QPR V Chelsea

SWP: Man City will leave both Chelsea and United behind



If there is one player who can claim to really know the blues, it is Shaun Wright-Phillips. At Chelsea and Manchester City he was part of two of the most expensive squads in the history of English football but eventually left due to a lack of first-team action.

Over the next couple of weeks the Queens Park Rangers midfielder will face both his former sides, starting with the visit of Andre Villas-Boas's team to Loftus Road on Sunday.

It is a chance for his new club to have an early say in the title race as Chelsea are trying to close the three-point gap to City, who lead the League and take on second-placed Manchester United on the same day.

There are few people better equipped to compare the two and know whether City's challenge is real and can be sustained for years to come.

With three titles in eight years, Chelsea threatened to knock Manchester United off their pedestal as the leading force in English football but Wright-Phillips believes it is City who will achieve it.

"There is a big difference between the Chelsea team I joined that won titles and this Manchester City squad," he said.

"Most of City's players are really young, the average age is something like 24. It's a lot different - the buys have been clever. They have been long-term not short-term, which I think will benefit City a lot more especially if they win the title this season.

"For me, they will be able to dominate longer [than Chelsea]. The fact they have so many young players it's quite scary, unbelievable."

Wright-Phillips certainly has no bitterness towards either club, yet it's clear which team he would rather finish on top this term.

While he won the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup during four years at Chelsea, his heart has always belonged to City, where he started his career and enjoyed a second spell before leaving this summer.

He saw a lot of comings and goings in both dressing rooms, yet while Chelsea's policy of signing experienced players such as Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack didn't really pay off when he was there, City's determination to buy younger top-class talent like David Silva has.

The arrival of Sergio Aguero - who scored against Villarreal on Tuesday for City's first win in the Champions League - and Samir Nasri in the off-season has taken them onto another level and they are top scorers in the League with 27 goals from eight matches.

Although some question whether they will crack under the pressure of being involved in their first title race, Wright-Phillips believes they can cope.

"People are talking about City never challenging for a championship before but they have players who have," he said. "They have World Cup winners and experienced internationals. They may be young but they know what it takes to win things. For me, they have a fantastic opportunity to win the title, they will be a hard team to beat. To stop them from scoring is hard for anybody. When you face them everyone has to be at the top of their game.

"The manager has got them playing really well and, at the minute, there is no stopping them. As a City fan, I'll be cheering them on. However, Chelsea will be up there as well. They started off slow but now they are up and running. Stamford Bridge is always a tough place to go and they will always battle, create chances and score goals."

Naturally, though, his first priority is making sure he brings success to his new club and he is confident QPR can cause an upset against their west London rivals.

While Chelsea and City are challenging at the top because of a takeover by multi-billionaires, Rangers are in a better position to compete in the top flight after Tony Fernandes bought them in late August.

Wright-Phillips was one of five signings to join following the Malaysian businessman's arrival and the side, who have yet to win at home, are in an early stage of their development.

The England international said: "A new team are being put together and it's a tricky one.

"In some areas we've clicked straight away, in others we've not. Everyone knows when you bring in that many new players it's going to be a work in progress.

"But we all have that understanding. We are already gelling well together and it's because we all have a love for the game and everyone wants to play with each other. As long as we keep playing with that enthusiasm we will do well as a team.

"There is always going to be more expectation when someone puts a bit of money into a club and buys a few players.

"The boss picked his players well and wisely and has chosen ones he needs at this stage and time to help him get a good run up until Christmas."

Wright-Phillips turns 30 in four days but with Ryan Giggs still going strong in the Manchester United midfield at the age of 37, hitting such a landmark doesn't make him concerned about his future.

"I think to myself as long as I stay fit, stay injury free, work hard, I could be able to play as long [as Giggs]," said Wright-Phillips. "As a young kid Ryan Giggs was the kind of player I idolised and watched a lot anyway. It is fantastic to see him still going the way he is and I am really happy for him.

