Scott Parker left disappointed after seeing Fulham concede twice against the run of play

BY SAM SMITH

Scott Parker was left frustrated after his Fulham side allowed Crystal Palace to score twice during periods of the match he felt they dominated.

The Cottagers were beaten 2-1 by the South Londoners and are still without a Premier League win after six games.

Jairo Riedewald gave the Eagles the lead against the run of play on eight minutes, latching on to Wilfried Zaha’s pass to stroke home.

Zaha then doubled the lead midway through the second half when he tapped in following a swift counter-attack.

Tom Cairney’s long-range strike in added-time was not enough to spark a Fulham comeback, which seemed unlikely after Aboubakar Kamara was sent off slightly prior.

“Playing against a really organised team, the goals probably came at the wrong time for us. We were dominating in the first 10-15 minutes and they get a goal,” the Fulham boss told BT Sport.

“After us dominating so much [the goals] probably come at a bad time. After that, you’re playing against a team who really enjoy their moments. In the second half, again, we’re in the full steam of it and they attack us and score. That was it overall for us, it was disappointing.”

The former midfielder said his side needed to pass the ball with more speed to move a typically organised Palace team out of position.

Much of Fulham’s build-up play was slow, and Parker was frequently heard repeatedly shouting “faster” on the touchline.

“We need to take a bit of risk as well at times in the final third. We weren’t clinical enough. Tom [Cairney]’s shot was the only time I’ve really seen us have a shot on goal. We understood at the start of the game that we’re coming up against a team who sit two banks of four against you.

“You have to move the ball, take them to the sides of the pitch and you have to move the ball with a real tempo. You have to make little gaps between their lines and make them a bit bigger. The only way you do that is with a bit of tempo and a bit of speed.

“I say that but towards the end we did control the ball better, but, at the end of the day, I talk here having suffered a loss.”