QPR boss Mark Warburton has revealed he "learned a lot" from Brentford owner Matthew Benham during his time managing the Griffin Park outfit.

Warburton has been at the QPR helm since May and his side have enjoyed an impressive start to the new Championship season, having won six of their opening 11 league matches to leave them sitting ninth in the table.

The Rs boss' took over in West London 18 months after his previous management role had come to and end at Nottingham Forest, while he has also led Rangers and Brentford during his six-year managerial career.

The 57-year-old's first senior coaching role came at Griffin Park where he was first-team coach and then sporting director before he was appointed as the club's manager in December 2013.

Warburton oversaw Brentford's promotion to League One in the 2013/14 season before guiding the Bees to the Championship play-offs the following campaign during a highly successful 18-month stint in charge of the club.

Speaking to The Athletic, Warburton has now said he learned a lot from Benham's mathematical outlook on the game which has led to him advising his QPR players to avoid shooting from range in matches this season.

“A speculative shot from 35 yards is not a chance,” Warburton said.

“I learned a lot from Matthew Benham. He came from a mathematical perspective. Where is the chance? What is the probability of scoring?

“Shooting from 35 yards out, you always remember the one that screams in. You don’t remember the other 99 that end up in Row X or Row Z. That’s the truth of it. He would be very frustrated if players shot from 35 yards. Even if he hits the bar. You know the chances of scoring are so very slim. There’s another pass, to give ourselves a higher probability of scoring.”

Warburton left his role at Brentford following a disagreement with Benham's over the club's recruitment policy in 2015.

The Verdict

Warburton outlines a sensible tactical strategy in these comments, but it's intriguing to hear him admit he learned a lot from Benham despite the pair's disagreements during his time at Brentford.

Warburton disputed aspects of Benham's mathematical approach to the club's transfer market activity, but these comments suggest he is in full agreement with the Brentford owner's on-field philosophy.

This tactical outlook has been evident in QPR's performances so far this term, as they have recorded the fourth-most shots per game in the Championship this campaign with the vast majority of these coming from close range.

It is clear this method is working for QPR at the moment given their solid league form, with Warburton clearly willing to draw on his previous managerial experiences to benefit his current side.

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