Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa told the press he wasn't happy with his side's opening day defeat, but did see promising characteristics in his side.
Fulham fell to a 3-2 defeat at Craven Cottage against Chelsea, but offered plenty for fans to be hopeful about in an action-packed clash.
"I think it wasn't an easy game for us," said the manager. "We conceded after 30 seconds, but I think we showed the character and personality that I want my players to show.
"We scored one goal through Josh and we had some more chances to score more in the first half. At the end of the first half we concede, and we concede another goal in the first minutes of the second half.
"I think easy goals for Chelsea. When you make these mistakes against teams like that, they are going to punish you."
"I said to my players, we did what we have to do: press, play with character, try to play in their half like we did, and try to create chances to score goals, and to be ambitious.
"I'm not happy. I can't be happy because we lost this game that we wanted to win for our fans, but I think this is the way that we have to play."
The manager went on to explain how it is only early days and that his team will build on their promising performance.
"For sure. I think we keep improving," he said. "It will take time, but it's the first game of the season. I have been seeing all the games in the Premier League that no one is ready.
"But I saw tonight the energy that I want to see, the high press that we want to have. And like I said to my players, we are going to play in this way and we're going to try to play in this way no matter who is in front of us.
"That's not easy, because we are going to face very good teams with very top players, but we are going to try, for sure. And we need to play with that character, and that ambition, and that energy that is very important for us, that we fight from the first minute until the last."
The manager was delighted with Josh King's performance, who finally got his deserved goal against Chelsea after having one wrongly ruled out this time last year at Stamford Bridge.
"I think every team needs goals, and not just from Gonzalo. I have been talking during all the summer with Josh King; what a player we have here, amazing! What a player, unbelievable.
"I knew his talent, but with talent and with quality for this type of player, it's not enough. They need to make numbers, like Josh, or like Oscar (Bobb), or like César (Palacios), Kevin.
"We have very young players with a lot of talent, but they need to score goals because, at the end, it's the most important thing in football. And I hope they can score many goals this season."
The Cottage turned out and left a lasting impression on the boss.
"It was incredible," the manager observed of the Cottage atmosphere. "I am so happy to feel that atmosphere. I think they were so important for us, and they helped us a lot.
"In the bad moments, they were behind us and I think with their support, we feel more comfortable, and we try harder, and we played very, very well for so many moments.
"I'm sorry for them, but we will try again, and I hope in three days we have another game and we can win for them."