Chieo Ogbene believes City have the quality and work ethic to turn encouraging performances into consistent result.
The winger returned to the starting line-up at Vicarage Road and felt the Imps deserved something from a closely contested encounter, but insisted the players must take responsibility for making the most of their opportunities in the 1-0 defeat.
He said: “It’s a frustrating way to lose the game, but we have to look at ourselves. I think we had enough chances in the box where, with a bit more finesse, we could have hit the target.
“We’re not here to blame what happens on the pitch. We always take responsibility for our own performances.
“Overall, I think we had enough to get something out of the game, but we didn’t. We have to look at ourselves, regroup and focus on the quick turnaround.”
Ogbene believes the narrow margins which decided the contest are a reminder of the challenges City face in the Sky Bet Championship.
He said: “Especially in the first half, I didn’t think there was much in it. We were solid defensively, catching them on the break and trying to get some set-pieces.
“That’s Championship football. The margins are very tight and that’s all it takes in this league.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to get my high-speed distance up because that’s the only way you can merit a starting place in this team.
“There are top-quality players who are hungry and willing to work, so you have to get back to basics and do the hard graft for the team.
“That’s what I’ve focused on over the past few weeks. I’m delighted to get the start and hopefully I can continue to find my rhythm and help the team as much as I can.
“When I came to Lincoln City, the champions of League One, I didn’t realise just how hard these guys worked.
“It was an eye-opener for me and made me realise I needed to raise my level again. I’ve been trying to improve my physical output for the team and Tom and Chris have rewarded me with a start.”
Ogbene is confident City’s approach suits his attributes and believes the squad are capable of putting together a sustained run of results.
He added: “We play transition football, which suits my attributes. We’re just trying to get everything to click for us and that’s what we’re missing at the moment.
“We’ve played really well, but I don’t want to be here every week saying we’ve played well without getting the results.
“Hopefully, sooner rather than later, it will click for us and we can start picking up momentum.
“We don’t just want to have a win and a draw here and there. We want to start winning games consistently.
“Everywhere in the Championship is difficult, but we came to Watford to win the game. That was the game plan, even though we didn’t get the result.
“Saturday will be the same. We’re going to Loftus Road to try to win.”
