QPR not clinical enough – Warburton
QPR boss Mark Warburton blamed his team’s failure to take their chances rather than the defensive lapse which led to a last-gasp Charlton equaliser.
Rangers drew 2-2 at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, where Geoff Cameron’s attempted header clear inadvertently set up Naby Sarr for an equaliser with 11 seconds remaining.
Cameron had opened the scoring before Lyle Taylor equalised and Marc Pugh restored Rangers’ lead with what looked like being the winner.
Nahki Wells was the worst culprit in front of goal, missing two glorious opportunities before the interval when the hosts were one up.
Wells headed against the bar from close range and then shot straight at keeper Dillon Phillips after being put through on goal by Ben Purrington’s appalling back-pass.
But Warburton refused to blame Wells or Cameron for the dropped points.
He said: “We weren’t clinical enough. Everyone will naturally focus on an equaliser with 11 seconds to go but the fact is the game should have been over by then.
“If we’re more clinical then it relieves the pressure and removes the nerves of the crowd. The game should have been out of sight. We didn’t finish them off.
“We had 21 shots on goal and 11 on target. But football’s about putting the ball in the back of the net and if you’re not clinical you can pay the price – and we paid the price with 11 seconds to go.
“It’s difficult. No player ever misses on purpose. We are creating chances, but being more clinical – putting the ball away and getting your rewards – is what the game’s about.
Devastated for the players and MW, we didn’t deserve that. We were FAR the better side, cruel cruel horrible end.
— Amit Bhatia (@Amit_Bhatia99) December 21, 2019
“As a team, not just Nahki, we didn’t take our rewards. We defend as a team and we attack as a team.”
Wells was replaced midway through the second half by Bright Osayi-Samuel, who set up Pugh’s goal just four minutes after coming on.
Warburton explained his decision not to start with the winger.
He said: “People will naturally say ‘Why don’t you start with Bright?’
“It’s because when a power-athlete like that comes on in the 60th or 65th minute defences are tired and jaded. That’s why you do it.
“The easy thing is to say ‘start the game’. But very often they come up against defences who are resilient and solid, so they don’t really use their attributes.
“Bright came on and had a fantastic impact. He got on the ball early and created the goal and in truth we could have had one or two more with his good work.”
