Room for optimism at QPR but there's space for fresh faces too

Simon Johnson
16 Jan 2012

Having watched the new QPR manager closely in his first match in charge as Rangers lost 1-0 to Newcastle, Simon Johnson gives his verdict on how Mark Hughes coped and what the future holds

As Mark Hughes took his position in the Queens Park Rangers dug-out for the first time, he knew the eyes of the nation were upon him.

Having arrived amid great publicity last week after being named as Neil Warnock's successor, Newcastle provided the first test of his plans to keep QPR in the Premier League.

His debut came live on Sky Sports, meaning there would be no escape from the spotlight as the cameras followed his every move and gesture.

More importantly, he knew that it gave everyone the chance to see if his arrival had made any difference to a team whose run of eight games without a win had prompted owner Tony Fernandes to act in the first place.

On the surface it just appears more of the same after a rather unfortunate 1-0 defeat, however Standard Sport takes a closer look at Hughes's performance and sees there is room for optimism.



The presence of two strikers up front in a 4-4-2 caught out Newcastle, allowing the visitors to dominate the opening exchanges.

For most of the campaign, Rangers have played with only one forward and interchanged between a 4-1-4-1 and 4-5-1 system.

Warnock's aim was to make his team more solid and yet Hughes's line-up was far more effective in keeping Newcastle at bay for long periods, mainly because they pressed in twos and threes.

When out of possession, Heidar Helguson dropped back to help out midfield, leaving Jay Bothroyd to hold up the ball should they win it back quickly.

However, when QPR were in attack, the 34-year-old was alongside Bothroyd and the duo caused Newcastle problems for most of the match.

Significantly after the game, players were talking off the record about how they felt much more organised and compact than in previous weeks.

This was some accolade considering they were without influential midfielders Joey Barton, who was suspended, and Alejandro Faurlin, who was sidelined by a knee problem.

Newcastle's winner - an excellent effort from Leon Best in the 37th minute - came from their first shot on target after QPR had already hit the woodwork twice. Hughes's game-plan merited at least a point.



One of the reasons Hughes was hired is because of his vast experience both as a player and as a manager and he used it to provide a calm assurance for his squad, many of whom are not used to coping with the pressure of playing in the Premier League.

It was noticeable, particularly in the first half, how he was pulling players aside to give bits of advice or apply some tactical switch every time there was a stoppage in play.

Luke Young, Jamie Mackie and Helguson were all given an individual talk when referee Chris Foy's back was turned.

Hughes wasn't the only one to get involved as his assistants, Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki, also gave their opinions to some players.

There was constant encouragement coming from the sidelines and Hughes only appeared to lose his temper with Foy's decisions rather than the team.

When Hughes was in his first job in club football at Blackburn, his team earned a reputation for being very physical.

It won Rovers numerous critics, few friends and so many yellow and red cards that the club finished bottom of the Fair Play League in each of Hughes's four seasons at Ewood Park.

The manager appears to have passed this trait on to his new team straight away as they picked up four yellow cards, which was more than in any other game they have played this season.

It was evident how Hughes's new team made one strong challenge after another. Shaun Derry set the tone with a terrible tackle on Yohan Cabaye in the 19th minute, which led to the midfielder being shown a yellow card and the Frenchman carried off on a stretcher. Three more Rangers players went into Foy's book and it could have been even more but it put Newcastle off their game, with the hosts creating few chances.

The determination to make challenges also showed the spirit Hughes has already introduced and fans would have welcomed the sight compared to the limp resistance they have been seeing.

SUBSTITUTIONS

There wasn't a wealth of talent on the bench so the 48-year-old was unable to change the game radically.

It was surprising that Federico Macheda, who joined on loan from Manchester United two weeks ago, was left out of the first XI.

Then with QPR starting to run out of ideas in the second half, it was strange that his first option was to put on Tommy Smith for Helguson with 26 minutes remaining.

Macheda still has a lot to prove at the highest level, yet it was bizarre that he had to wait until the 76th minute to enter the fray.

At least Hughes was bold by putting the Italian on for midfielder Akos Buzsaky but it came too late to make much of an impression.

WHAT NOW

Rangers needed to sign new players when Warnock was in charge and the match showed why Hughes will step up his efforts to strengthen the squad in this window.

