Ian Holloway has urged Crystal Palace to start believing in themselves after a narrow 1-0 opening day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park yesterday.

The Eagles were competitive throughout but struggled to make chances until they fell behind to Roberto Soldado's penalty in the 50th minute and Holloway made a triple substitution 15 minutes later.

Kevin Phillips, Marouane Chamakh and Jonny Williams gave the Eagles more impetus up front and only Hugo Lloris' smart save from Kagisho Dikgacoi's late half volley stopped them getting a point.

But although his team were applauded off for their effort, Holloway was not happy.

"I am disappointed in our lack of belief in our movement and our passing," he said.

"We have to learn very quickly and we need to counter-attack a bit sharper and a bit quicker than we did.

"Are we close to Tottenham? I think we are a lot closer than a lot of my players thought we would be but that game is gone, no points for a home game.

"We have to get used to where we are and we have to deal with it.

"We didn't counter-attack well enough, I expect my full backs to get further forward and when we did have it we didn't make enough.

"In the second half we started to but it wasn't until I was more adventurous after going 1-0 down - if we had started like that we might have got absolutely hammered.

"This lot like to feel solid. There was a few times last year when I came here and my positivity on going forward got them a bit nervous so we had to defend our way to victory and, at the moment, with this group that is what I might have to do again.

"That is going to be tough in this division so I need some pace to counter attack. When I get that we might have more of a chance."

Holloway was incensed by the penalty decision against Dean Moxey, when his arm blocked the ball and his attempted to stop Aaron Lennon's cross, and felt Palace should have had a free kick a minute before for a foul on Stephen Dobbie.

"When you step in someone's else face it should be a foul and if not I better learn quickly what a foul is in this division," he added.

"I will say to you honestly now that if I was away at White Hart Lane and one of my players dropped the shoulder into one of their players as they were breaking out, I think they would have been given a free kick.

"I think we should have been given a free kick then we could have mounted an attack."