Monday, February 11, 2008


Patrick Agyemang will be fit to lead the line for QPR when they welcome Burnley to Loftus Road.
Agyemang limped out of Saturday`s 3-2 win at Southampton after being clattered by Youssef Safri, who was red-carded for the challenge.
But the striker, who took his tally to seven goals in five games with a brace against Saints, suffered only a dead leg and will be available.
Defender Fitz Hall is therefore Rangers` only injury absentee, facing up to six weeks on the sidelines with a torn groin muscle.
Damion Stewart and Akos Buzsaky were named on the bench at St Mary`s after their midweek international exertions and could return to the starting line-up.
Buzsaky came on as a substitute and collected his fifth booking of the season, meaning he will miss Saturday`s clash with Sheffield United through suspension.
Steve Jones, Alan Mahon and Clarke Carlisle are again doubtful for Burnley.
Striker Jones (knee) and midfielder Mahon (groin) recently sustained injuries in training which have forced them to miss the club's previous two games.
Defender Carlisle is still struggling with a hamstring injury which has kept him sidelined for the Clarets' last seven outings.
Clarets boss Owen Coyle could hand Ade Akinbiyi a recall after he admitted leaving the striker out of the side which drew 1-1 against Colchester on Saturday was one of the toughest decisions of his managerial career.
Coyle`s selection dilemma was softened by Akinbiyi's replacement, Andrew Cole, scoring on his full debut in the 1-1 draw.
But Akinbiyi impressed as a substitute and could now feature alongside Cole from the start at Robbie Blake`s expense.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Train Keeps's a rollin!!!!

SOUTHAMPTON 2 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 3


Patrick Agyemang took advantage of some comical defending to take his goal tally to seven in five Coca-Cola Championship games as QPR sank Southampton 3-2 at St Mary's.
The red-hot striker, one of 10 new signings brought in by moneybags Rangers, had already added to Martin Rowlands' equaliser with a close-range strike, before a horrible mix-up between goalkeeper Kelvin Davis and Jermaine Wright killed Saints off.
Lee Camp's long punt over the top caught Wright napping and, with Davis in no man's land, the hapless defender kneed the ball over his goalkeeper to allow Agyemang to nip in and tap into an empty net.
Darren Powell had put Saints ahead after Rangers, who were without a point on the road this season, conjured up their own defensive howler in the opening minute.
But Rowlands dragged them level with his fifth of the season, before Agyemang, who scored twice for Preston against Saints earlier this season, repeated the trick as Rangers leapfrogged their hosts in the table.
Saints captain Youssef Safri was sent off 12 minutes from time, before Stern John grabbed a late consolation.
It had all looked so different for Southampton when they went ahead with barely 60 seconds on the clock.
Centre-half Matthew Connolly left a harmless-looking through pass to Camp, but the Rangers goalkeeper hesitated and when he did finally come to collect, he inadvertently slid out of the penalty area with the ball in his grasp.
Adam Hammill chipped the resulting free-kick into a crowded goalmouth, from where big centre-half Powell bundled the ball over the line.
Rangers recovered their composure and began to look a potent attacking threat, skipper Rowlands fizzing a stunning 20-yard volley inches over the crossbar.
But Saints missed two gilt-edged chances to put themselves out of sight within in the space of a minute.
First Andrew Surman sent Bradley Wright-Phillips through on goal, but the striker poked a weak shot straight at Camp.
Worse was to follow seconds later when Jason Euell robbed Hogan Ephraim on the left wing and crossed to John, who, without a Rangers player anywhere near him, ballooned the ball high over the bar from eight yards.
Saints were made to pay in the 38th minute when a swift Rangers counter-attack saw Rowan Vine feed Rowlands, who neatly tucked the ball under Davis.
Moments before the interval Wright misjudged Ephraim's deep cross and Agyemang was free to sidefoot the ball home.
Saints substitute Marek Saganowski just failed to get on the end of Andrew Davies' cross as the hosts pushed for a leveller.
But their hopes were ended on the hour when Agyemang pounced on Wright and Davis' shocking mix-up, strolled towards the empty net, stopped the ball on the goalline and backheeled it in.
Safri then compounded Saints' misery with a late challenge on Agyemang which earned him a straight red card, before John swept home a loose ball in stoppage-time.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Bolder leaves


Sheffield Wednesday have loaned QPR midfielder Adam Bolder on a month's loan as boss Brian Laws attempts to escape relegation danger.
The 27-year-old former Hull City and Derby County star has slipped out of the first team at Loftus Road since the beginning of 2008 and had been made available for loan as Luigi de Canio continues to reshape his squad.
"One thing that Adam Bolder can bring to Sheffield Wednesday is energy," Laws told the Owls' official website.
"He's also a good talker and has experience of being in this position before so that will be valuable.
"He has the ingredients we need in this predicament we find ourselves in the league at the moment."

