Roy Hodgson bemoaned a below-par Fulham performance after his side slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa this afternoon.
Hodgson was particularly disappointed with the manner in which the Whites conceded the opening goal – when John Pantsil put through his own net at a third-minute corner.
I don’t think it was a very good performance from our point of view. Particularly the first goal that we conceded so needlessly after three minutes that put up on the back foot and then we were meeting a very strong and determined Aston Villa team.
We were unable to really trouble them enough in the first half. In the second half we kept the ball better and made a slightly better effort at it but then of course we conceded the second goal and when that happened it’s a long climb back.
The Fulham boss refused to blame Thursday’s Europa League qaulifier second leg in Russia and the subsequent journey for the defeat, insisting that his players will have to cope with the demands of European football after qualifying for the group stage this week.
We have to come to terms with these things, we’ve got to learn to deal with them, we’ve got to find energy, work harder, get together and play better. We have to got to make certain that we find the necessary running power to make certain we at least match our opponents if not better them.
