Can QPR repeat Saturday’s heroics and stay up?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Queen’s Park Rangers reignited their quest for Premier League survival when they beat in-form Arsenal 2-1 at Loftus Road on Saturday.

The win means that while Rangers are still in the bottom three with seven games still remaining, defeat for Blackburn tonight at home to title-chasing Manchester United will lift the R’s out of the relegation zone.

While there are plenty of positives to take from the weekend, the main issue for Mark Hughes‘ side is their run-in will hardly be the envy of those around them.

Having overcome the Gunners, their next game is a trip to Old Trafford, while they still have to go to Manchester City and Chelsea as well as face Tottenham in their penultimate home game.

Facing the top five in their final eight matches is a horrendous run-in and would give most teams little hope of avoiding the drop; but playing the top sides seems to bring out the best in the Hoops in recent weeks.    

What does Hughes need to transform QPR?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

It was all change last week at Queens Park Rangers, as manager Neil Warnock was sacked and replaced at the helm by Mark Hughes.

Owner Tony Fernandes decided to take drastic action after a run of just two points from eight league games left the Hoops firmly in a relegation battle.

There is a great deal of sympathy for Warnock, who despite often causing controversy with his outspoken views deserves great credit for taking the club into the Premier League.

However, Fernandes has decided to put his faith into a manager that he feels shares the same ambition as himself for the West London outfit.

Is Valencia the key to Rooney’s goalscoring touch?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Wayne Rooney has began to rediscover his form in front of goal after a barren spell was ended with three goals in two games for Manchester United.

A brace against Wolves was followed by an early header that got United on their way to a win at QPR that kept them firmly in the title race going into the festive period.

But it was that strike at Loftus Road that gave a reminder to what could be the crucial component to Rooney’s sudden upturn in goalscoring fortunes.

The England forward’s early strike in West London came courtesy of a cross from a winger who has worked his way back into the team after being out of favour so far this season.

For the early months of the campaign, Antonio Valencia was often playing second fiddle to both Nani and summer recruit Ashley Young on the flanks.

Young started the season with real purpose, determined to prove he was worth the £16 million Sir Alex Ferguson paid for him in pre-season.

Meanwhile, Portuguese star Nani was continuing to grow in form and confidence as the season started to settle, meaning Valencia was firmly consigned to mainly occupying a role in the Carling Cup.

But while Rooney was in prolific form to begin with, the goals quickly dried up and nine Premier League games had passed without the 26 year-old getting onto the scoresheet.

However, with goals becoming a difficulty for the Red Devils in general, Valencia was brought into the side to add a different option on the wing, and it has been paying off.

Valencia has set up two of Rooney’s recent goals, and his ability to pinpoint the former Everton youngster with his crosses have given United a new dimension going forward.

With the former Wigan man in the side, Rooney looks a far bigger threat to opposition defences, and mirrors the kind of form he showed in the 2009/10 season when he won PFA Player of the Year.

Rooney managed to score 26 goals in the league that year, but Valencia played a big part in that goal tally, often finding his team-mate in the right place at the right time.

Valencia is often understated by the footballing public in the role he plays within this United squad with the likes of Young and Nani the more standout names.

However, his understanding with Rooney has not only galvanised Rooney’s campaign but also United, and while the much-hailed striker will continue to get the plaudits if he keeps finding the net, it may well be down to the coincidental return of an unsung hero into the starting line-up.  

So what do you think? Is Valencia the key to Rooney finding the net in the United line-up? Or has the Ecuadorian’s return to the team coincided with Rooney rediscovering his touch? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

Should QPR leave Loftus Road?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

This week, Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes announced plans to move the club away from Loftus Road and into a new stadium.

The Malaysian businessman, who also owns motor company Lotus, confirmed that they were looking at potential new sites across West London to take the Premier League newboys.

There are fears that Fernandes is thinking too big, and that a larger stadium would not regularly meet demand due to the current fanbase that is associated with the Hoops.

But Fernandes tried to allay those fears by saying, “Some fans are saying ‘we don’t have a fan base bigger than 20,000.’ My gut feeling is 40-45,ooo. That’s double where we are right now, but we’re in London and there’s a strong catchment area.”

It’s great to see that the 47 year-old has such ambitious plans for the club, especially as it shows that QPR are in the right hands for the long-term, something that couldn’t be said for previous owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone (despite their vast wealth.)

However, the main issue for Fernandes will be whether or not building such a big new stadium is a realistic proposition when there are clubs all across London trying to attract the same supporters.

Loftus Road has been the home of Rangers for the past 107 years, and their current capacity of around 18,500 is a regular sell-out.

So there is a definite need to have a ground with greater attendance, but why not have that possibility where they currently are now?

If Fernandes looked into increasing the current capacity to around 25,000, it would not only give QPR a regular chance of attracting more supporters, but also give them a realistic chance of filling the stadium every week.

Going into a bigger stadium just because London is a big catchment area doesn’t guarantee the increase of the fanbase. The likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham make that difficult enough whatever the stadia.

No-one can dispute Fernandes’ belief in what he can achieve for QPR, and he has also made it clear that the short-term aim is to consolidate their position in the top-flight. He knows without that status, any plans for a bigger stadium will be scrapped.

