Steve Bruce: Villa lacked creativity in Fulham loss
Steve Bruce admitted Villa struggled to overcome injuries to key players as their seven-game winning run was halted at Fulham.
Ryan Sessegnon and Floyd Ayite were on target as the Cottagers became the first team to inflict a league defeat on Villa in 2018.
Bruce was forced into a reshuffle as top scorer Albert Adomah and talisman Jack Grealish both missed the match through injury, while Ahmed Elmohamady also left the game early.
And the boss said: “We had to change again, losing Elmo. It has been a cruel blow on us losing Albert and Grealish.
“They give us penetration and a forward threat. We lost the two of them today. Take away Elmo and we did not have that penetration.
“It’s the creativity we lacked today and that penetration which we have had in abundance over the last few weeks. We missed it. We were dealt that blow and weren’t able to cope with it.”
After a first-half in which Villa had successfully stifled the hosts, Sessegnon fired Fulham ahead seven minutes after the break.
Ayite then pounced on goalkeeper Sam Johnstone’s mis-hit clearance to score in spectacular fashion from the centre-circle.
The result saw Villa fall back to third in the table ahead of Tuesday night’s home game with Preston.
Bruce said: “We always knew it was going to be a difficult game. We had one or two opportunities in the first-half where if we had been brighter.
“We never really looked in any danger in the first-half. In a big game it is all about scoring the first goal.
“Once Fulham have scored the first, we have gifted them the second and all of a sudden it is a difficult afternoon. We needed it to stay at 1-0. When it is 2-0 and we have gifted it, you know it is not your day.”
