Joey Barton key to QPR hopes - Neil Warnock Barton watches his new QPR team-mates from the stands at Wigan Neil Warnock believes Joey Barton will be central to Queens Park Rangers' hopes of Premier League survival. The QPR manager signed the midfielder from Newcastle in August after he was made available for a free transfer. "Whoever we're playing, he will be the first on the sheet and I am sure he would want it to be like that," Warnock said of the 29-year-old. "The players that have come in, most of them have experience at the top level, and that is what I thought we lacked." Barton was told he was surplus to requirements at St James' Park after talks about a new contract broke down and he criticised the club on social networking site Twitter, prompting Warnock to make his move. A host of other established Premier League players also arrived at Loftus Road during the summer, including the likes of Luke Young, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Anton Ferdinand, Kieron Dyer and Danny Gabbidon. "We have got a lot of players to fit in and we haven't started yet," added Warnock. "We've had people out on international duty, so we've had a lot of work to do but it is an exciting time. "I thought we lacked a bit of nous higher up and that is why I am delighted to have got the players I've got in. "It was chaotic but I don't think we could have done much better in what we did." iReader
Judging by this and the film on the offish about the making of the team photo, it's not only the manager, the players seem drawn to Joey Barton. Notice he was positioned on Sir Neil's right and Taarabt on his left in the picture. All cosy enough. They sat down next to each other initially before Barton told Adel to leave a place between them for the gaffer! I reckon 'le sulk' is warming to the idea of sticking around for a while. Is that what others who've seen the film thought too?
I think there's enough games this season to go around the 3 central midfield players. Barton is gonna be the mainstay with Derry and Faurlin jostling for the other spot. But with Joey there will be suspensions so there will be games when Dezza and Ali will resume their partnership in the center. Presuming of course we stick with the same formation.
