KIERON Dyer will play his first game for four months in this afternoon's reserve match with Spurs. The QPR star has been sidelined with a foot injury after getting stretchered off in the opening-day defeat to Bolton back in August. But the former Ipswich, Newcastle and West Ham midfielder is back in full training and travelled with the squad for last weekend's trip to Liverpool. The 32-year-old failed to make the bench, but he has been pencilled in for a run-out against Spurs as he battles his way back to fitness. DJ Campbell will also feature, as we revealed yesterday, while Matt Connolly is also expected to be included.
place your bets please gentlemen. How long will Dyer last before coming off? Great player, just a shame he is so injury prone
Wouldn't that involve climbing up the stairs to get on the bus? Guaranteed hamstring pull negotiating those.
I saw the title and panicked that you would say he is due to start on Sunday...an unexpected early return...thankfully not. Wish him the best though, IF he can get and stay fit, useful cover for when EVERYONE else is injured...
QPR trio return from injury in Tottenham friendly - QPR - London 24 DJ Campbell QPR trio return from injury in Tottenham friendly Ian Cooper Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:55 PM Campbell, Hall and Connolly could all be in the frame to play Manchester United on Saturday DJ Campbell, Fitz Hall and Matt Connolly all returned from injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Tottenham Hotspur at Harlington Training Ground today. The match provided valuable game-time for Campbell, who suffered a broken metatarsal in October but who made a surprise appearance during QPR’s defeat to Liverpool on Saturday. Connolly, meanwhile, has played only four times for Rangers this season and has been struggling with an ankle knock, but could now be in line to feature against Manchester United on Sunday thanks to Anton Ferdinand’s hamstring injury. Fitz Hall returned to action after recovering from a hamstring injury, and should also be available for selection against the champions. Akos Buzsaky was on target for Rangers in a 6-2 defeat against their London rivals, with Spurs netting a trio of late goals. Follow me on Twitter @QPRTimes iReader
IN RESERVE: R'S BEATEN Posted on: Tue 13 Dec 2011 QPR Reserves lost 6-2 this afternoon, in a behind-closed-doors friendly match at the Club's training ground against London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur. With the busy Christmas Period now in full-swing, this encounter against such skilful opposition gifted members of Neil Warnock's First Team valuable competitive match practise. Amongst the R's second-string outfit were DJ Campbell, Fitz Hall and Matt Connolly, who were all looking to move on from their recent injuries with beneficial minutes on the pitch. However, the visitors ran out worthy 6-2 winners in testing conditions at Harlington. Spurs took the lead in the eighth minute, after a neat passing move beat both the R's defence and goalkeeper - in an early sign of things to come. Rangers levelled the match up four minutes later, when Bruno Perone's well worked cross was met with a fine drive from a 'trialist' just inside the penalty area. Two Spurs strikes before half time ensured that the visitors - coached by QPR legend Les Ferdinand - went into the interval with the advantage and momentum. Attacking-midfielder Akos Buzsaky, pulled a goal back for the R's from the penalty spot with a neat side-footed conversion, after Marcel Henry-Francis was bundled over inside the Spurs 18-yard box. However, the visitors retaliated in style and put the match to the bed mid-way through the second half, with a trio of goals in close concession. iReader
What was Perone doing in a position to cross the ball? Isn't he a centre back? Now wonder we shipped 6.
So no Dyer? Anyway, ignore the result... I'm sure it's a valuable work out for them. Oh and does anyone know who the trialist was, apart from the goalkeeper?
