JIMMY CONFIDENT HE’LL COME GOOD
UNDER-PRESSURE QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is pleading for more time to turn things around after the R’s once again failed to take all the points.
The former Chelsea star is reportedly facing the axe following the Londoners’ slow start to the season.
Rangers have won just two of their last 11 league matches, but dramatically rescued a late draw at Nottingham Forest thanks to Idrissa Sylla’s header with five minutes to go.
And Hasselbaink hopes that the point will buy him more crucial time.
“Should I feel under pressure? There is always pressure in football, but speculation is out of my hands and that’s up to the board,” he said.
“There are much bigger clubs out there that are in transition, just look at Manchester United. Things take time.
“We are in a building process here and it is important to stay calm. We are always looking up and want to be in the play-offs.
“But it is important to understand that things are different at QPR behind the scenes now.
“We have a lot more younger players we have to develop and they need time to develop.
“This draw was a big step for us, mentally, physically and football wise.”
Forest had looked destined to bag the win thanks to Britt Assombalonga’s first half opener.
But Montanier’s men pressed the self-destruct button as they sat on their lead, and had Hildeberto Pereira sent off, against a Rangers side who had been playing with ten men since Karl Henry’s 34th-minute red card.
Forest boss Philippe Montanier said: “At 1-0 up you have to have more control of the ball and we did not do that. This was an important game for us and a big opportunity to get the win. We needed to play higher up the pitch and we gave the opposition too many chances to score with set-pieces.
“Hildeberto Pereira is getting booked too many times for dissent and that is something he needs to cut out. That is something we will have to discuss. He has not learned from last season.
“Britt Assombalonga looked very lively for us and it was a good game for him in terms of fitness.”
Forest were denied an opening goal when Assombalonga’s clinical first-time finish was chalked off by the linesman on ten minutes.
Alex Smithies then rescued QPR when he got the better of Assombalonga in a one-on-one.
But the Londoners’ task got even harder when Henry picked up his second yellow card for hacking down Henri Lansbury from behind.
It was a pivotal dismissal with Forest hitting the front four minutes later following a big blunder by Smithies as he failed to beat Assonbalonga to a long ball over the top.
Ben Osborn cracked an effort just over on the stroke of half-time as Forest looked for a killer second.
Tjaronn Chery and substitute Olamide Shodipo both went close around 70 minutes as the visitors began to take control.
Pereira was red carded two minutes later for a second booking and QPR took full advantage when Sylla powerfully headed home Nasser El Khayati’s cross.
The drama wasn’t over though as the Forest bench were left fuming in injury time when referee Keith Stroud waved away a strong shout for a penalty after Pajtim Kasami took a tumble.