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- QPR play Northampton Town this evening (Tuesday)
- Match being played at the Sixfields Stadium, Northampton
- LIVE four-camera stream available for QPR PlayerHD subscribers
The Cobblers achieved promotion last season after winning League Two by 13 points under the guidance of Chris Wilder.
Wilder has since been named as the new manager at Sheffield United, with Robert Page taking over the reins at Northampton.
Page’s side have so far only faced non-league sides this pre-season, beating Sileby Rangers 3-0, but losing to Nuneaton (1-0) and Brackley Town (4-2).
They lost their star man and top goal-scorer Ricky Holmes to Charlton earlier this summer, but have brought seven new faces in, including former MK Dons forward Alex Revell.
This will be the R’s first fixture after the pre-season tour to Holland, where we beat PSV 1-0 in a game played behind-closed-doors, but fell to a 3-1 defeat against midfielder Tjaronn Chery’s former club FC Groningen.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is anticipating a different type of challenge to that which his side faced in Holland.
He told www.qpr.co.uk: “It will be a more English way, more second balls to fight for and more long balls to defend. You have to adapt to that way of playing and yes it is a good test for us to play them.”
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He continued: “We have had games where we didn’t have much of the ball and we had to work on our shape. We expect to have more of the ball against Northampton so it’s a challenge for us to see if we can create more and on top of that become fitter.”
The R’s boss believes it’s important to give as many players 90 minutes as possible, but accepts that it won’t be possible for everyone: “Some of the individuals will get 90 minutes and some will get less because that is where we are," he said.
“I want to give everybody as many 90 minutes as possible but that’s going to be difficult. If I can get two or three players 90 minutes perfect and then the next game I can look to give another group that playing time too. And then the last two games you want to mould it more together so everybody is ready to play.”
And the gaffer has already got the first month of the season in sight where the fixtures pile up very quickly. He expressed the importance of having as many players fit and available as possible.
The Dutchman added: “Let’s not forget in the first month we’ve got eight games and 11 are not going to play all those eight games, so I need as many numbers fit and ready to go as possible.”
500 QPR fans have already snapped up tickets for the fixture and more will be available to purchase, cash only, from the Kiosk situated outside the Away entrance at the Sixifields Stadium tonight.
Prices are as follows: £12.00 Adults, £10.00 Senior Citizen (over 65s), £5 Under 18’s, and Under 7’s free of charge.
Read more at http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/2...iew-friendly-3191665.aspx#LKDcRADXcXppUeyf.99
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A QPR Fan and a Cobbler's Fan Having a Pre Match Drink
