In Nines absence I will be doing the next couple of match day threads while he's on holiday. Starting off with a tricky away trip in the west midlands against Birmingham City. Not a happy hunting ground for the R's, though we won last time thanks to a Ravel Morrison brace. Who will step up this time? Time for the likes of Chery, Fer and especially Phillips to do so. But I fear we won't come away with a win unless the defence has been heavily drilled (that didn't sound right reading it back) during the international break. Still, I believe we can pull it off, a narrow win, 0-1 or 1-2? Good luck to the ones travelling, hope you get your just rewards. please log in to view this image SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Venue: St Andrew's please log in to view this image Date: Saturday, 17 October Kick-off: 15:00 BST Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC WM (DAB); text commentary on the BBC Sport website TEAM NEWS Birmingham City winger David Cotterill is back in training next week after his hamstring injury but is still ruled out for the visit of QPR to St Andrew's. Andrew Shinnie (hamstring) is fit and Demarai Gray, who scored in the 2-0 win at Leeds, is over the groin injury that ruled him out of England Under-20 duty. QPR will be without forwards Charlie Austin and Jamie Mackie, who are both sidelined with hamstring injuries. Jay-Emmanuel Thomas will keep his place in the Rangers starting line-up. MATCH FACTS Birmingham City have lost only once in their last nine matches versus QPR at St. Andrew's, winning six (D2). QPR have won their last three league games against Birmingham City, keeping a clean sheet each time. No team has scored (18) or conceded (20) more goals in the Championship this campaign than QPR. Blues top scorer Clayton Donaldson has also provided more assists than any other player this season (five). No Championship side has won more points from losing positions this season than QPR (seven). QPR (11) have scored more goals via Englishmen than any other Championship team in 2015-16, four more than Birmingham (seven). Birmingham have lost their last two at home in the league competition. Blues have not lost three in a row since October 2014 (a run of four). MATCH PREVIEW: BIRMINGHAM CITY V QPR QPR return to Sky Bet Championship action with a tough away fixture against Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon. After a morale-boosting 4-3 win versus Bolton Wanderers prior to the international break, Chris Ramsey’s side will be determined to build on that victory with another positive showing at St. Andrews, but it certainly won’t come easy against Gary Rowett’s high-flying Brum side. Indeed, Birmingham currently occupy fourth spot in the second tier, following an impressive start to the campaign which has yielded 18 points from their opening ten fixtures. But Rangers will be buoyed by the Blues indifferent home form, which has seen them succumb to back-to-back defeats to Nottingham Forest and Rotherham United in their last two outings in front of their own supporters. Furthermore, Rangers have been solid, if not spectacular, on the road so far this season, with two victories and a draw from five away fixtures. David Cotterill will miss out for the hosts with a hamstring injury, but Blues are set to have Andrew Shinnie back in action. The attacker injured his hamstring against Rotherham towards the end of last month, but has resumed full training and should be available for the visit of the R’s. Sandro is pushing for a start for Ramsey’s side after an impressive cameo from the bench against Bolton, whilst Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is again expected to lead the line in Charlie Austin’s absence, following his impressive match-winning performance in the same game. STAR MAN Demarai GRAY (Forward) Demarai Gray made his first team debut as a late substitute in Blues’ Sky Bet Championship fixture against Millwall on October 1st 2013. The teenager, who can play on either the right or left hand side of midfield, is a product of the club's Academy and has been at Blues since the age of ten. The 2014/15 campaign was Gray’s real breakthrough season with the club. The England Under-20 international made 43 appearances and scored six goals, earning himself plenty of plaudits, as well as being named as the club's Young Player of the Season. Earlier this summer, Gray signed a new three-year contract with Blues that