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Our record in the first three games of this season reads as won one, lost one and drawn one leaving Ollie and his troops with four points and 11th in the table although I doubt many punters are paying too much attention to the current league standings at this early stage of the campaign.
Hull City are back in the Championship after their recent stint of Premier League football lasted just one season. Despite winning their first two games of last term Hull’s form slowly deteriorated under manager Mike Phelan. In January he was replaced by Portuguese coach Marco Silva and he helped galvanise the squad - giving them some hope of staying up but he couldn’t quite get the Humberside outfit over the line.
This summer they appointed former Russia manger Leonid Slutsky as their new head coach. Slutsky, who was born in Russia, has only ever managed in his native country. His last job was manager of the Russian national team but he was dismissed after a disappointing showing at Euro 2016 despite managing a 1-1 draw with England.
Hull have made some major changes to their playing staff over the summer. Slutsky’s friendship with Roman Abramovich has enabled them to bring in talented Chelsea defender Michael Hector and Ola Aina. They’ve also brought in Kevin Stewart from Liverpool as well as Seb Larsson and Fraizer Campbell from Sunderland and Crystal Palace respectively.
Despite making, what on paper look like some very decent signings, they have weakened their side in terms of the players that have departed the club. Harry Maguire who is tipped as a future England defender, left the club for Leicester City and the talented Andrew Robertson was picked up by Liverpool in a deal worth around £10 million. Eldin Jakupovic, Tom Huddlestone and Ahmed Elmohamady also went their separate ways.
Those departures have left Slutsky with a talented but inexperienced squad. The Tigers had three players aged 21 or younger in their starting eleven for their game against Wolves with Skipper Michael Dawson the only player over the age of 30.
Like Rangers, Hull have won one, lost one and drawn one of their three league games this season whilst also progressing to Round Two of the Carabao Cup.
In their opening match they went to outright league favourites Aston Villa and got a well-deserved draw and backed that up with a 4-1 win against Burton Albion but were beaten 3-2 by Wolves during the week.
If you had offered Ian Holloway four points from the opening three games of the season he would have probably accepted it given the quality of the opposition his team had to face. Rangers played three of last season’s top eight in a tough start to the league campaign which doesn’t get too much easier with Hull on Saturday and a trip to Cardiff City the following week.
Queens Park Rangers have the chance to make it 16 all on the weekend. Interestingly, in the 47 games between the two clubs there’s been 16 Hull victories, 16 draws and 15 QPR wins.
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Kate From Harrow - '' Come On My Rss! ''
When and Where
Saturday 18th August, Loftus Road, 3pm kick-off.
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Last Time Out
QPR 1-2 Hull City January 1st 2016
A sour way for all Rangers fans to begin the New Year as the R’s suffered defeat with what was pretty much the last kick of the game. Rob Green collided with Grant Hall while trying to deal with a Sam Clucas cross and the ball ricocheted in off Adama Diomande. All the more disappointing for the fact that the goal came just four minutes after Sebastian Polter had headed QPR level in a match we certainly deserved something from.
Team News
Joel Lynch is likely to be out with a hamstring injury sustained at Norwich, while Pawel Wszolek faces a late fitness test on a back injury picked up at Carrow Road.
Late calls will also be made on Yeni Ngbakoto and Idrissa Sylla, who have missed the last two fixtures with ankle and head injuries respectively.
Abel Hernandez is out for six-months for the Tigers after rupturing his achilles. Markus Henriksen is missing with a foot injury. City's summer signing Kevin Stewart is available for selection.
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Stats
- QPR have not beat Hull in the last three meetings at Loftus Road (L2, D1)
- Hull have scored seven goals in their first three games – more than any other side in the league (joint with Ipswich)
- 11 goals between the two clubs in the last five games (QPR 4, Hull 7)
Ian Holloway:
Despite losing for the first time this season at Norwich City on Wednesday night, Holloway was encouraged by the intensity and work-rate of his players, and he wants to see that on show against the Tigers, one of the favourites for promotion following their relegation from the Premier League last term.
“I expect Hull to approach the game in the same way our last three league opponents have,” Holloway said.
“They will try to play the same way. We are aware of that based on the information we have been given. We have got to go out there and do the same again, in terms of our approach.
Hull have just lost one of their best players in Abel Hernandez. Hopefully it’s not too serious for him because he is a very good player.
“But it’s all about us. Can we keep building our own style? It was evident again at Norwich. We dominated for spells in the game, particularly in the first half, and that’s what we want our identity to be.
“But that’s twice now where we have let a goal in right after the restart and we need to look at why that’s happening. We’ve got to make sure we are at it again, straight away.
As QPR’s new style of play develops, Holloway says it’s important that players can come into the team and take on the baton, which will take time as the players learn to understand the formation.
With Pawel Wszolek facing a late fitness test on a back problem sustained at Carrow Road and Joel Lynch likely to miss out with a hamstring injury picked up in the same game, Holloway said: “We need to make sure that players can come in and fit into the new system, seamlessly.
“Obviously Kazenga LuaLua is a different type of player to Pawel, but he is an attacking option for us.
“He is more comfortable on the left but we will need him to learn to play down the right side as well because he is going to want to get into the new team wherever he can, wherever he is needed.
“And that’s needed from players now more than ever because we are no longer allowed loans after the transfer window closes. That is going to have a huge impact on football.”
Like QPR, the Tigers have collected four points from their opening three games, but Holloway believes it is very difficult to pick out which teams will be there or thereabouts come May.
“It’s impossible to say who the favourites are for promotion in this division,” he said. “Look at how Cardiff, Wolves and Ipswich have started – would many people have had them as favourites? Probably not.
“Look at the quality that’s come down, and the quality that has come up as well – it makes for a very tough Championship.”
With Rangers back on home soil, Holloway wants QPR fans to back the team from the opening whistle – and he wants to see his players give the supporters a reason to make some noise.
“I am looking for the fans to respond to the team, and I want the team to give the fans something to respond to, with the way they close, the way they chase and the way they press,” he said.
“Not with the way we pass it, or with the way we beat someone – but with how we work for each other.
“Hopefully that will give us the platform to be successful.”
As well as Wszolek and Lynch being doubts for tomorrow’s game, late calls will also be made on Yeni Ngbakoto and Idrissa Sylla, who have missed the last two fixtures with ankle and head injuries respectively.
Leonid Slutsky: "QPR are a really dangerous team, especially at home, but in the Championship we will never have an easy match. The game will be tight and it will be decided by one or two key moments."
Referee
James Linington: Has already awarded 14 yellow cards in three Championship games this season.
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