Redknapp lambasts QPR naivety as their drop price solidifies
Published:In a final 10 minutes of madness, QPR battled their way to a point against Liverpool then threw it away, twice.
Having outplayed Brendan Rodgers’ band of solemn men for the majority of the game at Loftus Road, Rangers finally cancelled out the Reds’ lead through substitute Eduardo Vargas in the 87th minute.
Just 180 seconds later Liverpool led again as the Hoops showed the first signs of worrying naivety at this level.
As a fully-rested Raheem Sterling rampaged through the centre of the pitch, Karl Henry failed to foul the England youngster and let his teammates catch up with play. Instead the forward fed Philippe Coutinho for a drilled finish to deflate Harry Redknapp’s side.
The collapse didn’t last long though, as Vargas flicked a corner through Joe Allen’s legs at the near post to restore parity.
But, having failed to learn their earlier lesson, Rangers were again their own worst enemy deep into stoppage time.
The decision, with a free kick about to be taken, to pull Steven Caulker back from an attacking position belied the floated ball Leroy Fer then dinked into Liverpool’s box.
Once again, the Reds flooded forward on the counter, with Caulker ending up poking the ball into his own net as he scurried back.
The result infuriated Redknapp, whose side are now winless in five top-flight outings and an ever-increasing relegation favourite at 4/7, and he bemoaned his side’s lack of know-how after the match.
“We were naïve. We get a free-kick with one minute to go. We don’t send our big men up and chip a ball into the box for them to head it out and break on us,” he said.
“Have a shot, if it doesn’t go in the top corner then it goes in the crowd – not a problem, we’ve got our shape, we’ll win the ball back and we’re okay. We were naïve.”
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