Warburton accepts blame for QPR’s defeat at Blackburn

Mark Warburton accepted blame for QPR’s 1-0 defeat by Blackburn at Ewood Park, admitting he should have made changes to the side.

Warburton selected the same team that started in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Blackpool, with Chris Willock once again selected as a striker with Lyndon Dykes and Charlie Austin missing through injury and Andre Gray named on the bench.

“I think we lack a bit of energy today. We looked leggy,” Warburton said.

“I said to the players it was my fault – I should have maybe freshened it up, but we trained well and the boys had a good camaraderie after Wednesday night.

“We knew Blackburn would come out and press high and we had to match them and I don’t think we did that.

“In the first half-hour we put about three passes together and let’s be honest they could have scored from one-on-ones due to our errors.

“But when we moved to ball we looked good for a 10-minute spell, but when a team is going to press you high, you need to go over the top and I don’t think we showed enough nous.

“We wanted to stretch them, so that is why we left Chris up top. They have good centre-backs but we felt we could get at them with pace and I wanted to bring Andre on to add some pace and power once the heat was taken out of the game.

“But we didn’t look after the ball well enough if I’m honest.”

Rangers were second best for much of the game to a fired-up Rovers side who won the game thanks to a mistake from keeper David Marshall, who allowed a Reda Khadra free-kick to drop into the net.

Marshall came on at half-time after Seny Dieng suffered an injury following a challenge from Sam Gallagher late in the first half.

“Seny had a muscle injury and he was excellent in the first half but he got that injury and he wanted to carry on but unfortunately he couldn’t,” Warburton said.

“He has been excellent, David. But it was a poor free-kick to give away. I think we have to be better.”