QPR midfielder: The defeat to Fulham was just ‘horrendous’

QPR midfielder Alejandro Faurlin was "hurt" after the defeat to Fulham, but remains positive about the future EMPICS Sport

QPR midfielder Alejandro Faurlin says Saturday’s home defeat to west London rivals Fulham was “horrendous”.

Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in.

The Rs were looking to exact revenge following September’s humiliating 4-0 defeat at Craven Cottage, but they were put to the sword yet again, this time losing 3-1 in front of their own fans.

Ross McCormack, Moussa Dembele and Tom Cairney all struck for the visitors in a 10-minute spell at the end of the first half, making for a miserable afternoon for the Loftus Road faithful.

Faurlin told the Times: “It hurts. It hurts all of us really and it happened back in September as well so it’s even more painful.

“It was one of those games where everything went wrong from the beginning and we couldn’t turn it around. We feel for the fans because they were waiting for this game and we wanted to do well too, so it was horrendous really.”

The last time QPR beat Fulham was in December 2012, with the Whites proving to be something of a bogey team.

Faurlin said: “I don’t know what it is, it happens sometimes with certain teams. They [Fulham] came alive – they hadn’t won in six games but suddenly they had a great afternoon. You can talk about tactics but on that day they were very good.”

QPR fans headed into the ground full of optimism, with their side were unbeaten in five games, while Fulham were yet to win under Slavisa Jokanovic.

However, the form book was turned on its head and many of the positive changes manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has instilled in W12 seemed to disappear for much of the game.

Faurlin added: “With Jimmy we felt like we were really progressing on the pitch and obviously the result from Saturday feels like a step back.

“But we just have to go again and try to put it right, to get back on that road of progression and try to finish the season as strong as we can.”

Injury issues have plagued Faurlin for the past few years, but the Argentine appears to be getting back to his best.

“It has been a season where I started slow in terms of working with Chris [Ramsey], where he didn’t want to risk me by playing me in every game,” he said.

“I can say I’m happy now I’ve been playing a lot and I’ve been fit for most of the games, which is the main thing I wanted.

“I’ve already played nearly 20 games this season so it’s going well. I want to finish the season as strong as possible.

Faurlin had to sit out Saturday’s clash with Fulham due to a niggling injury but it is not something fans should be too worried about, according to the midfielder.

“I don’t have a major problem, my quad was tight and I have a small issue with it,” he said. “I didn’t train last week and tried to be fit for the game on Saturday but I couldn’t do it.”

Prior to the derby, Faurlin had been forging a good partnership with Massimo Luongo in the middle of the park, which had helped the team go five games unbeaten.

Faurlin said: “Massimo is offensive-minded and I am as well and because of that people wondered if we would be able to click and have the correct balance, but in the games we’ve played together I think we’ve done well.

“Mass has been strong all season when he has been playing and I’m happy to play with anyone as long as they’re happy to play with me.”

QPR travel to struggling Bolton this Saturday and Faurlin is keen to return to the side.

“I will do my best to be available to play,” he said. “This week we have been more progressive, I have done some work and if there is no reaction we will go again in the next session and I feel like I have a chance of being there on Saturday.”

Looking further ahead, Faurlin believes the QPR fans must be patient with the identity Hasselbaink is trying to create at the club and that, barring an unlikely play-off push, the goal of promotion should be postponed until next season.

“We are a club that wants to be on top, we want to do well and fight for things but we need stability to do that,” said the 29-year-old.

“Since I have been here, the club has experienced up and downs so we just need to get that stability – as a club that is everything.

“Jimmy is looking towards the future, we’re starting to click and really understand what he wants. We are confident that we can finish this season strong and carry that through to the next one.

“This season was a bit difficult. We changed managers, some players left and new players came in January, so it wasn’t an easy season for anyone but we will try to finish as positively as we can.”

The midfielder, who has been at the club since 2009, remains laid-back in regards to his own future.

He has a one-year extension option on his current contract, but was coy when asked about the subject.

“The club have been great to me when I haven’t been playing, so I want to prove myself to them and repay some of that confidence back, and the rest will take care of itself,” he said.

“I want to take it week by week and finish this season playing. It’s not a major issue really, for me.”