Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement felt his side deserved more from their 1-0 defeat to Portsmouth and praised the commitment shown by his players despite the disappointing result.
The Canaries created a number of opportunities throughout the afternoon but were unable to find a breakthrough, with Clement believing the match was decided by fine margins.
“The passion and commitment from the players was clear for everybody to see until the very last seconds of the game.
“What we missed was the final pass, the final action and the final shot in the final third.
“We had more chances than Portsmouth today and when you hit the post, it shows how small the margins were.
“I cannot ask more from the players in terms of their effort and commitment. This young group now needs to stay calm when we have the ball, make the right decisions in the final third and then we'll be back where we need to be.
“They need to feel the reward for all the work they've been doing.”
The City boss also felt that bad luck has contributed to Norwich's recent struggles in front of goal.
“Some moments come down to bad luck and hitting the post is part of football.
“A while ago, we weren't doing enough defensively as a team, but the players are doing that now. It's about finding both sides of the game together.
“If we score the first goal today, I think the players would have felt released. Portsmouth would need to come out more and there would be more space.
“We had several really good transition moments, especially in the first half, but we made the wrong decisions with the final pass. That's where experience and confidence come into it with a young group of players."
Reflecting on the supporters' reaction after the final whistle, Clement praised the backing his side received throughout the game.
“The fans were really positive during the game and kept pushing the team. You cannot ask for more than that.
“Afterwards, we understand their frustration because we're all frustrated about the result and we felt we could have had more from the game.
“But it's my job to stay calm because if everybody starts to panic, we're not going to get the season we want.
“There are still 36 games to play and it's about taking the right lessons from this game.
“The organisation was good, the attitude was good and the passion was good. Now it's about making the right decisions in the final third and rebuilding confidence.”
Looking ahead, the City boss stressed the importance of maintaining belief and continuing to build confidence within a young squad.
“Confidence and a clear structure are important so that everybody knows what to do together in every situation.
“That's what happened last season and the players grew from that confidence. We're not far away now.
“We lost against Southampton by one goal, we lost against Swansea after playing well and today I think we deserved at least a point.
“But football is about taking your moments. It's about being clinical and being ruthless.
“Those are the things we need to improve while keeping the passion and commitment the team is showing.
“It's crucial that the players don't lose confidence.”
Clement also reiterated his belief in the young squad at his disposal and backed his players to improve as more members of the group return to full fitness.
“I believe in the potential of these players and that we can have a really good squad.
“It's about building momentum now and turning these performances into results.
“The players gave everything today and you could feel the momentum building as we pushed for an equaliser.
“Our striker, who had been scoring a lot of goals, is out until January and Jovan was playing his first 90 minutes after being out for six months.
“He's not at the level he was before yet, and those things have an impact when it comes to creating and scoring chances.
“But if the players keep working hard, their level will improve, their confidence will grow and the results will come.”