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Southampton v. QPR Preview


Youssef Safri is fit to resume in the Southampton midfield for the home clash with QPR.
The Moroccan midfielder was struggling with a groin injury towards the end of last week's battling draw at Crystal Palace but will be available to face Rangers.
Caretaker bosses John Gorman and Jason Dodd, who have been told they will be in charge for the foreseeable future, could therefore stick with the side which started at Selhurst Park.
Alexander Ostlund is back in training following a thigh injury but is short of match fitness, and fellow full-back Gregory Vignal is recovering from a broken arm.
Fellow defenders Claus Lundekvam (ankle) and Chris Makin (hip) are still out along with winger Nathan Dyer following ankle surgery.
Fitz Hall is QPR's only injury absentee.
The centre-half, one of Rangers' big-money January signings when he arrived from Wigan, suffered a torn groin muscle in the recent clash with Cardiff and could be out for up to six weeks.
Matthew Connolly is fit after a knee injury and will challenge Zesh Rehman for a place in the back four.
Fellow defender Damion Stewart is expected back from international duty with Jamaica in time, while midfielder Akos Buzsaky has returned from Hungary in one piece.
Reserve goalkeeper Jake Cole should be on the bench after recovering from a bruised thumb, although new signing Matt Pickens will rival him for that spot.
Manager Luigi De Canio will be back at the helm after missing last week's 3-0 win over Bristol City following the death of his father.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Timoska on his way...


FINNISH defender Sampsa Timoska is on his way out of Loftus Road just a year after joining the club from MyPa 47.The versatile Timoska signed for QPR at the start of the January 2007 transfer window and played an important part in the club's escape from relegation.But he has not featured in the team since Rangers' 2-2 draw at Scunthorpe two months ago and is not part of Luigi de Canio's long-term thinking.Performance manager Joe Dunbar confirmed that the club are currently in discussions with Timoska to cancel his contract, five months before it was due to expire.The 28-year-old defender, who made 21 appearances for the club, will become the 11th member of the squad to be jettisoned since De Canio took charge three months ago.De Canio was absent from Rangers' 3-0 win over Bristol City last weekend after returning to Italy following the death of his father.He left Dunbar, coach Paolo Pavese and senior player Gareth Ainsworth in charge for the game, during which all the Rs players wore black armbands as a mark of respect.Dunbar said: "First and foremost our thoughts are with him [De Canio]. I was proud of the players - they put on a very professional performance."The manager returned to London on Monday night and took charge of training the following day at Harlington.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Vine Happy!



Striker Rowan Vine feels QPR's win over high-flying Bristol City represents a sign of intent after a disappointing first half of the season.

Rangers have not been able to string a run of results together despite splashing the cash in January, but new signing Patrick Agyemang scored twice and fellow big-money buy Akos Buzsaky also found the net as City were dispatched 3-0 in their best home performance of the season.
"We played very well from start to finish. We took control of the game, scored two early goals and kept things going in the second half too," said Vine.
"That result showed what this division is like - and I think it was more about how good we were rather than how bad Bristol City were - they are still a team chasing promotion but we did not look like a team that is near the bottom of the table.
"We did not give them a chance to breathe in the first half and we got our reward for that, it was a great performance."

Saturday, February 2, 2008

QPR 3 Bristol City 0


QPR cantered to a comfortable 3-0 win over high-flying Bristol City as they took another step away from the Coca-Cola Championship relegation zone.
Patrick Agyemang scored twice and Akos Buzsaky hammered home a stunning long-range effort as Rangers completely outplayed an off-colour City.
Robins boss Gary Johnson made just one change to the side that beat Blackpool 1-0 in midweek, with Dele Adebola coming in up front for a debut in place of Lee Trundle.
QPR, who had performance manager Joe Dunbar in charge with first-team coach Luigi De Canio absent due to a family bereavement, made three changes after the midweek loss to Cardiff, drafting in Zesh Rehman, Michael Mancienne and Hogan Ephraim.
The home side had the better of the opening stages and forced three corners in quick succession which were easily cleared by the City backline.
But it was not long before they had the lead as the attacking duo of Rowan Vine and Agyemang combined to score the opener after 18 minutes.
The two January signings exchanged passes to set Agyemang free and he slotted home from 12 yards to register his third goal since joining from Preston.
He notched his fourth 15 minutes later as Rangers enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure.
QPR had been all over City since taking the lead and when top scorer Buzsaky's shot was deflected into Agyemang's path he made no mistake from close range.
It was impossible to tell that it was Bristol aiming for promotion and Rangers fighting relegation as the home side continued to dominate the closing stages of the half. Agyemang could have had a hat-trick but he put a shot wide from 12 yards.
City had a good chance to get themselves back into it early in the second half as January signing Nick Carle supplied a cross to the back post. Jamie McCombe rose highest and should have scored, but he could only put his header wide.
McCombe was then called into action at the other end as he blocked a shot from Vine, before Adebola saw his first action of note as a City player when he was booked for a foul on Damien Delaney.
The second half had been a lacklustre affair, but it was brought to life by something special from Buzsaky in the 63rd minute as the midfielder notched his seventh goal for Rangers in spectacular style.
The Hungarian moved down the right and played the ball to Agyemang, who chested it back into his path for him to rifle a sweet shot home from 25 yards and end the match as a contest.
But City were not ready to give up yet and Lee Johnson saw an impressive free-kick from the edge of the box tipped over the bar by Lee Camp.
Ivan Sproule was brought on by Johnson to try to supply his side with an attacking edge and it nearly paid dividends as he hit the post with a shot from 20 yards, but it all proved too little, too late.