Match Day Thread Queens Park Rangers @Loftus Road 7/11/2015

Everything about this matched changed late on Wednesday when Rangers potted Chris Ramsay and brought in the Warnock to take charge of them.
You know what to expect from a Warnock side, in your face high intensity get it in the box rapidly, not saying long ball stuff but there won't be any fancy dan over passing rubbish.
He will arm his back four with Claymore and his midfield will use ball and chain while up front they have that lethal weapon called Charlie Austin.
Rangers have under performed this season and an instant return to the top division is not on the cards at the moment although if they get on a roll under Warnock they will take some stopping. Seriously though you know what you get with Warnock but he's a manager who says what he thinks and in my view there is nothing wrong with that.
They have a decent home record having only lost to those Scottish lads from Carlisle and surpringly lost at home to Forest. They have a non too shaby squad, Phillips, Henry, Clint Hill who always gives 100% and Rob Green between the sticks although he can be a bit shaky at times. Likely to make at least one change from the defeat at Derby with Perch suspend.
North End going for a six successive clean sheet, Welsh not available due to suspension, Huntington may come in for Vermajl but the boss has kept faith with the back four in the last few games. Hopefully we may actually put in some tackles on Saturday and not defend en masse in the six yard box.
A tough game against what is likely to be a fired up home side. Away support will be large as well apparently we have sold all 1600 tickets although the ticket office apparently said there were still some left.
Let the train take the strain Loftus Road bound for me another new ground.

 

If the objective was not to lose and annoy Neil Warnock you can say it was job done with a defensive master class which would have not been out of place in the Italian league in the 1960's. Pickford in the North End goal only had one shot to save from a tame free kick just before half time as Rangers were restricted to shots from 30 yards, Sandro coming closest after a bit of fancy footwork had outfoxed Browne. Austin had the other shot which sailed harmlessly wide. Although Rangers didn't look like scoring neither did we although Garner had an effort which sailed over the bar. The first half was not entertaining in the least as North End sat out their stall with a 352 formation, Rangers had plenty of the ball and at times played some decent football but could not get past the yellow shirted wall.
North End appeared to play six men in midfield in the second half as Doyle was deployed wide on the right hand side, as the game deteriorated in fact the high spot in the early stages was a Warnock rant after Onouha was booked for giving the referee a mouth full after he had been taken out by Browne.
With 15 minutes left North End brought on Keane as North End pressed to sneak the win, they so nearly got it late on when Green made a save from Wright's goal bound header, also Gallagher had a shot well blocked the Rangers defence. So the fourth Saturday game in a row ended scoreless, but not complaining thought we got what we deserved, OK it's not pretty but it is highly effective.
The trip on the train was excellent well organised by the club and better than the coach, having not been to Euston for 20 years or so was most put out by the fact that you had to pay 30p to use the toilet robbing sods. Also enjoyed the tube although crowded it's also a good place to get chatted up by well decent foreign lasses, her boyfriend was less than impressed, life in the old dog yet, to quote the League of Gentlemen, "Don't worry Tubbs, I have a way with women".
Finally a well respected minutes silence for Remembrance Day and also the death of Rangers and Chelsea coach Bobby Campbell, the heavens opened during the silence also fantastic credit to QPR for the back page of the programme for naming the players of both sides who died fighting for their country. Classy.

Queens Park Rangers 0 Preston North End 0 Att 15190

Next up for North End the bastards from Ewood

QPR interim head coach Neil Warnock:

"I'm going to enjoy it for however long I've got it - it's better than being sat at home or fishing. Just being around the fans and the club again is fantastic. When I was asked to do it I had no hesitation.

Warnock on QPR v Preston

"I don't know whether it's going to be one game, two games or whatever, but I'm going to enjoy it and if I can I'm going to try to help them pick.

"I hope they ask me. They surely will ask my opinion. I think you need someone who knows the Championship. It's the toughest league in Europe.

"Goalscoring is a bit of a problem at the minute, but we've got two weeks during the international break to try to sort that out."

Preston North End manager Simon Grayson:

"It was great to come to a place like here and get a point and also because of the significance of the game to them, with it being Neil Warnock's first game.

"We know we can utilise the ball a bit better but sometimes you have to do what you need to do in order to get a result.

"As the game went on we frustrated them and it looked like we were the team that might go on and get a winner. In many ways we can count ourselves a bit unlucky.

"We're happy with what we achieved today and will go into the international break with some confidence. But it's how you come back after the break that really counts. We want to pick it up again when we come back."

 

Thank you as you say not a big audience but from small acorns etc

 

The usual bit of free kick action you can play spot the ball at the end

 

Yes, Maclad. Far beter than the clods at LEP...and some on BBC and C5 too.Warnock is a straightforward chap with, at times, a refreshing perspective but he has lacked something which would have made him a top manager. Maybe outside suport or too much of a channel tunnel view?

Perhaps Garner is putting too much dubbin on his boots? The ball seems to slide off anywhere!