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From Offy

Expanding on the “issues” experienced over the past 24 hours which ultimately led to goalkeepers Joe Walsh
and Nathan Shepperd both being named on the bench, Cifuentes explained: “We knew that Michi Frey and Ken Paal
would be out of this game but yesterday in training Morgan Fox and Kader Dembélé both felt something.

“The assessment was that we expected them both to be ready for this game but this morning we did some more
tests and they were not ready.

“It was a difficult situation because usually we travel with 22 players – 19 outfield and three goalkeepers – just in
case something happens with an outfield player or a keeper.

“In the end, we had to use the extra keeper as well on the bench because we could not get anyone up from London
in time for the game.

“Sometimes adversity happens like this and you must overcome it.”

Now we know!

We went to Burnley on Saturday without a recognized left back either in the team or on the bench,
we end up playing a right back in Harrison Ashby at left back and he struggled.

We have a left back in Ziyad Larkeche who is officially still a QPR player, out on loan at Dundee and playing in
the Scottish Premier League.

This player is 22 years old and has made 20 appearances for QPR already some under
Cifuentes since arriving from Fulham, yet our manager who has an absolute obsession with right backs plays a young
right back on loan from Newcastle at left back and he struggled.

Marti Cifuentes knew Kenneth Paal would be unavailable for the Burnley game, he knew the extent of Paal’s injury
and knew then Paal would be ruled out for Burnley away. Surely the logical thing for the club to do was to have recalled
Larkeche from his loan spell at Dundee, whether there is a recall clause in his loan agreement I don’t know but there
should have been and he should have been recalled.

This nonsense about not having time to bring players up from London for the game, you really have to question the
manager’s preparation and professionalism. For 2 players to pull out on Friday night after travelling up from London did
not look good.

We are a Championship club and yet we put 2 goalkeepers on the bench to make the numbers up, we are a shambles
and I know I will very much be in the minority but I will be honest and say “in Marti I do not trust”.

I fear for us this season under this manager.

Tommy Cunningham wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 8:58 am ....... know I will very much be in the minority but I will be honest and say “in Marti I do not trust”.
I fear for us this season under this manager.

Actually no, Tommy - there's been a lot of criticism of Marti on social media this season.
Especially with our poor record, and drop down the table.
I'd say the honeymoon period is well & truly over.

Steve what I can’t work out with Cifuentes is pre-season he spoke about Kenneth Paal’s contract situation,
he said the club couldn’t afford to let Paal run his contract down and leave for free at the end of the season.

There was a lot of discussion amongst supporters that Paal wanted out from QPR at that stage, yet the left back
position has been totally ignored and now Paal is injured we don’t have a left back who can provide cover.

The club have recruited very poorly again this season and we have a lot of substandard players in the squad.

Of the players recruited by the club this season, I think the only success so far has been the goalkeeper Paul Nardi.