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[SM]

Well having returned from Loftus Road after our goalless draw with Crystal Palace, I think the one word that I would use to describe my mood would be frustrated.

I would love to reel off into a tirade on the absolutely shocking (worst performance this season - bar none!) by today's 'officials' but I'll try to do a write up without making it X-rated. I'll also say that Warnock has his reputation for good reason, and this side we played today was without question just a complete embarrassment to the game, and showed fans/neutrals alike how NOT to play football... kicking, slapping, pulling, lashing out and just plain cheating for a full 90 minutes. Genuinely every single thing under the sun... That side are a disgrace!

As we got to the ground, the fact that it was a London derby added an extra spice to the occasion, and us having both Leigertwood & Routledge out there it only added to the heated atmosphere between both sides.

One shock name on the team sheet was that of Liam Miller. He was restored to the starting line up at the expense of our recent hero Lopez, who I have since learned picked up an injury in training. Matthew Connolly partnered Gorkss at centre back, and Ramage and Delaney filled the full back spots respectively.

Taarabt again started on the left hand side of midfield, with Leigertwood and Miller in the middle and Routledge starting on the right hand side. Ephraim continued in his supporting striker role just behind Di Carmine.

One funny little snippet that happened before the game involved Damien Stewart during the warm up. As all the other defender's practiced heading the ball and warming up the defensive side of their game, Stewart seemed to glance over at the attacking players practicing their shooting. Up first Lee Cook, who sent a sweet shot straight into the top corner. Next up, Di Carmine who slid a cool shot into the corner of the goal. Then Stewart took it upon himself and strutted over and got in the line to have a go at goal as well! All the players were pushing him round, and clearly having a good laugh about him even thinking he could have an attempt at goal. But sure enough his time shortly came. Ainsworth chipped the ball to him, and after taking one touch - he ballooned it well over the bar! All the players were laughing in his face, but he held his head high and got back to the end of the line. Again his turn came, and this time he scuffed it so embarrassingly wide it was unreal. His tame effort slid off towards the corner flag, and the players were going wild around him, and left him very clear on what they thought of his shooting.

As we were in fits of laughter watching his attempts at goal, we were almost begging to see him have another go again. This time Ainsworth chipped the ball to him, and he controlled it off his chest, the ball bounced once - and he unleashed a firecracker of a shot that blasted off the side of the post. Lee Camp didn't even move, he won't hit a better shot in his life, and he again continued his confident strut towards the tunnel. He walked as if he was king of the world, and left the player's and fans alike just speechless.

Onto the game, and our first move up the pitch came within the first couple of minutes. I have been very critical of Delaney this season, as I think he has been a complete liability in 97% of the games he has played. But I thought it only fair to say what an excellent run he made, coupled with a superb piece of individual skill too. As he picked the ball up on the left hand side he managed to beat a Palace player to the ball, but found himself with a further 2 players to get past. As he dragged the ball back, he did a stepover and skinned the both of them as he stormed down the line. As he approached on goal, he slid a low ball into the box, with both Di Carmine and Hill both challenged for, but the ball eased wide of the post and went for a goal kick.

Like I said, I still view him as not being good enough, but I will hold my hands up and say he really did do exceptionally well here, and the skill? Well... Taarabt eat your heart out!

The first real effort on goal nearly saw Palace take the lead. As expected, Kuqi was the target man and as they hit the ball up to him Connolly out jumped him and headed clear. But it fell to Derry from what must have been about 30 yards out and he sent a stinging drive just wide of the post. Cerny didn't seem to make any real effort to save it, but having watched the replays on the screen shortly after - I think in actual truth he just didn't see it. It was a ferocious shot, and he will count himself unlucky not to have scored. It would have been a cracking goal.

Again Palace continued the long ball to Kuqi, but this time as Connolly won the header again it found Leigertwood. As he drifted the ball through to Routledge (who got his first real touch of the ball), he was met with a chorus of booing from the traveling Palace supporters. Undettered, he left two midfielders standing and advanced through on goal. As he looked for an option Miller made a run and he picked him out superbly with a great ball slid in behind the defence, and Miller advanced with only the keeper to beat. Unfortunately his tame effort didn't compliment the build up, and Speroni pushed the ball wide for a corner kick. In the absence of Lopez, it was Taarabt that was taking corners, and having taken two very poor ones already, this one was no better and again failed to beat the first man.

