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QPR 1 Middlesbrough 5
(In The Mail and Telegraph)
- Video Highlights
- Earlier Compilation of QPR vs Middlesbrough Match Reports and Managerial Comments
Gorkss Speaks - KILBURN TIMES/Ben Kosky - Team take blame for Boro battering.
- SHELL-SHOCKED Kaspars Gorkss admitted that the entire team would have to shoulder responsibility for QPR's worst home league defeat in more than 30 years.
Gorkss had been left on the bench for Rangers' previous game, but was recalled for Saturday's disastrous 5-1 drubbing by Middlesbrough at Loftus Road.
That was the Rs' heaviest league reverse at home since Everton triumphed by the same scoreline in October 1977 - and it is almost exactly 60 years since they suffered a worse beating on home soil.
"We didn't show what we're capable of," acknowledged the Latvian centre-back. "We've conceded loads of goals from set-pieces lately and we've been doing a lot of set-pieces in training, so I don't know why this keeps happening.
"Maybe our confidence on set-pieces is not the best at the moment. I think our shape was all over the place.
"It's easy to blame midfield or defence, but it was a bad team effort and the result came from there. We have a bunch of decent players and we should be able to play well no matter who's picked."
Rangers also seemed to struggle more than their visitors in coping with a pitch that became greasy in persistent drizzle and, alarmingly, appears to be cutting up less than six months after it was relaid.
But Gorkss declined to blame the performance on the Loftus Road playing surface, saying: "The standard of the surface has been pretty good, to be honest - it's certainly not the pitch's fault that we lost."
Rs boss Jim Magilton was in no mood for excuses, either, admitting: "We were guilty of giving the ball away very cheaply in vital areas. If you give it away to good players, they have a tendency to punish you.
"We've dished out a few hidings this year and we have to take this one on the chin. It's about learning lessons - sometimes it's more valuable when you lose a game like that and see the character you've got in your squad.
"I don't expect anything but the highest standards from these players and I hope it was part of a learning curve - Kilburn Times
Telegraph
-Jim Magilton 'expects' QPR response against Watford against Middlesbrough humbling
QPR manager Jim Magilton has challenged his players to show their character at Watford on Monday night after a weekend humbling at Loftus Road.
Stalling: Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore will expect better things from QPR against Watford on Monday night Photo: PA
Middlesbrough's 5-1 win left the west London club with only one win in six Coca-Cola Championship matches.
But three points for either side at Vicarage Road will put them in a play-off position - for 24 hours at least.
"Let's see what we've got," said Magilton. "I will expect a response and so will the supporters.
"This was, I hope, part of a learning curve for this group of players. We certainly need to do better.
"If you give the ball away against good sides, you'll be punished. We've handed out a few beatings this season and now we have to learn from this beating.
"It's all about learning lessons. It's wonderful to play expansive football and get the plaudits but it sometimes takes a result like this to learn about your character."
Getting back into action so soon is arguably the best remedy and the same might be said for Watford, who went down 2-0 to 10-man Newcastle on Saturday.
The Hornets will check on on-loan Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury (hip flexor) after he was forced off at St James' Park.
"Henri Lansbury limped off but we are going to have a look at him over the next 24 hours and just see where we are with him," confirmed Hornets manager Malky Mackay. "But that apart, everyone is fine."
Better than fine in American defender Jay DeMerit's case.
DeMerit was on the bench this weekend despite an eye injury suffered in September threatening to keep him out for most of the season.
"We are delighted because initially it was going to be April before we saw Jay," added MacKay. "But that's all credit to the specialists and our medical team, who have worked tirelessly with him and managed to get him into a position where he is on his way.
"He is certainly back sooner rather than later now and that's great credit to them and good credit to him as a professional, the way he has applied himself over the last few weeks." Telegraph
Mirror/Steve Skerry
Middlesbrough striker Dave Kitson defended Leroy Lita’s first goal celebration in the rout over QPR – and insisted his team-mate only reacted because of abuse from the home fans.
Lita snubbed a £1.3million move to QPR last January because the club would not meet his wage demands so he immediately became a target of the Loftus Road boo-boys.
The former Reading forward did not help matters when he needlessly got himself booked for celebrating in front of the home supporters after putting Boro 2-0 up in a spectacular second half.
But Kitson claimed Lita was entitled to celebrate and hit out at referee Phil Gibbs for issuing a yellow card.
Kitson, on loan from Stoke City until the end of the year, said: “I understand now that there’s a new rule about inciting the crowd but he took a lot of abuse.
“It seems to be the rule that you can take a lot of abuse but apparently you can’t run down the touchline and look at the fans. That’s a booking?
