Tony Fernandes was kidding himself by thinking QPR needed to give youth a chance

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Tony Fernandes thought Queens Park Rangers were not getting enough out of their players. He thought the younger ones should get more of a chance. Now he knows.

Darnell Furlong, 19, was removed at half-time against Crystal Palace and replaced by a 36-year-old with flu, having been given a terrible time by Yannick Bolasie. 

Palace were leading 3-0 by then. Adel Taarabt played a full 90 minutes and looked heavy and poor. So there was no secret stash of talent, ignored by the previous manager.

Darnell Furlong (right) finds it tough going against Glenn Murray and was substituted at half-time

Charlie Austin tries to point Adel Taarabt in the right direction but QPR look to be heading down

Fighting relegation all season, Rangers would have been one of the easiest teams to make. A talented youngster or an outcast like Taarabt would have been instantly recalled had there been the slightest spark or inclination.

There are some clubs — and Tim Sherwood has proved that Aston Villa are one — where an underachieving group can be energised. That isn’t the case at QPR. The best players were playing and weren’t good enough. It really was no more complicated than that.

Austin (left) looks dejected with team-mates Steven Caulker and flu-victim Clint Hill, who replaced Furlong

Tony Fernandes will be in no doubt now that the players at Loftus Road are not good enough to stay up