Fulham's head coach Alvaro Arbeloa did not hold back in his criticism after his side's 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in the second round of the Premier League.
The Spaniard acknowledged the deserved outcome and pointed to a lack of energy in his team's display:
"It was a tough match for us. We didn’t deserve to win. In the first 20 minutes of the second half, we were at the level where we can play football, with the right energy, focus, and quality. However, Sunderland performed better for large parts of the match. We need to improve a lot, especially our energy and attitude. If you want to come here and play as you intend, you need the right mentality. It’s not easy, as we are a new team with fresh ideas. In time we will improve, experiencing highs and lows along the way, but we must realise we need to show more energy and fight for every ball.
“Chelsea are a very tough opponent, but when you're playing against such a team at your ground, motivation should be sky-high. However, that level of intensity is required every week.”
Arbeloa also touched on his team's poor away form and transfer plans ahead of the deadline:
"Improving our away form is a direct goal for my team. There will be days when we play as poorly as today, but that means we need to run, fight, and play more compactly.
Regarding the transfer window? We're working on this together with the club. We’re aware we have just two days left, and we're pushing because the squad could benefit from becoming stronger and more balanced."
