Match Day Thread Queens Park Rangers 1 v 1 Swansea City

QPR v Swansea City

Competition - Sky Bet Championship
Venue - Loftus Road
Date - 21 January 2023
Kick off - 3:00pm

Following their disappointing FA Cup 3rd Round exit at the hands of Bristol City, next up for Russell Martin’s inconsistent Swansea squad is a tricky looking visit to fellow Play-Off hopefuls, Queens Park Rangers.

Last Saturday, the Swans won for just the second time in 11 Championship matches as goals from Joel Piroe, Liam Cullen and Ollie Cooper secured a 3-1 away victory over 10-man Sunderland, who were left counting the cost of Luke O'Nien's 18th-minute red card, for a heavy challenge on Cooper.

The Swans took the lead when Piroe tapped in only for Dan Neil to equalise.

However, Cullen's somewhat fortuitous close-range finish and Cooper's thumping drive secured Swansea's first away success since early October.

As a result, the Black Cats dropped to 10th in the table, three points short of the play-offs, having lost for the first time in five league games, with Swansea a place below Tony Mowbray's team on goal difference.

Whilst the Swans were beating Sunderland,
a second-half double from Tyler Roberts helped QPR fight back from 2-0 down to claim a point at Reading.

The Royals led when Jeff Hendrick drilled a low skidding shot from 25 yards in off the left-hand post.

And when Rs goalkeeper Seny Dieng could only palm Andy Yiadom's fierce strike into the air, Republic of Ireland midfielder Hendrick tapped in his second moments before the break.

However, Roberts smashed in from an acute angle and then headed in a late equaliser from close range to complete the comeback.

While Roberts understandably grabbed the headlines, on-loan Bournemouth striker - and ex-Swan - Jamal Lowe played a hand in the QPR revival, teeing up the first goal just a minute into his debut off the bench.

As a result, Rangers have won just once in their last 11 league outings, but a third draw in four keeps them within four points of the play-off spots in 12th, while a run of one win in five leaves the Royals in 14th.

Including the first fixture in January 1914 - yes, before the Great War - the Swans have played QPR on 54 occasions, winning 17, losing 22 and drawing 15.

From the Swans’ perspective, the most memorable match at Loftus Road took place on the opening day of the 2012/13 season when the Swans returned to South Wales with a 5-0 victory - a game that introduced Michu to the EPL, and what a first season he produced:

In the corresponding fixture last season, the teams played out a goalless draw, with the major discussion point being the dismissal of Flynn Downes following a scuffle with Charlie Austin:

Turning to Saturday, whilst the Swans are capable of returning down the M4 with all 3 points, I have a feeling that Rangers will bag all 3 points courtesy of a 3-1 win, with - it almost goes without saying - former Swans Ethan Laird and Jamal Lowe among the QPR scorers, and for good measure, Ryan Manning will net for the Swans against his former team

 

Taff, read your report, it takes us 7 games to score three goals. Also you didn’t show the highlights from our last meeting because as I remember there were none

 

Didn't realise Lowe had played for you too. I like your score prediction...hope you are right about that one, and good luck for the rest of the season. I have a Grandmother who lives on Gower, so I do have a slight soft spot for Swansea, won't apply on Saturday though.

 

Just noticed your cup loss last night. Fair play to you for getting to a third round replay...we never even get that far. . Clutching at straws to try and give us hope, how many of your regularly starting 11 actually played the full 120 minutes?

 

Yes - but our defenders can be very generous
I think that there was 1 highlight from our last meeting

 

The Gower is a lovely part of the World - fully understand that you’ll be 100% behind your boys on Saturday

 

Russell Martin made seven changes from the team that beat Sunderland

 

Leeds 5 Cardiff 2

 

What Swans team will turn up? Given recent results and with resting players in the cup, so I’m going with a 1-1 draw.

 

Oh no!! What a choker.

 

3-1 us why not ? Unpredictable gits !

 

That is, unfortunately, good management.

 

Had to be a first time …..

 

2 1 2 the superhoops

 

Hey - ‘super hoops’? We’re playing your lot, not Reading ….

 

Going to lose friends talking like that

 

I was only joking Kiwi

 

Wash your mouth

 

Thanks Taff great pre match as always.

No idea on the score as it all depends on which side of the bed Doc Martin gets up from on Saturday morning.

Doc Martin out!

 

"fellow Play-Off hopefuls" - Taff you've done it again The fact we still are is staggering. But as you've pointed out the odd wins we're getting are rather fortunate.

However, given the pessimism of the opposition fans I'll plump for a draw, as it's anybody's guess right now.