Fulham 0-3 Arsenal: 'Fitness' - Coach Scott Parker tells why Nigerian defender Ola Aina was missing for The Cottagers

Fulham FC new addition Ola Aina. Photo: Olaaina

Fulham FC hosted Arsenal on Saturday at the Craven Cottage in an English Premier League encounter which they lost by three goals to nothing.


Cottagers Head Coach Scott Parker in his post-match press conference explained on what went wrong as well as squad fitness update.

Parker said: "No, not at all. I picked a team today which I thought was the best team to win the game. The team you saw has been in the building now for three weeks, has trained, has worked hard, and I felt could compete physically in what is the most demanding league in the world. There was no sentimentality in that team selection. It was a group of players that I thought was best equipped to get a result and win the game today."

On squad fitness, he said: "Yeah, fitness really. Aleks has had two training sessions since coming back from international duty. It was exactly the same for [Frank] Anguissa as well who’s been in quarantine. The same with [Mario] Lemina who’s not up to speed at this time. But this year, for sure, we’re going to need everyone who steps on that football pitch to be 100 per cent physically."

On why he didn't feature Nigeria pro defender Ola Aina who he just signed to the club, he said: "This game’s come too early for those players; Alphonse [Areola], Lemina, the two boys [Kenny Tete & Ola Aina] we literally just signed. They probably fit into the same category as Mitro. I’m pleased that he got 30 minutes, along with Anguissa, and on Wednesday [against Ipswich Town] we can get some more minutes into these players."