QPR's long slow crawl through various meaningless matches into the summer break continues on Saturday at Cardiff.

Cardiff City (7th) v Queens Park Rangers (11th)

Championship >>> Saturday April 16, 2016 >>> Kick Off 15.00 >>> Weather — Overcast, dry >>> Cardiff City Stadium

QPR return to South Wales on Saturday for the first time since July, when really this whole bumble of a season began with a pre-season friendly at Newport County.

The rain had the phone ringing off the hook at the ark builders' yard and the animals queued in pairs for tickets in the covered side stand. The pitch/swamp played with less speed and zip than Bob Malcolm after a heavy night at the Corby branch of the Glasgow Rangers Supporters and Social Club. Rangers gallantly held the League Two side to a 0-0 draw.

What's followed since has been rather tame by QPR's standards. Just the three managers this season and no bankruptcy proceedings, meningitis outbreaks, brawls with touring Chinese sides, FA inquiries into dodgy transfer dealings, chairmen being "forced to resign" at gunpoint, court cases, deaths or last minute Wembley winners to speak of. Standards are slipping.

But there has been progress made since that sodden day at (ageing Welsh drag act) Rodney Parade. It looked at that stage like Oscar Gobern and the likes were going to have to play some serious part this season, while the big hitters all seemed certain to leave. When they all stayed hopes of a promotion push sprang once more, only for them to turn out not to be very good — Charlie Austin apart — and Chris Ramsey was predictably sacked.

Things seem to have settled down considerably under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and there's even suggestion that the club has met the Financial Fair Play target for this season which will prevent a transfer embargo being imposed from next January. That's still in the 'believe it when I see it' folder but it will be a remarkable achievement if it is the case. Even CEO Lee Hoos, who will deserve all the credit in the world if it is achieved, said he thought there was "fat chance of that happening" when he arrived back in the summer.

Hasselbaink has succeeded, or at least started to succeed, where Ramsey and Neil Warnock both failed with this group of players — getting them to score without leaving themselves wide open at the other end. Ramsey went the Kevin Keegan route and found his side needing to score three times every week to win, Warnock went the pragmatic route and parked six midfielders in front of four defenders with no striker on the field and focused on the clean sheets. The defence still needs lots of work, and a few new faces, as the last half hour of the Charlton game and all of the Middlesbrough match before it showed clearly. But it's a mile better than it was in August and September — helped greatly by having a half decent goalkeeper.

I guess the easy way to look ahead to tomorrow, and Tuesday night’s difficult trip to Brighton, is the hope that further progress is made in the remaining matches. But there were, for the first time, hints in the Charlton game, and by all accounts at Leeds, that minds are starting to wonder towards the summer holiday with nothing at stake.

There’s plenty for the likes of Jack Robinson to get their teeth into, but the rubbers are well dead for QPR now and it’s certainly all eyes on next season.

Links >>> Ray Jones — History >>> Olive branches — Opposition Profile >>> Hope Springs — Interview >>> Martin's first QPR game — Referee >>> Blood the youngsters — Podcast

Richard Langley notches a last minute winner against Cardiff for Ian Holloway's Rangers back in 2002/03. The victory was part of a remarkable run which carried the R's into the play off zone only for them to lose the final to Cardiff at the Millennium Stadium.

Saturday

Team News:

The BBC seems to think Jamie Mackie might be available after he limped out of the Leeds game with another hamstring complaint, but given his previous with that injury this season, and Hasselbaink saying at the time it "looks a bad one" I'd be very surprised. James Perch is out for a few weeks with the thigh injury he collected against Charlton. With Cole Kpekawa struggling rather as a substitute last week and Gabrielle Angella and Clint Hill also suffering their own injury problems you might get a game in the back four yourself if you bring your boots. Matt Phillips is a doubt with his finger now apparently permanently stuck up his arse and showing no signs of being pulled out any time soon.

Anthony Pilkington is seeing if he can move his appointment at the tattoo emporium to later in the week so he can play. Stuart O'Keefe might turn up if he feels like it but Ben Turner's agoraphobia rules him out.