"I am just going to play football until I can't play any more. I just enjoy the game so much, coming into training and having a crack with the lads. I have not even thought about what age I want to retire at."

A win over Chelsea would be the perfect birthday present for him and his beloved Manchester City.

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QPR v Chelsea preview


DJ Campbell: Rs striker will miss Sunday's visit of Chelsea with a cracked metatarsal

Chelsea will be hoping to maintain their impressive Premier League form against newly-promoted QPR at Loftus Road on Sunday.

Andre Villas-Boas' side travel across London to face Neil Warnock's troops on the back of a three-game winning run in league action.

QPR have made a decent start on their return to England's top flight having amassed nine points from their opening eight fixtures.

The Rs were held at home by Blackburn Rovers last time out while Chelsea topped Everton 3-1 last Saturday.

The Blues were also in UEFA Champions League action in midweek and they trounced Belgian side Genk 5-0 at Stamford Bridge.

QPR do not have history on their side having won just one of their last 14 matches in all competitions against their neighbours.

QPR news

Warnock will be without striker DJ Campbell for the visit of the Blues as he is sidelined with a cracked metatarsal.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury during a training session ahead of their Rovers clash and he will now be missed for at least six weeks.

Heidar Helguson led the line in the Rs' 1-1 draw with Blackburn and he should retain his place in the side after scoring.

Talisman Adel Taarabt is pushing for a recall having emerged from the bench against Steve Kean's side.

Defender Daniel Gabbidon (knee), striker Rob Hulse (knee) and midfielder Kieron Dyer (foot) are all unavailable for Warnock.

Blues news

Villas-Boas is expected to ring the changes again for the short trip to QPR with John Terry and Didier Drogba expected to be recalled.

Fernando Torres was recalled against Genk, but he will be missing as he serves the final game of his three-match domestic ban.

Drogba should be back in place of Torres up front while captain Terry should come in for Brazilian David Luiz at the back.

Spain international Juan Mata was also missing in midweek after being rested and he could replace Florent Malouda in the team.

In-form Daniel Sturridge could also be recalled having scored an impressive four goals in his last four Premier League starts.

Ramires and Michael Essien are missing for the visitors with knee injuries.

Possible starting XIs

QPR: Kenny, Hall, Ferdinand, Young, Traore, Wright-Phillips, Derry, Barton, Taarabt, Faurlin, Helguson.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Ivanovic, Cole, Meireles, Mikel, Lampard, Mata, Drogba, Sturridge.

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http://www.skysports.com/football/match_preview/0,19764,11065_3422902,00.html

 

An apple, a carrot, and some orange juice.

(That's all that it's worth to contribute to this thread at this point.)

 

Are the tickets that keep showing up not the ones where they put the cameras now?

 

QPR v Chelsea

By John Motson
BBC Match of the Day commentator
Barclays Premier League

Venue: Loftus Road
Date: Sunday, 23 October
Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
TEAM NEWS

Chelsea are set to recall John Terry, Juan Mata, Didier Drogba and Daniel Sturridge, who were rested in midweek.

Fernando Torres completes a three-game domestic ban, while Ramires is ruled out with a knee injury.

QPR defender Danny Gabbidon is expected to miss out with a knee injury, while Matt Connolly is rated 50/50.

Striker Heidar Helguson is again likely to be preferred to Jay Bothroyd, with DJ Campbell sidelined for eight weeks with a metatarsal injury.

MATCH PREVIEW

QPR must feel they are due a home win at some point, but it would be a big surprise if they get that elusive victory against Chelsea. Rangers have failed to win their last eight matches at Loftus Road, and face a Blues side who have claimed maximum points in six of their previous seven league games.

Chelsea are in fine form, and it is a measure of Andre Villas-Boas' confidence that the manager could afford to give several key players a rest in the midweek Champions League win against Genk. Juan Mata, Didier Drogba and Daniel Sturridge, his likely front three on Sunday, were all given the night off against the Belgians, and I would expect them to give Rangers plenty of problems.

