QPR 1 v Wigan 1

Premier League Soccer
QPR 1 - 1 Wigan 7 April 2013
Ref: Phil Dowd

How will moneybags QPR deal with Wigan in this important relegation battle? The R's only have managed four wins in the last 15 BPL games.

8' Remy hits the post. He looks like a dangerous and capable forward - if he can get the service. But a few minutes later, he squanders a chance at the far post, making the classic error of expecting the defender in front of him not to miss the ball.

18' Wigan's outside mids are finding space to make their crosses.

20' Zamora sees red in the form of a card flashed at him by referee Dowd. High foot into the face of Gomez.

25' QPR's Townsend makes a nice escape with an inside pullback turn, advances down the right, but Remy wastes the chance. And it's Townsend again, so far the home team's best player, who breaks through the centre, but Remy spoils the move by being offside.

Moments later Gomez, now being booed by the home fans as they reckon that he has manufactured Zamora's sending off, takes a rare shot at QPR's goal. Cesar saves comfortably.

It's a reminder to the Wigan players that given they have 11 players on the field they should attempt to win this match. McManaman shoots over Cesar's bar, and a minute later shoots past the post with a laces drive when a shot with the outside of his right foot – if he possesses the ability – would have tested the keeper better.

Wigan's standout player of late, Mahoney, is seeing a lot of the ball. However, he isn't making the killer pass necessary to break down QPR's 4-4-1. Wigan are dominating possession, QPR are slow to close the ball and are marking very loosely, but we don't get the impression that Wigan are going to score. Yes, the Wigan players have been trained to switch positions, so that if a back surges forwards with the ball, another player covers for him; and yes Wigan are only one of two Premier League team that play with three at the back. Tactical awareness on the part of Wigan boss Martinez, but there's little in the way of drive, let alone aggression, on the part of his players. Perhaps that's why he always seems to spend his time shouting from the coaches' technical area.

The second half continues with QPR being mindful that they are playing with ten men. Supporting their forward player is secondary to preventing a Wigan counterattack. Wigan, for their part, continue to pass the ball across the pitch with QPR's back eight between them and the goal.

56' At last something happens. Redknapp takes off Hoilett, and puts on Taarabt. It takes the latter three minutes to send in a beautiful inswinging cross from the right with the outside of his right foot, which Remy meets with a header that drifts just wide of Wigan keeper Joel Robles.

61' In response, Martinez takes of the ineffectual Beausejour and puts on James McArthur, perhaps to clog up the centre of the pitch a little. It makes no difference though; when the Wigan midfield have the ball there is no movement at all from the front two, so there's nobody to hit with a pass. So the midfielders continue to pass the ball back and forth across the pitch.

84' Wigan free kick outside QPR's box. A worked move. But the shot is blocked, Mbia breaks forwards at speed, spots and then feeds Remy on the right, whose first time shot flies inside Robles' far post. A spectacular goal, hit with the inside of his foot and imparting no spin on the ball. It's the first moment of real quality in the game and QPR have just five minutes plus stoppage time to hold out. 1 – 0.

91' Mackie, on for Remy, breaks forwards, but instead of taking the ball into the corner or recycling the ball to a teammate goes for goal. Wigan gain possession, go down the pitch to within 23 yards of QPR's goal, Mbia fouls, Maloney gets the ball up and over the wall into QPR's postage stamp. Great technique. 1 – 1.

Wigan didn't really deserve this draw, but then QPR, given the millions they have spent on assembling this team, aren't even average themselves. If both clubs are relegated to the Championship it'll come as no surprise.

QPR v Everton, October, 2012

© Peter Rodd & Soccerphile 2013

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QPR Wigan

New Year New Starts in Korea

There is rarely a quiet month in South Korean football and while January is the close-season, the first month of 2013 has been a busy one.

It started with a change of name for the league which is celebrating its 30th birthday. ‘The K League’ now refers to the second tier of South Korean football. The top tier is now known as 'K League Classic'. As well as the name, there is a new logo.

"We wanted to inherit the tradition and values of professional football in this country, and at the same time, we wanted to convey our willingness to take on new challenges," said then-K League Commissioner Chung Mong-gyu sat the unveiling in January. "We thought long and hard over different ideas so that our names and logo will be beloved by many fans of our sport." Reaction has been reasonably positive and with promotion taking place for the first time in 2013, relegation was introduced last season, The new logo is a little Pepsi-esque but if it can help a little fizz return to the league, then so much the better.

Chung on the move

If that wasn’t enough change then Chung won the January 28 election to find the new chief of the Korea FA. Cho Chung-yeon had announced his decision to resign in 2012 and Cho, in charge of the K-League for two years, beat three other candidates to become the most powerful man in Korean football and will serve a four-year term.

