Fulham manager Marco Silva was left frustrated that a slow start to Monday’s clash with Bournemouth ended up costing his side dearly.
Antoine Semenyo’s strike inside the first minute proved the difference at the Vitality Stadium, and when asked what annoyed him most about the performance, our Head Coach said: “The way we started the game, I think.
“When you have a clear plan and are really positive and confident from the last game, I think our first 20, 25 minutes were not at the level it should be.
“And we knew that we have to start stronger. We know their intensity from the starting point, and if you don't reach the same type of intensity and focus, it’s going to be very difficult.
“We were aware of it, and of course it’s what makes me more disappointed with our performance tonight.
“After the first 20 minutes we saw the reaction of the players – they fought until the end, and we controlled most of the second half. We pushed them back and we had our chances to equalise.
“Even first half we had [chances] as well. But, of course, we conceded the goal. Too sloppy, the goal we conceded, at the level that we are playing.
“It has to make, not just myself, I'm the leader of the team, but make all of us disappointed and frustrated with the game that, overall, we knew was going to be difficult, but if you are really on it from the first minute, we knew that we had the conditions to win the game.”
The Cherries could perhaps have considered themselves fortunate to go into half-time with 11 players on the pitch after Marcos Senesi caught Joachim Andersen high with his studs raised.
VAR had a look but deemed the contact to be ‘glancing’ by Senesi, who was swiftly withdrawn at the interval.
When it was put to Silva whether it should have been a red card, he was steadfast in his response: “For me it’s clear, yes.
“Like last week, we had a clear penalty that the referee didn't give us, and the VAR didn't tell the referee to go to see. Tonight was the same thing.
“Unfortunately for us, we have been really unlucky with the situation. Last week the elbow inside the box with van Dijk on Sander Berge, no-one checked.
“No-one told the referee to go to the screen tonight, the same story. It is what it is.”