Sturridge already has four goals this season, and has now netted 12 times in his last 16 Premier League appearances (including his loan spell at Bolton). He's definitely someone Fabio Capello will consider for next month's friendly against Spain, when England will need to assess alternatives to Wayne Rooney.

Another player I'm looking forward to seeing is Shaun Wright-Phillips, who will be keen to impress against his former club. Of QPR's six deadline-day signings, he has impressed me the most. He will obviously know the Chelsea players well, and will look to get at full-backs Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa.

It will also be a big day for Didier Drogba. He is due to make his 313th senior appearance for the Blues, the second highest total by an overseas player. He is currently tied with Gianfranco Zola, and just a handful of games behind current team-mate Petr Cech (322).

This match looks like a Chelsea win on paper, but at some point QPR will have to pick up a home win and there should be a cracking atmosphere at Loftus Road - this derby means a lot to Rangers supporters.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

This will be the first league game between the sides since the 1995-96 season.
Chelsea won 2-1 at Loftus Road on 2 January 1996, when Paul Furlong headed an injury-time winner; the sides then drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge, with John Spencer's opener for the Blues cancelled out by Simon Barker.
The two most recent meetings came in cup competitions, both of which resulted in 1-0 wins for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Salomon Kalou got the only goal as Chelsea beat Rangers in the third round of the Carling Cup on 23 September 2009, while a Lee Camp own goal settled matters in the third round of the FA Cup in January 2008.
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 14 league and cup games against QPR; Kevin Gallen got the winner when the Hoops beat them 1-0 on 22 March 1995. That is their only previous Premier League win against their west London rivals.
Queens Park Rangers

Rangers have failed to win their last eight home games in all competitions (D5, L3). Their last victory at Loftus Road was a 3-0 success against Sheffield United on 4 April.
Neil Warnock's side have yet to win a league game after conceding the opening goal this season, losing three of four matches when their opponents scored first.
Adel Taarabt has failed to score in his last 10 league and cup games for Rangers. His last goal came in a 2-0 win at Watford on 30 April, a result which confirmed QPR as Championship winners. Taarabt has failed to score in 17 previous Premier League appearances (including nine for Tottenham).
The last time Rangers won a London derby in the Premier League was 3-0 against West Ham on 27 April 1996.
Chelsea

The Blues' 3-1 win against Everton means they have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven successive league games for the first time since Roman Abramovich's takeover. It is their worst run since conceding in nine successive games in 2003 (five games at the end of 2002-03, plus the opening four matches in 2003-04).
Daniel Sturridge has four league goals this season - as many as Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres and Nicolas Anelka combined.
Chelsea have won six of their last seven league games (W6, L1), scoring 20 goals in total.
The Blues' next goal will be their 6,000th in league football.
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Whoops, sorry didn't see that....great minds think alike!

 

You obviously did not attend school at all. How two years at Chelsea equates to a 'great servant to your club for many years' I will never know.

 

Then thats settled, you never will know

NEXT!!

 

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QPR boss reveals tactics for Chelsea clash


QPR will go for all out attack on Sunday – and if Chelsea score six in the mouth-watering west London derby – so be it.

Manager Neil Warnock reckons his side’s only chance of causing an upset is to go hammer and tong in the neighbours’ final third.

The boss’s attack-at-all costs policy was forged from the aftermath of Blackburn’s recent 4-0 defeat by high-fliers Manchester City where Rovers tried to shut up shop and still ended got a caning.

“I’d rather have a go and lose, than create nothing and still get beat,” said Warnock last night. “That Blackburn game has the makings of us and Chelsea on Sunday, and I’m not going the same way.”

The Rs manager has special plans to stop Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge – his favourite players at Stamford Bridge – but reckons opposite number Andre Villas-Boas has the least pressure on him of all three previous managers in the Stamford Bridge hot seat.

“I reckon Chelsea know they have to go for a bit of stability and they’ll give Villas-Boas time,” he said.

