Holloway admits Sylla should have started for QPR

Ian Holloway admitted he was wrong to deploy Ebere Eze as a lone striker in QPR’s defeat at Hull.

Rangers, beaten 4-0, were without the ill Matt Smith, so youngster Eze played up front on his own until Idrissa Sylla was sent on at half-time when the visitors were already two down.

Sylla, who has been struggling with a calf problem, had not played for the R’s since December, but manager Holloway conceded he should still have started with him.

Holloway said: “Maybe we missed Matt Smith. To be honest I should have started with another centre-forward rather than thinking Eze could play up there.

“I don’t think we found him well enough. I thought we could pass it into him. I don’t think we were as bright or doing the basics we’ve been doing so well.

“I should have started with Sylla. I was a bit worried that he’s not fully fit, but really without Matt Smith we should have started with Sylla.”

Holloway admitted his team performed poorly and he also hit out at Hull fans who barracked Nedum Onuoha following a first-half challenge by the QPR captain.

Onuoha was later sent off for charging into Markus Henriksen in injury time after the Hull midfielder had clashed with Josh Scowen.

“The whole day felt pretty surreal, because in the end Nedum’s got sent off,” said Holloway, who has criticised fans of several opposing sides this season, including Brentford, Fulham and Millwall’s.

“Their crowd are screaming at Nedum. For what? I thought he won a great header in the first half.

“Some of the things that were said around us is wrong in football these days.

“To hear Nedum Onuoha, who is a magnificent professional, be shouted at like that by a few of their crowd I think is ridiculous.”

Referring to the recent death of QPR legend Ray Wilkins, who played alongside him, Holloway added: “We’ve all got to have a good look at ourselves when one of the ambassadors of football has bowed out, who was an absolute, total gentleman, and who loved the game.

“Some of the things that are being shouted these days shouldn’t be allowed. They should be thrown out of the ground.

“It’s an absolute disgrace to football sometimes and it’s very hard to take it. It’s just wrong.

“You pay for your ticket and now no-one does anything about your language. How wrong is that?

“I’ve got some wonderful grandchildren that I don’t want to bring to football sometimes. That’s a shame.

“My dad loved the game. I love the game. Ray Wilkins loved the game. You should be very respectful of each other.”