Warnock blames injuries for ´horrific´ loss

Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock attributed injuries as the reason for their 6-0 shellacking at the hands of Fulham on Sunday.

It could not have got much worse for Warnock’s men, getting comprehensively outplayed by their West London rivals, but the coach said they lacked personnel on the park.

“I think we’ve had a horrific couple of days really. I think if you’re ever going to catch us on a bad day, law of averages, it was going to be today,” Warnock told Sky Sports.

“We have (Matt) Connolly pick up an injury yesterday in training, we got (Danny) Gabbidon out and then Fitz Hall picked up an injury before the game today as well, hence they sliced though us like a knife through butter, so no excuses really.”

“We can’t afford that many injuries in the situation that we’re in and I thought they took advantage of that and scored some really good goals.”

Despite shipping six, Warnock did not feel the Hoops were beaten until they allowed a soft fourth goal in the 59th minute to hat-trick scorer Andy Johnson.

“It really was Sunday league for the fourth goal. No marking on Andy Johnson and I mean the lad has put his hand up in the dressing room whose fault it was, but it’s too late and you can’t come back from 4-0 down,” Warnock said.

Warnock praised QPR’s fans for continuing to support the promoted team throughout the contest, despite the drubbing at the hands of their local rivals.

“I thought our crowd was absolutely fantastic today. You know they chanted my name and the club as well as Jamie Mackie when he came on,” he said.

“You know 6-0 down, it’s difficult for a supporter to get behind a team, but I thought they were outstanding because they know how quickly we’ve come in such a short space of time and we’re going to have bad days in the office.”

In what was his first win in the Premier League in charge of the Cottagers, Fulham boss Martin Jol heaped praise on Johnson, who made it five goals in four days with his treble at Craven Cottage adding to his brace in the Europa League on Thursday.

“I felt we played very well from the start. I’m very satisfied,” the Dutchman told Sky Sports.

“We created a lot of chances and today, Andy Johnson put the ball into the back of the net.”

“Remember that both Johnson and Zamora were both out injured, so it was nice to see them play together well.”

“That is what Johnson is capable of and that’s what I said at the start of the season. He’s quick, he wants to work and he’s a team player and now he proves that he can score goals as well and that is good.”