Tactical change made the difference for QPR – Luongo

Massimo Luongo believes a tactical change by QPR made all the difference against Fulham.

Set up to defend in numbers, with Ryan Manning on the right-hand side in an attempt to counter the threat of Ryan Sessegnon and Matt Targett, Rangers struggled and found themselves 2-0 down at Craven Cottage.

With the home side dominating in midfield, R’s boss Ian Holloway made a crucial change, moving Manning into a more central role.

And with Luongo having pulled a goal back late in the first half, Pawel Wszolek made it 2-2 following a spell of sustained QPR pressure in the second half.

Luongo explained: “We were worried about their full-backs and that’s why we set up like that. But then it was hard to get to their midfielders.

“In the second half we had to trust our back line a little bit more and try to get in their faces a bit more.

“In the first half we showed them too much respect, sat off them and allowed them to get into the game and get a bit of momentum.”

Luongo’s goal – his third in five matches – in the final seconds of the first half hauled Rangers back into the derby and proved to be a vital moment in the game.

“We thought ‘We can get at these. We can take it to them in the second half.’ We didn’t back ourselves enough in the first half,” the Australian said.

“The gaffer wasn’t happy with us, made a few changes and gave us a bit of inspiration to get at them in the second half and we did. I thought we were the far better team in the second half.”

Meanwhile, Holloway suggested Ebere Eze’s first-half performance highlighted the need for the youngster to improve his work off the ball.