runs until June 2018. PRE-MATCH TALK QPR boss, Chris Ramsey: “We’re looking forward to the game. “It’s another tough test for us, away from home, against a club who have started the season well. “But we believe in what we’re trying to do and we’ve played well on our travels this year, so it’s a game we’re going into with a positive mindset, looking for a positive result.” Blues winger, Demarai Gray: “I don't think we are more comfortable away from home than at home. “I just think that together we are a great team. You are not going to be 100 per cent every week and you saw that with the two games against Forest and Rotherham. “But we have shown in the last two games what good character we have got, our reaction was two 2-0 wins, we have just got to keep that up now.” MATCH ODDS Birmingham City win: 23/20 Draw: 23/10 QPR win: 2/1 LAST TIME OUT Birmingham City 0, QPR 2 – Championship – Saturday 8th March 2014 Scorer: Morrison (2) HEAD TO HEAD Birmingham City: 21 Draws: 13 QPR wins: 17 MATCH OFFICIALS Referee: C Boyeson Assistant Referees: J Hunt & D Plowright Fourth Official: D Coote The "sexy" column: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Possible line-up for the R's: please log in to view this image Birmingham City – Likely line-up (4-4-2): Kuszczak; Caddis, Morrison, Robinson, Grounds; Gleeson, Kieftenbeld, Maghoma, Davis; Gray, Donaldson
Brilliant Norway, instead of girlies I get a "hunky" man to drool over (not!)...But other than that one small criticism brillant...Thanks
Great job Norway. The sexy column is hilarious. I'd go with that team and although I haven't left these shores yet I appreciate your efforts. I try to do these at the last minute to cram in as much up to date info as I can. You've done a sterling job Sir
Well done to Norway, we deserve to win just because of the effort you've put in...... Although you can lose the Tonz. I was about to have some breakfast but have lost my appetite. Footnote - These mods must be on a good wicket, Beth has just come back from holidays, Nines is about to head off for another lot. I'm in the wrong game. The last time l went on holidays, the travel brochure listed all costs in Roman numerals and Mrs Aussie and l floated down the Nile for an expresso at the Pryamids. Anyway, thanks once again for the match day report.
Well Aussie, someone only asked me yesterday have I been away this year? You usually take three holidays? I thought that I had only had one... Greece. But I've also been to the Isle of Wight, St Malo in France and now Ireland for a week. I didn't think the last three counted, but I guess they do. I would label them as a mini-break, jetting off into the sunshine for a fortnight is a holiday in my opinion
Tomorrow I'll be jetting off to see my relatives before they pop their clogs. I wouldn't have bothered myself but the Mrs insisted. I'm not expecting to see the Ireland that I grew up in as I knew as a child.
The LFW preview: Uncle Tony back in town – preview http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/40742/? Liked the last line; "Is this meet the 'new QPR', same as the old QPR?"
Very good article, yes, sounds like everything old is new again. The one saving grace that saves us from joining the PL again is Ramsey so we should be safe.
Hopefully we will attempt to employ this tactic against Birmingham today:- Tottenham 0-0 Liverpool "It is very noticeable how high Liverpool are pressing Spurs in their own half, and Spurs do not seem to like it - they are getting no time on the ball. I am sure Jurgen Klopp approves."
Perhaps one of these? Some nice kits of yesteryear on this thread:- please log in to view this image http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/blackpool/forum/67635/page:1#.ViI8zNKrQsY
QPR: Green, Perch, Onuoha, Hall, Konchesky, Henry, Sandro, Phillips, Chery, Fer, Emmanuel-Thomas. Subs: Smithies, Angella, Tozser, Doughty, Luongo, Polter, Faurlin. Read more at http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/t...championship-2747300.aspx#MgrOmDqZXR65vvyY.99
If we had a decent RB avaialble at the club I would be happy with the defence....we haven't.....pity Furlong isn't around. Henry and Sandro to start is not bad....We have a good bench to cope with whatever situation we are in.. It is OK
Nope....I am a naturally optimistic person If we can hold them for 60 minutes or so....sub Henry and Sandro for Faulin and Luongo ....and push on and win it Simples Swordsy