But while they search for potential sites for a new home, there is no reason to rule out the long-term possibility of where they are now.

 Source: BBC Sport

So what do you think? Has Fernandes got it right in outlining plans for a 40-45,ooo seater stadium? Or are his plans too ambitious and look to increase the current capacity of Loftus Road? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

Have the FA handled the QPR case well?

Neil Warnock can now look forward to managing QPR in the Premier League

By Laurie Fitzgerald

There was relief all round Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon as Queens Park Rangers‘s promotion to the Premier League was finally confirmed.

Having secured the Championship on the pitch at Watford the previous weekend, Neil Warnock’s side had to wait until the outcome of an FA hearing off it to see if any point deductions were to take place.

The hearing centered around charges relating to the signing of Alejandro Faurlin in 2009.

The Football Association discovered irregularities over the ownership of the Argentinian midfielder, with potential third-party ownership of Faurlin in breach of rules introduced following the Carlos Tevez scandal in 2007.

The hearing got underway on Tuesday, with many expecting the verdict to be announced on the Friday, a day before the climax of the Championship season.

However, Friday came and went with no decision reached as the Football Association deliberated over the evidence provided during the four days.

Eventually, the FA announced on midday on Saturday that although QPR were found guilty of two of the seven charges they faced, it was not sufficient enough to warrant a points deduction.

There’s no doubt that on the pitch, QPR fully deserve promotion to the top-flight.

Warnock has assembled a squad of quality and experience, the best defence in the division, as well as having the player of the season in Adel Taarabt to inspire them.

There’s no question they deserve their status as champions, but many will be wondering how they can be found guilty but escape punishment, even though there have been precedents set in the past.

Luton Town faced similar charges regarding illegal payments to agents – one of the charges that Rangers faced - in 2009 and were deducted 10 points for their actions.

The confusing issue in this outcome is that the FA haven’t announced what charges QPR were found guilty of, and therefore it’s difficult to make comparisons to other cases.

But it shows how questionable it is in terms of how well the FA have handled the whole situation.

When the club was charged in March, English football’s governing body pushed for a quick ruling on the matter.

But having to wait until the final week of the season to deal with the case made it more difficult not only for QPR but also for clubs that could prosper from the decision, such as Cardiff City and Swansea.

Then to delay the verdict of the hearing made the situation worse. While they wanted to make sure the right decision was reached, they had four days to study the evidence and come to a conclusion.

To announce the decision less than an hour before the final round of fixtures added to the perplexity of the saga.

Worst of all, not announcing straight away what charges QPR were found guilty of meant that there were question marks over the escape of a points deduction.

What will not be questioned is the outcome of the charges, as the FA studied all the evidence involved and came to a decision based on this.

But it will not stop the questions being asked of the FA and how they let this week unfold.

So what do you think? Have the Football Association handled the issue well? Was the decision not to deduct points the right one? Let us know your thoughts.

the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League…

By Tony Alvarez

With just two fixtures remaining in the Championship season tension is building as no team is yet to secure promotion to the Barclays Premier League and earned the right to be hosting the likes of Manchester United,Chelseaand Arsenal next term.

There is a three way battle for the 2 promotion spots and indeed the title with the table currently looking like this:

QPR played: 44 points: 85 goal difference +38

Norwichplayed: 44 points: 80 goal difference + 24

Cardiffplayed: 44 points: 79 goal difference: +25

As you can see QPR are all but home and dry and look nailed on for the title only two loses in their final two fixtures and a goal difference turn around of –14 would see them not automatically promoted.

Neil Warnock’s side do have two tricky fixtures left first they visit high scoring Watford before hosting the always dangerous Leeds however as they only need a point from either on these 2 fixtures I expect Loftus Road to be hosting Premier League football next term.

The battle for the second automatic place is somewhat more interesting as only a point and 1 goal separate the sides. Norwich who are currently in pole position first have a trip to 14^th placed Portsmouth’s Fratton park on Monday night before hosting the recently resurgent Coventry who currently lie 17^th in the table on the final day of the season.

Cardiff’s fixtures are on paper more difficult than their promotion rivals, 15^th placed Middlesbrough visit Ninian Park in a 5:15 kick off on Monday before Cardiff travel to 8^th placed Burnley on the final day who themselves are expected to be battling for a play off place.

Interestingly the two clubs have different kick off times on Monday Cardiff kick off 2 and a half hours before Norwich which means they can apply real pressure on the Suffolk club as they could leapfrog them in the table for a few hours at least.

 ShouldCardifflose it will see QPR promoted and aNorwichvictory would also see them promoted and condemnCardiffto the play offs for the second year running.

Both teams have had impressive form of late which has seenCardiffpick up 16 points out of the last possible 18 which has seen them held only be leaders QPR.Norwichhave picked up 13 points in the same period which sees them on a 3 game winning run.SwanseahumiliatedNorwich3-0 earlier in the month and the Canaries were held atWatford’sVicarage Road.

