Ipswich Town v Queens Park Rangers
Saturday 26th November 2016 – 15:00
Portman Road
Opening Thought – Jamma
I opened the Nottingham Forest preview by citing Ipswich Town’s uncanny ability to pick up a result when least expected. How, I asked, could we go from being the first side to drop points at home to Rotherham this season to taking the scalp of Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough just seven days later? I suppose, in retrospect, I was setting myself up for a fall by posing such a question. Just as hundreds of Town fans can virtually be heard screaming at their radios on a Saturday afternoon the moment Alex Mathie utters something like ‘I can’t see Ipswich losing this’, I probably elicited a similarly hostile reaction with my fate-tempting comment! For, as we have discovered plenty of times to our cost in the past, the Blues’ swing in fortunes can work both ways, and we can just as easily go from world-beater to panel beater as the other way around. And so it was that Forest became the latest team to enjoy themselves at Portman Road, notching up their first away success of the campaign. This time, even Mick McCarthy was at a loss to explain it, agreeing that the two performances were about as far removed from each other as it was possible to get. Conceding after just 17 seconds hardly helped our cause, and it was a start from which we never recovered. The irony was that we didn’t look too bad in an attacking sense, and constructed some neat moves at times. The Blues were particularly threatening down the right, with Josh Emmanuel and Grant Ward linking up well. But, as has so often been the case over the last 18 months, there was no end product to accompany the promising build-up play. Even by the time we had gone 2-0 down and were playing a formation akin to a 3-1-6, we never really looked like scoring, against a side that had failed to keep a clean sheet in 2016/17.
Almost as much of a kiss of death to Town’s chances as Mathie’s reassuring words of wisdom is the airing of a pre-match statistic supposedly pointing to an Ipswich win, but which we all know is likely to result in the opposite. For instance, when it was announced prior to their visit to Suffolk that Rotherham had failed to pick up a point in all seven of their previous away trips, Tractor Boys and Girls will have taken it as a sure-fire sign that 8 would be the Millers’ lucky number. Personally, I felt confident about our chances against Forest, especially given our good recent home record against them. But that optimism took a bit of a hit with the revelation that our opponents were still searching for their first win on the road, on top of that elusive clean sheet. I seem to remember a favourite saying of Mick’s from not too long back, to the effect that not many teams in the division would fancy a trip to Ipswich, knowing the tough game they would be in for. Unfortunately, that no longer seems to be the case, and Portman Road is now less the fortress that it was in 2014/15 and more a welcoming holiday home, offering refuge to any of our rivals in need of a bit of convalescence. The same applies to newly-appointed managers who are still trying to find their feet – so often do we tend to slip up against teams who have just unveiled a new boss that I wouldn't be surprised if clubs intentionally time a managerial change to coincide with a meeting with Ipswich! With this in mind, we will approach our next fixture, against QPR, with some trepidation, after Ian Holloway returned to the Loftus Road hotseat. The Rs will be in confident mood, having consigned Norwich to their latest defeat last time out, and will be looking to make it an East Anglian double. In an interesting quirk of the fixture list, they also faced Forest before the international break, securing a 1-1 draw despite playing for an hour a man down. The West Londoners are pretty much bang in the middle of the table, but are one of a number of clubs in that section of the league who will be looking upwards as we approach the mid-way point of the season. We could certainly do with the 3 points on Saturday if we are to put ourselves in the same bracket.
The Opposition – Queens Park Rangers
The club was formed in 1886, when a team known as St Jude's (formed in 1884) merged with Christchurch Rangers (formed in 1882). The resulting team was called Queens Park Rangers, because most of the players came from the Queen's Park area of North-West London. QPR became a professional team in 1889 and played their home games in nearly 20 different stadia (a league record), before permanently settling at Loftus Road in 1917.
QPR were promoted as champions of Division 3 South in the 1947–48 season and enjoyed four seasons in the Second Division, before being relegated in 1951–52.
In 1966–67, QPR won the Division Three championship and became the first Third Division club to win the League Cup, on Saturday 4 March 1967. After winning promotion in 1968 to the top flight for the first time in their history, Rangers were relegated after just one season and spent the next four years in Division 2.
In 1974, Dave Sexton joined as manager and, in 1975–76, led QPR to the runners-up spot in the First Division, missing out on the Championship by a single point with a squad containing seven England internationals as well as internationals from the home nations.
The late 1970s also saw some cup success, with Rangers reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup and, in their first entry into European football, reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, losing to AEK Athens on penalties. Following Sexton's departure in 1977, the club eventually slipped into the Second Division in 1979.
