Puel’s Disappointment As City Lose At Palace
- Claude Puel felt a draw would have been a fair result following their clash with Crystal Palace
- The Foxes were defeated 1-0 following a Luka Milivojević effort at Selhurst Park
- Jamie Vardy hit the post with around 10 minutes to play
Luka Milivojević’s long-range effort sealed all three points for the hosts, despite Jamie Vardy hitting the post following a good stop from Palace ‘keeper Vicente Guaita.
Milivojević’s scored just six minutes before the break - an ultimately crucial moment when there was nothing to separate the two sides.
“Disappointed I think is the right word, of course,” Puel reflected at the full-time whistle. “I think this team played with strong pressing and put us under pressure. We had difficulties to start with the ball, to find space and to find good moves behind their defenders.
“We played a poor first half without the right intensity and we conceded a great goal. It was tough for us without the positive attitude in our game. [In the] second half, we played better with a good intensity, the right intensity, good play, good moves.
“We had three or four chances to score and I think we deserved to come back into the game. The fair result for me was a draw and we were unlucky in the second half. I regret our first half without the right intensity, the right ingredients.
“We allowed them to start well and score the goal. I’m disappointed about this and the inconsistency in our game. We made our reaction with a good second half but to get points we needed to play the full game.”
Puel believes his side ‘were ready to fight’ after the break, but could not find an all-important equaliser in the capital.
“It’s always a tough time to concede a goal, of course, but we had to manage this situation,” Puel added. “Of course, the positive attitude was to start our game with the right intensity and with concentration to win the duels.
“I think in the first half, we needed to win our duels, our battles. It was a fight. Before trying to play football, it’s important to give a good response in the battles and the duels.
“We were not ready to fight in the first half, and of course, we played another [type of] football in the second half.”