The Villa fans seem to fear our QPR side - I liked the comment by the guy that said Barton is a tosser, and he wished Villa had a tosser like that in their team...
QPR v Aston Villa By Jonathan Pearce BBC Match of the Day commentator Barclays Premier League Venue: Loftus Road Date: Sunday, 25 September Kick-off: 1600 BST Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles TEAM NEWS QPR have no fresh injury concerns but Kieron Dyer remains out with a foot injury and Clint Hill joined Nottingham Forest on loan this week. Jamie Mackie is not yet in contention but is back in full training after a double leg break last January. Aston Villa are hoping deadline-day signing Jermaine Jenas will finally be fit after a thigh injury. But Darren Bent has been ruled out with a groin problem, while fellow striker Emile Heskey remains an absentee. MATCH PREVIEW The last time QPR beat Villa, pop star Jarvis Cocker was about to stun the world! When Kevin Gallen grabbed the only goal of that victory in December 1995, Michael Jackson was Top of the Pops with his Earth Song dirge. Cocker was so enraged at Jackson's performance at the Brits a few weeks later, he invaded the stage and waggled his bottom in Jacko's face! QPR now have someone who loves to get in the face of opponents and they hope Joey Barton continues his abrasive form. He's already driven them a long way from the naive opening hammering by Bolton and can inspire a first home Premier League victory of the season against Villa, who were poor in the midweek cup defeat by Bolton and who are fortunate to still be unbeaten in the league. Injuries to Darren Bent and Emile Heskey have hit them. Gabby Agbonlahor, though, is looking sharp. He's scored half of Villa's league goals and three in his last four Premier League games. His quick movement in from wide positions will threaten QPR's new-look defence, where Luke Young will be up against his old team. With Shaun Wright-Phillips in sparkling form in his opening two matches, Barton's leadership and DJ Campbell's quick feet in the box, I'll go for a first Rangers top-flight home win since they beat West Ham in April 1996. Earth Song was just an insipid memory by then. Mark Morrison was at Number One with Return of the Mack. Now he did have a bit of snap and snarl about him - just like Joey! MATCH FACTS Head-to-head QPR are unbeaten at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League (W3, D1). Villa won 4-2 in the last league meeting between the sides - that was in March 1996 when Dwight Yorke scored twice, while Kevin Gallen was on the scoresheet for QPR. Gallen also scored the winner when the teams last met in the league at Loftus Road in December 1995. Managers Neil Warnock and Alex McLeish previously met in the 2008-09 season when both were in the Championship - McLeish's Birmingham beating Warnock's Crystal Palace at St Andrew's, and the sides then drew 0-0 at Selhurst Park. QPR QPR haven't scored at Loftus Road yet this season in league or cup. Last season, Rangers won their first four home league matches without conceding a goal. Captain Joey Barton scored the opening goal for Newcastle in their 6-0 win over Aston Villa last season. Aston Villa Aston Villa are unbeaten after five games of this season's Premier League (for the first time since 2006-07) but have drawn four of their matches. Gabby Agbonlahor has scored half of Villa's league goals this season and has scored three in his last four league games. Only Newcastle have conceded fewer goals than Villa in this season's Premier League. Darren Bent has been caught offside 12 times this season, more than any other Premier League player. iReader
Where are the Villa fans on this thread? just as we pass 3000 threads, they have yet to hit 100. I know they have fans just as passionate as us (the wife is one, hasn't damaged the kids though) so where do they post?
A lying league table? Buoyant QPR await arrival of troubled Villa – full match preview http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=14159
QPR v Aston Villa Betting Preview http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...14158&title=qpr_v_aston_villa_betting_preview
Aston Villa fans perspective, QPRreport Q&A http://qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=26508&page=1#193362
QPR v ASTON VILLA INTERESTING OPTA STATS Betfair: 23 September 2011 QPR are chasing their first home victory since returning to the Premier League against unbeaten Aston Villa on Sunday... Aston Villa have kept just one clean sheet in their last 22 Premier League games away from home. Article continues below... There has never been an away win the eight Premier League meetings between Villa and QPR with seven wins for the home side and only one draw (at Loftus Road in December 1993). The last meeting between the two sides came in the 2008-09 Carling Cup, where QPR won 1-0 at Villa Park. Aston Villa have hit the target with just 31% of their shots, the worst shooting accuracy in the top flight. Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored in three of his last four Premier League matches. Aston Villa have drawn more games (4) than any other team in the Premier League this season and in the history of the competition (227). The Villans are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League matches, their best run since March 2010. Joey Barton hasn't seen his team concede a goal when he has been on the pitch this season in four appearances. QPR have hit a higher proportion of shots from long range than any other Premier League side (56%). The Hoops have been fouled more often than any other Premier League team this season (71 times).
