Roy Hodgson had no complaints about the result at Stamford Bridge yesterday and he felt that Fulham’s desire to push on and create more chances cost them dear.
I think this Sky Sports piece is being a little generous as, although we passed the ball around nicely, I felt we were a bit ordinary yesterday. Our gung-ho attitude was certainly understandable given how easily we carved open the Chelsea defence in the first half but perhaps a calmer attitude on the ball might have been a bit more successful.
Hodgson’s analysis is spot on.
We paid a high price for leaving ourselves exposed to counter-attacks. Having got back into the game at 1-1, the last thing we wanted was another quick goal from Chelsea to put them back in the ascendancy, and what we needed even less was an early goal in the second half to give them a two-goal cushion.
The season is beginning to catch up with us and we always feared that that would be the case and against a team of Chelsea’s quality unfortunately those things get found out. On the day Chelsea were the better team and deserved to win and I’m pleased at least the margin of victory stayed at two goals.
Europe now looks a little distant after our defeat was compounded by wins for the sides immediately below us at the start of play yesterday. Hodgson says, should Fulham make it, he’d relish the challenge.
It would be nice to try and find out [how Fulham would manage in Europe]. I don’t think we would make vast changes as a result of it. We wouldn’t be doubling the size of our squad, but it would be nice if we could get there. But I’ll be happy if we finish in the top ten.
