Wilfried Zaha scored the goal in south London after thirteen minutes when he stole an Andros Townsend centre at home to give the Eagles a 1-0 win.
Ownership dictated at Selhurst Park and he was unable to control local goalkeeper Vicente Guaita in the first half.
It was another story after halftime, with Che Adams and Ings brilliantly denied through the Spanish striker, but Southampton’s own Spaniard is aware that he will have to do more for his forwards in the future.
Romeu said on the club’s official website: “We would have deserved anything if we had tried our luck, but we didn’t, so that’s all we want to improve.
“We have to give the strikers more options, more chances to score goals and play the whole game like we did in the middle of this moment. “
This ensured the sadness of the South Coast club from day one, and frustration was aggravated by the fact that Southampton finished the 2019-20 crusade with an unbeathed seven-match streak that featured four wins.
“At the end of last season it was very positive,” Romeu admitted.
“The preseason also went very well, but I think in the first half they felt what they were doing and we couldn’t move the ball fast enough to create occasions.
“We had to replace things and we did it at halftime, looking to put more balls back, betting more across the lines and looking to damage them a little more and put more pressure on them. “
“I think we had a few chances in the middle of this moment, but unfortunately we couldn’t take advantage of any. “
The Palace did not have five defenses, so midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate had to place Scott Dann as central.
The pair were inspired by a side that included 21-year-old Tyrick Mitchell, who made their third start for their year-old club.
“He’s a very sensible player,” Dann said of Kouyate. ” He can play in midfield and has shown what he is capable of in the last four. He’s been playing like this since the end of last season.
“It’s a smart defensive feature from the front at all times. They all made a replacement and the doorman made some stops at vital times. “
Meanwhile, striker Alexander Sorloth appears to have played his last match for Crystal Palace, according to PA news agency.
The Norwegian joined Trabzonspor on a two-year loan last summer and had a first season in the Super Lig.
Sorloth has scored once in 20 appearances with the Eagles after signing fc Midtjylland in January 2018, but has made 24 league appearances for the Turkish team, which has the option to make his move permanent.
While discussions are ongoing between Palace and Trabzonspor on the transfer agreement, the Super Lig club revealed Saturday that the 24-year-old was unable to return in time from his foreign duties and would be sanctioned.
A report by the Trabzon-based team also showed that RB Leipzig had submitted an offer for Sorloth and that the Norwegian striker is expected to complete his move to the Bundesliga before the end of the movement window on 5 October.