Fulham reaction ‘came too late’ against Everton, says Parker

James Holland
Parker Fulham

Fulham manager Scott Parker believes his team’s response ‘came too late’ as they lost at home to Everton.

They went behind within the first minute as the ball hit Dominic Calvert-Lewin and went into the net from close range.

The Cottagers equalised in the 15th-minute as makeshift striker Bobby Decordova-Reid finished off an effective attacking move. 


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Calvert-Lewin struck again in the 29th-minute following a great pass by left back Lucas Digne.

That goal made him the top goalscorer this season in the Premier League.

They scored again in the 35th-minute through midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. He headed home from a few yards out, with Digne assuming the role of provider once more.

The second half saw Fulham suffer at the hands of another failed penalty. This time Ivan Cavaleiro slipped and hit the ball over the bar from 12 yards out.

Rueben Loftus-Cheek managed to get one back for the home side, but they couldn’t pick up a point.

Speaking after the match to BBC Sport, Parker said: “We improved in the second half but three goals down, I have stood here many times, you can’t go on to score four goals to win games.

“A reaction? Yes for sure but it came too late. First half as always we played some nice stuff, showed what we were about but any second ball we came out second best. It is not the way it needs to be.

“There were errors of course, there needs to be an intensity about us. A football match is first and foremost is decided on putting on aggression, putting your stamp on things and after that you build your way into the game but we didn’t do that.

“We gave a reaction in the second half but it shouldn’t have to come from a telling off at half time, it should come from within.

“Fine margins in this game and I get the fine margins but what I can’t accept from my team is that in the first half at times we were second best to 50-50 challenges. We got it out in the second half but it was too late.

“I don’t think you could write it. Cavaleiro was the penalty taker, we worked on it this week. Like I said it after the last time, you can miss penalties and he slipped. It is one of them things.

“Some big positives as always but I want to win football matches, I want us to be successful and I feel for sure we can.”

Fulham’s next match is against Leicester City on Monday 30th November.