Kelly Paints The Picture Following Defeat

[davieG]

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Kelly Paints The Picture Following Defeat

Leicester City boss Rob Kelly says it is important that the players and fans take a step back and 'look at the bigger picture' following Sunday's 2-0 defeat at the hands of Southampton at the St Mary's Stadium.

City travelled to the game in the knowledge that their Championship status had been secured for the upcoming 2006-07 campaign some time ago.

And despite the reverse against the Saints, Kelly confirmed that although the defeat had been disappointing it certainly wasn't going to ruin everyone's summer.

He said: "It would have been great to round the season off with a win, but if you'd have said to me when we were getting on the coach to go to QPR in January that we'd have 54 points at this stage I'd have been ecstatic. We will suffer this defeat but we will also be looking at the bigger picture.

"We were as poor as we have been in the first half and we were really caught on the back foot. Both of the goals that we gave away were disappointing from our point of view.

"I thought that we had a go in the second half and we were more competitive and more like we have been. But it was a bridge too far.

"The players didn't deserve to lose in that way and nor did our supporters, but at least we came out in the second half with some credit.

"At one stage I feared we may concede four or five goals and if we had a fault it was that we still tried to play football when we should have been making it uglier."

Meanwhile, Kelly confirmed that star midfielder Joey Gudjonsson had been forced to miss the game with a back problem.

He added: "That was disappointing for the supporters as I am sure they would have loved to have given him a good send off. But at least they got the chance to say their goodbyes at the Walkers last week."