QPR face cup demons at Swindon - full match preview
Tuesday, 12th Aug 2008 09:37

QPR travel to Swindon Town on Tuesday night in the first round of the League Cup hoping to banish the memories of numerous decent disasters in knock out competitions.

Swindon Town v Queens Park Rangers
Carling sponsored League Cup
Tuesday August 12, Kick Off 7.45pm
The County Ground, Swindon

Here’s an acid test for you Flavio. You can redesign the badge and the kit and paint the stadium and put up a big screen and sign up a load of blue chip sponsors and have the world’s media crawling all over the club for months but if you really want to launch QPR as a new brand nothing will do it quite as well as a win in the League Cup on a cold Tuesday night in Swindon.

You see with our old kit and old badge and tatty ground and shirts sponsored by Car Giant (5000 cars five minutes from Loftus Road) and Binatone we weren’t too crash hot in the cup competitions. Vauxhall Motors were the headline act in the ever lengthening festival of giant killings at our expense but there were other horrifying disasters as well as that. Northampton (twice), Swansea City, Yeovil Town, Leyton Orient, Port Vale, Colchester United and Cardiff City have all beaten QPR in the cup despite being in lower leagues over the past eight years. This time last year Leyton Orient did it for a second time, winning 2-1 at Loftus Road.

This Tuesday night we travel to a Swindon side that won well on the opening day and without wishing to be my usually pessimistic self this game has ‘disaster’ written all it in thick pen. QPR were unconvincing in victory on Saturday and with a number of key injuries and suspensions still affecting the side it remains to be seen whether we have the stomach for the fight that Swindon will no doubt provide us with. The Robins have history against us in this competition as well – back in 1996/97 the R’s won 2-1 at the County Ground in the first leg only to lose the second leg 3-1 at home.

These cup games traditionally see the lower league side play above themselves, the supposedly superior team play like a bunch of tarts and then an upset occurs if the higher division side doesn’t have enough quality to get through despite a paucity of heart and effort. QPR certainly have more quality in their side now than they did in any of the previous cup embarrassments we’ve suffered so maybe we’ll escape this time. If we do then even a cynic like me might start talking about new eras with conviction.

Five minutes on Swindon Town
Swindon never seem to be more than a fortnight away from another financial disaster but it seems, touch wood, at the moment they have a decent team on the pitch and a relatively settled situation in the boardroom which can only be a good thing after years of turmoil.

Swindon did have one season in the Premier League back in the 1993/94 season, but even that came after a previous promotion had been scrubbed off and turned into a relegation the other way because of financial irregularities and illegal payments to players – Ossie Ardilles was manager at that time, and after an appeal they were allowed to stay where they were but Sunderland took their promotion instead.

They stay in the top flight, orchestrated by Glenn Hoddle who then typically jumped ship, was painfully short although they did manage to complete one double - against QPR. Rangers lost 1-0 at the County Ground on a cold Tuesday night when a victory would have taken them second in the Premiership. By the time the Robins humiliated Rangers 3-1 at Loftus Road boardroom wrangles of our own were overshadowing events on the pitch. Swindon only won five matches all season and shipped 100 goals in the process, but were still good enough to take six points from Rangers.

The club were relegated again the following season but bounced back under the guidance of Steve McMahon. Once he left in 1998 the club embarked on a bizarre decade of yo-yoing between three leagues and going into administration on two occasions. In 2003/04 they lost in the play offs to Brighton with former QPR man Andy King in charge but couldn’t back that up and were relegated to the bottom division in 2006.

They seemed to have dropped on nicely when Dennis Wise and Gustavo Poyet agreed to take over as a high profile management duo and although they started well that inevitably attracted attention from elsewhere and Leeds United poached the pair only three months into the season. If Swindon were lucky to attract such high profile names into the bottom division then they were seriously fortunate to repeat the feat when looking for a successor – Paul Sturrock, a man who guided Plymouth from Third to First and Sheff Wed from League One to the Championship, saw Swindon as a good chance to get himself back on the horse after his Hillsborough sacking and in he came.

