Warbo: Let’s take it one game at a time…

BY MASON McDONAGH
yann@slpmedia.co.uk­

Mark Warburton insists QPR must keep their expectations in check and avoid thinking about promotion at such an early stage in the season.

Before the start of the Championship season, the West London side were one of the favourites to be relegated from the division due to their small budget and lack of experience in their ranks.

But after seven games the R’s, much changed from last season, find themselves seventh in the table and playing some impressive, attacking football.

However, the Rangers boss has warned fans that it’s a long season ahead and they must prepare for each game as they come.

“It’s a long, long season,” he said. “We’re seven games in and we’ve got one of the smaller budgets.

“It’s a young group, 15 new players have come in and it’s important we keep our expectations in check,” he said.

“What we have to do is take one game at a time and prepare really well for
each game.

“I’m not trying to repeat the same old rhetoric, but we have to.

“We can’t be looking ahead to a game in November or when we’re going to Leeds, it doesn’t matter.

“All that matters right now is Millwall.”

And on the London derby coming up at the weekend, he recognises how tough it is to go to the Den and how difficult their next game will be.

“We go to another tough venue, a really hard place to go and play football.

“They’re a really good team who are well organised, we have to prepare well all week and go and deliver a performance,” he said.

Rangers maintained their forward momentum with a 3-2 win against Luton Town on Saturday, which featured some scintillating passages of play.

A stunning opener from Ebe Eze and two more from Nahki Wells – making it four for the season – saw the R’s race into a 3-0 lead.

The only downside to their fourth win in the opening seven league games was that they allowed Luton back into the match and the Hoops have still not kept a clean sheet this season.

Warburton insists he is not too concerned, though.

“If we win 4-3 each week I’ll take it, we will be in the Premier League come May,” he said.

“No, of course, we’ve given a soft goal away, but it’s how we respond to the
mistakes that’s really key, and as a young team, a young squad, we’ve got to
use the more senior players and learn very quickly.

“But they will, because they’ve shown their desire and their appetite.”