Even though we had clearly seen in these early stages that he is by no means corner taker, he did again display what a hot prospect he is with his silky skills. Routledge found him on the edge of the box, and the firey Palace defenders all seemed to slide in at him, and somehow (I don't have a clue how or what he did), he managed to tip toe his way through every single one of them, and toe poked the ball towards goal. In truth the shot was straight at Speroni, but he couldn't hold it and after another wave of Palace players flooding towards the ball it was eventually blasted clear. As I have done in all games Taarabt has featured, you do just have to admire how delicately he controls a football, and the way he can just hang on to possession with numorous aggressive challenges flying in at him is just remarkable. He makes it look so easy, what an entertainer.

I will also comment at this stage, that it was clear from the off the kind of treatment that Di Carmine was going to be receiving. I don't know if Warnock felt because he is a young, foreign player that they should intimidate him. But he was on the end of some gruesome challenges, and was being offered no support by the referee whatsoever. Time after time any touch he made was met with a series of very strong challenges, and every single one of them followed through on him. It was as if they were trying to break him. He continued to battle on, but how/why the referee didn't pull the them over and tell them to calm down just beggars belief.

Shortly after we nearly took the lead, in what would have been a rare moment of good fortune in our favour. Victor Moses had already beaten Ramage on the wing, and he attempted to get to the byline once more, but a masterfully executed sliding challenge from Ramage won back possession and he fed the ball through to Leigertwood. As he looked up, he found time on the ball and pinged a 50+ yard ball straight to Ephraim on the left hand side of midfield. As his deft touch took the ball down, he darted in towards goal. As the defence stumbled back to cover, it looked for the world that he would cut inside, but as he did he faked and instead ran parallel to the goal line. As he flicked the ball into the middle Speroni rushed to his right, but the ball clipped the defender as it came in and deflected towards the left hand side of the goal. We all thought we had taken the lead, but Speroni had other ideas and somehow threw himself across goal and almost juggled to hold on to it before eventually smothering the ball. Again looking up at the screen, Ephraim had a cheeky smile on his face... it certainly wasn't deliberate - but we were ever so close to taking the lead.

Next up, THE controversial moment of the game. As had been the case throughout the first half, Di Carmine had been riding some very heavy handed challenges and the next one just complied the lot. As the defence had gotten away with brutal murder throughout the half, what they 'attempted' next had no place in football... or even sport for that matter. Di Carmine nodded the ball down along the half way line (no danger for Palace at all, he was in a harmless position), and as he turned to run towards the ball - Claude Davis just kicked him square in the face. It is said that the South Africa Road stand are more often than not fairly lax, but they were absolutely RARING over what they had just witnessed, and literally the whole stand was waving fists at the Davis ferociously. A 22 man brawl followed, and Sousa and Ainsworth both charged to the thick of the bundle on the side of the pitch.

I don't know whether Sousa was running to Di Carmine or Davis, but either way it was a huge scrap. After the referee had consulted his linesmen they decided that a yellow card would be sufficient.

I didn't mention above, but earlier on in the game the linesmen on the near side adjudged a ball to have gone out for a corner kick - certainly looked like it was kept in from where I was. If it did indeed go out, it was literally a matter of centremetres, and yet the linesmen's eyes were that sharp to be able to spot it from 30 yards away. Yet when a player is brutally kicked straight in the head, they can't see it?! The inconsistency and downright stupidity rolls on and on...

As a result of Sousa running to the scene he was then sent to the stands, which was met with a round chorus of boo's, and the referee brought the first half to a close. All of the QPR players ran over to the referee when he blew the whistle, and it was clear to see that they were absolutely speechless. What a shocking decision.

As the team's ran out for the second half, they had managed to patch up Di Carmine and he continued as the lone striker up front. Miller who I had barely realized was even playing was also substituted for Cook at the start of the half. I noticed as the teams kicked off that the other Palace centre back ran straight into Di Carmine in a completely off the ball incident, neither the ref or linesman noticed it. But it did just sum up what a team of animals we were up against. As I took my eyes off Di Carmine and looked up, Palace were threatening within the opening couple of minutes of the half. Victor Moses who had been the main threat for Palace found space on the edge of the box, and saw a curling shot brilliantly tipped over the bar by Cerny. It was the first real save he had to make, but what a stop it was!

