New signings Varane and Santos impress Cifuentes in QPR EFL Cup victory

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes was pleased with the contributions of Jonathan Varane and Hevertton Santos in his side’s EFL Cup penalty shootout win against Luton.

Santos, playing in a less familiar role on the right wing, opened the scoring against the Hatters by following up to score the rebound from an Elijah Dixon-Bonner shot.

It was his first start for the club having signed on a free transfer from Portuguese side Estrela de Amadora in the summer.

“His natural position is right full back but to help him adapt to English football, which is quite different to Portuguese, we can give him more confidence on the right wing,” Cifuentes explained.

“But he played almost all of the second half at right full-back. That’s part of the process, and sometimes, as a manager, we try to find solutions to help players develop.

“I’m happy for him, it is a goal that will help his confidence to grow.”

Midfielder Varane made his first start since being taken off at half-time of the 2-2 draw against Sheffield United earlier this month.

The Frenchman, who signed from Spanish side Sporting Gijon in the summer,  was substituted that day after he had picked up a yellow card and with Rangers two goals down.

However, he was far more composed against Luton. Varane made a number of eye-catching dribbles from the middle of the park and was also far tidier with his passing than he had been at Bramall Lane.

“He has the ability to turn on the ball under pressure, to break lines with his passing,” said Cifuentes.

“He needs to find this balance on how quick is the moment or how many touches he takes on the ball.

“All this relates to his positioning. The better position he is in, the fewer touches he will need.

“Sometimes it is good to play as quickly as possible with one or two touches, but sometimes it’s important to take touches under pressure. It depends on the moment.

“We cannot expect all of these new guys will give their best performances from day one.

“It has never happened to any club in history. It happens in other leagues, there is always an adaptation process. No one knows if it will take three weeks or three months.

“What is important is that I trust them, and I have confidence, and I am happy that they are here.

“I’m sure Jonathan will still have bad moments; he will miss passes but he will grow. I’m sure in time he will be a very good player for us.”

PICTURE: ROB AVIS