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2-6 SPURS XI Our Spurs XI team ran out 6-2 winners against QPR in blustery conditions at Rangers' Harlington Training Ground on Tuesday afternoon. Our starting line-up included a return to action from injury for David Button, who is currently on loan with Leyton Orient. The goalkeeper was in fine form as well and capped his display with a late penalty save. QPR fielded some experienced players in their starting XI with DJ Campbell, Fitz Hall, Akos Buzacky and Jason Puncheon all included. It was Tim Sherwood’s team that took the early initiative and almost gained the lead in the second minute as Simon Dawkins found the back of the net, only to be denied by the linesman's flag. However it wasn’t long before Dawkins was able to open the scoring as he found himself through on goal in the ninth minute after some neat footwork from Cristian Ceballos. Dawkins showed great composure to lift the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper to give us the lead. Despite the early dominance our lead was only intact for three minutes as, against the run of play, QPR equalised after they were quickest to react after Button had saved smartly from a close-range effort. Lifted by the goal, QPR then went close to taking the lead as DJ Campbell saw his strike creep inches wide of the right-hand post. However our lads then started to dominate proceedings once again as John Bostock, Cameron Lancaster and Souleymane Coulibaly all went close. We were able to go into the break with a two goal advantage as Ryan Mason, excellent throughout, scored back-to-back goals in the moments leading up to half-time. His first came after some fine work from Ceballos down the right-hand side as he danced around QPR’s defence before cutting the ball back for Mason to finish from six yards. Ceballos was also the provider for our third goal as he showed great vision to spot the late run of Mason in the penalty area. Conditions worsened in the second half and Akos Buzacky almost made use of the strong winds as his free-kick from the left-hand side in the 47th minute almost nestled in the bottom corner. QPR continued to press and had it not have been for a flying save from Button they would have found a route back into the game. Buzacky then tested Button once again from a set-piece but he was equal to everything that was thrown at him. There was nothing that Button could do to deny QPR from scoring their second goal as Jake Nicholson was adjudged to have committed a foul in the penalty area and Buzacky found the top right-hand corner from the resulting spot-kick. Our lads reacted to QPR’s persistence and created numerous chances before Cameron Lancaster restored the two-goal advantage in 65th minute with a precise finish from the edge of the penalty area. The lads continued to threaten the QPR goal before Ceballos grabbed a well-deserved goal, slotting home from 10 yards to make the score 5-2. The youngsters could have scored many more in the final 10 minutes and eventually found their sixth goal of the game as substitute Kudus Oyenuga smashed a left-footed strike into the roof of the net. There was still time for Button to cap his return by denying QPR a consolation goal from the penalty spot. Spurs (3-5-2): Button Nicholson - Veljkovic - Bongani Barthram (Sheriff, 64) - Bostock - Mason - Dawkins - Ceballos Coulibaly (Oyenuga, 68) - Lancaster
Reserve friendly Hartington Training Ground Tuesday 13th December 2011, 1pm QPR v SPURS (Blue/White) (All Black) 4-4-2 3-5-2 2(1) 6(3) Joe Lewis 1 David Button Michael Harriman 2 Jack Barthram Fitz Hall 3 Cristian Ceballos Danny ****tu 4 Milos Veljkovic Mo Shariff 5 Bongani Khumalo Kieron Dyer 6 J ake Nicholson DJ Campbell 7 John Bostock Jason Puncheon 8 Ryan Mason Janik 9 Cameron Lancaster Arkos Buzsaky 10 Simon Dawkins Matthew Connolly 11 Soulymane Coulibaly Bruno Perone 12 Kudos Oyenuga 46Mins. (11)69Mins. Marcel Henry-Francis 13 Jonathan Miles (7)46Mins. (3)86Mins. Jamie White 14 Ramil Sheriff (11)69Mins. (2)69Mins. Frankie Sutherland 15 (6)5Mins. Freddie Champion 16 74Mins. Trialist 19 74Mins. Scorers:- Janik 13 Dawkins 9 Buzsaky 60(pen) Mason 43, 45 Lancaster, 64 Ceballos 74 Oyenuga 86 Coach:- R. Jepson T. Sherwood Ref:- Mr. Singh It was a chilly windy afternoon with the sun shining low over the south end. Rangers were giving a run out for some of their first team squad members with players returning from injury. Their squad was completed by a trialist. It was not easy to follow their team and substitutes as some players had squad numbers and others did not, so if there are any