Money, parachutes and underdogs — preview Friday, 30th Aug 2013 19:45 by Clive Whittingham QPR head to Elland Road this Saturday — an unhappy hunting ground for the R's over the years - but do so as favourites according to the home side as Leeds become the latest Championship club to bemoan the parachute payment system. Leeds United v Queens Park RangersChampionship >>> Saturday August 31, 2013 >>> Kick Off 12.15 >>> Elland Road, Leeds >>> Live on Sky Sports 1 The last time QPR played at Elland Road you'd have been forgiven for thinking that the plucky, little West London club was being put back in its box — or knocked off its perch — by one of the second tier's genuine big names. Rangers had remained unbeaten for the first 19 matches of the season and topped the table, but wins had turned into draws as summer had turned into autumn and a 3-0 home massacre by Watford was followed swiftly by a 2-0 defeat in West Yorkshire. Injuries were biting as hard as the cold on a day so snowbound it took the travelling support most of the rest of the night to get home. The Leeds fans celebrated like they'd won an FA Cup semi-final, whirling scarves around their heads and singing about being "champions of Europe." Come the return fixture in May and the situation was markedly different. Leeds won the game again, the only double completed against the R's that season, but QPR had done their job over the previous seven days. A win at Watford, avenging the earlier thrashing, a week before had sealed the Championship title, and a titanic legal struggle over the irregularities in the Alejandro Faurlin transfer had, just about, gone in favour of Rangers. Long suffering supporters gathered on South Africa Road and in the pubs of Shepherds Bush awaiting news from the tribunal, which had ludicrously been held in the final week of the season and not declared a verdict an hour before the final match of the campaign kicked off leaving the whole top half of the division in a weird state of flux. When the news came the celebrations were long and raucous. For Leeds, who mark a ten year absence from the top flight at the end of this season, it must have been a galling experience. Why does this famous old one-city club with its huge support continue to languish in the lower divisions while the likes of QPR, Wigan, Crystal Palace, Hull City, Bolton, Blackburn and others play Premier League football? That's not the rhetoric being trotted out ahead of this weekend's meeting in West Yorkshire though. Leeds are very determined to paint themselves as underdogs, both in the match and across the season in general. QPR have played four Championship opponents so far this term and every single one of them has mentioned — before and/or after the game, and no doubt in Dave Jones' case during it as well — the parachute payments clubs receive following Premier League relegation these days. The way clubs are talking it's as though QPR are being handed £200m in cash in a brown envelope. The parachute payments are significant, particularly now the division is under strict guidelines on how much of their income and turnover can be spent on their teams, and have enabled Rangers to spend money on Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips that few other Championship sides would have been allowed to do even had they been able to afford it. But don't forget, those parachute payments are in place to make sure that every club relegated from the Premier League doesn't immediately crash into administration, and QPR will be spending a decent amount of the money coming in paying the likes of Ji-Sung Park, Stephane Mbia, Adel Taarabt, Loic Remy and Esteban Granero to play elsewhere on loan, as well as handing £60,000 a week to Julio Cesar to do nothing at all. No other Championship club has that problem— albeit one entirely of QPR's own making. Incidentally, the latest in a series of articles about what a colossal advantage the money affords QPR was published today in the http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/rule Evening Post with a big picture of Fulham's Scott Parker at the top. Brian McDermott is a softly spoken, intelligent, likeable manager but he's always used that personality to very cleverly shift blame, responsibility or emphasis onto opponents or referees, thereby protecting his own players and relieving pressure on them. He said today: “It’s not an even playing field in this league. A team goes up and gets a lot of money then that team comes down and gets a lot of money. But good luck to them because those are the rules. I wish it was us." So there you go, little old QPR going up to Leeds as clear and obvious odds on favourites, splashing big money on supreme footballers while Leeds humbly go about their business trying to scratch around and put a team together. Don't you believe it; in Crewe's Luke Murphy the Whites made arguably the Championship signing of the summer for £1m and the pull of the club's name, support base, history and status was enough to grab him ahead of plenty of other suitors, including some Premier League teams. Presumably they're not paying him in meal tokens either. This is a battle between two incredibly evenly matched teams, but then this idea that clubs all have to spend the same percentage of their income as everybody else seems — in the two years we've been away — to have evened the Championship out completely. Only Cardiff were an outstanding team at this level last year, the rest all "as bad as each other" according to Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy. Indeed, bottom placed Bristol City scored more goals at home (40) than promoted Hull, and Leeds, who finished thirteenth, won as many or more home games as five of the top six. Every game QPR have played so far this season has been a low tempo, evenly contested, poor quality affair where two teams in very similar formations bumped up against each other until time was called and the final score was revealed. They could easily have won all four league games so far, and could just as comfortably lost three of them — only Ipswich offered