Fulham manager Martin Jol defended Dimitar Berbatov after Fulham slumped to defeat at Southampton on Saturday.
The former Manchester United frontman was handed the captain's armband in the absence of Brede Hangeland, but was largely anonymous as the Saints cruised to victory.
However, boss Jol has backed the Bulgarian, despite his poor performance at St Mary's.
He said "It had nothing to do with the front four, it was to do with the defending. In the second half the shape was better because Aaron Hughes went in and stayed with his man.
"It is nothing to do with Berbatov or Bent, it has to do with the application and organisation because if you communicate with each other you come away with results."
Berbatov lost Saints striker Rickie Lambert for the opening goal, but Jol has held his hands up.
"Berbatov is our spare man, normally he isn't marking. He's the spare man so maybe before the game we should have told Berbatov to go on Rickie Lambert," Jol added.
"If you play like we did today and don't talk together we looked like a team of strangers. We have worked together now for a couple of months and we have to do better
"The incident with Berbatov and Scott Parker, I think that's a good thing because you have to tell him that is what you should do, that is what you have to do and that is what happened."