Saturday 28th November 2009
The Coca Cola Championship
Loftus Road Stadium
Attendance: 13,712
Referee: M J Jones
Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Coventry City
By The Godfather

Queens Park Rangers starting line-up: Cerny, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Watson, Connolly, Faurlin, Simpson, Borrowdale, Taraabt.

Coventry City starting line-up: Westwood, Wright, Bell, Best, Morrison, Van Aanholt, Gunnarsson, Cork, McIndoe, Barnett, Wood.

In my match preview of this fixture, I predicted a home victory. Perhaps I was being too optimistic given that QPR have only beaten Coventry once in the last four years. In truth, they’re becoming a bit of a bogey team for the Super Hoops.

Saturday’s match was an entertaining, but ultimately frustrating encounter. QPR dominated large periods of the game and certainly deserved to win. However, poor finishing in front of goal and some dreadful defending from Hall and Connolly meant that Coventry City, who were reduced to ten men five minutes from time, were able to salvage a draw. I’m afraid that this was another case of two points dropped rather than one gained.

I have to say that some of Jim Magilton’s tactical decisions were questionable. For instance, I was surprised to see Adel Taraabt substituted in the second half. The Moroccan midfielder had unlocked Coventry’s defence on numerous occasions with his pace and skill. Perhaps he had picked up an injury? Additionally, after the Sky Blues were reduced to ten men, I couldn’t understand why the manager didn’t bring on another striker to support Jay Simpson in attack.

However, there are plenty of positives to take from this performance. For example, I feel I must highlight what was another excellent display from Alejandro Faurlin. He dominated midfield for much of the match, passing the ball around with great confidence and providing the assist for Jay Simpson’s first half goal. It is clear that the Argentinean is starting to become a key part of the team.

Magilton made three changes to the side that lost to Doncaster Rovers last Saturday. Gary Borrowdale and Adel Taraabt regained their places in the starting line-up in place of loan signings, Steven Reid and Tommy Williams. Fitz Hall made a surprise return from injury to partner Matthew Connolly in central defence, with Kaspars Gorkss being named as a substitute.

The match began in an entertaining fashion, with both sides carving out chances within ten minutes. First, Watson’s well-timed pass found Taraabt on the wing. Racing past the fullback with ease, the Moroccan progressed into the penalty area and smashed the ball wide of Westwood’s left-hand post. Next, for the Sky Blues, a neat one-two between Morrison and Van Aanholt allowed the latter to shoot, forcing Cerny into a superb one-handed save.
City gave away possession from the resulting corner, allowing Routledge to counter-attack. After beating three players, the diminutive winger raced into the penalty area, but saw his shot blocked by a last-ditch tackle from Stephen Wright.

Then, in the 13th minute, disaster struck. When Akos Buzsaky committed a careless foul, Van Aanholt launched a free kick into the penalty area. Bizarrely, Matthew Connolly stood completely still, allowing Leon Best to rise unchallenged and send his header looping into the back of the net. I am a fan of Connolly’s, but this was the sort of thing that one sees at Sunday League level.

To Queens Park Rangers’ credit, they did respond very well indeed, making clever use of the abilities of Taraabt and Routledge. And, in the 25th minute, they almost got their reward. Simpson received the ball inside the area and tucked it into the net. Unfortunately, he was adjudged to have been offside.

Magilton’s men forced another golden opportunity in the 29th minute. Routledge was involved once again, turning skilfully in midfield and releasing Taraabt on the left flank. After a series of impressive step-overs, the Moroccan progressed into the penalty area. To my despair, his powerful drive was saved brilliantly by Westwood.

Despite QPR’s domination of proceedings, in the 33rd minute, City should have doubled their advantage. David Bell picked up the ball on the right flank and produced a wonderful cross to the unmarked Leon Best in the penalty area. To my relief, he headed just wide. A lucky escape for the Rs.

Coventry would be left ruing that missed opportunity, as the home side equalised in style only two minutes later. Faurlin, who was having a brilliant game in central midfield, picked out Simpson in the penalty area with pinpoint accuracy. The Arsenal loanee coolly flicked the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Rangers could have settled for a 1-1 half-time scoreline. Instead, I was pleased to see the team continue the momentum, with the Super Hoops forcing two clear-cut opportunities before the whistle. First, in the 42nd minute, Routledge ran through the defence with ease and forced another excellent save from Westwood. Then, a minute before the break, Simpson headed Buzsaky’s cross just over the bar.

Bookings: Wood (43 minutes).

Half-time score: Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Coventry City.