no threat. Leeds' problem is in wide areas where they lack wingers. With Matt Phillips still a way off a debut, and Junior Hoilett's hamstring held together with elastic bands and chewing gum, Rangers have similar problems. This doesn't look like a free-scoring, full blooded, attacking frenzy on paper — more a tight, cagey, fairly dully affair settled either way (if it is indeed settled in anybody's favour at all) by a single moment of brilliance or a defensive mistake. Had Jermaine Beckford finished when through on Robert Green at the Reebok a week ago then it would have been the latter settling the game in Bolton's favour rather than the former winning it for QPR. He took advantage of Richard Dunne's chronic lack of pace and the lumbering, cumbersome nature of the veteran centre back won't have escaped the notice of McDermott who prides himself on meticulous preparation — that's actual meticulous preparation by the way, not the sort that Mark Hughes and the Taffia engage in. Perhaps that's the weak link that will cost Rangers this weekend. A draw looks the favourite though. Links >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32712/the-roy-weger >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32714/leeds-doing-i Focus >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32709/make-money-on >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32707/stuart-attwel >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32526/lfw-travel-gu Guide >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32703/head-boy-chie
QPR's Danny Maddix slides in on Leeds striker Tony Yeboah during a league meeting at Elland Road in 1995. The R's won 3-1 with two goals from Danny Dichio and one from Trevor Sinclair, but were relegated at the end of the Premier League season. SaturdayTeam News: Despite limping out of the recent home win with Ipswich with what looked like a serious hamstring problem — usually a four week absence minimum — winger Junior Hoilett is said to be fit to play this weekend. Rangers certainly need him and seriously lack creativity when he doesn't play, but having suffered with hamstring issues throughout last season they must be wary not to risk the Canadian with too much too soon. The situation is exacerbated by the continued absence of new signing Matt Phillips who suffered an awkward arm break near his elbow joint in pre-season training with Blackpool and hasn't been cleared by his specialist to play until at least the Birmingham game on September 14. Apart from the continued absence of Sam Byram, Leeds are at full strength with no injuries, but are still scouring the transfer market for wide players to solve their shortage of wingers. Defender Scott Wootton, signed from Manchester United, made his debut in the League Cup during the week and will be pushing for a start here. Manager Brian McDermott told the http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/13gnbpvv9rhh01atpwqw23t8cf/title/qpr-tea official website: “I don’t call them selection headaches. I said after Tuesday’s game that we have a group of guys going in the same direction, 20-odd players that we are going to need. We will need every single one of them if we are going to be successful this season. There are no problems and I think everyone has come through OK which is great news for us.” Elsewhere: It's a full programme of 12 Championship games this Saturday — plenty for Manish and whichever drone is on the rota this week to poor over in intricate, insightful, intricate detail on the Football League Show at 4am tomorrow morning. QPR and Leeds, both still unbeaten, go first which means either could be top of the fledgling league table before current leaders Nottingham Forest kick off at Wigan at 3pm. The Latics seemed to have laid down a mark with a 4-0 win at Barnsley on the opening day but have lost two and drawn two since, dropping points in winnable games against newly promoted Bournemouth and Doncaster. The Europa League draw, made earlier today, sees them facing trips to Rubin Kazan in Russia, Maribor in Slovenia and Zulte Waregem in Belgium before Christmas and with such a high turnover of players during the summer (nine in, seven out, and a change of manager) it's starting to look like a tough campaign in prospect for them. Less so Leicester, joint top with ten points and away at Charlton this weekend. The Addicks slow start to the season could have descended into a full on crisis last week but having fallen 3-0 behind to Doncaster at The Valley before half time they were saved by the inclement weather and a water logged pitch. Expect an away win there this weekend. And for Blackpool, seizing on their status as LFW's tip for relegation by also logding an unbeaten start of three wins and a draw from four matches. I still think they'll struggle, starting with a home defeat to Watford this Saturday. Watford and Forest still look the division's two outstanding sides to me. The team we actually tipped for promotion, Bolton, have only taken two points so far and with a local derby at Blackburn this Saturday followed by a home game against Leeds next — and Darren Pratley suspended — who knows where that first win will come from? Likewise Barnsley who have already shipped 17 goals in six matches this season (ten in the last two) and look certs for the drop at the moment. They face Huddersfield and former manager Mark Robins at Oakwell this weekend and a 17/10 price on an away win looks massive — Huddersfield have won four, drawn one, and lost only top league leading Forest so far this campaign. Milwall and Sheff Wed are both also looking for their first wins. In the case of the former it's the fault of Steve Lomas, sent in as some sort of West Ham double-agent, and with the latter it's the fault of everybody except Dave Jones — referees mostly. Millwall are at Brighton this weekend, and Wednesday at Middlesbrough. Rounding up the games unmentioned so far — Birmingham host Ipswich, Derby are at home to Burnley and Yeovil play Reading who were drubbed 6-0 by League One side Peterborough in the cup during the week. Referee: