QPR boss plays down Cousins injury

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink played down the significance of an injury Jordan Cousins picked up during QPR’s friendly at Wycombe.

Recent signing Cousins came off during the second half of the 0-0 draw, while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was also substituted after picking up a knock.

But manager Hasselbaink insisted neither injury gave him cause for concern.

The Dutchman said: “It (Cousins’ injury) is just a little niggle. I didn’t want to risk it, so that’s why I took him off. ‘Jet’ is fine too.”

Hasselbaink will be without another recent arrival, Ariel Borysiuk, for the start of the new season after the Polish midfielder was sidelined by an ankle problem.

His other summer signings, Jake Bidwell and Joel Lynch, have been nursing minor injuries but are expected to return for Tuesday’s friendly against Hasselbaink’s former club Burton.

Striker Conor Washington, who was given an extended break following his involvement with Northern Ireland at the European Championship, made his first appearance of QPR’s pre-season campaign.

Washington came on as a half-time substitute and went close to scoring when he fired wide of the near post – one of few openings in a dour game.

Hasselbaink said: “We played a good first half. We needed to score in that first half. We controlled the game really well and gave them problems.

“In the second half we were very sloppy and could not keep a foothold in the game. We didn’t make the right decisions and in that sense it was disappointing.

“But it was a good exercise. It’s about getting people as fit and ready as possible.”