“He’s a promising young manager, and it makes sense to wait and see what he can bring – and he’ll certainly get longer than those before him.”

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SMITH: 'WE'LL HAVE NO FEAR'

Posted on: Fri 21 Oct 2011
Tommy Smith reckons that the R's can head into this Sunday's big West London derby 'without any fear.'

Chelsea come to Loftus Road in imperious form, having followed up their impressive 3-1 home win over Everton in the Barclays Premier League last weekend with a 5-0 thumping of Genk in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Andre Villas-Boas' side are odds-on favourites with the bookies heading to W12, but Smith told www.qpr.co.uk: "We've had a good week and we're going into the Sunday's game full of confidence.

"We know that we need to pick up more points at home.

"It's a really tough game. People probably think that we're going to lose but behind closed doors we're quietly confident.

"Perhaps that takes the pressure off. We can go into the game without any fear and if we play well we've got a chance of getting a result."

Sunday's already much-talked about derby is the first league fixture between QPR and the Blues in over 15 years.

And Smith admits that he and his fellow team-mates are also well aware of how much this one means to the Loftus Road faithful.

"The players all know how important this game is to the fans," he added. "I certainly know. Having been here for 18 months, you pick up from the fans with the songs they sing the size of the derby and how much it means to them.

"To any QPR fan I know, this is the one that they've been looking forward to.

"It adds to the excitement. When you play any team in the top four, it's a great one for the fans and us as players as well.

"It's one that we looked for when the fixtures came out and the fact that it's a big derby adds a little bit of spice to the occasion as well."

Despite his 31st-minute winner in our superb 1-0 victory at Everton in August, a niggling injury as well as a number of new arrivals at the end of the summer transfer window has seen Smith unable to hold down a regular starting berth in the side of late.

According to the former Watford attacker, however, he is now back to full fitness and ready to stake a claim for a place in the first XI.

"I'm champing at the bit for a run in the side," Smith continued. "I've been struggling just a little bit to keep myself fully fit with a niggling injury and that meant I had to miss quite a few days of training.

"Hopefully now I'm nearly there and I'll be looking get in the starting eleven.

"It's a case of working hard and training well. I knew that new faces would come in this season and sometimes you've got to bide your time."



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PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: QUEEN’S PARK RANGERS V CHELSEA

Absence is unlikely to have made the heart grow fonder in the 15 years since we last travelled to the north of the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for a competitive match, but this fixture is eagerly anticipated. Club historian Rick Glanvill, club statistician Paul Dutton and former Chelsea and QPR player Clive Walker celebrate the return of the Rs versus the Blues…

TALKING POINTS
Chelsea arrive at our second west London derby of the season on a high, having hit 13 goals in three games in all competitions. The thrashing of Genk established a new highest score for home games in the Champions League and allowed Andre Villas-Boas to rest several regular starters fully ahead of the short trip across the borough to Shepherd's Bush.

It will be our first league meeting with Queen's Park Rangers for 15 years and it is fair to say the hosts are quite worked up about it. Less so Blues supporters. And to the experienced Chelsea players it is obviously a potentially tricky fixture, but still fundamentally third versus 11th.

KEY STAT
Last weekend's strike by Heidar Helguson is the only home goal scored by one of QPR's own players over 376 minutes this season.


The noises from the Rs camp are redolent of the clichés produced by the underdog before a cup final: the crowd being the 12th man, the baying hordes close to the pitch affecting the visitors, and the playing field itself being smaller than Chelsea are used to.

Well, it is true that at 112 yards by 72 Loftus Road has one of the League's smallest fields. However, it is just one yard shorter and one narrower than the familiar surface of Stamford Bridge.

QPR is a club that has had to roll with the punches over recent years. On top of an impressive promotion campaign, there has been substantial change at boardroom level.

New owner Tony Fernandes pledges to invest more than the previous regime, which had encouraged but not justified the 'richest club in the world' mantra. (At least one of those previous owners, Bernie Ecclestone, is a well-known Chelsea supporter.)

