‘Embarrassed’ QPR keen to bounce back – Warburton

QPR boss Mark Warburton admits his players were left feeling embarrassed by Saturday’s 4-1 loss at Fulham and are keen to bounce back at home to Blackburn on Tuesday.

Warburton accused his team of being soft against the Whites on Saturday after three goals in the final 20 minutes saw them sink to a heavy defeat.

“Footballers go to work in front of thousands of people, in front of the media and very often in front of the cameras, and their feelings at losing the game are more than just frustration and disappointment,” Warburton said.

“I spoke to one player this morning and he said he felt highly embarrassed – they all feel it.

“When you lose a west London derby that means so much to the fans, it hurts.

“But the beauty of the Championship is you have another game three days later the chance to move on from it.”

Warburton, will be without skipper Stefan Johansen for Tuesday game after he picked up his fifth booking of the season, with Luke Amos in line to make his first start in over 12 months.

Rangers have struggled defensively in recent weeks with six goals conceded in two matches and significant individual errors have cost the team points in other games.

Warburton admitted the return of Sam Field, who played such a significant role in the middle of midfield in the second half of last season, within the next two to three weeks will be a huge boost, but said the team have to cut out the mistakes that are leading to goals.

“Sam was excellent last season. He has a good upbringing at West Brom and a good knowledge of the game and Premier League experience.” he said.

“He brings a real physicality and good technical ability to the team and compliments Stef very well and they formed a very good partnership having him and Lee Wallace back will be like two new signings.

“It’s fair to say we have had a few goals coming from our own individual errors.

“Rob Dickie has had an outstanding season but you think of the Bournemouth situation for example for their first goal and at West Brom with Seny, who has also been outstanding for us this and last season, but he made a mistake that led to a goal when it we were 1-0 up.

“But that is how young players have to learn – from their mistakes

“The way we play is very much on the front foot, players are asked to get on the ball and be brave and we just have to get that balance right.”

Sam McCallum will start against Rovers after playing for an hour at Fulham where Rangers shipped three goals in his absence, a decision Warburton maintains he had to do or run the risk losing the on-loan Norwich man to injury once again.

Warburton said: “I had to bring Sam off. I have read some ridiculous comments saying I should never have done so, but it was because he has been out for a number of weeks and the most we can get out of him was an hour. We had to make that change.

“Did it unsettle the team? Of course it did because we lost a natural left wing-back.

“It was just unfortunate that he and Lee Wallace were out at the same time, but you have to be careful, When boys have been out for a few weeks you can’t just throw them back in, you have to ease them back in.

“We had to rush Sam back, but ideally we wanted to give him some B-team football first to get his minutes up.”