“I want to share the joy with all those in the football circle,” said Chung. “I will try to make football a culture that everyone can enjoy.”

European rumours

Yoon Seok-young provided the biggest story of the transfer window. The young left-back, who starred in the 2012 Olympics, was linked to all manner of European clubs but it set to join QPR despite interest from Fulham and Liverpool. Yoon, who made his senior national team debut in October in Iran, will become the 11th Korean to play in the Premier League.

There were also reports that Ulsan's tall striker, Kim Shin-wook turned down a move to Loftus Road while Hamburg attacker Son Heung-min, who recently grabbed his seventh goal of the Bundesliga season, has decided to stay in Germany until the end of the season at least amid reports of interest from Spurs.

Domestic shuffling

There have been a number of transfers. Jeonbuk Motors have been perhaps the busiest, and splashed out on Kevin Oris. The Belgian striker scored 16 goals last season for Daejeon Citizen and with the addition of classy Incheon defender Jung In-hwan Jeonbuk will be looking forward to the new season.

Suwon added to the signing of North Korean striker Jong Tae-se by picking up Lee Jong Min from FC Seoul. The club was linked to 2002 World Cup star Cha Du-ri who has been playing in Europe for over a decade in Germany and Scotland and has never played in his homeland. “There is no doubt that Cha Du-ri is a star player equipped with ability as well as popularity, but have to take into account his age as he is closing in on the mid-30s,” said a Bluewings official after the club made an offer to Fortuna Dusseldorf. “It is up to the player’s side whether to accept our offer or not.”

Suwon have also signed Seongnam wingback Hong Chul while Kwak Tae-whi, Ulsan’s Asian CL title-winning captain, becomes the latest Korean star to head to the Middle East, joining Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia.

Pohang Steelers have been the quietest while Busan have seen one of their best performers, Matt McKay head to China and have replaced him with 25 year-old Montenegrin Zarko Korac.

Taeguk Warriors ready to gather

The wheels are turning ahead of a vital 2014 World Cup qualifier in March against Qatar with Choi Kang-hee announcing a squad for a friendly against Croatia in February. The game will take place at the London home of Fulham. Korea have happy memories of Craven Cottage and defeated the reigning European champions Greece there in 2007 and then downed Ivory Coast in 2010.

There were few surprises. Thirteen of the 24 are based overseas. Veteran defenders Kwak Tae-hwi and Lee Jung-soo return as does Ji Dong-won, on loan to FC Augsburg from Sunderland.

“Croatia is a strong team and will be a great opponent for us in a friendly,” said coach Choi. “It will not be an easy match for us. We will have to test our defense and fiddle with our offense by putting in players from Europe. We will try to prepare the best we can for the World Cup qualifier against Qatar in March.”

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World Soccer football

Manchester United 3 - 1 Queens Park Rangers

Manchester United 3 - 1 Queens Park Rangers
24 November 2012
Ref Lee Probert
Rain

Mark Hughes, former hero of Old Trafford and spender of £37 million, was ousted from his position as manager of QPR as Henry James Redknapp made himself available for the post and last week's loss against fellow strugglers Southampton made Hughes' continuation untenable. Harry watched this one from the stand as Mark Bowen stood in as interim manager.

Fletcher is back for Manchester United and he immediately effects a give and go on the end of the box. Will QPR miss the trio of Granero, Diakite and Hoilett, all on the bench today? They do start Mackie however, so there should be some forward movement from the west London team. Indeed there are five changes from last week's loss in the visitors' line up.

To cheer the travelling support, Taraabt half moons a United player, then slide tackles another. Ferdinand (Rio) slips, and gives an indication why Man U haven't kept a clean sheet in their last ten games.

Bobby Charlton, George Best & Denis Law

It's a dodgy start for other famous names as Scholes could easily have been sent off with only ten minutes on the clock. Even earlier Cesar was scolded for wearing the wrong colour undershorts, indicating a lack of consistency on his part.

15' In seemingly Van Persie's first involvement in the game - is there a pattern here? - Scholes gets in on the 6-yard line, but he's tackled cleanly.
19' Taraabt looks like the kid on the playground who wants to dribble every time he gets the ball, and it's this predictability that leads him to be robbed of the ball by Scholes.

20' Taraabt shoots from too far out with an overlap available on the right. 'Arry will surely sort this out on the training ground.

26' Scholes should shoot here, but instead lays the ball off to Young in a worse position.

27' It's not Scholes' best day at the office as Mackie cleverly strips him of the ball as he tried a pullback turn.

