Warne ‘It Was A Mixed Evening’

Rotherham United came away with nothing from Queens Park Rangers last night despite scoring twice with Millers Manager Paul Warne saying his side showed the hosts ‘too much respect’.

Speaking to Radio Sheffield after the defeat, the Gaffer said that the first half was completely different to the second half – and I don’t think many of us will disagree.

‘We showed QPR too much respect in the first half,’ Warney said, ‘we kept dropping into the box instead of engaging higher up the pitch which caused us all sorts of problems. But we got a goal back and I thought if we could have got to half-time at two-one we could make the necessary changes but to concede that penalty at the death was a sucker punch.

‘We changed it and looked a bit more like it. We were putting crosses in, we had a stonewall penalty which is hugely frustrating and we got another goal then had free-kicks and a couple of good drops and I thought we would take a point.

‘Overall it was a very mixed evening.’

And it was. The first half we appeared to be watching the Rangers players and, as the Gaffer says, giving them too much respect. We were much better in the second half and attacked, got balls into the box and seemed to run quicker, keep the ball better.

For a while now – and I mean months, not weeks – I’ve been wondering why we can’t play the same in two halves. But, if we can’t then isn’t it better to play poorer in the first than the second? Well, at least for the fans as it makes it more exciting.

Of course, excitement doesn’t win games and get points, does it.