think: 'How do we get back in it?'
"But when you don't take the chances, you can feel it in the game that their crowd gets lifted, their players still think they're in the game.
"All it takes is one moment and you can see in the last two games, that's what's happened.
"We created a few big chances. I don't know exactly how many big chances we did create, but from what I can remember there was quite a few.
"I think we hit the post and their 'keeper's made a couple of great saves, but I think it's just one of those games where sometimes it just doesn't go in.
"And when it doesn't go in and it doesn't go your way, it's difficult to take, especially when, against the run of play, they go and put a free-kick in like that and win the game.
"It's difficult, but it's a long season. It's a tough one to take, but we as a team have to stick together.
"We have to keep going and believe in what we're doing because it's worked so far, but we just need to not get so down and stick with it."
Keeping a sense of perspective on City's season to date - one of the best starts by any team to any second-tier campaign - will be key as 2023/24 progresses.
"If we were to say we'd be in this situation at the beginning the season, I think we would have been really happy with that," Winks added.
"The way we performed, the level of play we've had, the results, everything's been great. But the last two games have been difficult for us.
"It was a situation that was always going to happen in the Championship, it's that difficult and every team poses a threat.
"So the most important thing is we have to learn from it, we have to stay positive, stay together as a squad and not react badly because it's a long way to go, lots of matches to play still.
"Once you get on a run in the Championship and you pick up points, all of a sudden things can be forgotten, so we just need to remember that.
"I think if we were playing poor and getting beat and teams are coming at us and dominating the ball and dominating chances in games, maybe it gives you a reason to maybe be a little bit less confident.
Winks Laments 'Frustrating' Boro Defeat
Harry Winks talked through City's loss at Middlesbrough after Saturday's 1-0 reverse.
"But we're not. That's not the case. We're dominating possession. We're creating so many chances. We're just not scoring at the moment.
"We're not getting into the areas and taking our chances, but that will come. When it does come, you can see we've shown this season, in some of the games, we've scored a lot of goals, so it's about belief, sticking with it, not getting too upset and too down.
"In the Championship, it takes one or two games, and things can change so quickly."
On his one-game suspension, Winks continued: "It's frustrating. I mean, I've been on four [yellows] for quite a while now, so I've been trying not to get another one, but I look back at it, was it a yellow?
"Probably not, but it is what it is. We've got a good squad. We've got good players who can step in and still perform at the level and hopefully we can get a result in the next game.
"It's just frustrating now that we have to wait a couple of weeks for the next game with the international break. But we'll train hard over the next couple of weeks and I'm sure we'll be ready for the next match."