Let's get back to basics

With Wayne Thomas picking up an injury at Derby, John McGreal partnered Michael Duff at centre half, with Stephen Foster slotting in at right back. However there was no place in the starting line up for new signing Steven Caldwell who had to settle for a place on the Clarets bench.

We set off with a 4-5-1 formation, with Ade Akinbiyi deployed as a lone striker, lone being the operative word. Kyle Lafferty was wide left and Alan Mahon wide right – from the outset I felt we lacked balance. Chris McCann, Joey Gudjonsson and James O'Connor were the central midfield trio.

The game got off to a scrappy start. Both teams looked short on confidence and this was evident with the lack of quality in passing and a lack of composure on the ball. We appeared, to be fairly comfortable defensively in the opening period, however we went behind on 13 minutes when Lafferty was dispossessed in midfield by Adam Bolder who knocked the ball out wide left to Lee Cook. With Foster seemingly caught out of position Duff came across to cover, but the lively Cook jinxed inside and tucked the ball into left corner of Mike Pollitt's goal from about 18 yards. So one nil down after 13 minutes it was time to re-group.

We continually launched the ball towards Akinbiyi throughout the first half and the QPR central defensive pairing of Stewart and debutant Danny Cullip dealt with the ariel balls with ease. Akinbiyi needed someone to help him up front.

We did manage to get an equaliser on 18 minutes, the goal coming from the only bit of football we seemed to play in the first half. Another long ball was hoisted up to Akinbiyi who for once got the better of his man and headed the ball back to Mahon. Foster overlapped played a lovely cross into the centre that midfielder McCann nodded home. Right I thought, if we can keep it tight until half time, we may be able to sneak a win here.

QPR were there for the taking in my opinion. However confidence within the Clarets camp appears to be very low at the moment. All too often Foster and Harley took the easy way out of hitting the ball into the channel rather than looking for a short pass into midfield. None of the midfield three wanted the ball to feet and Ade ploughed a lone furrow up front.

We came out in the second half and lined up as we did in the first half. QPR pushed forward in search of the next and all important goal. I felt whoever got the next goal would go on to win the game and unfortunately I was proved right. 10 minutes after the restart Dexter Blackstock headed QPR in front from a corner. That was a body blow and there was no way back for Steve Cotterill's men.

A triple substitution with Steve Jones, new signing Caldwell and a surprise return for Andy Gray replacing Mahon, Gudjonsson and Foster did little to help Burnley's cause. Pollitt turned a Blackstock header around his left hand post on 70 minutes but it wasn't long before veteran Steve Lomas headed in a third from a Cook cross.

Burnley huffed and puffed but it was all to no avail. New signing Caldwell looked to organise and take charge at the back when he came on. He gave the ball away a couple of times but as a proven player at this level I am sure he will be a very good player for us for the next few years.

Man of the match? I honestly could not pick one.

This was the first match I had been to since the dismal Boxing Day defeat at Barnsley, and leading up to the game I really thought we could get something today at Loftus Road and get our season back on track. We have made five signings since then, albeit 2 loans, however we seem not to have moved on one bit. I was looking forward to seeing Eric Djemba-Djemba in our midfield today, but having got sent off at Derby during the week he served a suspension. With the performances of our midfield today, he will no doubt be drafted straight back in the team for our home game against Sheffield Wednesday, on Saturday.

It is all too easy to be all doom and gloom after a defeat, however today's performance was totally unacceptable in my view. Certain players were going through the motions and avoided taking responsibility, we needed leaders to grab this game by the scruff of its neck. Fans accept that confidence may be low, but the least they expect is a committed and whole hearted performance from the players – this was lacking today.

Our tactics must also come under scrutiny. Long aimless balls to a lone striker are not going to create chances for us in front of goal. I thought it was crying out for someone to either play alongside Ade or play off him today, in order for us to make any in roads against an organised QPR back four.

There were a few boos at the final whistle and although it may seem harsh on the team, I think it is totally understandable.

Anyway enough of that. We cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves for too much longer. We are in a rut at the moment but must stick together and work ourselves out of it. After all it is only the start of February and we have a lot of games to play and a lot of points to play for until the end of the season. The player's need to pick themselves up and work harder than ever to get back to playing like we know they can.

We need to get back to basics. Now the transfer window is closed Steve Cotterill can hopefully get a settled team playing together and bounce back. There is no other way.