“We gave a better performance and were much more compact and were in the game right up until they scored, it’s disappointing we couldn’t get something out of the game but we now take the positives into next week’s matches.
“Our game plan was to make it difficult for them, be compact as a side and the contest opened up more in the second half which saw them having more chances but Wayne (Hennessey) kept us in the game but from our point of view we did well across the whole match.”
The Eagles came close to opening their account in the Premier League season but Sadio Mane’s strike meant that the solid defensive performance put in by the Eagles counted for nothing although the skipper believes that the work undertaken to take on board the new way of playing under the Frank de Boer was certainly in evidence.
“We have got to believe in what we are doing and have shown during pre-season and in the Liverpool game at times that we can play some good football playing this way but we must put this defeat behind us and focus on the two games we have in the week ahead.”
That week will see a break in league action with a home cup-tie on Tuesday evening but that will not distract from the build up to the second home Premier League game against Swansea on Saturday afternoon.
“The cup game against Ipswich Town is an important one for us and we will have the preparation for the Swansea match in the back of our minds as well so an important week ahead.
“We need to take the confidence we have gained for the way we stuck to our game plan in the defeat at Liverpool and be ready to go again.”