Saturday 5th March 2011
Loftus Road Stadium
Npower Football League Championship
Referee: R East
Attendance: 18,068
Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Leicester City
By The Godfather

Queens Park Rangers starting line-up: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Hall (Connolly 31), Taarabt (Miller 87), Helguson, Buzsaky (Ephraim 90), Faurlin, Routledge, Shittu.

Leicester City starting line-up: Ricardo, Oakley, King (Gallagher 79), Bruma, Naughton, Wellens, Abe, Yakubu (Dyer 86), Bamba, Mee, Vassell (Waghorn 65).

Queens Park Rangers extended their lead at the top of the Championship to eight points with a superb victory over Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Leicester City team. The Foxes were certainly one of the best sides I have seen this season, with a formidable striking partnership in Yakubu and Darius Vassell. They will perhaps feel that they deserved at least a point, since they were the better side in the first half and squandered a number of clear-cut opportunities in the second. However, substitute, Ishmael Miller, secured three crucial points for the Super Hoops with his 88th minute winner.

Neil Warnock decided to pick the same team that beat Middlesbrough so convincingly last weekend. Helguson started up front, supported by Taarabt and Routledge on the flanks and Buzsaky in a ‘free’ role. Faurlin and Derry occupied central midfield, whilst the back four consisted of Hill, Shittu, Gorkss and Orr. Paddy Kenny, who has kept an impressive total of 20 clean sheets this season, retained the goalkeeping position.

Backed by a large and vocal crowd of Leicester fans, the away team started the match strongly. It quickly became clear that Sven had instructed his players to close down Taarabt as much as possible and, when the Moroccan received the ball on the right flank in the 2nd minute, Mee came in with a crunching tackle, sending Adel flying to the floor. This proved to be a very effective tactic, with Taarabt unable to influence proceedings.

However, as we all know, QPR are also capable of brawn and aggression, and, shortly after that tackle on Taarabt, Clint Hill produced a response of his own. After a poor first touch by Andy King, Hill flew in with a very high and dangerous tackle. Fortunately, he won the ball cleanly: had he not, he might have been in serious trouble with the referee, Mr East.

Despite Leicester’s impressive start, it was Queens Park Rangers who forced the first opportunity of the game. Akos Buzsaky, who looks like he has recovered from his injury superbly, cut inside on the right flank and tried to send the ball across the face of the goal. The Hungarian’s cross was blocked, but only into the path of Heidar Helguson, who smashed it at goal. To my despair, former Portuguese international goalkeeper, Ricardo, managed to deflect the ball wide of the target.

Leicester struck back quickly. A long ball upfield found on-loan striker, Yakubu, on the left-hand side. Of course, the Nigerian has spent most of his career in the Premiership and he showed everybody why with a beautiful lob, which looked like it would loop over Paddy Kenny and into the back of the net. Fortunately, the Rs goalkeeper was able to tip it over the crossbar, pulling off one of the saves of the campaign.

At this point, Fitz Hall had to be replaced by Matthew Connolly. It’s a shame because ‘One Size’ seemed to be working well with Shittu, but the fact is that he is simply too injury prone. In his two years at Loftus Road, I'm struggling to remember a spell during which he has lasted more than five games in the starting line-up.

It would be accurate to suggest that Leicester were the better side during the remainder of the first half, enjoying the lion’s share of possession. However, a resilient defensive performance from QPR meant that the scoreline stayed goalless.

Half-time scoreline: Queens Park Rangers 0-0 Leicester City

Neil Warnock stated in his post-match interview that he felt that “QPR could get stronger” in the second half. Indeed, the Rs looked more threatening in attack and almost opened the scoring just fifteen minutes into the second half. Taarabt’s free kick found Helguson unmarked in the penalty area, but he could only direct his header over the crossbar. The Icelandic striker probably should have done better.

Routledge was next to squander a superb opportunity. Helguson received the ball with his back to goal, managing to turn and pass to Routledge inside the penalty area. Under pressure from two Leicester defenders and from a tight angle, the diminutive winger could only smash his effort into the side netting.

Leicester City then had the best opportunity of the match so far. Matthew Connolly, who, in truth, looked a little uncomfortable throughout the second half, allowed a long-ball to bounce over his head. Substitute, Martin Waghorn, did well to put him under pressure and managed to win the ball inside the penalty area. To my relief, he lifted the ball over the crossbar.

At the other end, Taarabt picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, but scuffed his shot across the face of the goal. Helguson came agonisingly close to directing the ball into the net, but his outstretched boot couldn't quite reach it.

Martin Waghorn missed another glorious chance minutes later. Yakubu, who had been moved out wide, received the ball on the left flank and drove at the QPR defence. He produced a superb cross into the penalty area, finding the Leicester striker unmarked. His header crashed against the crossbar and out of play, although, bizarrely, the referee decided to award a corner kick.

In the 80th minute, some excellent last-ditch defending from Clint Hill and Shaun Derry prevented Leicester from taking the lead. A cross from the right flank caused mayhem in the QPR penalty area and only Hill's superb sliding block stopped Waghorn from breaking the deadlock. Somehow QPR managed to clear the ball away.

Five minutes later, Warnock chose to make what would be a tactical masterstroke, bringing on Ishmael Miller at the expense of Adel Taarabt. With QPR's star man off the pitch, it could be argued that the Foxes lost concentration and failed to adjust to this new threat.

In the 88th minute, Routledge's superb lofted ball put Ishmael Miller through on goal. He managed to outpace two Leicester defenders, before tucking the ball beneath the onrushing Ricardo and into the back of the net, sending the QPR fans into wild jubilation. What a superb way in which to win such an important game.

Full-time scoreline: Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Leicester City

Conclusion

QPR were the only automatic promotion-chasing team to win on Saturday afternoon, which means that their lead at the top of the Championship is now eight points! There's no doubt that the Rs were lucky not to concede on several occasions, but a true sign of Champions is the ability to win these kind of games. Let's hope that Warnock's men can continue this momentum into the two upcoming London derbies.

Man of the match: Paddy Kenny - a faultless performance, which included possibly the best save of the campaign. What an important contribution he has made this season.