MATCHWATCH : Queens Park Rangers (a) sponsored by Jones 2, Tait

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday 12th December 2020, 3pm
Where : Loftus Road Stadium, South Africa Road, London, W12 7PA
Capacity : 18,439


Now here’s a real rarity. A game against the fakes and it’s NOT live on Sky, in fact it’s even got a nice traditional Saturday afternoon 3pm kick off which is a welcome change from the recent non stop hurly burly of being Sky’s replacement for Leeds!

QPR are not doing very well and are languishing in the lower reaches of the division following a run of 1 win and 2 draws from the last 7 games and have not kept a clean sheet in any of them. Add the run to the slow start they had for the season and you can see why things are a little on the uncomfortable side for them at the moment.

Lyndon Dykes and star Moroccan U23 international Ilias Chair are the ones who score the goals with 10 goals in 32(1) appearances between them so far this season. Yoann Barbet and Bright Osayi-Samuel are the other useful players to watch out for. Finally, watch out for Reading connection Rob Dickie, who now plies his trade in the centre of QPR’s defence and will no doubt be right up for this game.

QPR will be without Luke Amos and George Thomas through injury while Reading will be missing Yiadom, Swift, Puscas and Araruna while Meite and Joao are both doubtful.

Referee

Tony Harrington

Previously

02 Nov 19 > Reading 2-1 Millwall
24 Aug 19 > Huddersfield Town 0-2 Reading
30 Mar 19 > Reading 2-1 Preston North End
23-Oct 18 > Birmingham City 2-1 Reading
24-Feb-18 > Reading 3-3 Derby County
16-Sep-18 > Brentford 1-1 Reading
21-Feb-17 > Huddersfield Town 1-0 Reading
10-Dec-16 > Reading 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday
06-Feb-16 > Reading 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
29-Sep-15 > Burnley 1-2 Reading
01-Oct-14 > Reading 0-0 Leeds United

Historically

QPR and Reading are regular opponents. Right back into Victorian times they’ve been knocking six bells out of each other with the only gap of any real note being when QPR caught a bout of ambition back in the late 60s which saw them disappear into Loftusier circulation for the best part of 3 decades. Luckily Reading had been successfully vaccinated against ambition at some point in the mid 1950s and so managed to avoid such pretensions until well into the 1990s.

Yet despite this and the ongoing protestations from both camps over who has the actual right to wear blue and white hoops this is another of those should be derby games that aren’t derby games.

So this is the 47th season and 93rd time the two clubs have gone in search of Football League points. It’s therefore the 47th visit to the “Meccano bowl”, that hybrid of steel and wood that masquerades as a football stadium down in deepest, darkest Shepherd’s Bush.

As you’d probably expect the home side has had much the better of things with Reading managing only 11 victories compared to the 20 so far notched by the “fakes”. Finally Reading are on a run of only one win in the last 8 league trips to this part of West London.

How to follow the game

1. Pretend to be the most avid QPR fan and apply for a season ticket at Loftus Road and when accepted apply for a ticket for this game
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use an iFollow subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
6. Did I mention it’s not live on Sky?

[bcubed]

Nah, not for me

[Jackson Corner]

At least I will save £35 going to that dog’s kennel.

[Hound]

After last night not optimistic for this. We looked knackered and they have had the extra day. No Joao, Meite or Puscas so our forward option is basically Baldock.

QPR always look quite tidy to me, but seem to concede a lot of stupid goals. Have to hope we can be a lot more solid at the back than we have and try to nick one

[Snowflake Royal]

Hopefully Joao's tweak was made to look worse by sulking after getting little service and missing a penalty, and he'll be fit to play. No way Meite is playing, think he'll be out into at least the New Year based on what seemed to happen, maybe months.

Otherwise... er...

..........................Cabral
Holmes, Morrison, Moore, Richards
............Rinomhota, Laurent
..............Olise, Semedo, Ejaria
.........................Baldock

Melvin-Lambert to the bench.

[Hound]

Hopefully Joao's tweak was made to look worse by sulking after getting little service and missing a penalty, and he'll be fit to play. No way Meite is playing, think he'll be out into at least the New Year based on what seemed to happen, maybe months.

Otherwise... er...

..........................Cabral
Holmes, Morrison, Moore, Richards
............Rinomhota, Laurent
..............Olise, Semedo, Ejaria
.........................Baldock

Melvin-Lambert to the bench.

I'm guessing you're being over optimistic on Joao. Something clearly went on that chance he missed near the end. I'm expecting a month minimum tbh

[tidus_mi2]

Just realised, we're playing QPR and it's not on TV

[URZZZZ]

Can see Semedo and Baldock coming in for Meite and Joao but that involves shifting Olise over to the right, really don’t think he’s as impactful there

Could bring Aluko instead of Semedo but the front for of him, Olise, Ejaria and Baldock would be too soft and lightweight IMO

Esteves could perhaps do a job further forward but his confidence looks shattered

Could really do with a right sided replacement for Meite

[Hound]

Esteves did ok against Brum. Screwed up immediately but was lively after that, and a nice free kick/pass for the Joao chance. I'd certainly consider putting him wide right instead of Meite. Not an ideal replacement obvs

[Snowflake Royal]

Slowly coming round to the idea that Esteves is just a show pony who isn't up to it yet.

He's not bad. He's just young and his positioning, game reading and decision making are really quite poor.

But he likes fancy tricks and dribbling I spose

[Hound]

Slowly coming round to the idea that Esteves is just a show pony who isn't up to it yet.

He's not bad. He's just young and his positioning, game reading and decision making are really quite poor.

But he likes fancy tricks and dribbling I spose

he didnt do anything wrong after the initial loss in the centre circle. He did absolutely fine after that positionally as well as everything else

[karbota]

Lets hope we have the last of this Kowtowing Knee nonsense.

[Royals and Racers]

4 changes
Out Olise, Meite, Joao, Holmes
In Baldock, Semedo, Esteves, Aluko

[windermereROYAL]

That bench

[tidus_mi2]

Jesus Christ that team fills me with no confidence.

[Sutekh]

Oh well, defensively suspect and powder puff frontline. Good in midfield though. Bench

Can’t see getting anything out of this one.

[Zip]

Would take a draw. That’s the weakest starting line up in a long time. Injuries could kill our season in the next few weeks.

[genome]

what in the name of Brian Christ is that team

[Hound]

Ouch

Do well to get anything from this

[CountryRoyal]

Oh dear. Is there any point in watching this?

Be a miracle to get anything out of the game. Very comfortable afternoon for QPR.