Hodgson wanted more energy

Hodgson: Bemoaned side's energy levels

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Fulham manager Roy Hodgson believed his side needed to have shown better energy levels after the Cottagers lost 2-0 to Chelsea.

Didier Drogba scored in the 39th minute and Nicolas Anelka doubled the advantage on 76 minutes to give the Blues the victory their dominance deserved.

The defeat came after Fulham had won in the Europa League on Thursday and Hodgson believed his team did not show the energy levels required.

He told Sky Sports: "Well I thought the shape of the team wasn't bad, I thought that we made a good effort to keep them under some sort of control but unfortunately when we went a goal to nil down, what we needed in the second half was better energy levels.

"We needed to threaten them a lot more than we were able to do because unfortunately when you play against them, they're one goal up, they've got the ability to keep the ball.

"They are technically a very, very good team and unless you can really start to cause them problems it is easy for them to relax and to show what good technique they have and what good ball position they have.

Livelier

"And of course when the second goal comes in it makes life very, very difficult for you."

Hodgson added: "I thought today that we were lacking a little bit in energy, I've seen us livelier on the field - I know it's a hot day as well, that might have some effect upon it but that's the same for both teams of course - but for us in particular we needed to be a lot livelier, a lot more energetic, a lot more fierce in our pressuring than we were able to be."

A limping Fulham captain Danny Murphy was substituted in the second period and Hodgson revealed that he had received a kick on the calf which stiffened up during the course of the game.

He said: "But I'm hoping that tomorrow we'll have a look at it and we don't play again until Thursday so there is a bit of time for him to recover."