Lyndon Dykes could be leaving QPR after missing goalless draw with Plymouth

Posted Saturday, August 24, 2024 by PA

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes indicated that Lyndon Dykes could be on his way out of the club after the Scotland striker was omitted from the squad for the 1-1 draw against Plymouth.

The visitors secured a Sky Bet Championship point despite playing most of the match with 10 men and ending it with nine.

Straight after Morgan Whittaker’s equaliser for Argyle just before the half-hour mark cancelled out Michael Frey’s opener, Adam Forshaw was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.

And in stoppage time, teenage substitute Freddie Issaka was dismissed for a crude challenge on Kenneth Paal.

Asked why Dykes, who is not injured, was left out, Cifuentes said: “I just pick players based on availability. He wasn’t available.”

Pressed on whether he expects Dykes to still be a QPR player after the transfer window closes next week, the Spaniard said: “I don’t know.”

Rangers, like Argyle, are still waiting for their first win of the season and Cifuentes admitted: “Only getting one point from a game like this is not enough.

“At the same time, I’m happy about some parts of the performance, especially the start of the game – we started brilliantly.

“Unfortunately after the goal, slowly we allowed Plymouth to get too much possession.

“We adjusted a couple of things at half-time after they got the red card. We attacked much better in the first 25 to 30 minutes of the second half and created a lot of chances and their keeper was outstanding.

“The longer it goes it gives more energy to Plymouth. Then in the last 10 or 15 minutes it was too emotional and not the way we should have attacked. It leaves us feeling of course disappointed about getting only one point.

“There is no time to be concerned. My concern would be if we were not looking like a team that knows what it’s trying to do.”

Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney was encouraged by his team’s display and insisted they should have had a penalty.

The Pilgrims have responded with two credible draws since losing 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday in the former England star’s first match in charge.

Rooney felt the dismissal of Issaka was harsh and that a spot-kick should have been awarded in the second half when Kornel Szucs tangled with QPR defender Jake Clarke-Salter.

Rooney said: “The character the players showed, the energy and ugly side of the game, I thought we were fantastic.

“We defended the box really well and Conor Hazard made some really good saves. We showed a real desire to get something from the game and I’m delighted with the performance.

“In difficult circumstances they stood up and showed the passion that I want to see in the team.

“We were brave and played some really good stuff. We knew the second half was going to be a battle and everything we didn’t show against Sheffield Wednesday we showed today.”

The visitors needed to battle after Forshaw, having been booked for an early foul, needlessly tripped Jimmy Dunne.

“He knows it’s a silly tackle, especially when you’re on a yellow card, so I’ve no complaints with that one,” Rooney said.

“Then I thought we were very unlucky with quite a few decisions. I thought we should have had a penalty – their defender has pulled our player back and spun him around.

“I think the referee was going to give it and the linesman has told him not to.”