In 1980, Terry Venables took over as manager and the club installed a 'plastic pitch'. In 1982, QPR, still playing in the Second Division, reached the FA Cup final for the only time in the club's history, but lost to Tottenham 1-0 in the replay.
The following season, 1982–83, QPR went on to win the Second Division championship and returned to English football's top division. In their first season back, they recorded a respectable fifth place finish, gaining UEFA Cup qualification. Over the next seven years, various managers came and went from Loftus Road and the club spent many seasons finishing in mid-table but avoided relegation. The most successful season during this period was the 1987–88 season, in which QPR finished fifth, missing out on a UEFA Cup campaign due to the ban on English clubs in European competition as a result of the Heysel Stadium disaster.
Gerry Francis was appointed manager in the summer of 1991. In the 1991–92 First Division campaign, they finished mid-table in the league and were founder members of the new Premier League, finishing 5th, as the top London club, in the 1992–93 inaugural season. Midway through the 1994–95 season, Francis resigned and Ray Wilkins was installed as player-manager. Wilkins led QPR to an eighth place finish in the Premiership
QPR struggled throughout the following season and were relegated at the end of the 1995–96 season. QPR then competed in Division 1 until 2001 under a succession of managers. Gerry Francis returned in 1998. However, the 2000–2001 season proved to be a disaster, and Francis resigned in early 2001.
Charismatic former player Ian Holloway became manager but was unable to stop Rangers from being relegated to England's third tier for the first time in more than thirty years.
Following the 2003–2004 season, QPR returned to Division 1 and struggled for consistent form over the next two campaigns before Holloway was suspended amidst rumours of his departure for Leicester City
During this same period, QPR became embroiled in financial and boardroom controversy. Although the club had floated on the Alternative Investment Market in 1991, in 2001 it entered administration (receivership). A period of financial hardship followed and the club left administration after receiving a £10m high-interest emergency loan, which continued to burden the club. Scandals involving the directors, shareholders and others emerged in the 2005–06 season and included allegations of blackmail and threats of violence against the club's chairman Gianni Paladini.
Following this low point in the club's history as Rangers also faced mounting financial pressure, in the same month it was announced that the club had been bought by wealthy Formula One businessmen Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone. During the 2007–08 season, Rangers competed in the Football League Championship. Further investment followed in early 2008 as the club looked to push for promotion to the Premier League within four years, on the back of greater financial stability. On 14 May 2008, Iain Dowie was announced as the manager to begin the campaign to return Rangers to the top flight. However, on 24 October 2008, Dowie was sacked after just fifteen games in charge of the club.
On 19 November 2008, QPR named former Portugal midfielder Paulo Sousa as their new First Team coach. However, on 9 April 2009, his contract was terminated. In June 2009, Jim Magilton was named as the new manager of QPR. Despite leading them to a good start to the 2009–10 season, a loss of form meant he left the club by mutual consent on 16 December 2009. He was replaced by Paul Hart on the next day. Less than a month and only 5 games after becoming manager at QPR, Paul Hart parted with the club on 14 January 2010.
On 30 April 2011, QPR secured promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship. A subsequent FA investigation involving the club’s acquisition of Alejandro Faurlín threatened to deduct points from the side and put their promotion in jeopardy. The investigation concluded on 7 May 2011, with QPR found to be at fault in two of the seven charges, and receiving a £875,000 fine. However, there were no points deducted by the FA, and QPR's promotion to the Premier League was secured.
In January 2012, club chairman Tony Fernandes appointed Mark Hughes as team manager 36 hours after the previous incumbent Neil Warnock had been sacked. QPR escaped relegation on the last day of the season.
On 23 November 2012, Mark Hughes was sacked on the back of a poor start to the 2012–13 season, with the club languishing at the bottom of the Premier League despite significant financial investment in new players. A day later, Harry Redknapp was confirmed as the new manager. On 28 April 2013, with 3 games of the season to play, QPR were relegated from the Premier League down to the Championship after two seasons in the top flight.
During the 2013–14 season, QPR finished 4th in the Championship, and qualified for the play-offs, defeating Wigan Athletic in the semi-finals. In the final against favourites Derby County on 24 May 2014, QPR won 1–0 with a goal in the 90th minute to return to the Premier League.
The return to the top flight was a brief one, however, with QPR being relegated from the Premier League in last place at the conclusion of the 2014/15 season.
After a poor start to the Championship, Chris Ramsey was sacked in November 2015. Former manager Neil Warnock returned to the hot seat in interim charge. On 4 December 2015, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed the club's new manager on a rolling contract.
