Feb 20 2012 By Tim Street please log in to view this image IF DJIBRIL Cissé thinks he can walk straight back into a striker role at QPR when his ban is up â he can think again. Jamie Mackie reckons he instead has laid down a marker to be the man that partners Bobby Zamora up front â not the £4million Frenchman. Mackie struck twice in last weekâs 3-2 defeat at Blackburn Rovers, and did so coming off the bench at a ground where a little over a year ago he badly broke a leg in two places. Undeterred, the Scotland international struck from close range as well as sending a cracking shot past Rovers keeper Paul Robinson in the final minute. Mackie is hoping his goals and a week away with Mark Hughes and team-mates in Portugal will give the Rs boss food for thought. He said: âI was delighted to be up front too as I haven't been playing there much. I'll play wherever I'm told, but I feel my best position is up front, and that is where I can benefit the team most. âWhen you spend a long time on the sidelines like I did, you get to work on other parts of your game, and I did spend a lot of time working in the gym. âI'm feeling the benefits now. I'm much fitter and stronger than before, and at a time of season when players are starting to tire, I am still feeling really fresh.â Cissé will serve the second of a three-match ban when Rangers meet Fulham head on in the derby clash on Saturday. The forward got his marching orders in the last home match against Wolves when he foolishly reacted to a bad tackle and grabbed defender Roger Johnson by the throat. But out in the sun, Mackie reckons he can only further his claim as a hitman by learning from the manager â himself a famed striker with Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Wales. He added: âAs a striker, it's a fantastic opportunity for me to learn off one of the best strikers there has ever been in this country. âHe hasn't had much of a chance to do specific work with the strikers yet, as we are in the middle of a battle here, and you have to work forward from the back first. âBut he's started to do a few more sessions with us, and I hope as time goes on, and once the team is sorted, we will get more so I can tap into his mind.â http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/qpr-ealing/2012/02/20/qpr-striker-sends-cisse-warning-64767-30367140/?
please log in to view this image Jamie Mackie has been called up for his native Scotland ahead of their upcoming friendly in Slovenia. The Tartan Army travel to the Bonifika Stadium on Wednesday 29th February, kick-off 7.45pm. Mackie currently has four caps for his country, as well as two goals. http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10373~2617052,00.html?
I just think that lad is brilliant - it's the attitude that all of us, who would love to have been good enough to play professionally, would happily have given for a shot at our dreams. The fact that he has more pace and ability than some on here have given him credit for and a desire to learn further just make him stand out as an example of what professional footballers should be like. I also think that Cisse should start from the bench until we know about his temprament (when he's back). I know that if I was against him, without trying to break the guy, I'd go straight through him just to see how he reacts. From our point of view, the risk is less 70 mins into a game than at the start (and lord knows we cannot afford to lose another game from a goal up due to sendings off). Whether that means Mackie should play up front with Zamora I don't know but his versatility at least gives us some options.
Brilliant post Matt, my thoughts exactly. His passion and commitment are unrivalled in the squad as far as I'm concerned, and even if others are slightly more gifted players than him it's still no accident that he can come on and score goals for us, look dangerous, and merit another call-up to his national team. An absolutely first-class example of a top-notch professional footballer in my opinion, long may he remain wearing the famous blue and white hoops! He should definitely start up front with Zamora in the next two games at least, and as for when Cissé comes back... well, we shall have to see! I certainly wouldn't throw Cissé straight back in to the starting eleven if Mackie plays a blinder in the next couple of games, that's for sure. Let's not forget that Mackie's now had a serious leg break too in his career, and he's certainly put himself about a lot more than Cissé has, and without reacting too.
Agree totally QPR Matt. This guy has so much drive and energy. I almost half expect him to do laps of the pitch at the end. I've said it before, he plays the way that we all think we would play. It's not a new thing, but I've started to notice more and more the pressing that Man Utd do all the way up the pitch when they don't have the ball. That's where Mackie (and Zamora) can really make a difference. Force hurried clearances and something that's been lacking of late - possession!
People getting a bit carried away with his two goal cameo, as good as it was. Cisse will be straight back in when his suspension finishes and quite rightly.
No doubts that Cisse has more class but he's also more of a liability - I'd say he's earnt us a point and cost us three so far (and demonstrated his massive achilles heel for overreaction in the process). My worries about this season stem mainly from the lost 6 points to sending off - we really can't afford to gift wins to our opponents.
Obviously we can't say for sure but had he played at Blackburn we would have had a great chance of taking all 3 points.
His work rate and desire got him those goals, the same work rate and desire he shows during every game. I'm not getting carried away by his Blackburn performance, I simply think he deserves plaudits for his performance during this season as a whole, especially given that he came back from a very serious injury straight into the top flight. The Blackburn game was just a more visible way to prove his critics wrong - after all, there are plenty of other players that could and should be in the line of fire before Mackie based on this season so far.
If Mackie plays up front with Zamora next 2 games and does well (I mean scores!), and if Zamora is only ordinary (Doesn't score!), MH also has the option of playing Mackie up front with Cisse - they would make a speedy partnership also with aerial strength. With a fit again HH, we will begin to have various options. Hopefully they all will do so well, MH will be in the position of being able to bring on a goal scoring Sub, but I suppose I'm lost in a dream!! And I haven't mentioned Bothroyd,Macheda and DJ, still injured i suppose!
Exactly Oslo, Mackie has two games too shine (unless Taarbs plays up front) Zamora, Mackie Tarbs Barton, Diakto, Triaore Young Onohua, Ferd, Taiwo And some one in goal???? (SWP????)
Good attacking option that Beth, SWP in goal ! I read he managed to jump over the net they used in head tennis, so yes he'd be good on the high balls, and also he must be brilliant at diving between legs to reach the low ones , but I'm unsure how good he is with his hands! :
Sorry Matt as much as i love Jamie, Cisse has got to start once his ban ends the 20 minute cameo with Zamora against Wolves got the blood pumping,more of that please.
Sorry to say but Mackie is a supersub at his best. Cisse ,if he stays on the pitch, is a player who could score against any club in this serie and is a very important player during the last two months. Im not totally confident about Mackie in spite of the Blackburn match. Hope he prove wrong though because i admire his attitude.
I can't blame you - that was an electrifying start to the game but if Cisse gets kicked early on.....? I just think another implosion will condemn us. If Cisse can react like that after one (not THAT bad) tackle then he's more of a liability than Taarabt has ever been.
Bit over-the-top that! I think Cisse will have learned his lesson and, will hopefully be very keen to pay us back for his stupidity.
Jamie Mackie is a credit to our football club, a true honest pro living in a modern game full of pre madonnas and merchants, if i was a young player at the club, Id follow Jamie as a role model, his attitude and application itself is something that i dream half our players could show..
