Hasselbaink annoyed by QPR’s poor defending

jimmyfloydhasselbaink

QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink bemoaned his team’s poor defending from set-pieces after their 3-2 defeat against Middlesbrough.

Jordan Rhodes opened the scoring following an error by Grant Hall, but Hasselbaink was more annoyed by Gaston Ramirez and Ben Gibson heading home from second-half corners after getting away from Gabriele Angella and Nedum Onuoha respectively.

“I think in the first half we controlled the game, but they are a very good side and that is why they are where they are,” Hasselbaink said.

“They scored because of a mistake and then in the second half I was disappointed with how we started.

“Their first 10 minutes of the second half was better than ours and we couldn’t keep the ball, which we had been doing really well.

QPR defender Grant Hall
Hall made an error but has been outstanding this season

“But the most disappointing thing was that we got two goals against us from set-pieces. We know these moments in games are very important.

“To concede two goals like that is very disappointing, because defending from set-pieces is something we had been doing well.”

But Hasselbaink was encouraged by his players’ positive response to going 3-1 down and believes it bodes well for next season.

Rangers, who equalised in the first half with a fabulous strike from Jamie Mackie, battled on after Boro took control and Tjaronn Chery pulled a goal back with a 25-yard effort with four minutes remaining.

“We had the right reaction and that tells me a lot of good things,” Hasselbaink said.

“It tells me the spirit is very good and that we are going in the right direction, but it was not to be today.

“We are trying to improve and to finish the season as strongly as possible and get that winning mentality in the club.”