mistakes I apologise now. It looked like Harry's use of 3-5-2 at Stoke was so effective that Tim Sherwood set up his side that way as well. Button returned to start in goal with a back three of Nicholson, Veljkovic and Khumalo. Barthram was the right wingback and Ceballos the left one. Mason, Bostock and Dawkins played in the centre of the midfield to provide for Lancaster and Coulibaly up front. Spurs defended the south end in the first half and the new formation looked to be working. Coulibaly caught Dyer early on which resulted in the injury-prone Dyer to walk off the pitch straight away without the physio even reaching him. Mason was soon pulling the strings in midfield and his through ball sent Dawkins away to slot the ball past Lewis for the opening goal. Coulibaly was played in but fired wide. Rangers were soon level when a low cross from the right was pushed out by Button but only to two Rangers players on the far post. Janik was the one to put it into the net. The home side pushed on with Campbell firing wide and Buzsaky put a free kick over the bar. Mason played in Lancaster whose effort was saved. Ceballos came in from the wing to fire over. Shariff turned a corner wide of the far post before Coulibaly was found by Mason but shot wide. Bostock drew a save from Lewis who also saved a Ceballos free kick. Spurs went back in front when Barthram got down the right and crossed low into the box. Lancaster's effort was blocked but Mason followed him in to put the ball into the net. Mason got another goal minutes later when Coulibaly played him in. Spurs changed to 4-4-2 for the second half with Ceballos moving into midfield proper which he had been doing during during the first half anyway. Mason drew a save in the opening minute before Rangers won a free kick on the left. Buzsaky took it and hit the far post and when it was put back into the middle, Henry-Francis headed over. Ceballos dribbled into the area to the near post before firing over when colleagues called for a cutback. Sutherland saw his effort turned over the bar and Janik headed over from the corner. Mason fired over from a ball by Ceballos and Coulibaly drew a save from the keeper. Button saved a free kick by Buzsaky before Nicholson conceded a penalty by obstructing Henry-Francis on the left side of the area. Buzsaky fired the penalty to Button's right to reduce the arrears. Bostock won a corner which he took and swapped passes with Ceballos before crossing for Coulibaly to fire wide. Ceballos drove a low shot onto the far post and when it was turned back into the middle, Lancaster was on hand to fire home. With the two goal margin restored, Sherwood made two changes replacing Coulibaly with Oyenuga and Sheriff taking over from Barthram. Oyenuga got round the back on the right and put in a shot that was cleared off the line. Lancaster fired wide for a corner and Oyenuga also drove over. Ceballos played in Lancaster, whose effort was saved for another corner. Ceballos collected the corner and cut inside and finished low to the keeper's right for Spurs fifth. Nicholson gave the ball away to Henry-Francis who drove into the area but was foiled by Button. The visitors went further ahead when Oyenuga drove into the area through the left channel to fire across Lewis into the net. Miles came on for Ceballos in a blank shirt to play on the right. Rangers had a chance to get a goal back when Sheriff brought down Henry-Francis in the area for a second penalty. Francis took the kick himself but fluffed it and it rolled to Button before the taker could recover. Miles (Ed:- a goalkeeper, remember!)got the ball on the right and came inside before seeing his effort saved. There was just time for Buzsaky to put his effort over the bar before the ref blew for time. It was a good workout for the reserves against some experienced players and they showed quick passing and good movement. I wonder if Inglethorpe will use a 3-5-2 formation on Saturday in the Academy match. The switch back to 4-4-2 allowed Ceballos to roam without leaving the right side weakened and he took full advantage of the freedom. Coulibaly looks desperate for a goal and snatched at the ball a couple of times when well placed. Mason looks like his old self with his vision and late runs into the area. Sherwood has worked with so many different players and has still managed to form them into working teams when they come together for these one-off matches. I had to look twice before I realised that the last sub to come on was our keeper Miles, who had a chance to score as well. DYER LASTED 5 MIN WELL DONE WHO IS JANIK SCORED FIRST GOAL?