QPR v Aston Villa preview: Battling Alex McLeish has the gift of the Gab Ian Cooper Saturday, September 24, 2011 11:00 AM Agbonlahor is the dangerman as unbeaten Villa come to Loftus Road Five games of a new season is not a long time in which to silence your critics, particularly when those critics make up a significant section of a club’s fanbase. Yet new Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish may just feel that he’s managed it. When McLeish became the first ever manager to move from Birmingham City to Aston Villa three months ago, the move was met with a volatile reaction from some quarters of the Villa faithful.“Bluenose scum not welcome”, adorned the training ground wall. Nor was it an easy start to life in the Villa hot-seat for McLeish. Just six days after his arrival, the Scotsman had to watch prized winger Ashley Young complete his switch to Manchester United in a £17 million deal, before his midfield options were further reduced as Stewart Downing moved to Liverpool for £20 million. Solid His response was swift, signing Wigan wide-man Charles N’Zogbia, goalkeeper Shay Given from Manchester City, Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas on loan and Alan Hutton permanently, all of whom have featured in a start to the season which has been solid, if hardly spectacular. Following a 0-0 draw at Fulham on the opening day, Villa picked up a useful point against Everton at Goodison Park, but have also suffered two frustrating stalemates at home; 0-0 with Wolves and 1-1 with Newcastle on Saturday. That has left Villa sixth in the Premier League table, and the smattering of boos at full-time on Saturday suggested that the home fans are, if not exactly appeased, less unhappy with the situation than they were under McLeish’s largely unpopular predecessor Gerard Houllier. “I understand the boos. It’s a home game and I was expecting to win after the start we made. We are all a bit frustrated,” said McLeish who, after watching five former Villa players in Downing, Young, Gareth Barry, James Milner and Gary Cahill, line up for England recently, admitted his side cannot match the likes of Manchester United, City and Chelsea in the transfer window. Youngsters McLeish must instead look to the likes of youngsters Ciaran Clark, Marc Albrighton and promising Scotland international Barry Bannan, who made his first start of the season on the left of midfield against the Toon. Despite their apparent inability to keep up with the top sides this season, there is plenty of quality in this Aston Villa side, not least in the shape of veteran Republic of Ireland keeper Given, who is now in his 15th consecutive campaign in the Premier League. Ahead of Given in a four-man defence, Richard Dunne is likely to partner James Collins, flanked by Stephen Warnock at left-back and Hutton on the right. In midfield, France international N’Zogbia has struggled to settle following his £9.5 million move from Wigan, but is likely to retain his starting place on the right wing, with Bannan in line to keep his spot on the opposite flank. Stiliyan Petrov and Fabian Delph provide solidity in the centre, if a lack of goal threat, while up Villa have a man reborn this season. Gabriel Agbonlahor already has three goals in five games, only two less than his entire total for last season, and he heads to Loftus Road looking to rejuvenate his flaggging England career. Villa’s recent record against promoted sides is poor; they lost at Newcastle and West Brom last season and drew at Blackpool, and their unbeaten start is about to face its toughest test so far. They would probably take a single point – again – and with Agbonlahor a real threat they could well manage it in a 1-1 draw. Follow Ian Cooper on Twitter @QPRTimes
McLeish calls for patience from Villa supporters By John Curtis Saturday September 24 2011 Alex McLeish insists he is the right man to lead Aston Villa and called for trust in himself and his players ahead of Sunday's trip to QPR. McLeish left the pitch to boos ringing in his ears after Villa were knocked out of the League Cup by Bolton in mid-week and fans have been critical on message boards. It was McLeish's first defeat since angering a section of Villa fans via his move across the city from Birmingham in the summer. But the Scot has faith in his ability and that of his squad even though he concedes Villa are currently going through a transitional period. McLeish said: "We need a bit of patience because I believe we will do well, and that I will do well in this job. "I have great faith in the players. We have some young players here who are going to get better and, if we can get our injured players back then we will be stronger. I have belief in my own ability but we're not kidding ourselves. "We are going through a little transitional period because we have lost a lot of players. Randy Lerner (club owner), who the Villa fans trust implicitly, sees it as a time when we have to get Financial Fair Play sorted out over the next couple of seasons." booing McLeish added: "Is it a case of trust me and my players? I think so. Listen, it (the booing) was right at the end of the game. I felt the fans were pretty much with the team for the whole game. They were patient. McLeish is a big fan of QPR midfielder Joey Barton who has been in the headlines after his Tweets about Wolves midfielder Karl Henry and manager Mick McCarthy last weekend. He said: "Joey has never been in finer form. He's obviously been a bit of a character as well over these past few months with his Twitter and whatever it is he's been doing. "It's good entertainment, but hopefully he's not entertaining at the weekend and we can keep him quiet. "I've thought about (signing) Joey a few times, I've just never really had the right moment to get him, but there's no doubt I'm an admirer." - John Curtis iReader
The real reason Luke Young left Aston Villa for QPR revealed - Aston Villa FC news - Aston Villa - Sport - Birmingham Mail LUKE Young’s move to QPR was a transfer of convenience rather than a Villa cost-cutting measure, according to Alex McLeish. Young will be experience a rapid reunion with his former club when the claret and blues visit Loftus Road tomorrow afternoon. McLeish was impressed with Young’s professionalism and even offered to build his back four around the experienced right-back. But ultimately a return to his native London was too much to resist for the 32-year-old who had already moved his family to the capital. McLeish would have had no qualms about Villa paying Young’s reported £45,000 wages had he remained a first team regular at Villa. “Luke was great,” said McLeish. “He was whole-hearted. He likes things done the right way. He’s a good acquisition for QPR. We had agreed that if there was a move back to London then we wouldn’t stand in his way. “I told Luke in the first week that he was one I was definitely going to build the back four around. He was fine with that. “In his heart of hearts he wanted to move, but he said that if he was in the team - because he wasn’t previously - that he would stay. “I think he moved his family back to London because he wasn’t in the plans anymore. “If the guy had been in the first team it (wages) wasn’t a problem. “It’s when you have got players on huge wages who are second or third choice, that’s when it starts to hurt.”
Sunday media watch [25.09.11]: Papers ahead of QPR clash http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2462196,00.html?
The Pre-Match Warm Up: QPR v Aston Villa http://www.qprnet.com/index.php/match-previews/211-preview-villah?
IanJTaylor @IJTaylor81 IanJTaylor Final pitch preparations ahead of #QPR v #Villa - live in the #BPL on Sky Sports Super Sunday #QPR http://yfrog.com/j218xeaj
Done at one end, Dunne at the other, QPR salvage a point – full match report Mon 26th Sep 2011 00:41 by Clive Whittingham http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...=#qpr&utm_content=#qpr&utm_source=twitterfeed
