QPR boss offers glowing assessment of young player in spite of costly League Cup howler

Opening day match programme

His mistake may have paved the way for defeat but new signing Pierce Charles has a big fan in boss Julien Stephan.

The 21-year-old, who is on loan from Man City, having cut his teeth at Sheffield Wednesday last season, paid a heavy price for dropping a cross straight into the path of Millwall's Luke Cundle in Saturday's EFL Cup clash at Loftus Road.

It offered up the easiest of tap-ins for the Lions' poacher and although QPR foought back with a late equaliser to force a penalty shoot-out to decide the outcome, the R's were eliminated in the opening round - and not for the first time in recent seasons.

But far from being disappointed by his new stopper, head coach Julien Stephan was in awe of the youngster's ability to bounce back from the setback, showing composure with his passing and then saving two of Millwall's five penalties in the shoot -out.

"Pierce did an outstanding performance for me today - the way he did the distribution [of passes] before the goal we conceded had a huge, huge impact for us in the balance of power," Stephan said. "And how mentally he reacted after that goal was perfect for a player, we don't have to forget, is only 21 since two or three weekks. It's unbelievable.

"He and the new players did well.

"I think we did a very good performance, collectively. We were very dominant on the pitch - with a lot of courage to play the way we wanted to play. Of course it's a disappointment to lose after the penalties but for me a lot of positive things in this game - mentally too.

"We didn't concede a shot before thier goal - they [Millwall] didn't create danger during the game - and the mental reaction of the team was very, very good. They stuck to the plan and trusted in themselves.

"I think we go in a good direction with this group. Of course we have to improve - to take better decisons in the last third and we need to be able to create even more big chances.

"If I compare this game with the game we played at the same moment last season against Preston, the difference is huge in terms of quality. We also know that Millwall is one of the most physical teams in the league and I think we competed completely against them and physically. I think we finished very very strongly as well. Fitness wise it was OK. We are close to 100 per cent, so it's a good sign as well for us."

Stephan added: "The ambition now is to continue to grow collectively and to put everything on the pitch and win more games than last season and to do a better season than last season. After that we don't know. I think the league will be very, very difficult this season. The competition will be very, very hard but we must be brave, try to be dominant and try to create danger."

New signing Tariq Lamptey is still trying to work his way back to fitness but Stephan hopes to get him back into first team action before the first international break at the end of next month, he confirmed. "If everything goes in the next days in the right direction, normally it will be okay," he said. "He's in very good form and probably this week he will restart little parts of collective sessions."