Finding QPR flat on the floor nursing a sore head after a midweek League Cup defeat against Swindon, the league decided to stick a steel toe capped boot in and appoint Stuart Attwell to referee Saturday's already daunting looking trip to Leeds. QPR, like just about every other side in the Football League, have history with Attwell who infamously sent off Mikele Leigertwood in the first half of a home match with Birmingham back in 2008. He was dropped from the premier League a year ago after a catalogue of mistakes that included allowing Fernando Torres to score for Liverpool from a Sunderland free kick, and sending off Bolton's Gary Cahill at Spurs for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity when the play was some 60 yards away from the Bolton goal. He's most well known for the award of the ludicrous ghost goal in the Watford v Reading fixture back in 2008, and a total loss of self control in an East Midlands derby between Derby and Nottingham Forest shortly after that. Fun times. His full case file can be read by http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32707/stuart-attwel here. FormLeeds: The Whites saw off their midweek cup challenge at Doncaster with a 3-1 win meaning they are still unbeaten six games into the season — four wins and two draws. At Elland Road they've beaten Brighton in the league and Chesterfield in the cup (both 2-1) but only drew with Sheffield Wednesday who are yet to win a game in the league this season. Leeds have scored in all but one of their games this season, but conceded in all but one as well — a dire 0-0 draw at Leicester the blot on both records. Leeds either won or lost at home last season — 13 wins and seven defeats left room for only three draws at Elland Road which was the joint lowest in the league, along with Middlesbrough who had an identical record. Their 13 victories was the same as promoted Hull and Palace, and two more than Watford and Brighton who both made the play offs. They only scored 30 goals on their own patch during the league campaign though, less than all but one of the 12 teams that finished above them, and the three teams immediately below them. Bristol City, who finished bottom, scored 40. QPR: The defeat to Swindon on Tuesday night in the League Cup blemished QPR's excellent start to the 2013/14 campaign that had stood at four wins and a draw from the first five matches prior to that 2-0 set back. Victory at Elland Road would equal the number of away league wins they managed in the whole of last season before August has even finished and keep alive their hopes of beating the club record 19 match unbeaten run that started the 2010/11 season last time they were at this level. Tough opposition though — Leeds beat QPR 2-0 and 1-2 in the promotion season, two of only five defeats the R's suffered in the Championship that year and the only double done against Neil Warnock's side. Rangers haven’t won here since 1995 when Danny Dichio and Trevor Sinclair were on the scoresheet — they've lost three and drawn one of four meetings at Elland Road since, conceding ten in the process (although six of those came in one match in 2004. Betting: Professional odds compiler Owen Goulding tells LFW… "They will need it as the go to Elland Road. Leeds have started the season well and like QPR are unbeaten in the league. In fact, they are unbeaten in all competitions after beating lower league opposition in the cup, something QPR have struggled with. The performance against Swindon lacked imagination and showed up a number of weaknesses - mainly in the support staff to the starting 11. The team on Saturday will look very different with Henry, Barton and O'Neill back in the engine room. "Leeds, as with any Brian McDermott side, will be well organised. A lot will depend on his team selection. Luke Varney will probably get the nod ahead of the exciting youngster Dominic Poleon - which can only be a good thing for QPR as I rate Poleon highly. Varney always seems to find teams willing to take him on board, yet five goals in his last 38 games for Leeds tells its own story - hardly prolific. Luke Murphy, Leeds main summer signing, will sit and spray the ball about from midfield if he is given time and space so I see the key battle in this one as the Barton-Murphy duel. "Joey will relish a game like this and for this reason I can see QPR getting something from this one. Jason Pearce has gone very close in recent weeks and will need keeping a very close eye on at set pieces but Dunne and Onuoha have looked very strong aerially in last few weeks so this threat should be snuffed out. An interesting fact for Leeds this season is they are slow starters: they have failed to score first in any of their league games this season and as such my bet for this game is QPR to score first at Even money (Bwin/Betfair)." Prediction: Mase, reigning champion in our Prediction League, gives us his verdict ahead of Saturday's game… "I see Tuesday as a blip in our otherwise dream-like start to the season. I think we have been flattered by results (given what I have seen of our performances) and we are definitely due a change of fortune for the worse. We've both made handy starts to the season, Leeds from arguably a more difficult set of games. "For all the surrendering away from home we did last season (and pretty much every season I can remember for that matter), we seem to have stumbled on a new and more resilient spine to our side. The days when a physical, dirty team like the old Leeds, who often boast a febrile support, would cower us into submission may be a thing of the past, at least temporarily. I expect us to put up a good show but ultimately lose our unbeaten start to the league with a narrow defeat. I hope to be proven wrong of course. Austin for our goal - he is due a break." Mase's Prediction - Leeds 2-1, QPR Scorer: Charlie Austin LFW Prediction — Leeds 1 QPR 1, QPR Scorer: Andy Johnson Tweet @loftforwords Pictures — Action Images Photo: Action Images via Reuters Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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