Gabriele Angella says QPR training methods are the same as Watford's when they won promotion to the Premier League last term - thanks to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The Hornets conceded the fourth-lowest number of goals as Championship runners-up last season, deploying a solid shape fronted by deadly trio Troy Deeney, Odion Ighalo and Matej Vydra.

With Hasselbaink enjoying a goal-laden 18-year spell as a striker, he could be forgiven for focusing on attack, yet according to the Italian loanee, it's defensive quality that is highest on the Dutchman’s list of priorities.

Angella added: “I think with him [Hasselbaink], we have a different mentality - he’s a good coach. I think we have a lot of quality, but the mentality is more important.

Warrior: Gabriele Angella at Watford last season

“We work a lot on defence. I think we are more solid - when I played at Watford we were solid and sometimes played on the counter-attack. Now it is the same - we try to stay compact after we score every time".

He added, “We train more [since the sacking of Chris Ramsey], we run and also the players who don’t play a lot, feel fit”.

Whilst his main aim, naturally, was to win the Championship during his season-long stay in west London, the Italian concedes that it's no mean feat to triumph in English football’s second tier.

“Every year the Championship is different; you need the players, you need to be lucky. Everybody knows the objective – we have to win; we have to be promoted".

Although it now requires something of a minor miracle, Angella still has eyes on the top six.

He said, “It’s hard, but we continue to believe we can arrive in the playoffs because there are 12 matches left. These matches are important; if you win every game you will go to the playoffs.

“We have to try to continue to do what the coach wants on the pitch and I think, in the pre-season - if I am here or not - he can work better with the team and build for next season”.

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