Stephan hails QPR improvement and declares: ‘We’re very close’

Julien Stephan remained upbeat after QPR’s 1-0 loss at home to Middlesbrough, insisting their second-half performance showed great progress from last season.

Rangers were hammered 4-0 on Boro’s previous visit to Loftus Road but look a much-improved side now.

“I think it was a top second half,” Stephan declared.

“We created enough chances in the second half to score a minimum of one.”

Rangers had picked up a total of 10 points from their opening four matches of the season and were in great spirits ahead of this test of their credentials against one of the division’s heavyweights.

However, by the end of a first half dominated by Boro, Ilias Chair and Richard Kone had gone off injured and the hosts were a goal down.

See also: QPR assess Chair and Kone injuries – as Stephan is asked about potential Kolli return

They were unable to find an equaliser despite putting the visitors under sustained pressure in the second half.

Stephan said: “We just have to remind that in March when we played against them – it was not two years ago, it was just a couple of months ago – we lost 4-0 and we didn’t exist in that game. We were so far.

“This team (Boro) played in the final of the play-offs just three or four months ago, spent £50m in the transfer market, and we are now in the beginning of September, just the fifth game, and we are able to compete like this in the second half. What an improvement.

“We had good ideas but we didn’t do well enough with the ball and we didn’t have enough tempo (in the first half).

“It was a big change between the first half and the second. We won most of the duels, but the big difference was the quality with the ball and the quality of the passes.

“I think we are very close to competing with this kind of team. We have reduced a lot the gap between them and us in a short time.

“I think we have the quality to compete against this kind of team and I’m not sure a lot of teams are able to push them like this.

“If at the beginning of the season someone told me ‘OK, you will have 10 points after five games and you will lose your first game against Middlesbrough in this condition (manner), probably I would have said; ‘Where on the paper can I sign, please?'”