Elsewhere: One can only imagine the nation grinding to a complete standstill at midday tomorrow with the entire population no doubt glued to the classic-in-waiting between Already Relegated Bolton and promotion chasing, but always overly defensive, Middlesbrough. One can only imagine that when they came together at The Freemason's Tavern in old London Town back in 1863 to form the Football Association and formalise the rules of the sport, that this sort of belter was what they had in mind. Get there early, it's sure to be packed.

There's a couple of bits and pieces tonight which relate to the promotion picture. Tigers Tigers Rah Rah Rah, choking so hard even a Heimlich manoeuvre might struggle to revive them now, are at home to Wolves — who presumably, under Assem Allam's logic, attract massive support from the Far East as they're named after a big scary animal. Brighton will have the posh doilies out for Tarquin and Rupert.

There's another full programme of Championship action on Tuesday — of course there is — but if you just can't stand to wait until then there's another nine matches pencilled in here for 15.00 if people can still be arsed. Not sure why they would be at Preston v Franchise, The Mad Chick Farmers v Huddersfield, Champions of Europe v Waitrose or Brentford v Bristol City but there we go, gets them out the house I suppose.

Our opponents need a slip from the Sheffield Owls against Ipswich, and the LFW message board could probably do with Neil Warnock turning it in for a bit — though his in form Rotherham side will be clear favourites to beat Nottingham Trees whose decision to sack Dougie Freedman while comfortably midtable looks more and more inspired with each passing defeat.

Charlton v Derby Sheep technically has something at stake, although both are resigned to their respective fates. Likewise Burnley, whose procession to the title reaches Birmingham this weekend.

You've been the sweetest part of my life so long, I look in your eyes, there's a distant light and you and I know there'll be a storm tonight. This is getting serious.

Referee: In the latter years of his varied career, Steve Martin has apparently turned his comedic talents to refereeing and will take charge of QPR for the first time this Saturday. Watch out though, last time he was on this ground he thought it would be hilarious to award Cardiff two penalties in a match against Blackpool. Some brief details and stats here.

Form

Cardiff: City are five points shy of the play-offs, but that damage has been done away from South Wales where they've only won five times and lost last week at struggling Fulham. At home, they've only lost twice all season, winning 11, with Hull and Leeds the only sides to record a maximum on this ground this season. They've only won two of the last six going into this game, but still have a trip to sixth-placed Sheff Wed to come so can still trouble the play off picture. Cardiff have scored more headers (14) than any other side in the division.

QPR: There have been a league-high 13 goals scored in injury time in games involving QPR this season (hat tip @Jack_Supple who is worth a follow) — seven scored and six conceded — following last week's spectacular winner against Charlton. This is intensely annoying, because staying right to the end means there's a big queue at the bar in the Crown and Sceptre when I return after the match. Rangers haven't won away from home in six attempts since a 3-0 success at Rotherham in January, but have drawn five of the subsequent games including the last two at Preston and Leeds. The overall total of just four away wins this season from 20 games played is the division's worst record north of sixteenth, and only the bottom three sides have won fewer on their travels.

Prediction: Reigning Prediction League champion isawqpratwhitecity tells us…

"Since January, Cardiff's away form has been ordinary (1-3-2) but their home form is strong (4-1-1). The draw was a tame effort against the Dons at the start of February and the loss was a bit unlucky after losing a man against Leeds, but the wins, to date, were Brighton, Preston, Ipswich and Derby, all teams pushing for promotion. On that basis, I don't rate our chances. Jimmy has been making great strides with this team, so don't rule out an upset, but..."

Jim's Prediction: Cardiff 2-1 QPR. Scorer: Seb Polter

LFW's Prediction: Cardiff 1-1 QPR. Scorer: Tjaronn Chery

The Twitter @loftforwords

Pictures — Action Images

Photo: Action Images

TacticalR added 15:05 - Apr 16 Thanks for your preview. Even early in the season, when Ramsey was in charge, there was 'training game' feel to some of our matches. Now that there's nothing to play for and it looks like some of the bigger names will be departing, it's not surprising there's a 'pre-seaon to the pre-season' feel about the whole thing.
0

Queens Park Rangers Polls