Steve McClaren has played down suggestions QPR could push for the play-offs this season following another impressive win.
Rangers beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at Loftus Road – their third victory of a four-match unbeaten run – and have lost just two of their last 10 Championship matches since losing their first four under McClaren.
Tuesday’s result lifted them to 11th in the table, just a point away from the top six. But manager McClaren is not getting carried away.
“It’s too early and you’ve seen how tight it is. Different teams are getting into the play-off places,” he said.
“It’s a crazy division. We’re looking for a consistency of performance so that we’re competitive in every game.
“In the Championship you can win one game then lose the next and then draw – it’s erratic. So we’ve called for consistency and in the last four games since losing at Swansea we’ve had that and we had it before Swansea.
“The biggest thing you’ve got to do is react after defeats and bad performances and what the team have done, every time we’ve had a bad performance and result, is reacted well.
“We’ll lose again. But it’s the reaction and the spirit in the dressing room that’s got to keep going.”
McClaren regarded the Wednesday game as a significant test for his team, who responded with a clinical display.
Nahki Wells got his first goal for the R’s after Tomer Hemed and Luke Freeman had scored to put them in control.
McClaren said: “It was a big test for us for us against a very good team who will be looking at the play-offs.
“Could we win at home against a team above us? We hadn’t done, but we did it and that’s hugely satisfying.”
This post was last modified on 25/10/2018
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For once I actually agree. However, why not aim for a playoff place? far better to do that than end up where I thought we would at the bottom end.