Queens Park Rangers would go on to dominate the second half, but it was Coventry City who forced the first opportunity. With the ball bobbling around the Rs’ penalty area, only a last-ditch tackle from Borrowdale prevented McIndoe scoring from close range. This was another solid performance from the left back: new signing, Tommy Williams, might find it difficult to break into Magilton’s starting line-up.

At the other end, in the 52nd minute, Buzsaky received the ball in acres of space on the right flank. To my despair, with the goalkeeper stranded, the Hungarian’s cross only just evaded Routledge.

Then, in the 56th minute, came a moment of brilliance from Adel Taraabt. Picking the ball up on the edge of the area, the Tottenham loanee produced a beautiful chip, leaving the goalkeeper completely beaten. However, the crossbar came to Coventry’s rescue. At this point I sensed that it wasn’t going to be QPR’s day.

Alejandro Faurlin was running the show in midfield and, in the 59th minute, he put Routledge through on goal with another exquisite lob. Unfortunately, just as the former Crystal Palace man was about to pull the trigger, Van Aanholt managed to knock the ball into the hands of his goalkeeper. Despite calls of “back pass!” the referee played on.

Faurlin was at the centre of the action again in the 63rd minute, smashing the ball just wide of Westwood’s left-hand post from outside the box. Moments later, Watson attempted to do the same, but also missed the target with his 25-yard effort.

Then, in the 68th minute, QPR finally got the goal that they deserved. After Routledge’s shot had been blocked, it fell to Buzsaky inside the penalty area. With the help of a huge deflection off Richard Wood, the ball ended up in the bottom corner of the net. I think that even the most ardent of City fans would have to admit that Rangers deserved it.

Coventry substitution: Van Aanholt off for Clarke (72 minutes).

Coventry substitution: Bell off for Eastwood (73 minutes).

Jay Simpson was fouled inside Coventry’s half in the 76th minute, with Stephen Wright being booked. Buzsaky wasted the resulting free kick, slicing it well wide of the target. Despite his goal, this wasn’t the Hungarian’s best game in a hooped shirt.

At this point, Jim Magilton decided to bring on Steven Reid at the expense of Adel Taraabt. As already mentioned, I felt that this was the wrong choice – Buzsaky probably should have made way instead. Rangers would miss the Moroccan’s creativity in the final stages of the match.

Once again, poor defending led to Coventry’s equaliser. In the 80th minute, Borrowdale gave away a free kick on the right-hand side. McIndoe curled the resulting set piece into the penalty area and the unmarked Richard Wood headed into the top corner of the net.

This was incredibly frustrating given the extent of QPR’s dominance in the second half. However, the home crowd’s hopes were lifted in the 84th minute when Stephen Wright was sent off for his second bookable offence, hilariously throwing his captain’s armband at the referee in reaction like a petulant schoolgirl. Despite this, Magilton chose not to introduce an extra striker.

Simpson came closest to restoring Rangers’ lead in the 87th minute. Receiving the ball on the left flank, he skilfully nutmegged Wood and ran into the penalty area. With no Rangers players in the box, he could only attempt to score from a very tight angle, forcing a comfortable save from Westwood.

During the five minutes of stoppage time, Steven Reid smashed an effort at goal from outside the area, but Westwood managed to push the ball to safety once again. Buzsaky also came close, heading just over from Faurlin’s corner. However, the Sky Blues held on, with the referee signalling the end to what had been an entertaining encounter.

Bookings: Van Aanholt (53 minutes), Westwood (65 minutes – time-wasting), Cork (68 minutes), Wright (77 and 84 minutes).

Full-time: Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Coventry City.

Conclusion

What was concerning about this performance was the lack of understanding between Fitz Hall and Matthew Connolly. Magilton needs to decide upon his best central defensive partnership. Changing it every week only serves to unsettle the team.

I was also disappointed by the amount of chances that were squandered. It is clear that Simpson is a talented striker, but I can’t help thinking that he needs an experienced goalscorer alongside him. Why hasn’t the club addressed this issue?

That said, this was a promising performance from the Rs. Faurlin, Routledge and Taraabt played very well indeed, causing Coventry an abundance of problems, particularly during the second half. However, if QPR are to reach the play-offs this season, they are going to have to “kill teams off”.

Man of the match – Alejandro Faurlin – as already mentioned, this was an excellent performance from the Argentinean. He was pulling the strings in midfield on Saturday. He is also keeping possession far better than he used to. There were a few inaccurate passes, but on the whole his distribution was superb.