please log in to view this image QPR will be aiming for back-to-back away wins for the first time in 2017 when facing Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Boxing Day. The R’s victory over Birmingham last time out on the road means we have the opportunity to build some momentum away from Loftus Road - something we have struggled with in the opening half of the season. QPR were victorious when facing Ipswich back in September thanks to goals from Jamie Mackie and Luke Freeman and will be hoping for similar success in Suffolk. Mick McCarthy and his Ipswich side will be happy with the way they performed in the first half of the campaign. The Tractor Boys are in 10th place - just three points off the play-off positions. Ipswich have played a more attacking style of football this season - occasionally opting to use four forwards and have reaped the rewards of this bold approach with only Derby and Wolves scoring more goals than them. McCarthy will also be happy with the impact his additions to the squad in the summer have made. The two strikers Ipswich brought to the club - Joe Garner and Martyn Waghorn - have scored 16 league goals between them whilst loanee Callum Connolly has performed excellently in a midfield role recently. The Blues have been very strong at home - winning seven games and losing just three with only four teams in the league picking up more points than them from home fixtures. Mick McCarthy is the longest serving manager in the Championship having been in charge of Ipswich for over five years. They were beaten by his former employees’ Wolves 1-0 in their last outing but have not suffered back-to-back defeats since the middle of October. Ironically this was also the fixture on Boxing Day two years ago with the R’s suffering a late defeat thanks to a 92nd minute goal from defender Luke Chambers. please log in to view this image Last Time Out The R’s 100% record at Loftus Road continued with a deserved victory over Ipswich. Jamie Mackie gave us the lead just before half-time when he slid in to meet Pawel Wszolek's cross. Luke Freeman then beat Bartosz Bialkowski from outside the box with a low shot to make it 2-0 shortly after the break. Bersant Celina pulled a goal back late on with a fine strike from distance but the Hoops held on. Stats QPR have kept just two clean sheets away from home in 2017 (against Reading and Leeds) Ipswich Town have scored two goals or more in each of their last four home matches No draws in the last 13 games between the two clubs please log in to view this image Manager Viewpoints Ian Holloway: “Ipswich will be very consistent in the way Mick (McCarthy) plays. I think he has a fantastic group of lads there who are having a very, very good season and it will be a tough ask. I see us continuing to grow, we have an away win under our belt now and if we can get another one up there then it will be another big boost.” Mick McCarthy: “It’s our home game, it’s one we want to win. We’ve lost a lot of players and I need some players back from injury. I have seven midfielders out at the moment. Will any of them back on Boxing Day? I don’t know." please log in to view this image Team News QPR: QPR have no new injury concerns ahead of the game in Suffolk but will welcome striker Jamie Mackie back from suspension. I've got a funny feeling that Holloway loves Mackie and will start him again. please log in to view this image Ipswich: Cole Skuse missed Saturday's defeat at Wolves with an ankle problem and Jonas Knudsen was also unavailable due to a sickness bug. Both are rated doubtful for tomorrow. Flynn Downes (calf), Emyr Huws (knee), Tom Adeyemi (hamstring), Tristan Nydam (hips), Andre Dozzell (knee) and Luke Hyam (knee) are also out. Referee Andy Davies: The same referee when the two teams met back in September.
Thanks for the write up. I'll be having my traditional Boxing Day lunch with my in laws this afternoon. My father in law is a Tractor Boy, twice a year, when we play them. He won't know the game is on unless we beat them, in which case my son will present him with a phone with the score on the screen.
Nines, a great write up. As for the team, I would play the same starting eleven as against Bristol City which played rather well in the first half. However, you may be correct with Mackie. Anyway, I wish all my fellow R's a great Boxing Day and let's hope for "back-to-back" away wins! COYR's!!!!
Doesn't bode well! We haven't won away on Boxing Day since we beat Plymouth 1-0 in 1967 under Alec Stock!!
It would be nice to end that run on the 50th anniversary, although I can't see it happening on current form. Still, stranger things have happened...
Well thank you again R This makes my match day Big ask today but why not hope? Let’s hope together that we turn up and give them a match at least ... anything can happen .... take a point now no question
Why is there always some sort of crazy record with us? 50 years since a boxing day away win? Stan needs to start a new thread
My other half has recovered a bit from a heavy cough and cold so I will be sitting on my hands in the front row of the die-hard "Towun" fans. I'd love to be trying to suppress my delight at an improbable away win today, extending our current run of one on the bounce away from home but a draw would be decent enough. Could do without a repeat of two years ago when everyone was delightedly saying how miserable I looked. Waghorn and Celine are their danger men and Webster is a good young defender. If we don't change too much and especially have Freeman, Luongo and Scowen playing then I think we have a decent chance.
Agreed ‘Ski. Same team as against Bristol, especially if their midfield is struggling with injury and ours can play as strong as they did against BC. Own the ball, keep a strong defence and we could boss the game. Then again... Holloway could change everything... because??? Who knows. Need to get a result today. Other relegation teams seem to be improving. Come on yuuuoooo rrrrrrr’s!!!!!
Thank-you 999s...big Christmas hugs and kisses to you and all your family. My ill family is attempting Christmas today...so leaving it to Terry and son Iain...to look after the match for the occupants of top row of the upper loft... Can only see defeat myself..but Ollies team is unpredictable in both negative and positive ways.... so who knows. It would be a lovely present.... Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk
I’ve got a bad case of Boxing Day flu so need a win today to cheer myself up ( along with a banker treble on Chelsea/Man U and Liverpool) Back to back away wins ? Come on lads, we can do this !!
Mackie in, lose. Samuel and Sylla up front again and perhaps we'll sneak a draw. Not one of our happy hunting grounds, mind you, where is? Come on urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr's
Apparently we have won 7 of our last 9 matches v Ipswich, only the last two away games have been losses, be nice to make it 8 out of 10...
Team news, same as Saturday except cousins in for Samuel! To me with that side it’s very negative with attacking options.