29' United are very wasteful in possession, given they've had about three-quarters of it, and this is exemplified by Evra's feeble attempt to pass the ball through a convocation of QPR players. But Evra's day is not as consistently as poor as Scholes' and his pass and move via Van Persie leads to danger for the hard-working QPR team. 35' Rooney shows us that he is on the pitch by shooting straight at Cesar from the edge of the box.

36' It's QPR who have the ball in United's net as Cisse crosses for Mackie to finish, but it's called back for offside.

40' In a continuing saga, Ashley Young is angrily confronted by opponents as the wake from his dive splashes their sensitivities.

43' The vaunted 'good players' that comprise QPR's team show us at last that they can string ten passes together around the uninterested United team members. Van Persie puts a stop to it in the end.

Half time 0 - 0.

Half time team talk.

Ferguson: Move the ball quicker, and f*•πing work harder.
Bowen: Keep calm and Harry on.

From the kick off, United reveal a new tactic: play the ball over the top of the R's defence. It doesn't work as the QPR back four continue to have a splendid game. An unusual happening occurs in the 47th minute. Rooney is embarrassed by Julio Cesar as the United man rushes to dispossess the keeper who has the ball at his feet from a backpass: Cesar clips the ball sharply with the outside of his left foot and the England international shoots past.

51' Goal. There is a corner on the left for QPR. It's taken short. Dyer is completely unmarked. He easily beats Van Persie and Jamie Mackie knocks in Lindegaard's spill.

Manchester United 0 - 1 QPR.

It's the thirteenth time United have conceded first this season.

54' At last Scholes gets his weekly yellow card as he hacks down Dyer outside the box. Taraabt fires over.

57' The ref now remembers he is carrying a card, so Mbia gets awarded one as Evra seems to dive.

Fergie puts on Anderson and Hernandez. At the very least they are bound to be as effective as the players who've been on for the first two-thirds of the match.

59' In a moment that seems might be important later on, after a 3 on 3 Dyer refuses a chance to shoot .. and the chance of a goal is gone. Two-nil might've been quite nice for the Londoners at this point.

60' Traore off. Ferdinand (Anton) on at left back.

63' Goal. Evans scores from one yard after Welbeck's knock down at the far post.

Manchester United 1 - 1 QPR.

65' Fletcher's 35-yard piledriver wakes up a taciturn Old Trafford crowd. 67' Goal. Fletcher's header from a perfect Rooney corner. Easy peasy.

Manchester United 2 - 1 QPR.

69' Taraabt shoots wide.

70' Goal. Anderson picks up the ball in his own half, surges forward, his vertical pass is received by Hernandez, whose sublime first touch with his left foot sets up a half-volley for his right. Technical and energetic super subs, and a happy Ferguson gets it right again.

Manchester United 3 - 1 QPR.

78' Welbeck's off and Powell's on.

83' Faurlin's off and Granero's on in the cold Manchester rain sitting at the bottom of the Premier League pile instead of turning out for Real Madrid.

87' QPR haven't quite given up completely as at-last-he's-on Hoilett's shot leads to a corner that leads to the head of Hill and that leads to the well-placed Rafael clearing off his own line.

United are better than most (or all) of the other teams in this league and it's as if they don't like to start to play without evening it up a little by giving their opponents a lead. Still, a win is a win. And with their two main rivals Chelsea and Manchester City ready to kick lumps out of each other tomorrow in west London, they will have a satisfying Saturday night.

QPR had some good player performances here, but that's what their team is right now: a bunch of discrete individuals. It's not a given that Redknapp can save them, but he must have noticed the first rung of the ladder obscured as it was in the Manchester rain.

Peter Rodd

Manchester United Open Training

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Manchester United QPR

QPR 1 - 1 Everton

QPR 1 - 1 Everton 21 October 2012

When we think of the history of Queen's Park Rangers, we might remember Rodney Marsh, Gerry Francis, Ray Wilkins, even Luigi Di Canio. We may think of the hooped shirts, of Formula 1 motor racing magnate Bernie Ecclestone's financial involvement with the club.

We may not know the name Lakshmi Mittal, reputedly the world's fifth richest person, or that in the 2005-2006 season chairman Gianni Paladini was allegedly "held at gunpoint during a match at Loftus Road by hired thugs at the instigation of rival directors" (BBC) and was "wearing a bullet-proof vest" for a period of time (Sunday Mirror).

We almost certainly will not think of the club's huge successes on the field given that they have been far and few between.

Big guns Everton are the visitors today. It is their best start to a Premier League campaign for eight years, and a win today will make it their best start ever. QPR look like they might be favourites for the drop as they have garnered only two points so far. Manager Mark Hughes has been given a vote of confidence by the owner ahead of this game, but a win for QPR against a robust though (today) Fellaini-less Everton looks unlikely.