“I think if you score a goal then you shouldn’t do anything else to the fans.
“Especially as a striker, if you’re taking abuse and suddenly you score – that’s your answer. And to not be able to celebrate it is quite unfortunate. He worked really hard and deserved his goals.”
Kitson bagged Boro’s opener in the 31st minute when he steered home Gary O’Neil’s free-kick before Lita converted from the penalty spot after a Ben Watson handball.
QPR hit back through substitute Patrick Agyemang but Lita dashed any hopes the home side had of a comeback when he rifled in his second on the hour mark.
Lita was denied his hat-trick when he hit the bar but Boro captain O’Neil, a target of a watching Fulham boss Roy Hodgson from the stands, was on hand to tuck in the rebound - cue the exit of QPR chairman Flavio Briatore who got up and walked out.
Middlesbrough winger Mark Yeates completed the humiliation when he broke clear and placed the ball past Radek Cerny.
The win was Gordon Strachan’s first as Middlesbrough manager and moved his side up to sixth in the Championship.
For QPR, this was their heaviest defeat at Loftus Road since a 6-0 thrashing by Arsenal in the FA Cup in 2001, and leaves Jim Magilton under pressure ahead of tonight’s trip to Watford.
A remarkably calm Magilton said afterwards: “The players know they didn’t perform but I’m not going to berate them. You sometimes learn more in defeat than you do a victory. We’ll go to Watford aiming to put the wrongs of this performance right."
QPR: Cerny 6, Hall 4, Borrowdale 5, Gorkss 4, Leigertwood 5, Routledge 6 (Pellicori 82, 5), Watson 6, Buzsaky 6 (Vine 52), Taarabt 5, Faurlin 6, Simpson 6 (Agyemang 52, 7).
Middlesbrough: Jones 6, R Williams 6, St Ledger 7, Wheater 7, Pogatetz 6, Yeates 7, Arca 7, Osbourne 8, O’Neil 8 (Digard 79, 6), Lita 8, Kitson 7. Mirror
The Star/Scott Coleman - QPR BOSS JIM MAGILTON TELLS TEAM TO SHOW CHARACTER
- Jim Magilton has challenged his QPR players to show their character at Watford tonight after Saturday’s thumping at Loftus Road.
Middlesbrough’s 5-1 win left Rangers with only one win from their last six matches in the Championship.
But three points for either side at Vicarage Road will lift the winners into a play-off position – for 24 hours at least.
“Let’s see what we’ve got,” said Magilton.
“I will expect a response and so will the supporters.
“This was, I hope, part of a learning curve for this group of players. We certainly need to do better. If you give the ball away against good sides, you will be punished. It’s all about learning lessons.
“It’s wonderful to play expansive football and get the plaudits but it sometimes takes a result like this to learn about your character.”
Watford will have a careful look at on-loan Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury, who was forced off with a hip problem during the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday.
Hornets boss Malky Mackay said: “Henri limped off but we are going to have a look at him over the next 24 hours and just see where we are with him.
“But that apart, everyone is fine.” The Star
Mirror/David Yuill - Jim Magilton demands response from QPR players after Middlesbrough mauling
Jim Magilton has demanded an immediate response from his players in tonight's clash with Watford after their weekend hammering to Middlesbrough.
Magilton watched in shock as Gordon Strachan's men demolished Rangers 5-1 at Loftus Road, but insists that he – and the QPR supporters – are expecting something special against their fellow playoff hopefuls.
Magilton said: “I have got to pick them up and they have got to pick me up. The only way of doing that is going out there on Monday night, roll your sleeves up and every single player to give the fans a reaction.
“It is all about learning lessons. While it's wonderful to be winning and playing an expansive type of football and taking all the plaudits, sometimes it’s more valuable when you lose a game like that [Middlesbrough] to find out the characters in your squad.”
Magilton said the game, which comes just 48 hours after their biggest league defeat in almost a decade, is the perfect opportunity to get over their hangover.
He said: “When you get a bit of a pasting like that in the second half, it's difficult if you have a week to think about it and let it play on your mind.
“Maybe Monday night has sparred us that and maybe being in front of the Sky cameras it will give us a lift.”
QPR have just one win in six after a stunning opening to the campaign. Watford too will want to get back to winning ways after their 2-0 defeat to Championship leaders Newcastle.
Manager Malky Mackay has some enforced changes to make. Striker Heidar Helguson is ineligible to face his parent club with Nathan Ellington likely to partner Danny Graham.
On-loan Henri Lansbury is a doubt after limping out of Saturdayís defeat at St James' Park. Captain Jay DeMerit could get his first start since August after the American underwent eye surgery. Mirror
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