Chris Richards believes Crystal Palace must take lessons from their defeat to Newcastle United after a difficult spell turned the match against them.
The United States international felt Palace had produced a positive performance on Thursday and made a strong start in the first half against Newcastle. However, he said the team lost its focus for around 15 minutes and allowed the visitors to take control.
Richards pointed to Palace’s failure to compete strongly enough for first balls, which in turn affected the second-ball battles. He also acknowledged that Newcastle’s threat in transition was well known, with the visitors able to exploit those moments on the counter-attack.
The defender called for greater concentration and accountability within the squad. He said the players must have difficult conversations, challenge one another to improve and work together to end the current slump.
Palace now have an immediate chance to respond when they travel to Fulham on Wednesday evening. Victory at Craven Cottage would take them into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, and Richards stressed the importance of staying united, remaining positive and preparing properly for the next fixture.