It seemed to almost waken the players up, and we almost went ahead shortly after. Taarabt again found space on the left hand side of midfield, and after cutting in the Palace defence all seemed to run towards him. As Di Carmine made a smart run off the back of Davis, Taarabt dinked a delightful ball into his path. He was found with just the keeper in front of him, and as we prepared for him to shoot he decided to cut in, and as he then lined up to have a go at goal - a Palace defender slid in at him and the ball rebounded out for a throw in. The noise dramatically picked up in the ground, but there were a few sighs with another chance that had been wasted.

The crowd were again on their feet a matter of minutes later. This time Delaney turned provider, and as Cook (similar pass to the one against Bristol City) played the ball down the left flank, Delaney managed to flight a superb cross into the box... As it flew over Di Carmine's head it found Routledge, and his scuffed shot went narrowly wide of the post. He didn't catch it well at all, but the goalkeeper had commited himself and had it been just a couple of inches more accurate we would have taken the lead.

As had been the case in the last couple of games, every time that Rowan Vine had been warming up the noise intensified. "We got Rowan Vine" was the chant as he warmed up on the touchline. It was clear that he was shaping to come on, and a chant of "Rowan give us a wave" was next up but he didn't oblidge. The response, "Heider Helguson..." firmly tongue in cheek I'll add!

As we were still singing for Vine, the best chance of the game came and went. Connolly played the ball out from defence, and as the ball spun up it was headed on by Routledge... As it ran through to Di Carmine he played a delightful flick on for Taarabt and he roared through on goal. The defence provided little pressure, and in front of the Loft End he spurned his shot just over the bar with only the keeper to beat. It was a golden chance, and but for a little more composure would have been a brilliant goal.

As we looked over at Vine in the dugout, he was now bouncing up and down keeping himself warm. He resembled a child waiting to opening their present at Christmas time, impatient and eager to get on with it.
Then, the moment that every QPR fan in the ground had waited for finally came. As the board was held up, Taarabt was replaced and Rowan Vine introduced. The reception he received was just enormous!

The chant of "We got our Rowan back" was completely drowned out by a huge ovation of chorus and cheering. It ran a shiver down your spine, but what a fantasic way to welcome him back.

His impact was instant. As he picked up the ball on the left hand side, his very touch was met with a generous round of applause. As he jinked to go left, he then cut in right and whipped a cross into the box but it evaded both Routledge and Di Carmine and was pushed clear. The chant's continued with a new one "We got Rowan Vine, we got Rowan Vine, who needs Tevez Ronaldo? Coz we got Rowan Vine!" Might be a little off with the words, but it included that and it got louder and louder.

The atmosphere soon after turned sour though. After Ramage played a ball down the line, Di Carmine chased and ran down the wing with the ball. Routlegde burst through to his left, and in fairness he should have squared for him. Instead, he tried to cross the ball into the box, and it came off the defender for a throw in. The fan's let him know FULL WELL what they thought of his decision not to play Routledge through, and Balanta (who had been waiting a couple of minutes on the sides) replaced him instantly. Inexplicably, the fans turned on Di Carmine and booed him off the pitch. I cringed at what I was witnessing, yes in truth he had a poor game. But take into consideration that he had been torn to shreds by EVERY Palace player out there, and he made this ONE mistake. To boo him off was well over the top, and as he was met with a pat on the back by a couple of players, I just felt embarrassed of the 'support' we were giving him. He really didn't deserve that.

As the game ticked down, the frustration grew and the calls for Blackstock followed. "We want our Dexter back!" and "There's only one Dexter Blackstock" were the cries from the home support. Having had it confirmed through Sousa today, that it was in fact the board's decision to loan out our top scorer, I feel that the atmosphere will become all the more hostile if we don't score on Saturday.

With a matter of 5 minutes left, we ever so nearly won the game right at the end. Vine chased a lost cause down the right hand side, and I think he actually tried to cross the ball into the box. For a second it looked like it might evade Speroni but he quickly adjusted and held on to the ball well.

