Monday, 22nd Dec 2014 22:44 by Clive Whittingham QPR climbed out of the bottom three and continued their excellent home form with a 3-2 victory against West Brom on Saturday. Charlie Austin netted the clubâs first Premier League hat trick in nearly 20 years. There's a nervous desperation around QPR home matches which is resulting in white knuckle goal-fests. QPR cannot afford to lose at home, particularly to the teams close to them at the bottom of the table, because they're unable to find a way to even win a single point away from Loftus Road . Start suffering defeats in Shepherd's Bush as well and there'd be little point carrying on after Christmas. That situation manifests itself first as nerves â QPR had conceded the first goal in 12 of their 16 league games this season prior to Saturday and you can now make that 13 from 17. Once behind though it brings out a care-free, Kevin Keegan-like desire to just flood everybody forward and start throwing bits of brick and old boat at whatever stands in the way. West Bromwich Albion the latest side to emerge from a breathless encounter in W12 on the wrong end of a topsy-turvy defeat in a game they should probably have won. QPR's set up in home matches is well known, and not exactly a startling surprise from the deepest recesses of Jose Mourinho's secret big-game play book. It's a 4-4-2 with only Karl Henry in the middle of midfield any sort of nod towards protecting a back four which is often left exposed as a result, particularly in wide areas where Leroy Fer on the left and Eduardo Vargas on the right give only passing consideration to the full backs behind them. Read the rest here ................. http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/37252/?
Is Clive going to write a huge report for all four Xmas games in 10 days? He'd better stock up on the midnight oil unless he decides to cut them back a bit.
I really liked this: (Yun) was replaced by grizzled veteran Clint Hill. First chance the former Palace man had, Sessegnon received a swift boot to the shins after the ball had gone. The Frenchman didn't want to know after that, cutting a grumpy figure for the remainder of the game. But really didn't like this: You couldn’t help but watch Liverpool on television a day later and conclude that everything they’re missing from their attack is currently rampaging around in blue and white hoops.
He will spend all Christmas Day writing the Arsenal report and just change a few details on Boxing Day
Another good report from Clive. He was dead right about our formation giving the opposition a lot of control in our home games. At some point, a good side is likely to give us a big defeat at home. However, our attacking style in those home games should also yield a lot more points.
The problem Col is what do you change? Do you drop Barton to allow either Vargas or Fer to play more centrally, but then as was shown in the 2nd half Saturday, you lose the competative nature of his game leaving Henry to do all the defensive work. Do you play 1 up top but we've seen that fail miserably away from home..... You are right about being over run at home, it almost happened Saturday, West Brom are not as bad as some indicated beforehand, it was just amazing will power of the team and fans that got us out of that hole.... I don't know what the solution is, just seems to be along the lines "if you score 2 we'll score 3" but we will come unstuck sometime....
Good write, no bad jokes this time! Anyone know if Traore is injured? If he were fit, I reckon he deserves a recall in place of Yun, whose performances seem to have gone the wrong way last few games.
I'm not sure we can change the formation at home. It suits Charlie having OBZ up top with him and we all know how vital that is. I'd keep Barton and Henry in the centre. Perhaps we could start Hoilett instead of fer, but Leroy has been good up to Saturday.
