Marti Cifuentes’ Queens Park Rangers side performed well in large spells but ultimately suffered a 2-nil defeat against Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season friendly at MATRADE Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon.
When asked whether going toe-to-toe against such a high-quality opponent would provide a morale boost to the camp, the Spaniard said:
“I said to the guys how important it was that they did not go home with a bad feeling because of the result.
“I am always chasing to win. I like to have a winning mentality. Whether it is a friendly at home or a friendly away I do not care,” Cifuentes continued.
“At the same time, I think we need to value the performance. We had some very good moments after a very tough week [of training].
“We need to take the positives and also learn where we need to improve.
“We conceded two cheap goals and conceded a few more chances than we would like.
“The target is to be prepared for West Brom.”
The 42-year-old was also asked about how important the experienced heads in the dressing room, like Steve Cook and Jack Colback, have been in helping the young duo of Liam Morrison and Hevertton Santos settle in following their arrivals in West London this summer.
“Massive. When it comes to working with young players, it is very important that they feel the support [from the dressing room].
“It is always good to have players like you mentioned as well as Morgan Fox and Lucas Andersen who are fantastic with young players and help to give them confidence and a platform to grow.
“We have a lot of talented players as well as Liam and Hevertton. I was impressed with the academy players who played today at a very high level.
“I think Rayan Kolli was excellent in the first half and Alfie Lloyd was very good when he came on.
“Alfie Tuck as well. [Lorent] Talla almost made a fantastic assist.
“I am very satisfied with all of them. It is just about making sure that they keep learning and that they keep competing because the opportunity is there for them to take.”
The Queens Park Rangers boss was also questioned on how the EFL differed from the wide array of other leagues he had managed throughout his career to date.
“I think that every league is different and has its own unique characteristics.
“There was a massive difference when I moved from Spain to Scandinavia.
“At the same time, in Sweden, there is a massive difference in the way they play football compared to Danish football or Norwegian football.
“In England, the data shows that the Championship is one of the most demanding leagues in terms of the rhythm of the game and how physical it is.
“That, together with the congested fixtures, makes it a very demanding league.
“When we plan how to prepare the squad and the way we want to play it is something we have to take into account.
“It is a very fun league, for sure.”
Writer’s View
Queens Park Rangers were impressive against a strong Tottenham team. They pressed aggressively and effectively to win the ball back in the Spurs half multiple times whilst also being brave themselves and playing out from the back. Ultimately, it was losing the battle in both boxes which left them on the wrong end of the scoreline.
New signing Zan Celar, who scored 21 goals for Lugano last season, will need to hit the ground running and become the talisman for Queens Park Rangers. With one or two more shrewd signings, Cifuentes’ men could easily turn what the bookies think is another season of lower mid-table mediocrity into a push for the playoffs.