Six months later the ship had been steadied and Sturrock had another promotion to add to his CV – a 1-1 draw at Walsall on the last day sealing the triumph. Sturrock aimed for consolidation in League One last season and looked all set to succeed but as with Wise his achievements hadn’t gone unnoticed elsewhere and Plymouth Argyle came calling for the man who’d built them up from very little in the first place.

Admin staved off and debts starting to be paid, Swindon were taken over earlier this year by Andrew Fitton and Jeremy Wray who appointed Scottish manager Maurice Malpas in place of Sturrock midway through last season.

Malpas played more than 600 times in 19 years with Dundee United and won 55 Scottish caps as a player before moving into management with Motherwell. The appointment at Swindon seemed a strange one to many as Malpas had done a pretty oor job in his one season of senior management so far at Motherwell although he had gone on to coach the Scotland Under 21s subsequently. Swindon enjoyed an impressive end to last season with Malpas in charge – a 6-0 home win against relegated Port Vale the highlight of a run of four wins and a draw in their final six matches. They finished 13th in the end and will be aiming for the top six this time with the money trouble hopefully finally behind them.

They represent very dangerous opponents for QPR on Tuesday night.

Men to watch
Swindon have one or two names that may be familiar to QPR fans and certainly have an attractive looking team on paper. Back in our League One days you may remember a big physical lad bumping and bullying our defence around in a Port Vale shirt – Billy Paynter was certainly a handful for teams visiting Vale Park and after 34 goals in 158 appearances he was given his chance at a higher level with Hull City. He failed to make an impression at the KC Stadium, or with Southend after their promotion to the Championship and is now setting about rebuilding his career at a level more suited to his ability.

Four goals in 15 appearances in a loan spell at Bradford in League Two earned him a permanent move to League One Swindon – he got nine goals last season and opened up this season with a typically powerful effort at home to Tranmere on Saturday. He’ll crawl all over your centre halves from beginning to end and look to bring his partner and midfielders into play with his back to goal. QPR must find a consistent way of stopping him if they want to nullify the Swindon attack. If they can do that Lee Peacock, formerly of Sheff Wed and Bristol City, waits in the wings and while his tattoos and the size of his backside are more impressive than his footballing ability he’s another awkward customer.

All target men need a nimbler partner and in 21 year old former Reading trainee Simon Cox Swindon look to have fond a half decent one. He scored against Tranmere on Saturday as well and bagged 15 in 36 last season at first on loan and then permanently after Swindon found £200k for his signature. Cox has been on fire this summer with goals against Fenerbache, Steau Bucharest and Portsmouth in a total of six pre-season goals. If he isn’t picked then look out for our old foe Christian Roberts who QPR fans may remember for his goal celebration against us in his Bristol City days a few years back.

Supplying the forwards are two wingers with Championship experience. The diminutive Ashley McNamee made just over 100 appearances for Watford although more than half of those came from the bench. In search of regular first team football he enjoyed/endured loan spells with Barnet and Crewe before signing for Swindon in January. He’s quick and tricky, with a low centre of gravity, and will need to be watched closely. Likewise JP McGovern on the other side who was Sheff Wed’s top man when they won the play offs at League One level under Paul Sturrock. A combination of injuries and lack of that little bit of extra quality required to succeed at the higher level means that despite spells with Wednesday and their cross city rivals United he’s been forced to ply his trade a division lower. Still, he’ll be keen to show he’s got what it takes.

A canny signing in the centre of the park has been made this summer – Plymouth’s French destroyer Lilian Nalis has dropped a division and he should be a terrific asset at the League One level. He’s joined by former Plymouth team mate Hasney Aljofree who plays in the middle of the defence with ex Watford trainee Jerel Ifill who recently passed 150 appearances in Swindon red. Giant defender Kevin Amankwaah has arrived from promoted Swansea this summer and former QPR defender Patrick Kanyuka is also on their books although, and this won’t be a great surprise to QPR fans, he is injured and unavailable for this Tuesday’s game.

