Manager Frank Lampard was clearly disappointed following Derby County's 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
Yohan Benalouane scored the only goal of the game in the second minute to ensure the Reds claimed all three points at the City Ground.
“It wasn’t a game of great quality,” Lampard told RamsTV after the final whistle.
“We controlled lots of the ball but when you concede like that and when you give a goal away to a set piece so early in local derby that you are trying to win, it makes it very tough. Especially against a team that is set up to be organised and set up to counter-attack.
“It played into their hands and we only have ourselves to blame for that.”
“The players are down because they wanted to win this game, they know what it means to this club and I’m the same; but at the same time this is football.
“Football isn’t perfect and it’s not an exact science, so you will have tough times. When tough times come, things go against you.
“That early goal happens and things against Millwall last week when we had opportunities; they don’t quite go your way. We have to accept that fact and work our way through it.”
The Rams’ had two key chances in the game to get back on level terms.
Martyn Waghorn chipped wide in the first half when in on goal whilst substitute Florian Jozefzoon forced a good save from Costel Pantilimon after haf-time.
“The Waghorn first-half one was the opportunity,” Lampard said.
“They are not easy, but you want to score them and at 1-1 then when we were in control of the ball I think it would have been easier.
“To come here and give the goal away so early is what killed us because then the way we want to play, the way we want to move the ball, they can just retreat and make it difficult for us in the final third.
“Having said that, we need to be better, we still need to create more chances in the second-half with the players we have got.
“Jozefzoon added a bit more on the ball where he could actually face people up, try and beat them and make something happen because against organised teams that’s what the attacking players have to do; make something happen to change something. He was bright in that sense.
“Again, I’m disappointed we didn’t push more as a team in the second-half. I thought in the last 20 minutes we could have done more and that’s where we are at the moment and that is what the story of the last three games have been. If players are slightly below form, they better get into form.”
Midfielder Andy King was forced off in the second half following a coming together with Forest goalkeeper Pantilimon and Lampard gave an update on his situation.
“It is an ankle injury,” Lampard commented.
“I think the goalkeeper fell on his leg, so it will be a ligament injury which we don’t know the severity of. It will be a couple of weeks.”