The Malaysian straight away partially reversed deeply unpopular season ticket price hikes - though home attendances are still currently averaging only 84% of the 19,000 capacity.

He also invested in wages for players such as Joey Barton, Anton Ferdinand and Shaun Wright-Phillips (pictured below) to bolster manager Neil Warnock's squad.




Still, Rangers are yet to win in front of their own this season - their two wins have come at Everton and Wolves - and they were humiliated 6-0 in the junior west London derby at Fulham.

And in the week Patrick Agyemang went on a month's loan to Millwall, fellow striker DJ Campbell has gone under the knife for a metatarsal injury that will rule him out for some time.

Add the spats between teammates Adel Taarabt and social media lifestyle coach Barton, and Warnock's odd attack on a fan who leaked the news that Taarabt had been dropped to the bench ahead of their recent 1-1 draw with Blackburn, and you have a club under some pressure.

On the other hand, Chelsea must secure all three points to maintain pressure on the Manchester clubs, who face each other earlier the same day. They must do so without Fernando Torres, on a run of four goals in four matches, who serves the last of his three-match suspension.

With several regulars restored to the starting line-up on Sunday, the Blues are one shy of 6,000 league goals. Who, if anyone, will claim that minor landmark at Loftus Road?

By the way, travelling Chelsea fans should be aware that Rangers policy is that no alcohol will be on sale in away end at their ground. Perhaps they believe, as we hope, that the home fans will be the only ones needing to drown their sorrows.

It would be remiss not to mention another huge derby match taking place up north. Crewe v Macclesfield, though, is a Football League Division Two game.

Meanwhile, in Manchester, United entertain City. The hosts have had much the better of their meetings at Old Trafford since 2008.
http://www.chelseafc.com/page/TalkingPoints/0,,10268~57694,00.html

 

Ramires is out....back to the printers

 

wow

 

QPR's Shaun Wright-Phillips using yoga to bounce back against Chelsea | Football | The Guardian

Shaun Wright-Phillips celebrates his birthday next week and, as he edges into his 30s, the ambitions he still hopes to fulfil become ever quirkier. An aspiration to assist Queens Park Rangers to a first top-flight home win since Mark Hateley led their line and Ray Wilkins patrolled midfield is understandable enough. As is the desire for that victory to come at the expense of his former club Chelsea in Sunday's derby. Unsurprising, too, is a craving to return to Fabio Capello's England squad in time for next summer's European Championship.

Yet there is another pressing target to be achieved by the end of the calendar year, one that has the winger pressed for time with an appointment booked across town. "I've never been able to touch my toes," he says. "Seriously, never. In a game I'm, like, 'Rubber Man' or something but, off the pitch, I'm the least flexible person you could imagine. It's down to short hamstrings apparently. Anyway, I've started yoga and have told the lady taking the classes she has to get me touching my toes by Christmas. That's my task." A second session of downward-facing dog and pyramid poses awaits with a more supple life ahead, all of which feels apt given Wright-Phillips is currently bouncing back.

A deadline-day return to London with QPR has served to rejuvenate after too long kicking his heels on the fringes at Manchester City. The England winger had previously gone a year without starting a Premier League game, a victim of aggressive squad building at Eastlands and the departure of Mark Hughes, the manager who had taken him back to City after three years in and out of the team at Chelsea.

Sunday's eagerly anticipated meeting with former employers will provide his sixth league start in succession, an involvement he has not enjoyed since the last few weeks of Hughes's tenure. Indeed, under Roberto Mancini, the winger made only two top-flight starts last term. To see him busily scuttling at full-backs these days, spitting shots at goal with glee, is to witness a player making up for lost time.