Czech keeper Peter Brezovan keeps goals for the Robins these days after signing from FC Brno two summers ago.

Previous Meetings
QPR 1 Swindon Town 0
Second Division
May 1 2005
The last meeting between these two sides came at Loftus Road in the penultimate game of the 2003/04 season. QPR had looked good for promotion since the first day when they demolished Blackpool 5-0 while Swindon were themselves hoping to play Championship football in 2004/05 as they looked to cement a play off spot. It all boiled down to the final two games – QPR had it in their hands and would b promoted with two victories. Loftus Road was packed to the rafters and when Martin Rowlands gave the R’s a second minute lead, his 14th goal of his debut campaign in W12, the ground erupted. Although the scoreline stayed at that single goal to nil for the next 88 minutes there was no desperate hanging on and it was only the form of former Rangers loanee Rhys Evans in the Swindon goal that kept the score down to one. Swindon lost to Brighton in the play off semi finals but Rangers went on to seal promotion with a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday a week later.

QPR: Camp, Edghill, Rose, Carlisle, Padula, Ainsworth, Bircham, Johnson, Rowlands, Gallen, Furlong
Subs not used: Day, Palmer, Thorpe, Gnohere, Cureton
Booked: Rowlands
Goals: Rowlands 2

Swindon: Evans, Gurney, O’Hanlon, Reeves, Nicholas (Smith), Igoe (Mooney), Miglioranzi (Howard), Hewlett, Duke, Parkin, Fallon
Subs not used: Griemink, Viveash
Booked: Gurney, Howard

Attendance: 18396

Swindon Town 1 QPR 1
Second Division
November 22 2004
With QPR backed by a sizeable travelling support and the crowd in somewhat boisterous mood following England’s Rugby World Cup success earlier in the day the R’s looked to cement their position at the top of the table. Things didn’t go to plan in the first half with QPR fan and permanent scourge of the Super Hoops Sam Parkin heading home the opening goal after some rash decision making by Chris Day who cam for a cross right on the edge of the area and left his goal un manned for Parkin to head into. In the second half the pattern of play switched completely with Rangers pouring forward. Martin Rowlands arrived late in the penalty area to slam in an equaliser but he and Tony Thorpe both struck the woodwork and in truth QPR were lucky not to win the game in the end despite hardly being in it during the first half.

Swindon: Evans, Heywood, Gurney, Ifil, Robinson (Nicholas), Duke, Miglioranzi, Howard (Reeeves), Hewlett, Mooney (Fallon), Parkin
Subs not used: Griemink, Smith
Goals: Parkin 39

QPR: Day, Edghill (Shittu), Carlisle, Forbes, Padula, Sabin (Ainsworth), Bircham, Bean (Palmer), Rowlands, Gallen, Thorpe
Subs not used: Culkin, Pacquette
Booked: Bean, Bircham, Padula, Sabin

Attendance: 10021

Head to Head:
Swindon wins – 35
Draws – 23
QPR wins - 40

Past Swindon v QPR results:
2003/04 QPR 1 Swindon 0 (Rowlands)
2003/04 Swindon 1 QPR 1 (Rowlands)
2002/03 Swindon 3 QPR 1 (Shittu)
2002/03 QPR 2 Swindon 0 (Gallen, Langley)
2001/02 Swindon 0 QPR 1 (Thomas)
2001/02 QPR 4 Swindon 0 (Doudou, Burgess, Gallen, Thomson)
1999/00 QPR 2 Swindon 1 (Ready, Beck)
1999/00 Swindon 0 QPR 1 (Langley)
1998/99 QPR 4 Swindon 0 (Kiwomya 2, Steiner, Rowland)
1998/99 Swindon 3 QPR 1 (Peacock)
1996/97 Swindon 1 QPR 1 (Hateley)
1996/97 QPR 1 Swindon 3 (Brazier)
1996/97 QPR 1 Swindon 1 (Murray)
1996/97 Swindon 1 QPR 2 (Dichio, Impey)
1993/94 QPR 1 Swindon 3 (Ferdinand)
1993/94 Swindon 1 QPR 0
1992/93 QPR 3 Swindon 0 (Ferdinand 2, Penrice)

Rangers' 3-0 FA Cup win against Swindon in 1993 is the featured game in this week's connections and memories column. Click here for more details.

