Furious Warburton accuses players of complacency after QPR defeat
QPR boss Mark Warburton accused his players of complacency after their 2-1 defeat at home to Cardiff.
Rangers, now with just one win in seven Championship matches – a run which has included four defeats – went ahead through Andre Gray’s first-half opener.
But Bluebirds youngsters Issak Davies and Rubin Colwill scored in the space of four second-half minutes to turn the match on its head.
A furious Warburton said: “We lost it by dropping the tempo and playing at a testimonial pace after 50 minutes.
“We were thinking it was almost too easy to move the ball and giving a good opponent too much time and not enough respect, and we paid the price for that. Plain and simple.
“We were dominant in the first half, got the goal, should have got the second and all we had to do was maintain our tempo.
“I don’t lose my rag often but that was not us in the second half. We can’t be that. We can’t accept that.
“We just dropped to testimonial pace and that’s not acceptable. There’s no excuses.
“That’s ruined the weekend and days beyond that. If it doesn’t hurt you shouldn’t be in the camp.”
Davies, on as a substitute, equalised with 20 minutes remaining with the help of an error by former Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall.
Davies brushed defender Rob Dickie aside, cut in from the left and fired in a shot which Marshall got both hands to but the ball looped over the Scotland international and over the line before he was able to claw it away.
And the bustling Davies causing Dickie more problems led to the visitors going ahead in stunning fashion.
Davies again whizzed past Dickie, who shoved him to the ground near the edge of the penalty area, and Colwill brilliantly smashed the resulting free-kick into the top corner of the net.
Warburton said: “They had a clearance and suddenly found themselves through on goal. How? Because we switched off, it was a testimonial and not a problem.
“I see big defenders lose headers to small forwards and I see poor decisions in possession. That wasn’t good. That wasn’t acceptable.”
06/03/2022 @ 8:03 pm
Showboating from the likes of Willock and Chair in the second half showed immaturity and a lack of respect for the opposition let alone the home fans who have backed this team to the hilt for the last few difficult seasons.
They need to grow up…….fast.
06/03/2022 @ 12:20 pm
I was at the game and Chair and Willock showboated throughout the second half.
Too many passes between the same players, attempted flick passes, back heels and general arrogant attitudes.
To be honest I’d players think they can showboat at 1-0 they need their heads examined.
06/03/2022 @ 11:28 am
Warburton need to stand up and take the blame for the lost he not got a plan b and he make change it to late how can you change it with nine min to go Warburton said the same excuses for the fans if he can not do the job please leave
06/03/2022 @ 11:00 am
The bottom line is Warbs brought them in, Warbs trained them, Warbs picked them. Its no good slagging THEM off
The buck stops where?
06/03/2022 @ 9:57 am
Oh well, theres always next season – or the one afer and so on. Compacency? I call it self destruction.
05/03/2022 @ 8:49 pm
Why is Charlie not being played
Prob the best striker in league not being picked
05/03/2022 @ 8:11 pm
This result is an absolute disgrace and once again the players are blamed for dropping off. Doesn’t this Manager realise it is his job to prevent this from happening. He has gone stale and lost the dressing room just like previously in his career. Ask Brentford, Notts F & Rangers? We need John Eustace to take over because we are heading downwards and Luton won’t pussyfoot around.