I think Norwich are on track for back to back promotions although I personally think Cardiff are the better side Norwich are in pole position and have easier fixtures, even though it was at a lower level Norwich have tasted promotion in recent times and will be used to the experience whilst Cardiff have faulted numerous times in recent seasons when faced with a big occasion.

What are your thoughts? Who will be promoted? Are QPR home and dry? Have Cardiff got the bottle to win their two fixtures and leave the ball in Norwich’s court? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

After greatest survival, can Palace perform another?

 

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Tuesday 1st June 2010; a day that will live long in the memory of Crystal Palace. After being set a 3pm deadline for a buyer to be found, Palace’s 105-year history looked to be coming to an end. Thankfully, the consortium CPFC 2010 purchased the club and the South London club could look forward to a brighter future.

Now it’s six months on, and while fortunately Palace continues to build off the pitch, it looks like they have to perform another survival act on it.

The Eagles currently sit in the bottom three going into the Christmas period. While it’s disappointing for the fans to be in such a position as we reach the halfway mark of the season, it’s understandable that they are struggling after such a turbulent summer.

George Burley was appointed shortly after the takeover was completed, and had to deal with significant changes to the squad. Key players such as Clint Hill and Shaun Derry moved on, both to former manager Neil Warnock’s new club QPR, while star player Darren Ambrose was the speculation of also moving to Loftus Road throughout the whole summer before signing a new deal.

But despite the boost of retaining the likes of Ambrose, Julian Speroni and Neil Dann, Palace have carried on where they left off from last season and been involved in a relegation battle. Just six wins all season, as well as having the worst defence in the Championship with 40 goals conceded in 22 games.

It will be interesting during the next month to see if Burley brings in any new faces to turn around their fortunes. Striker James Vaughan has impressed during his loan spell from Everton, but he is due to return to Goodison Park, and with the likes of Paddy McCarthy and Claude Davis being unable to prevent goals shipped at the heart of the defence, defensive reinforcements will be important if they are to avoid falling to League One.

Burley himself needs to discover the midas touch that made him such a highly-respected manager during his time at Ipswich Town. After doing such a wonderful job at Portman Road, Burley has lost some impetus from his early managerial career, after disappointing spells at Southampton and more recently in charge of Scotland.

The 54 year-old needs to demonstrate the ability of getting the very best out of his squad, which he has shown he is capable of doing in the past.

Despite the struggles, Selhurst Park will still be filled by its loyal following. The fans have continued to support the club throughout a so far unsuccessful campaign, but given the events of the summer, they will appreciate having a club to still support, certainly more than a fan of an established Premier League club.

Bearing this in mind, Palace fans will feel that after achieving their greatest escape, pulling off another one should be no problem at all.

So what do you think? Palace fans, are you confident you will still be in the Championship at the end of the season? What are your views on Burley? Let us know

CAN ANYONE STOP QPR?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

As we approach the Christmas period, there remain just two teams in the four main divisions of English football that haven’t suffered a defeat in their league campaign so far.

While it’s no huge surprise that one of them is Manchester United, the other team is from West London – but it isn’t Chelsea.

Championship side Queens Park Rangers wouldn’t have been expected to be unbeaten 19 games into the season, four points clear of Cardiff at the top of the table, and five clear of third-placed Swansea with a game in hand on both Welsh sides.

But it has been an outstanding start from Neil Warnock’s team. They began the season on fire, dropping just two points in their opening seven games.

While also scoring goals for fun, they have been very well-organised at the back, with the best defensive record in the Championship, conceding a measly nine goals.

But what has been the reason for their success? Well, a lot of the credit must go to Neil Warnock. The former Crystal Palace manager has plenty of experience at this level, and has used that to transform a side that were struggling to live up to expectations in mid-table and turned them into promotion favourites – all in less than a year.

So much is made by the fact that the club is co-owned by businessman such as billionaires Lakshmi Mittal and Bernie Ecclestone, but Warnock has not been given a huge amount of money to spend, and has spent what he has been given wisely.

The permanent signing of Adel Taarabt from Tottenham has been a masterstroke, adding a touch of class and creativity in the Rangers midfield, with Warnock getting the best out of the mercurial Moroccan.

But Warnock, who guided Sheffield United to the Premier League in 2006, also worked on making QPR more difficult to break down.

While the signings of Paddy Kenny and Shaun Derry may not have gathered the same excitement as Taarabt, they have been crucial to making QPR so tough to beat. For example, Kenny has kept 11 clean sheets in the league this season, while loan signing Kyle Walker has been excellent at right-back.

There has also been a real show of character this season by the Hoops. There have been games where they have looked destined to lose, but have shown the belief in themselves to come away with something. A testament to this claim was away at Derby in August, when they were 2-0 down going into injury time – only to come away from Pride Park with a draw.

The test will come when (or if) they suffer their first league defeat of the season. Warnock will need to make sure that they show the true form of champions and bounce back from any potential setback in emphatic style.

But these are exciting times at Loftus Road, and in Warnock they have the man, as well as the squad, to carry them all the way back to the Premier League for the first time in 15 years.

So what do you think? Will QPR maintain their fantastic start for the rest of the season? What has been the reason for their upturn in fortunes? Let us know