We Have To Keep Going, Says Cooper
- Leicester City drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday
- Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi both netted in the Premier League fixture
- Manager Steve Cooper assessed his side’s improved display in the capital
The Foxes took a two-goal lead at Selhurst Park, courtesy of a goal in each half from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi, but, following an instant response from Jean-Philippe Mateta, were unable to hold on, conceding a stoppage-time penalty which was also converted by the in-form Frenchman.
After picking up a point on the road, Cooper reflected on a missed opportunity to claim their first win of the Premier League campaign, while also being encouraged by many aspects of the performance in south London.
“It does feel like a defeat, there's no doubt about that,” he admitted. “We were so good in the first half, there were so many positives where we applied ourselves to the game. We were so conscious of starting the game better than what we've done in the previous games, and we did, created a great chance and should have scored.
“We really put them under enough pressure to not let them settle in the game and were more than good for the 1-0 lead. The messages were to keep going to capitalise on it. It was the perfect start to the second half, and then the complete opposite how we managed the moments after that.
“Obviously, then the crowd gets up; we don't just give them an opportunity on the pitch, we give them an opportunity off the pitch as well with the crowd in the atmosphere. And it's one of those ones where you have to end up trying to see it out.
“They made a lot of changes and put a lot of bodies up the pitch. We had to try and match it with numbers, and I know that we've given the goal away and the penalty away in the end.
"But, as much territory as Palace had and as many bodies they had up the pitch, as well as Mads [Hermansen] played, I never felt like he was making save after save after save.
Vardy & Mavididi Strike In Palace Draw
Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi were both on target as Leicester City drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace.
“Any shots they were having were from tough angles to score or from distance. And dealing with crosses really showed, in terms of defending the box. In general, we looked good, but we could have had something more from every game that we've played.
“But we haven't and we've got to own that. We’ve to take responsibility for that, and we've got to just aim to keep going and do better. We’re really disappointed. But I also just saw so much growth in the team.
“There was so much good in the performance, particularly in the first half, but I'm not going to shout that from the rooftops because of obviously how we're feeling about the results. We come up against a team who have invested over a number of years and put a team together and been in the Premier League for a long while.
“We've seen the elements of it in every game and also the elements that we need to do better. I think in the first half it was as good as we've been for a half in a game and looked not just the team that we want to be with the ball, we look like the team that we want to be in terms of mentality and competition.
“It's a pity that we conceded the goals in the way that we have because I don't think that really typified the mentality that we showed, but we have to own it, and we have to keep going. We have to stick together, be positive, and that's what we'll do.”
A second strike of the league campaign for City’s No.9, his contribution was a key factor, while Oliver Skipp produced another eye-catching display, controlling the midfield alongside Harry Winks, allowing Wilfred Ndidi to maraud forward in a more advanced role, registering two assists.
“There were loads of good performances,” the 44-year-old continued. “There's no doubt about that. For large parts we looked like a good team with and without the ball. Skippy played well, there's no doubt about that.
“He (Vardy) took his goal well, any sniff of scoring he just comes alive. His game was good, his fitness was good. We feel like we're managing him well, he's definitely managing himself well.
“Two goals in four games is a good start and for a team to reach objectives in a Premier League season, you need a guy to get a good number of goals and hopefully he's started as he means to go on like he has done so many times before.
'We Could Have Had Something More'
Steve Cooper gives his reaction to Leicester City's 2-2 draw away at Crystal Palace.
“But I'm not going to go talk about it too much, because we've got to talk about the collective. We've got to talk about being a team and then, of course, to be a good team you need good individuals to play well. But the team at the moment is the most important thing in the squad and that's what we'll be focusing on.”
Everton are due at King Power Stadium this Saturday in a 3pm BST kick-off and although Cooper is not adding any extra importance to the fixture, he was keen to take the same mindset into that fixture.
“They're all big games,” the Welshman added. “We'll digest this one and we'll get over the disappointment. We'll look at the good in it and we'll just keep going and stick to the way we work. There was some fantastic commitment from the guys.
“We’re really gutted for the supporters in terms of the support they gave us and I would have absolutely loved for them just to walk out of there with three points. They would have deserved that so much. But we'll give everything to try and create that in the future.”