Fulham manager Marco Silva cut a frustrated figure following Fulham’s defeat in the derby with Brentford. Our hosts flew out of the traps, and Silva was upset with how we began both halves.
Marco Silva said: “Disappointing night for us, disappointing performance as well. It was clearly our fault, we cannot play a derby away from home and start the way we started both halves. We knew how they are aggressive, how they can always punish you with their runs in behind, linking with the striker or even straight away in behind you. We were sloppy the way we started the first half and we were sloppy again the way we started the second half. After the [first] goal we showed a reaction and the character to equalise and start to control the game. When they are winning, they sit back, they have all the team back, they put nine players around their box, so it’s not easy – even if you have the possession – to create chances. It’s a moment for us to learn and to improve from this situation. The players for sure are going to know during the week why the things happened in this way, and we have to improve for the next one.”
With the score level at 1-1, the pivotal moment in the second half came when Brentford were awarded a penalty after the faintest of contacts from Issa Diop on Christian Nørgaard.
Marco Silva said: “I think that penalty was a really harsh, harsh decision from the official. If it’s a VAR decision, I can understand it as it’s really hard to see a soft touch from the player. For him to say that straight away it’s a penalty, was a big surprise for me. It’s a really harsh decision, but even so, it was our fault.”