His team's aspirations may have changed, from targeting league titles to focusing on survival, but not since he was breaking on to the scene in his first spell at City has Wright-Phillips felt so integral. Neil Warnock, a manager relishing one last fling at the big time, recruited a quintet of top-flight performers in transfer deadline week, and each had his own reason to wish to make an impression. "He brought in hungry, experienced players, and we all had something to prove," said the England midfielder. "But my own hunger was purely about the enjoyment of playing. Being out of a team changes you as a person. You don't realise it but, away from the game, you can be snappy with your family or friends if you're not playing. It hurts not to be involved, but I guess you have to accept it. It's part and parcel of being at a big club."

Wright-Phillips could be deemed a high-profile victim of the modern day squad building phenomenon. The Premier League has attracted a handful of billionaire owners and the midfielder has worked under two of them, Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour. Yet, while he has admittedly earned handsomely each time, he only ever thrived in fits and starts when surrounded by the best talent money could buy. Stockpiling players of such calibre forces seasoned internationals to the margins. The Russian oligarch would visit the dressing room post-match, congratulating or commiserating his £21m signing – "He was always relaxed and would try to get to know you one-to-one so that you felt comfortable going to him if ever you needed something" – during a three-year spell that yielded all three major domestic honours, yet Wright-Phillips' impact still always felt rather peripheral. The one thing Abramovich could not provide him with was a guaranteed first-team place.

At City, where the midfielder made his name long before Arab money transformed expectations, his second coming was effectively eclipsed by the Abu Dhabi takeover. Suddenly, £8.5m purchases felt like small change, the type of fee forked out on a squad player to flesh out the numbers. There was to be no place in the match-day squad for the FA Cup final last May, just as there had not been with Avram Grant's Chelsea at the European Cup final in Moscow in 2008. Even so, the winger reflects on both spells among the nouveaux riches with pride. "I remind myself that I got there in the first place, to Chelsea and City," he says. "For someone who was playing Sunday League football on a concrete surface in south London not that long ago, to find myself in a position where I was fighting for a first-team place at clubs that big represented a huge leap. I'll never forget that, even if it was frustrating at times.

"With City, it's different. That's the club where it began for me, one that I've been close to since I was 17, so to see the transformation the place has gone through to have them sitting on top of the table just makes me happy: for the fans, for the players who were there just before the takeover, and for those who are now enjoying it. To see them achieving everything City's supporters had ever wanted is wonderful. I don't have any remorse or regret over the situation I found myself in there. It's not about me. It's about the club moving in the right direction. Over the 10 years I spent there, that's all they ever wanted: to be challenging. Now they are. To have been partly involved in making that possible makes me proud.

"And looking back at Chelsea, I feel the same. It was always going to be hard breaking into that team, and I knew it would be like that. But I played a part, I helped win trophies, and the whole thing was a brilliant experience. Why would there be any regrets? I worked under José Mourinho, a manager who taught me new things and stressed I should believe in myself. It could be difficult out of the side, but when someone like him tells you: 'I signed you, so I've got confidence in you,' the feeling you get is unbelievable. He made everyone feel involved and part of things, even if you were out of the first team. That is a huge talent. When I look back, I played 27 games in each of my three seasons at the club, a good amount in a team that was winning and pretty much dominating at the time. And, all the time, I was learning."

He will confront friends turned foes at Loftus Road. His immediate task is to unsettle Ashley Cole – "Different class, a full-back who plays like a wing-back and is a nightmare to be up against" – but he must also summon something unpredictable to surprise his rivals' manager. André Villas-Boas was on the scouting staff under Mourinho and made a lasting impression on Wright-Phillips. "You recognise when an opposition scout's good at what he does. With him, the information he gave you was always accurate. He'd provide in-depth analysis of every player on the opposing side: how they play; where they were strong; how you could get at them; inside leg measurement … you name it, he knew it. He studied the game in minute detail, so it's no surprise to see what he's achieved since. I guess he's got people doing all that for him now, and they'll have their reports on me. I'll just have to try and do the opposite to what they might expect."