The former Wales manager may have made an impact in some areas, however, without that extra bit of quality in the squad, the club will still be in danger of going down.

For example, Bothroyd is just not good enough at this level as his record of two goals since joining from Cardiff proves. The England international wasted some great chances to add to that tally at Newcastle and when he did show some quality in the first half, there was no luck either as the ball struck the post.

At the back Rangers are still vulnerable and in midfield there is plenty of effort but not much creativity, so the transfer window will still be key to Hughes's hopes of keeping them up. If he can add someone of Premier League class to defence, midfield and attack - preferably players with some pace - then Hughes is capable of leading QPR to safety.

There should be a word of warning, though, because their last four games are against Tottenham, Chelsea, Stoke and Manchester City, so he better get plenty of points clear of the bottom three before that difficult run-in.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-24028260-room-for-optimism-at-qpr-but-theres-space-for-fresh-faces-too.do?

This! My biggest positive from the match.

The line marked in red is the only thing Sparky gor wrong IMO. I'm sure though that he won't make the same mistake twice after yesterday.

 

What do we think the line up or shape would have been under NW?

 

Yeh, there were positives yesterday, defensively a bit more solid in particular, but though I thought the players worked hard, I was disappointed we didn't give it a better go in the last 10 -15 minutes.

 

Well written piece.

 

It might have something to do with a higher workload and intensity during training the last week, just a thought.

 

Coud have been a bit of that and Newcastle din't push forward much, but I was surprised he didn't thow on someone else up front to run at them at the end - DJ or Hogan, for a more defensive player.

 

you hit the nail on the head. Beautiful bit of typing.

 

Whilst another defeat is another defeat, 0-1 to Newcastle away on the form they've been in this season was never going to be a cert was it? Blackburn (twice), ManU, Everton, Wigan and Fulham have all fallen at this hurdle already.

We did perform well for the most part. Better structured and organised and with far more interest and determination. Whilst midfield creativity was still absent (Buz just doesn't have it at this level) a nontheless dogged display by our midfield created a supply line for much of the game that had us 13 to 1 at one stage in terms of shots on target. That's a first. Was it two or three efforts that clipped the woodwork?

Of course quality's an issue. Most of their side were quite evidently a league better than most of ours - but the fact is we both kept them at bay and asked enough questions going forward to have nicked a point had we got the rub and scored in the first half. If this is our foundation, I can see a couple of decent signings and the return of Barton, Taarabt and Traore, making all the difference come mid February.

Will it be enough to stave off relegation? Should be - but what others do or don't will be a critical factor.

 

It was noticeable, particularly in the first half, how he was pulling players aside to give bits of advice or apply some tactical switch every time there was a stoppage in play.


It won Rovers numerous critics, few friends and so many yellow and red cards that the club finished bottom of the Fair Play League in each of Hughes's four seasons at Ewood Park.

The manager appears to have passed this trait on to his new team straight away as they picked up four yellow cards, which was more than in any other game they have played this season.

It was evident how Hughes's new team made one strong challenge after another. Shaun Derry set the tone with a terrible tackle on Yohan Cabaye in the 19th minute, which led to the midfielder being shown a yellow card and the Frenchman carried off on a stretcher.




Sorry, but the above two are connected. He pulled them aside to tell them to take it easy and play in Zones and drop off rather than make hard tackles which, at the same time, coincided with Newkie starting to take more possession - and then they scored because of it because we backed off the tackles, due to all those yellow cards we had already acquired.

 

Can't argue with that.

Can't see any of the yellow card tackles as being indicative of a 'hurt 'em' policy though... just eagerness to show willing in a bid for inclusions into the final squad. Unfortunate imo.

 

Interesting point you bring up there Yappy, think you're on to something.

It will always be a fine balance between tackling and dropping off, hope with a couple more trainings Sparky can drill this into our lot.

 

Yes..... quite unfortunate. Not to hurt them, necessarily, but definitely to keep the opponents off-balance, but - when our OLDER players can't stay on their feet and can only make a really-late jumping-stretchy tackle, it makes you wonder why even use that tactic from the start? Why not just play a very good possession game? Pass it around quickly, build, and make those incisive cut-run and passes.

 

Love you too