We then had a penalty shout, and Vine was again involved. As he found space on the edge of the box, he tried to cut the ball back to the edge of the box and it seemed to hit a Palace player's arm. His protests were waived away by the referee and nothing came of it.

As we threw the everything bar the kitchen sink at Palace, Routledge found himself in the corner of the pitch in front of the R block. As he turned on a dime, he left his marker standing and raced through towards the goal. As his marker hauled him to the ground the referee awarded a free kick, and booked him for violent conduct. The resulting free kick was curled in by Cook, but nowone could find contact and Speroni held it with ease.

There was still one more moment of controversy, and again Routledge was down in the corner. The defender had his arms all over him, pulling his shirt and pushing his face and as the referee blew his whistle... he astonishingly awarded Palace a free kick?! A round of fans lashed out at the linesmen, the same one who managed to spot (without the use of binoculars) that the ball had apparently crossed over the line in the first half, and gave Palace a generous corner kick. Oh for a level playing field.

As the clock ticked down, the referee finally blew for full time whistle and the game ended at 0-0.

In summary, I actually thought the football we played was pretty good. The officials had am abysmal game, and the fact that they are apparently professionals makes a laughing stock of not only themselves but the FA in my opinion. What a joke they are!

As mentioned above, Palace didn't help to make it an easy game either, and their harsh/rough style is more suited to rugby than a game of football. I lost a lot of respect for them. To put it in a nutshell, any move that we started to build was ended with aggressive kicks and persistent fowling.

Another day the referee would have shown 8 yellow cards, and without doubt a red card... Moses was persistently diving, and yet only booked when he hauled Delaney down on the wing. I could write a report just on the baffling decisions made... But I think I would be here all day and night!!

Player Ratings -

Cerny - Top draw save at the start of the second half, but didn't have an awful lot to do. Distribution was very good, and helped to build attacks with his range of short throws and long kicks up field. No nervous moments, and did everything that was asked of him.

Delaney - I am far from his biggest fan, but I thought he did OK. He put 2 super balls into the box, and also some very good sliding tackles. Still too often he was caught too far forward, and fortunately we wasn't punished. It would be harsh to say he had a bad game, but like I said he was OK.

Connolly - Sensational. Man of the match hands down. I feel he is the best defender we have at the club, and today he showed why. Just oozed composure, skill, strength. He was just fantastic! I will also mention he was given the unenviable task of marking Kuqi, but he seemed to beat him in the air every single time despite being about 6 stone lighter and half his size. Just brilliant!

Gorkss - I seem to find myself writing the same thing about him every single week. Strong, brave, brought the ball forward, and made 0 mistakes. Classic Gorkss performance and didn't put a foot wrong all day. Not really much else to way, water tight at the back.

Ramage - Keeping his good form going, and again impressed. Offered very little going forward, but after being beaten by Moses a couple of times in the first half he stamped his authority on the game in the second. I would ask no more from him, did his job well.

Taarabt - Should have scored really. Silky skills on display for all to witness, but didn't have the effect on the game that he has done in all the others since arriving. Seemed to pass the ball round more, which was positive. But didn't quite live up to the extremely high standards he set himself - but by no means had a bad game. One thing I will say, shocking delivery from corners.

Miller - If anyone deserved to be booed off it was him! What a shocking display, I barely even knew he was out there. Considering that he has been out of the side recently, I was expecting him to make a real point to Sousa and stake a claim for a contract. But there was nothing of the sort. He looked lazy, dis-interested and put bluntly... rubbish! He shadowed players the whole game, didn't tackle, and was sloppy in posession. 3/10.

Leigertwood - Doing the work of 2 players in the middle, but broke up possession on numorous occasions. Bossed the play in the middle of the park, and linked up play well too. Real captains performance from him against his former club.

Routledge - Didn't see enough of the ball for my liking. Looked good in possession, but all to often was sent crashing to the floor after having time on the ball. Some excellent delivery from crosses, but nowone to finish it all off.

Ephraim - Full of running and fighting for possession, but like plenty of others was just bullied off the ball. Linked up play well, but just didn't quite come off for him.

