QPR v Wigan Barclays Premier League Venue: Lotfus Road Date: Saturday, 21 January Kick-off: 1500 GMT TEAM NEWS Queens Park Rangers captain Joey Barton returns from suspension. Danny Gabbidon could miss out with a hip problem, while Adel Taarabt and Armand Traore are on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Wigan midfielder David Jones is a doubt due to the calf strain that caused him to miss Monday's home defeat by Manchester City. Long-term absentee Shaun Maloney is not yet ready to return, and Mohamed Diame is away with Senegal. MATCH PREVIEW The importance of a win in this fixture cannot be underestimated. Whilst the bottom three has been familiar ground for Wigan this season, QPR slipped into the relegation zone for the first time after defeat at Newcastle - in Mark Hughes's first game in charge. He'll be hoping his first experience of a Premier League match at Loftus Road is positive, one which can kick start the Hoops. This is the first of four home games in their next six matches. Wolves, Fulham and Everton all follow Wigan, and results from those encounters - along with any fresh blood he is able to bring in before the end of the transfer window - may decide just how nervous and anxious the remaining months of the season are going to be. Hughes certainly has a challenge on his hands, but when you look at his record in the Premier League there's every reason for Hoops fans to be optimistic. Let's not forget, it's only last season he lead Fulham to eighth - in fact, only once has any of his teams finished in the bottom half of the table and that was when he first arrived at Blackburn and didn't have a full season in charge. However, sandwiched inbetween clashes with Manchester City and Spurs, this is a game that Wigan will know they really have to take something from as well. When they beat QPR at home back in August it maintained their unbeaten start to the season. Yet they have won only twice in 18 subsequent games, and the main area they have to address is goalscoring. No club in the country in all four divisions has scored fewer goals than Wigan, with just 18 in their 21 matches. You feel that has to improve to give themselves a chance of survival. There'll be tension in the air as both try and take points from a team around them and, who knows, this could be one they look back on in May as being pivotal - for positive or negative reasons. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head These two clubs have only met seven times, winning two matches apiece - and no match has ever produced more than three goals. Wigan last beat QPR at Loftus Road in March 2003, when Nathan Ellington scored the only goal. Queens Park Rangers QPR have gone nine league matches without a win, losing seven of them. In their last match at Newcastle, the Hoops fielded their oldest ever starting line-up in the Premier League era (averaging 31 years and 71 days). Rangers dropped into the bottom three for the first time this season after losing their last match (1-0 at Newcastle). Wigan Athletic The Latics have won just three league games all season and are winless in the last six. Their record of 18 goals in 21 matches makes them the lowest scorers of any of the 92 clubs in the Premier or Football League. Franco Di Santo, Jordi Gomez and Ben Watson are Wigan's joint top goalscorers this season - all with four apiece. LoftForWords History: Wigan and QPR ready for most crucial meeting yet http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=15681&title=wigan_and_qpr_ready_for_most_crucial_meeting_yet_-_history Opposition focus: Is the bell finally tolling for Whelenâs Wigan dream? http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=15683&title=is_the_bell_finally_tolling_for_whelen%E2%80%99s_wigan_dream_opposition_focus Full match preview: Enough words, Wigan game is a time for action http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=15703&title=enough_words,_wigan_game_is_a_time_for_action_%E2%80%93_full_match_preview Bring it on! Your predictions, possible line-ups and other thoughts on the game.
Let's hope we win, as this board is full of Samaritan cases as it is! We hit the woodwork thrice, and they had two cracking goals via inch perfect deflections at the earlier game. Let's have the ****ing luck this week please!
Reverse fixture line-up: Kenny, Derry, Hall (Harriman 61), Gabbidon, Taarabt, Faurlin, Buzsaky (Bothroyd 72), Perone, Connolly, Agyemang, Smith (Andrade 80). Except Faurlin and Taarabt who we'll badly miss, we won't miss the others highlighted ! Only Kenny, Gabbidon (if injury free) and Buz will make todays line-up.
Martinez reckons the club (QPR) will be lifted by the arrival of the former Fulham boss for his home league debut. He said: “I wouldn’t want to play the first home game under a new boss. “It’s Mark Hughes’ first home game, so there is going to be a big crowd, big expectations and huge momentum for the home side. That’s going to be a different position than we would have had four or five weeks ago. “You have to factor in the lift they’re going to get, but that’s football.”
Actually Perone came closest to scoring that day - it was a crap crap day - and has been MIA ever since.
QPR: Kenny, Hill, Hall, Ferdinand, Young, Mackie, Buzsaky, Barton, Wright-Philips, Campbell, Helguson Subs: Cerny, Orr, Ramage, Derry, Smith, Macheda, Bothroyd Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi, Gohouri, McCarthy, Caldwell, Watson, Moses, Gomez, McArthur, Boyce, Rodallega, Figueroa. Subs: Pollitt, Crusat, Di Santo, McManaman, Sammon, Stam, Lopez.
Surprised DJ starts, but we need goals and Jay hasn't been providing them. Hope it's a good call from Hughes. Tough without Gabbs and nervy with Hall. Glad Connor Sammon's on the bench, he would have run one size ragged.
My pleasure, I'll try and give as good account of the match as I can. No Samba for Blackburn today either, not even on the bench. The writing is on the wall for all to see. Do you know anything Cerny?
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Yeah, Toots, the Wigan game has been the only game I have managed to get over to this year and it bloody well was a frustrating game. I have stayed away since as I thought I was jinxing us! I think it's not me though..... Yeah, a bit of Wigan lady luck is due our way today! Come on your Rs!
Gabbidon out, Fitz in. OK? DJ is in!! Thank goodness. Lets see him run it out. This would a very good game for him but he's going to have to work for it and not wait around for the ball, he needs to make it happen.
Unnecessary free kick to give away (Young). Terrible defending and extremely close to a wigan goal... Lots of nerves, both players and fans.
