Cifuentes rues ‘unacceptable’ QPR defending from set-pieces

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes bemoaned his team’s “unacceptable” defending from set-pieces after their 2-1 defeat at home to Cardiff City.

Struggling Rangers have consistently conceded from set-pieces this season and did so twice more against the Bluebirds.

Paul Smyth equalised for the hosts to cancel out Dimitrios Goutas’ opener, but Rangers’ defensive shortcomings were badly exposed again as Perry Ng scored the winner.

Cifuentes, who took over at the end of October said: “We knew that they were a good team from set-pieces and then they score from that situation.

“We got good momentum in the second half and scored a goal. Then we lost this momentum. We conceded another goal from a set-piece, which is unacceptable.

“I’ve been in charge for 12 games and we’ve conceded 11 goals, which is quite a decent defensive performance. But seven of them have been from set-pieces, which is unacceptable.

“That area of the game should be an asset, not a liability, and we are getting extremely punished.

“If we concede two goals from set-pieces then we cannot expect to win matches.”

Rangers are third from bottom, have gone five matches without a win, and badly needed three points from the first of four crucial home league matches this month.

They picked up a useful point in a 0-0 draw at Ipswich on Friday, but playmakers Ilias Chair and Chris Willock both went off injured in that game and were badly missed.

“It was definitely very far from the result and performance we wanted,” Cifuentes admitted.

“It was an opportunity to kick off the year with a positive result for our fans, to change the energy a little bit, and to keep building after a good point against Ipswich.

“Unfortunately we were not good enough. The first half is really disappointing – really poor. It’s not that Cardiff created chances.”