Masterclass 2 min read

Mark Warburton

Mark Warburton
Photography by Philip Haynes
Author
The Coaches' Voice
Published on
March 16 2022

championship, october 19 2021

QPR 1Blackburn Rovers 0

Chair (83)

After spells in management with Brentford, Rangers and Nottingham Forest, Mark Warburton became QPR manager in May 2019. In the first of two exclusive Masterclasses with The Coaches’ Voice, he tells the tale of his QPR team’s important Championship victory over Blackburn Rovers in October 2021.

Both teams went into the game with early-season optimism, but Warburton reveals his surprise when he saw two important omissions from opposing manager Tony Mowbray in his team selection. He explains his own line-up and formation, and discusses how he wanted his team to create as much space as possible for Ilias Chair and Chris Willock to have the opportunity to break down Blackburn’s organised and physical block. He also reveals how he set up defensively to limit the significant physical threat of Ben Brereton Díaz for the visitors.

It’s a fascinating insight into the mindset and approach of two experienced managers going up against each other with teams aiming to be part of the promotion conversation in a typically competitive division.

Starting line-ups
QPRBlackburn Rovers
162041617123721109125526219272031422
QPR3-4-1-2
Blackburn Rovers3-4-1-2
1Seny Dieng
1Thomas Kaminski
6Yoann Barbet
25Jan Paul van Hecke
20Jimmy Dunne
5Daniel Ayala
4Rob Dickie
26Darragh Lenihan
16Sam McCallum
2Ryan Nyambe
17Andre Dozzell
19Leighton Clarkson
12Dominic Ball
20Tayo Edun
37Albert Adomah
3Harry Pickering
10Ilias Chair
27Lewis Travis
21Chris Willock
14Daniel Butterworth
9Lyndon Dykes
22Ben Brereton Díaz