Fulham Head Coach Scott Parker acknowledged that the context of the football match was turned on its head following Antonee Robinson’s red card on Saturday evening.
Fulham and Chelsea had played out a competitive joust in the first half at Craven Cottage, but after the Whites left-back was dismissed for a mistimed challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta, the visitors snuck a win through a late Mason Mount strike.
“You’re playing the clock a little bit second half,” Parker explained. “You get to 78 minutes and you’re thinking, can we hold on?
“I thought we defended heroically. We defended very, very well really and it is a shame that they got their noses in front.
“But overall I’ve got nothing but admiration for my team for the way they played. Certainly first half we limited them, and 10-15 minutes before the sending off we were well in the ascendancy.
“We missed a big chance with Cavaleiro, and when you’re us with those chances against these sorts of teams, they need to go in. And then the sending off changes the game, obviously.”
When a journalist put it to Parker that Azpilicueta made a meal of the challenge, Parker was reluctant to weigh in too heavily having yet to see a replay.
But he admitted that losing Robinson was a substantial blow after watching the United States international cause Chelsea no end of problems in the opening 45 minutes.
“The reaction of my players, they seemed very shocked that the ref was going to give a red, but I honestly don’t know and I wouldn’t want to comment because I haven’t seen it to make that real judgement,” he explained.
“I’ve just left the changing room so I’ve not seen it. The game becomes a lot different for us [afterwards].
“Where we were growing into the game, we really got to grips with Chelsea and caused them some real problems, and Antonee was at the forefront of that with the way he was playing.
“He defended very well and certainly was a real outlet for us, so of course that changed the game.
“I want every single one of my players to play right on the edge, I want to be aggressive, I want to be competitive. And at times when you are on that line, sometimes players may step over that.
“If that’s the case today then that’s the way it is. Antonee will learn from that and understand that.
“Without being on that edge, we’re not going to be competitive. It’s disappointing because it’s probably a needless tackle but we’ll go again and dust ourselves down, and get ready now for [Manchester] United.”