QPR: Back from the Match / Pub / TV

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it, but Jem Karacan was sat with the Reading fans on the upper level. Could certainly have done with him coming on around 65-70 minutes to relieve JT or ML (or join them ).

[Alphonzo The Zombie]

Qrrrr Prrrr Rrrrr = merrrr ferrrr cerrrr

1-1 therrrr, errrr gerrrr perrrr awerrrr frerrrr herrrr

[royalsteve]

Anyone mentioned morrisson, thought he was excellent against QPR - bit lucky with the holding pen shout on mackie though but he wont almost everything and he looks a presence to - maybe a white Bikey (or whatever his name is now!!)

[melonhead]

Qrrrr Prrrr Rrrrr = merrrr ferrrr cerrrr

1-1 therrrr, errrr gerrrr perrrr awerrrr frerrrr herrrr

therrr yerrr ferrrr yerrrr contributieeeerrrr

[Maguire]

Anyone mentioned morrisson, thought he was excellent against QPR - bit lucky with the holding pen shout on mackie though but he wont almost everything and he looks a presence to - maybe a white Bikey (or whatever his name is now!!)

Yeah, Maguire said this on page 3:

For us, McCarthy obviously got the plaudits but I thought Sean Morrison was very good apart from diving at the cross that allowed Cisse to score

[andrew1957]

Overall I thought it was a fairly encouraging performance at QPR. It was never going to be easy as it was almost "must win" for both teams.

Tabb, McCarthy and Morrison were all excellent. Roberts did well holding the ball up and Legs also had a good game. No one played really badly.

We do need wins in the next 4 games though if we are to start climbing the table.

Norwich is our next Cup Final (sorry could not resist).

29 Cup Finals to go.

[Royal91]

I'm happy with a point AWAY to QPR.

Draw your away matches and win your home. QPR have top 10 talent in their side and will eventually click.

[Compo's Hat]

Piece from the man behind the excellent Zonal Marking site

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... CMP=twt_gu

QPR and Reading showcase two very different ways to play 4-4-2
Traditional formations but differing styles for the relegation haunted duo who still don't have a win between them
Michael Cox

With so many managers determined to dominate possession with the use of three central midfielders, Premier League matches featuring two proper strike partnerships have become increasingly rare. But with Jamie Mackie operating just behind Djibril Cissé, plus Jason Roberts and Noel Hunt working the channels at the other end, this was effectively a clash between two 4-4-2s.

Despite the similarity in formations, Queens Park Rangers and Reading played completely different styles of football. Brian McDermott's side started strongly with a somewhat basic, traditional gameplan – they fielded two tricky wingers, spread the play wide and attacked directly. Their two forwards drifted into wide positions, finding space in behind the QPR full-backs, and won corners when trying to beat centre-backs on the outside. Reading appealed ferociously whenever the ball crossed the byline after a tackle, suggesting a particular keenness to win corners – and with good reason. Mark Hughes's side were disorganised when defending dead-ball situations, and floated deliveries towards the debutant Sean Morrison consistently caused problems.

In contrast to Reading's combination of width and set-pieces, QPR were attempting to play intricate, technical football; Mackie dragged Kaspars Gorkss out of position and Cissé also dropped unusually deep. In combination with the movement of Junior Hoilett and Adel Taarabt inside from the flanks, QPR were overloading Reading's midfield duo, and getting men between the lines to shoot from the edge of the box. Samba Diakité contributed to this, sliding forward unnoticed from a central midfield position and dribbling forward ambitiously, leaving Esteban Granero to protect the defence. The majority of QPR's shots were from central positions, around 25 yards from goal – mainly from Taarabt, who had eight attempts, but Granero also went close from a couple of free-kicks after rash Reading tackles, when QPR's attackers had slipped into the space behind the midfield.


QPR's wingers moved inside and Diakité dribbled forward to overload Reading between the lines.

Interestingly, Tottenham also encountered problems in that zone against QPR a couple of months ago. André Villas-Boas's solution was to push his defence higher in the second half, minimising the space between defence and midfield, but Spurs were facing Bobby Zamora that day. That was harder with the threat of Cissé's pace in behind, so Gorkss and Morrison defended deep and often had to charge towards the edge of the box to block shots.

Morrison's aerial prowess had a key impact at both ends. He won two consecutive headers in the move that lead to Gorkss's goal, and was first to the majority of Júlio César's goal-kicks – the Brazilian eventually started to spray the ball wide, but should have realised sooner that Cissé was winning nothing in the air. Morrison did miss a header for Cissé's goal, possibly the only time the Frenchman outfoxed him in the game, but deserves to retain his place for next week's home fixture with Norwich – a game Reading really must win.