Di Carmine - Didn't have a good game, but was THE player getting a hard time from the Palace players. Battered, bruised and kicked to pieces. Received a horrible send off by the fans... what a disgrace they are! Worked hard though, but did tire towards the end. One thing though, he is no lone striker.

Subs -

Cook - Actually thought he looked pretty good. Hung on to possession in the middle, and like Routledge managed to put some good crosses into the box. Had to cover for Delaney at the back, which he did well and overall had a pretty promising game.

Vine - Delighted to see him back out there. Couple of his trademark little runs, and the 'spikiness' we have missed this season. Looked over the moon to be out there, and received a HUGE ovation by all the fans. Welcome back Viney!!

Balanta - No time to get into the game, didn't do anything of note.

Chants of the game -

Speroni getting his annual stick from the Rangers fans...

"The wheels on your house go round and round"
"Gypo! Gypo! Gypo!
"Where's your caravan?!"

One thing I wanted to say was that I really do think we missed the presence of Blackstock. I did touch on it earlier in the report, but Di Carmine didn't win anything in the air all game. On the plus side, both Cook, Delaney & Routledge put some superb crosses into the box... but nobody was there to get on the end of it. The quality of crossing into the box hasn't been the best this season, and that is the service that Blackstock thrives off.

I can't help but think that game would have been made for him yesterday. Obviously we will never know now, but I had fan's next to me (who don't rate Blackstock normally) admitting that we needed him out there.

Funny how they say you don't know what you lost until it's gone, but on that performance I would say we are in desperate need of him. Everything else is there, but just no finisher.

Sorry this report probably isn't as in depth as usual, but I have a busy week coming up and unfortunately can't get up to Burnley at the weekend.

I will be doing reports on each of the remaining games though, thanks for reading.

Paulo Sousa's Blue Army...!
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Isle Of Wight R'ssssssssss

[stowmarket ranger]

You're right SM,it was a definite penalty as he put his arms up in the air and deflected the ball with his arm.All this crap about protecting his face is wrong,he handled it deliberately.How many times have we not got penalties at the Loft end this season.I've lost count,what have got to do to get a decision to go our way for a change?

[Brett Angell]

"Sorry this report probably isn't as in depth as usual"

I can see you put a lot of effort into that report, well done. I agree with you about Palace. I thought they were an absolute disgrace yesterday.

[DAVEf]

"Funny how they say you don't know what you lost until it's gone" ....


And absence makes the heart grow fonder....



Come the end of the season some will be claiming that had we kept DB, promotion as champions would have been a nailed-on cert.


Mind you, most will be the same people who always insisted Matty Rose could defend and Zesh Rehman was just suffering a confidence problem.

[And the same ones who'll deny that now but whose statements are a matter of record ]

[SM]

[SM]

Thanks for the comments Brett Angell and stowmarket ranger
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Isle Of Wight R'ssssssssss

[DAVEf]

[SM]

[qprgentina]

Sorry this report probably isn't as in depth as usual, but I have a busy week coming up and unfortunately can't get up to Burnley at the weekend.

I will be doing reports on each of the remaining games though, thanks for reading.

Paulo Sousa's Blue Army...!

Cheers SM. No mention of the pitch which is maybe surprising. You don't think it had an effect on the game? Also good to read a more detailed take on DiCarmine.

As for the report not being indepth, it is a bit "SteveBarca"ish for my liking but appreciated all the same.
And as for not going to Burnley, I just hope she's worth it.
And finally, are you just so knackered by the end of writing the report that you just can't be arsed to type "And White".
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If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation.

[SM]

[DAVEf]

[SM]

[PaulaHoops]

I must admit that this is the first time I have actually sat down and read the whole of one of your match reports SM (normally I would have scanned it) and I must say that you're good! Thank you. I couldn't make the Palarse game as my boyfriend was playing a charity match against ex Brighton and Portsmouth Pros.

I must say that the standard of refereeing is consistent - consistently awful that is, through all the leagues. The Charity match sounds much like Palace match with a lot of violence (not surprising with Charlie Oatway on the pitch) and dubious decisions - although the QPR match was missing a phantom goal!!
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RIP Ray Jones 1988-2007

Blue and white blood runs in my family...

[SM]

[PaulaHoops]