Sunday 28 September 2014 11:38, UK
Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Robert Green has tried to draw positives from another disappointing defeat in the club's topsy-turvy return to Premier League football.
Rangers suffered their fourth defeat of the season on Saturday when they succumbed to Saints striker Graziano Pelle’s 68th-minute strike, despite having gained a foothold in the game when Charlie Austin cancelled out Ryan Bertrand’s opener.
Despite the defeat, Green chose to focus on the positives from the game, sighting their narrow defeat as proof their defensive capabilities were improving.
Speaking after the defeat, he said: “I think we’ve improved massively from two weeks ago when we played Manchester United.
“There’s obviously still work to be done but over the course of the season, you look at games that we’ve played in home and away and we’ve won one by the odd goal, lost a couple by the odd goal and drawn one so that’s how tight the Premier league is.
“At the end of the day you want to come out on top by the odd goal more often than not and we didn’t do that.
Rangers’ summer acquisition from Tottenham, Brazil midfielder Sandro, was forced off after 20 minutes of the defeat at St Mary’s through injury.
And while being disappointed by the midfielder’s latest setback, Green was quick to reassure fans that the squad is more than capable of dealing with injuries problems throughout the season.
“That’s football. It’s frustrating I’m sure that people at the football club are frustrated particularly the people upstairs who have put their money into a player but these things happen,” he said.
“There’s not a lot you can do about it. It’s difficult but we’ve got a 25-man squad and that’s what it is there for.
“Karl Henry came in and did a grand job as he had done the previous week against Stoke. He will continue to do so whenever he is asked. He’s played at this level before as to have nearly everybody in the squad.”
Next week’s Premier League fixtures see Queens Park Rangers travel to fellow London club West Ham United.
A host of former Hammers players and staff, who currently make up the QPR staff, will make the journey to Upton Park, including defender Rio Ferdinand, midfielder Gary O’Neill and QPR boss Harry Redknapp.
Green, who himself spent six years at West Ham, gave his thoughts on making his first return to Upton Park since leaving in 2012.
“It should be good, I’ve not been back,” he added.
“I had six great years there I loved it, loved every minute of it and moved on to a new challenge and I’m sure the day I left and walked out the door they moved on as well."