At the other end, it was interesting to see the left-footed Anton Ferdinand playing to the right of the centre-back pairing, and right-footed Ryan Nelsen to the left. Their opposite numbers weren't technically impressive but moved the ball swiftly forward – not once did Gorkss and Morrison exchange passes, and the central midfielders Jay Tabb and Mikele Leigertwood rarely passed the ball backwards. Reading do not use possession to control the tempo, only to attack – explaining why they have the joint-lowest average possession this season alongside Stoke, but have attempted the joint-most crosses with Manchester United.

Substitutions had little impact – McDermott replaced both his wingers, and while the pacy Jimmy Kébé had a couple of bright moments down the right, he was less effective when Hughes replaced the tired left-back Armand Traoré with Nedum Onuoha.

With both clubs still looking for their first league victory, neither manager will have been particularly pleased with a point – QPR's dominance in open play was cancelled out by Reading's threat from set-pieces, and neither made significant tactical changes to alter the pattern of the game.

[Royal91]

Piece from the man behind the excellent Zonal Marking site

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... CMP=twt_gu

QPR and Reading showcase two very different ways to play 4-4-2
Traditional formations but differing styles for the relegation haunted duo who still don't have a win between them
Michael Cox

With so many managers determined to dominate possession with the use of three central midfielders, Premier League matches featuring two proper strike partnerships have become increasingly rare. But with Jamie Mackie operating just behind Djibril Cissé, plus Jason Roberts and Noel Hunt working the channels at the other end, this was effectively a clash between two 4-4-2s.

Despite the similarity in formations, Queens Park Rangers and Reading played completely different styles of football. Brian McDermott's side started strongly with a somewhat basic, traditional gameplan – they fielded two tricky wingers, spread the play wide and attacked directly. Their two forwards drifted into wide positions, finding space in behind the QPR full-backs, and won corners when trying to beat centre-backs on the outside. Reading appealed ferociously whenever the ball crossed the byline after a tackle, suggesting a particular keenness to win corners – and with good reason. Mark Hughes's side were disorganised when defending dead-ball situations, and floated deliveries towards the debutant Sean Morrison consistently caused problems.

In contrast to Reading's combination of width and set-pieces, QPR were attempting to play intricate, technical football; Mackie dragged Kaspars Gorkss out of position and Cissé also dropped unusually deep. In combination with the movement of Junior Hoilett and Adel Taarabt inside from the flanks, QPR were overloading Reading's midfield duo, and getting men between the lines to shoot from the edge of the box. Samba Diakité contributed to this, sliding forward unnoticed from a central midfield position and dribbling forward ambitiously, leaving Esteban Granero to protect the defence. The majority of QPR's shots were from central positions, around 25 yards from goal – mainly from Taarabt, who had eight attempts, but Granero also went close from a couple of free-kicks after rash Reading tackles, when QPR's attackers had slipped into the space behind the midfield.


QPR's wingers moved inside and Diakité dribbled forward to overload Reading between the lines.

Interestingly, Tottenham also encountered problems in that zone against QPR a couple of months ago. André Villas-Boas's solution was to push his defence higher in the second half, minimising the space between defence and midfield, but Spurs were facing Bobby Zamora that day. That was harder with the threat of Cissé's pace in behind, so Gorkss and Morrison defended deep and often had to charge towards the edge of the box to block shots.

Morrison's aerial prowess had a key impact at both ends. He won two consecutive headers in the move that lead to Gorkss's goal, and was first to the majority of Júlio César's goal-kicks – the Brazilian eventually started to spray the ball wide, but should have realised sooner that Cissé was winning nothing in the air. Morrison did miss a header for Cissé's goal, possibly the only time the Frenchman outfoxed him in the game, but deserves to retain his place for next week's home fixture with Norwich – a game Reading really must win.

At the other end, it was interesting to see the left-footed Anton Ferdinand playing to the right of the centre-back pairing, and right-footed Ryan Nelsen to the left. Their opposite numbers weren't technically impressive but moved the ball swiftly forward – not once did Gorkss and Morrison exchange passes, and the central midfielders Jay Tabb and Mikele Leigertwood rarely passed the ball backwards. Reading do not use possession to control the tempo, only to attack – explaining why they have the joint-lowest average possession this season alongside Stoke, but have attempted the joint-most crosses with Manchester United.

Substitutions had little impact – McDermott replaced both his wingers, and while the pacy Jimmy Kébé had a couple of bright moments down the right, he was less effective when Hughes replaced the tired left-back Armand Traoré with Nedum Onuoha.

With both clubs still looking for their first league victory, neither manager will have been particularly pleased with a point – QPR's dominance in open play was cancelled out by Reading's threat from set-pieces, and neither made significant tactical changes to alter the pattern of the game.

Fergie once said you have to play with wingers to be successful. It's a very interesting stat that we've attempted more crosses than anyone else, joint with Utd. Our crossing has been woeful at times and if we improve that then points will come!