Team News
It’s worth noting to start with that teams can name seven substitutes in this competition this season so bring your boots and you might get a game. QPR will start with Lee Camp in goal and it’s a chance for him to stake his claim after Radek Cerny’s uncertain debut on Saturday. Iain Dowie also has Sam Di Carmine and Damion Stewart back from suspension and available for selection but Martin Rowlands is still banned and can’t face the team he scored two goals against in the 2003/04 season. Elsewhere Akos Buzsaky and Rowan Vine are long term absentees while Matt Connolly was fit enough for the bench on Saturday but didn’t make it onto the pitch – he may get some game time in this one. Angelo Balanta may be pushing for some involvement after lacklustre performances by Blackstock and Agyemang at the weekend. It remains to be seen how many changes Dowie will make and how seriously he’s intending to take this competition but whatever he does we should have enough quality to beat Swindon if our attitude is right.

Swindon have a headache over their defensive selections. Jerel Ifill was injured against Tranmere on Saturday and doesn’t play while Patrick Kanyuka is also ruled out, I know who would have thought it eh? Ifill’s likely replacement at the heart of the defence is the giant Kevin Amankwaah who signed from Swansea City this summer and will certainly give Sam Di Carmine a warm welcome to the Rnglish game should Dowie pick the young Italian in his strike force. Sean Morrison and Chris Allen are also added to the squad.
Injury List

In this week's vote 90% of those who voted said they wanted to see Angelo Balanta given a chance from the start on Tuesday - results

Referee
The referee for this one is Richard Beeby who refereed QPR twice last season – the 0-0 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday and a 2-0 victory against Barnsley at Loftus Road. His last Swindon match was in April and QPR will be hoping for no repeat of events that day – they beat Port Vale 6-0.
Details

Elsewhere
Sky have two League Cup games this midweek – Chester City were beaten 6-0 at Dagenham on day one and things don’t get any easier for them on Tuesday as League One promotion favourites Leeds United come to the Deva Stadium. To be honest that looks like a bit of a whitewash waiting to happen whereas the game on Wednesday looks like it could be a lot more intriguing – again it features the promotion favourites from a higher league providing daunting opposition for a lower league side but while I don’t expect much from Chester against Leeds I’m looking forward to seeing how Wycombe do against Birmingham City. Far too many other ties to mention but some of the other eye catching ties include Plymouth travelling to crisis club Luton, Norwich going to Mk Dons and what’s sure to be a keenly contested Yorkshire derby between Huddersfield and Bradford.

Form
Both teams got off to winning starts at home on Saturday with Rangers unconvincing in a 2-1 success against Barnsley and Swindon 3-1 victors over Tranmere. Swindon have already faced Championship opposition at the County Ground this summer with a 1-1 draw against Cardiff in pre-season. They also beat Hungerford 4-2, Chippenham 4-1 and Hampton and Richmond 2-1 but lost 2-1 to Sailsbury. The headline match of the summer though was the home game with Premiership side Portsmouth which they lost 3-1. Swindon also enjoyed a successful tour of Austria over the summer where they held Fenerbache to a 1-1 draw and taking a two goal lead against Steau Bucharest before being held 2-2. When you look at the quality and variety of the opposition Swindon have faced this summer it really brings home how inadequate our pre-season friendlies were once again this year.

Prediction
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry I know I shouldn’t be miserable git, I know I shouldn’t be pessimistic I know I should have more faith but I am, I am and I don’t. Depending on team selection I just think this has disaster written all over it and while I’d love to be proven wrong I think this might be the latest in a long line of cup nightmares for Rangers. I'm going to put us down for a win with the added quality in our team getting us through but to be honest I don't really believe it myself.
Swindon 1 QPR 2