'Worried' Leeds United boss Javi Gracia in no mood for positives after inspid showing at Fulham

The performance in the loss, their third in a row, prompted anti-board sentiment from away fans who chanted for director of football Victor Orta’s exit. Although Leeds offered very little going forward in the first half they were still in the game at 0-0. The damage was done in the second half, Fulham finding alarming amounts of space for their goals, which both featured Illan Meslier mistakes.

Gracia’s young goalkeeper flapped at a cross, allowing Harry Wilson to hammer in the first, and then palmed another centre straight to Andreas Pereira. Joao Palhinha’s own goal, forced by Patrick Bamford, offered a glimmer of hope but it was Fulham who came closest to the next goal, rattling the bar with a Pereira free-kick and seeing Meslier palm a Willian dead-ball onto the post.

Eight minutes of time added on failed to bring an equaliser and Gracia was once again left to explain a sub-par display. He felt the first half was even but has ultimately been left concerned about all aspects of the team’s play ahead of a huge relegation clash with Leicester City on Tuesday night.

“The first half was equal, we didn't create many chances but we didn't suffer a lot,” he said.

"In the second after conceding the first goal it was tough for us, both goals coming from the same side, two crosses. We had the balance into the box but two goals and after that in this moment it’s hard for us to manage, coming from two defeats. It's not easy. The team keeps going and we scored the goal but it was late.

“I'm worried about everything. It's our third defeat in a row and we have to improve, all the players, the level of the players. We have to recover their best level because we have to play a very, very important game in three days and we need to be ready in all the different positions.”

A number of Gracia’s men encountered torrid afternoons at Craven Cottage, with Brenden Aaronson knocked off the ball regularly and Weston McKennie struggling to keep it with either his control or passing. Rasmus Kristensen couldn’t get near Willian on the wing and though Meslier made a couple of big stops, his contribution will be remembered for the high profile errors.

The head coach was in no mood to point fingers, however.

“I prefer not to speak individually about players because all of them are trying their best,” he said.

"Of course sometimes all the players make mistakes but I prefer to keep the strength of the team, of the squad and try to compete with our best XI."

One positive from admittedly slim pickings was the performance of Liam Cooper at centre-back. The captain was the best defender, if not overall performer for Gracia, who wants to celebrate results, not clutch straws.

"I think we were stronger defensively and we had a better balance in some moments of the game [with Cooper] he said.

"But as I said before it wasn't enough. We have to find the balance we need to compete and to win the game, not only to have some positives. We have to [believe]. It's time to do it. We don't have time, we cannot in this moment have doubts about that. We have to believe. We did it, four games ago, five games ago we did it and did it really well.”