DEDRYCK Boyata paid the ultimate price for his defensive errors at Craven Cottage – and who knows what damage they might have done to the man who brought him to the Reebok?

Owen Coyle was sure when he brought in the Belgium international on loan from Manchester City that he had a defensive rock who could be just as influential as his previous loan successes Daniel Sturridge and Jack Wilshere.

But after watching the youngster play a major part in his side’s downfall against Fulham, the Wanderers boss had no choice but to haul him off at the break.

“The first goal we lost was a routine cross into the box from Bryan Ruiz,” assessed the manager after the final whistle. “As good a career as he’ll have at Manchester City, and I have told him this to his face, Dedryck Boyata has to do a lot better than he did there.

“The last thing I said to the kid on the way out was that Dempsey was decent in the air and when that cross comes in, make sure you get your challenge in. And he didn’t, and we paid a heavy price because he planted one right in the bottom corner.

“Then from the centre, Dedryck has given the ball away under no pressure and we’ve been caught by Ruiz getting wrong side of Marcos Alonso, albeit with a magnificent finish.

“Those seconds have cost us. Goals change games and I don’t want to make it sound like I’m making excuses, but there wasn’t anything in the game.”

Darren Pratley was also sacrificed at the break, having been asked to play wide on the right in a new-look, narrower Wanderers midfield.

And had it not been for Boyata’s errors, Coyle was sure that his gameplan could have worked against the Cottagers. “We gave up our wingers and lined up with a solid midfield, and for the first 30 minutes, we looked comfortable, accepting that they breached us on one occasion through Andy Johnson,” he said.

“We knew we would be a danger on the counter attack but then we gave ourselves that mountain to climb.

“We got into some good positions and did hit the target but young David Stockdale, who is going to be a wonderful keeper, dealt with everything very comfortably.

“We could have worked him harder because we did create those openings but didn’t capitalise on them.”

Coyle once again found himself questioning his team’s stomach for a fight, acknowledging the support his side had received in West London on the final weekend before Christmas.

“As horrible as this is, I said to the players I want them to care as much as I do about this football club,” he said.

“Those 600 fans that paid good money, worked hard all week and travelled down to London at great expense on a bitterly cold day stayed until the very last whistle.

“They care about the club.

“If the players care as much as them, and myself, then we will pick up those points.

“We know the players we have got missing but the ones we have available are good enough to get these points.

“If we had got the first goal there would have been an entirely different prospect.”