Holloway defends changes after QPR’s cup thrashing
QPR manager Ian Holloway stood by his decision to make 10 changes for his side’s Carabao Cup defeat at home to Brentford.
Rangers were thrashed 4-1 by their west London neighbours, but Holloway insisted he had no regrets about his team selection.
He said: “I stand by that. I wanted the ones who haven’t played to show me what it’s about and were they ready to take on Brentford.
“It didn’t look like it. But there were a lot of positives for me and I would still make the same decision because the league campaign is absolutely vital for us.
“It was always going to be the right thing to do from my point of view. I’ve got to look past the score, past the criticism and look past who it’s against.
“The score doesn’t feel very nice because they’re from over the road.”
Holloway felt the outcome could have been very different had his team managed to score during a spell of second-half pressure.
Darnell Furlong pulled a goal back after Ariel Borysiuk’s own goal, John Egan’s header and Neal Maupay’s cool finish had put the visitors three up.
Idrissa Sylla missed Rangers’ best chance of a second goal before Josh Clarke scored in the 83rd minute to seal the Bees’ victory.
“I felt the fifth goal was vital and it looked like we should get it,” said Holloway.
“We had some really great chances and didn’t take them and Brentford were very clinical. They’ve punished us.
“I was quite pleased with the second half. We had them pinned and the whole atmosphere would have changed if we’d had scored.”
23/08/2017 @ 2:10 pm
I understand ollies reasons to give others a chance to prove them self’s but when we need them to step up & play in the championship they will not have been part of the regular first team. I think only 4/5 changes were needed to bring them in slowly getting used to the match day mentality
But we have the Faculty to look forward to
23/08/2017 @ 12:08 am
Dwell they certainly did show you
So I suppose you have now rippped up their contracts and ducked them off
22/08/2017 @ 11:08 pm
Another great cup performance from QPR. Rangers’ record in the cups is beyond embarrassing. Do us all a favour Tony Fernandes and stop entering the club in the cup competitions. Then we can really concentrate on avoiding relegation in the league!