QPR boss Warburton admits: We were lucky to go through because we got complacent
Mark Warburton admitted QPR were lucky to win against Leyton Orient on Wednesday evening.
The R’s progressed to Round Two of the Carabao Cup after they won a penalty shootout against the O’s, after the game finished 1-1 in normal time.
Warburton told QPR’s club website: “It was a bright start from us, incisive, but we’ve got to be more ruthless. We should have been out of sight, but we got complacent.
“It should have been a case of job done but we were loose and didn’t take care of the football. The players have been very good for long periods of pre-season, but we have to be better.
“In the second half, we were the team under pressure and, in truth, should have lost that game of football.
“It was another solid display from Rob and that’s two in two from him.
“We were very good as a team in that first 20-25 minutes. I thought young Faysal Bettache Stood up and took his chance, working well with Andre Dozzell alongside him.
“We looked very good, the shape was good. But I say this with the greatest respect to Leyton Orient, it was almost too easy for us.
“Then we got sloppy and loose, complacent and you can’t do that. Orient are always going to eventually pose a problem at 1-0 and they did that in the second half.
“They were very, very unfortunate in the end. Jordan Archer’s pulled off two fantastic close range saves to keep us in the game.
“It was important that we used the squad. We’ve got to be careful over the next couple of weeks with a ridiculous schedule coming up. We’ve got to try to look after the players.
“Lee Wallace was always going to play 45 minutes. Stef Johansen had cramp at the weekend and we’ve got to look after him, likewise Charlie Austin who took a whack. Jordy De Wijs also took a small knock.
“Sam McCallum was ill. He had tightness and felt ill on Sunday evening. He didn’t feel well and Ilias Chair had a stomach problem earlier on. Sam would have played the game, absolutely. But we had to play Lee and then Moses Odubajo tonight.
“We were very conscious of balancing it. We had around 2,000 QPR fans at the game and we have a responsibility, it’s as simple as that. We have a responsibility to put on a performance and show a work ethic and what it means.
“As I said, for the first 20–25 minutes we were very good. But in the second half we were disappointing.”
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