QPR boss in confident mood ahead of Spurs clash

QPR boss in confident mood ahead of Spurs clash
Ian Cooper
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
3:53 PM



Hughes: Every game we have played, we have got better - that shows the quality we have


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Mark Hughes believes he is beginning to get the best from his newly-assembled QPR side after watching the Rs grind out a gritty goalless draw with Chelsea.

Saturday’s stalemate with last season’s Champions League winners provided QPR’s first clean sheet of the season, although they remain without a win from their first four Premier League games.

Twelve new signings over the summer have made for a disjointed start to the season, but ahead of Sunday’s visit to Tottenham, Hughes is confident the squad is beginning to come together.

“Every time we have played, taking away the Swansea game which I think none of us saw coming, we have got better with each game. We’re getting players back as the games come thick and fast, which will make us stronger,” said Hughes.

The Hoops boss was dealt a sizeable blow against the Blues however, as it emerged that striker Andrew Johnson will miss the majority of the rest of the season after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament.

That leaves QPR with just two recognised centre-forwards in Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora, but Hughes insists that the attacking quality within his squad will account for Johnson’s absence.

And against Tottenham, Johnson’s injury could open the door for the likes of Adel Taarabt and summer signing Junior Hoilett, who were left out of the side against Chelsea.

“We had to hope that we didn’t get injuries, which unfortunately we did. [But] we have got a lot of quality and different types of attackers,” he added.

“Junior Hoilett and Adel Taarabt are arguably the two most talented technical players, but they didn’t even get on [against Chelsea].

“That shows the quality we have, which I am pleased about. It shows that we have the right quality to make sure we can compete.”

Midfielder Samba Diakite is also facing a race to be fit for the clash at White Hart Lane after an extended absence due to personal reasons, and Hughes added that varying fitness levels within the team have made it difficult to field a settled side.

“The problem we’re finding at the moment is that we’ve got a group with different levels of fitness, and until I can get everybody at the same level I’ve got to be a little bit careful with the amount of game time that they have,” said Hughes.

“We’re still trying to get to a point where everybody is at the same level. Then it’s easier to pick the best team on any Saturday.”

And the Rs boss is urging his side to reproduce the same level of performance against Andre Villas-Boas’s side as they did against Chelsea.

“They dug in [against Chelsea], even when it got really hard towards the end. It was a good performance by everybody.

“You have to be a strong character to play Premier League football,” he said. “You have to stand your corner and have an influence on the game. That will help us in the long term.”

 

First away win under Hughes? What odds another 0-0?

 

Well, last season they beat us 3:1 but we put on a damn good show as I recall and nearly had them worried and then of course we beat them 1:0 at LR with an Adel free kick.

The bookies seem confident we will lose but I do just wonder about this one!

We have to start winning games and this is as good as any to start with.

COYRss!

 

Just took a quick look at the stats from last season. When we played Tottenham we were in tenth place in the league, with 12 points from 9 games, having just beaten Chelsea too. We were riding high, confidence was justified and we were looking forward to midtable or better! A few games later we had dropped to 16th, and from then on we hovered between 16th and 18th until season's end..... In the circumstances, a draw on Sunday would be a great result.

 

The bookies and tv pundits all said that we would get tonked by Chelsea.

 

I'd snatch your hand off for a 0-0 right now. That would arguably be a better result than the Chelsea one.

 

Tottenham were a side oozing with quality and confidence on the back of a great run when we met them at their place last season. Despite our win over Chelsea, we were anything but and were overrun in the first half.

By the time we beat them at home, we were desperate for points and the wheels had started to come off their CL ambitions.

It seems the gulf between us continues to close this time round. Yes they beat the fakes convincingly the other day but we're likely to be a different proposition this weekend. They've lost Harry and Modric and we've gained Granero and Faurlin - not to mention Cesar and Nelsen.

Our only problem is getting goals. It's good that Cisse has been sidelined for a while. Maybe the opportunity he'll get from AJ's unfortunate (yet predictable) injury will see his goal a game form return. Fingers crossed. Hoilett or Taarabt for the much improved SWP might help a bit.

Signs though, point to the 0-0 Kerry suggests above.

 

A draw vs spurs and we are well on our way...I agree I would bite your hand off for that result
...On top of everything, they are a slightly unhappy team...who are playing tonight in a competition they don't really want to be in against a decent team who will make them work. I wouldn't want to play that match.

Come on u RRRRRRRRRRs (and Lazio)

 

Got some genuine confidence for this one! AVB is apparently playing a strong team tonight which can only benefit us. If Granero and Faurlin perform like they did against the scum, we are in with more than a chance! Just need Bobby/Cisse to bang away some chances.

 

0-0 wouldn't be too bad - but we really need to establish a winning (and goal-scoring) mentality. Yes, difficult on a run of games that include City, Chelsea and now Tottenham away.

AVB has to be our ace card. Team harmony very much his big weakness.

 

I'l bite for a win! About time MH went for one away, and also that we got one! A point isn't a disaster, but in the very near future we have got to start chalking up wins. A Spurs side playing only 3 days after tonight, and with that strange manager on his haunches on the sideline getting redder and redder if it ain't going so well for them and so further disturbing his players, must give us a good opportunity Sunday.

 

There's a sense of people getting carried away.....................AGAIN

A couple of weeks after losing 5-0 at home to Swansea, some are saying that a draw away to Spurs "Wouldn't be a disaster".
We've only just put in our first decent performance of the season and the team gelling has only just got under way. It will take another few weeks before we hit top form and start attacking teams with real purpose. Until then, gradual progress surely must be the order of the day?

Get a fu*king grip OZZIE!!!

 

I really fancy another clean sheet as I believe that our midfield could be stronger and if Diakite plays and runs at them then why not a upset?
Mbia may make his debut
If it hasn't looked promising then when will it? ... time to start believing anyhow regardless of the result

 

You are on the back foot these days Swords! "Gradual progress surely must be the order of the day" sounds like a line from Yes Minister, as Mr Humphrey looked in on the sleeping Tory benches!

 

I thought he was in "are you being served"

 

I think you right! What was the Civil Servant called in Yes Minister then? Humphries?

 

One tends to get a little more conservative as one gets older............

 

It was Sir Humphrey Appleby

 

Thank You!

 

When I'm 64, bump, bump bump........