In a sense, Wright-Phillips has done that even by venturing to Rangers. There had been a flurry of interest from more established Premier League clubs on the eve of the transfer deadline. Bolton were long-standing admirers. David Moyes telephoned as the cut-off ticked closer to persuade him to move to Everton. Yet, even when he arrived at breakfast at the team hotel before the match at Wolves to find his team-mates had replaced his seat with a highchair, there has been no regretting the choice he made. "QPR just felt like the right fit," he adds. "Sure, it was nice to feel wanted. Attackers thrive on confidence, and all the interest was a reminder that people hadn't forgotten me, but this was a chance to make a mark again. For now it's all about staying in this division before looking to push on. We've only offered flashes of what we can achieve so far, and maybe our form hasn't been there consistently. But it's coming. We're improving.

"The set-up is solid. We've got an owner [Tony Fernandes] who is ambitious, someone who likes to interact with everyone who's supportive of what he's trying to do, meeting the fans in the pub, chatting on Twitter, talking to the players. We're all on the same wavelength. We've got a manager [Warnock] who is loving being in this division. He's a different generation to a Mourinho or a Mancini, but his methods aren't any less effective. He does things his way and he knows how to win games. He had faith in me, and I want to repay that. I've still got lots I want to achieve, and lots to give QPR. The Chelsea game is the biggest derby we'll have this season. I guess that means it'll be the perfect place to start."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/21/shaun-wright-phillips-qpr-chelsea

 

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A WALK IN THE PARK
October 21, 2011 | Filed under: Match Previews | Posted by: Steve Butler - 59 views

Hands up those of you who wish ‘Nando was available for Sunday’s trip to Q.P.R, OK I lost count at about 45,000. In my other job as a sports snapper I have the privilege of watching the lads up close and, against Genk, the guy looked back to his very best. His link up play, pace and finishing were a joy to behold. Is it a coincidence that he looks a different player since Mata and Meireles arrived? No! Anyway QPR are without their prolific Premiership goal machine DJ Campbell and, I am sure, JT and Branner sighed with relief when they heard DJ was out of the game.

QPR under Neil Warnock are a bit of a disaster waiting to happen. Losing 6-0 to the ‘Fools’ was bad enough but drawing at home to Blackburn is the footballing equivalent of being roughed up by Audley Harrison.

So do QPR have anyone who can cause us problems? The answer has to be a pretty massive no! Adel Taarabt is capable of flashes of brilliance but, according to the wise man of football Joey Barton, is lazy and indisciplined. In fact Taarabt wasn’t even in the starting eleven for the Blackburn game. What about Barton, the poor man’s Wisey, well in QPR he’s probably found his level. Warnock’s always liked a few ‘cloggers’ in his team and Barton fits the bill. I can seen Barton trying to target Mata with a few near the knuckle challenges at the beginning of the game but then drifting hopelessly out of it and being completely overshadowed as Chelsea take over the game to win by 3 clear goals. QPR’s defence looks Championship level at best with Paddy Kenny behind them. Be good to see SWP in action again but he isn’t the player we saw in his early days at the Bridge.

So is there anything for those bad boys in the Loft to look forward to? Frankly no. QPR have to be one of those bottom of the table teams who will be nervously looking at the table week by week as they attempt to reach 38 points to stay up. When I used to cover Crystal Palace as a photographer I spent most of the game focussing on Warnock’s touch line antics rather the style of football his team played, they really were that dire to watch.

So a nice 3 points for Chels after an initial tense 10 minutes or so when QPR will come out and give it a go. A massive full house of 20,000 or so will give a great atmosphere but the majority of those fans will be going home disappointed. As for team selection, well my bet is on Sturridge, Mata and Drogs up front. Lamps, Rami (injury permtting) and Meireles in midfield. Cech, Bos, Ashley, JT and Branner at the back. So have a nice afternoon people, enjoy the game and give my regards to Neil wont you. Sure he’ll miss me.
http://www.cfcnet.co.uk/2011/10/21/a-walk-in-the-park/

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Cocky ****er...

 

Chelsea Opposition Scout Report: QPR
http://carefreechronicles.blogspot.com/2011/10/chelsea-opposition-scout-report-qpr.html