Coleman is up in support of the Everton attack early after kick-off, but soon Hoilett picks the ball up the ball 30-odd yards from his own goal, dribbles to the Everton goal, ignores Taraabt's clever diagonal run, shoots and scores via a deflection. 1 - 0. A dream start for Hughes after only two minutes; it is QPR's second home goal of the season.

QPR are emboldened by the goal and after seven minutes, Taraabt's clever reverse pass and Traore fizzes the ball across the face with Baines doing good work to come in off the left flank to protect the ball. This incident seems important: where is the real pressure to score, perhaps indicative of QPR's scoring problem?

However the score is still one-nil and eleven-nationality QPR look lively. But then it's Everton's turn with Jelavic's free kick palmed away by Cesar and Anichebe's shot on the half turn. But Everton cannot build on their good work in midfield as they are playing with just one up front. Mirallas is more or less invisible.

1 - 1. An Everton free kick is met by a totally unmarked Distin whose header hits the post and comes back to hit Cesar's body and end up in the net. In QPR's best move of the first half, involving Taraabt and Bosingwa, the latter's cross is cleared away by Jagielka. The first half ends 1 - 1 and this scoreline reflects the play with 2 shots on target each.

46' Everton free kick, and the QPR defence must have eaten turkey sandwiches at half time as Baines runs into a huge space down the left. Mirallas seems to have a freer role in this second half, but it looks as though Fellaini is even more important to this Everton team than we first thought.

Diakite slaloms up the field, crosses to the Ji-sung Park (hardly noticed he was playing in this match up to now), but Jagielka blocks. In an underwhelming move, Anichebe is taken off by Moyes and is replaced by Naismith, who arrived from Rangers of the Glasgow variety on a free in the summer. But then the improving Mirallas plays a ball out to Pienaar who cuts off to the left, but because he has no left foot cuts back inside and the ball is taken from him by a collapsing QPR defence. [Tip for managers of Premier League teams: buy two-footed players and you will probably win the league.]

60' Pienaar picks up a second yellow for persistent fouling. Off. A third of the game to play - can we expect QPR to go on to win the game now they have one player more than their opponents? Not on the current evidence.

69' Everton are playing as well as at any time in the match, even with a man down. Mirallas is exploiting the space on the left, now vacated by the forward running Diakite.

70' In another underwhelming move, QPR boss Hughes (who played 18 times for Everton) takes off Zamora and puts Cisse on. Hoilett is QPR's best player and uses quick feet to get into a shooting position, but Howard saves low to his right. A good week for Howard who this week overtook Brad Friedel as the US men's national team's most capped keeper.

80' Hoilett's curling shot saved by Howard.

It ends 1 - 1. A dour game spoilt by the two managers, both of whom could have made more attacking choices to win the encounter. We can see why: Hughes doesn't want to lose a valuable point; Moyes is looking forward to next week's Merseyside derby. Most valuable player: Jagielka.

Peter Rodd

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Everton QPR

Football Fat Cats are 1, 2 & 3

London football owners/investors fill the top three positions in The Sunday Times's Rich List for 2012, the annual parade of the wealthiest individuals living in Britain.

Lakshmi Mittal, part-owner of Queen's Park Rangers, remains Britain's richest man according to the survey, with an estimated wealth of £12.7 billion. Visitors to this summer's Olympic Games in London will see one example of his benevolence, the £19million  ArcelorMittal Orbit tower (right), a permanent sculpture overlooking the Olympic stadium and Britain's largest piece of public art.

Meanwhile QPR sit fourth from bottom equal on points with 18th-placed Bolton and in serious danger of relegation with only two games to play - at home against Stoke and away at title-chasing Manchester City.

Mittal owns a third of the club but delegates day-to-day involvement to his son-in-law Amit Bhatia.

QPR's recent woes were the subject of a riveting fly-on-the-wall documentary, "The Four Year Plan", transmitted on BBC2. The film showed now departed owners Flavio Briatore and Gianni Paladini stumbling their way through various managers as the club struggled to win promotion. On one occasion, Briatore memorably was filmed issuing instructions on whom to substitute during a match. the influx of big money has also brought confusion and insecurity: Rangers have changed their coach 14 times in the last six years.

The major shareholder in QPR is Malaysian Air Asia founder Tony Fernandes, who bought the 66% stake owned by Formula One men Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone last year.



Alisher Usmanov, the Uzbek-born tycoon who owns just under 30% of Arsenal's shares, is second on the rich list, with £12.3 billion of assets, followed by the most famous of English soccer's megabucks owners, Chelsea's Roman Abramovich, with £9.5 billion.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile


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Euro 2012 football