Hasselbaink was sacked on 5 November 2016, just 11 months after arriving. Six days later, QPR re-appointed Ian Holloway, who had previously been in charge 10 years previously.
Last season, QPR finished in 12th place on 60 points.
The Gaffer – Ian Holloway
Past Match – Video Highlights – Trev
A last-gasp Luke Chambers goal provided some late drama against QPR last Boxing Day, when the Blues secured a rare come-from-behind win:
Media Watch – K L Blue
I really want to quote my grandmothers by saying.....................
"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"
…but this is the only non-negative stuff I could find.
Williams on the Forest game:
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/30657/
Ipswich and Norwich restart after the international break:
http://www.edp24.co.uk/features/this_se ... _1_4786113
Form Guide
Ipswich Last 5 Matches currently in 17th place with 21 points
Ipswich Town 0-2 Nottingham F.
Sheffield Wed 1-2 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town 2-2 Rotherham
Newcastle Utd 3-0 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town 2-0 Burton Albion
QPR Last 5 Matches currently in 13th place with 23 points
QPR 2-1 Norwich City
Nottingham F. 1-1 QPR
QPR 0-2 Brentford FC
Sheffield Wed 1-0 QPR
QPR 1-0 Bristol City
Fixtures of Interest
BARNSLEY VS NOTT. FOREST
WOLVES VS SHEFF. WED.
DERBY VS NORWICH
ASTON VILLA VS CARDIFF
The Don Cup Competition
Two absolutely brilliant weeks of Don Cup caption efforts. What was especially appreciated was Patthegimp’s Forest effort. That created many "laugh out louds". There are a few draws in the Forest captions – they just couldn't be separated out. But thanks everyone and very well done.
SCORES SHEFF WED
Blueblood 5pts
Bluemike 4pts
Nicsreamer 3pts
Herforder 2pts (the Oh sh1t effort)
SCORES NOTT'M FOREST
Patthegimp 5pts
Goldnblack 4pts
Frosty & Herforder (oasis) 3pts
Blueblood, Derick & Ando 2pts
LEAGUE TABLE
Herforder 33
DerickIpsw 29
Gold&Black 27
Blueblood 25
Bluemike 24
Ando 23
Quasar 22
Nicsreamer 22
Frosty 18
Watership Down 12
Number 9 11
IpswichtownNo1 10
Patthegimp 10
Tangfastic 9
Shed on Tour 7
Ashfordblue 5
LoudNProud 4
Supershred 2
Foxy Lady 1
Barmy Billy 1
ItfcTrev76 1
Have a go at this:
Match Referee – Andy Woolmer
Final Thought – Bluemike
This week I have been at a total loss to try and fathom out just where we are heading this season. From the joy of a win at Sheff Wed and all its new-found optimism to the utter garbage that we witnessed against a very poor Nottingham Forest team which brought more unrest, ill feeling and calls for change at the top. The first half was about as bad as it gets and to concede inside 17 seconds when kicking off is totally unacceptable. As always, the manager takes much of the flak but there comes a time when the players do have to stand up and take some responsibility. I would say that, with the exception of Bart, Didsy and Johnny Williams, they should hang their heads in shame. I would even question if one or two should even be wearing the Town shirt again. The Town players had poppies on their shirts Saturday – I tend to think pansies would have been more appropriate.
I've made it clear elsewhere that from my point of view more of the same in the next three games will see me losing faith with MM and I too will be edging towards wanting a change. The problem is nothing will change on the pitch. Change probably needs to come from even higher and that will not be changing any time soon. The stupid thing is that we are still a mere six points off where we want to be and this is despite the fact that in a large majority of games we have not shown up this season. I think I would take that going into January in the vain hope that some investment will be forthcoming. I cannot believe for one second we will go through yet another transfer window feeding on scraps and cast-offs, nor can I accept that MM & TC are not already drawing up a few names of possible targets. We have seven more games to play before the window opens so remaining in and around the top six is going to be no easy task.
Next up we have another home game, this time it's Ian Holloway's QPR that come to town and again they will be out to exploit our current weaknesses, of which there are quite a few right now. I hope to god Adam Webster is back as already he has proven to be vital to our cause. Without him we are a shambles at the back and look capable of conceding every time the opposition come forward. It's not too late, of course it isn't, but the players have to stand up and show some pride in the shirt, the famous shirt. Sadly, at times some of them look like they don't give a damn. A repeat of that on Saturday and MM could be in very murky water. The idiot in me says we will come up with one of those unexpected displays and grind out a win.
IPSWICH TOWN 1 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1
