Despite QPR accumulating ten points in their last four matches, Martí Cifuentes expressed the need for improvement after a lackluster 0-0 draw against Plymouth Argyle on Wednesday night.
Cifuentes conceded that QPR’s performance in the goalless draw was subpar and, to some extent, fortunate, particularly with Plymouth reduced to 10 men following Dan Scarr’s 25th-minute red card for a rough challenge on Ilias Chair.
The match started poorly for QPR, with three instances of giving away the ball cheaply in the opening 10 minutes. Sam Field received a yellow card within 90 seconds for fouling Ryan Hardie after losing possession. A subsequent mistake by Chair led to Hardie missing a shot, and Osman Kakay’s error was saved by goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who denied Hardie with a near-post save. Hardie later missed a golden opportunity by lifting the ball over Begovic and the bar after Finn Azaz’s pass.
Reflecting on the shaky start, Cifuentes remarked, “The first 15 minutes were perhaps the worst since I’ve been here. We were terrible and conceded a lot of chances. In that sense, you could say we were lucky to be 0-0 at half-time because it was not a good first half.”
While acknowledging Plymouth’s aggression and quality in the first half, Cifuentes noted that QPR improved in the second half but struggled to create clear chances due to Plymouth’s strong defense. A victory would have marked QPR’s fourth consecutive win, lifting them out of the relegation zone, but the drawn match still allowed them to narrow the gap on teams above them. Cifuentes emphasized the missed opportunity for three points and expressed disappointment in the overall performance.
Cifuentes, despite giving credit to the team for their recent improvement, remained dissatisfied, stating, “We missed the quality in the last third that we’ve had in other games. I would say it was just one of those days. We’re really disappointed about getting only one point. When we look back, it has not been a good performance. It’s OK. Credit to the guys (for the recent improvement). But don’t ask me if I’m happy because I’m not. Today was a day to take three points. We take one, OK, but I’m always quite demanding.”
Leave a Reply