A somewhat truncated look ahead to the Tuesday night action as QPR prepare to face Sheffield United for the third time of Paul Hart's short reign at the club.

Queens Park Rangers (10th) v Sheffield United (8th)
FA Cup
Tuesday January 12, Kick Off 7.45pm
Loftus Road, London, W12

God do you know I was only saying earlier today that it’s been a good half an hour since I had to write a Sheffield United match preview, luckily I can get my fix again now. Actually that’s a lie, a third 4000 word effort on the division’s most dire and one dimensional team, so bad they take that crown ahead of a team managed by Paul Hart by a gnat’s cock hair, is beyond even my powers of waffle and with another trip to Bramall Lane just around the corner you will forgive me, or perhaps you won't, a vastly slimmed down preview for this cup replay.

Our previous two meetings with United this season have both ended 1-1, and I’ve seen nothing anywhere to suggest we won’t be going the full distance to penalty kicks on Tuesday. Both matches left me thanking God that we don’t support Sheffield United, and judging by the comments received on various articles and previews on here from Bladesmen the faithful at Bramall Lane don’t very much care for Kevin Blackwell’s style of “football” either - if indeed it can be called that. Don’t count your chickens, as the old saying goes, and it seems from Paul Hart’s comments in the ten days since our last match and our performance in Sheffield that we may well be watching a similar version of the Blades at Loftus Road between now and the end of the season.

Now it’s pretty obvious, I should imagine, that I don’t very much care for our new manager. But let’s be fair to him here and allow him to say it in his own words. Hart told the Ealing Gazette last week: “We've got to get back to basics. I understand Queens Park Rangers' traditions, but equally, we've got to start putting some points on the board and getting some wins. It might not be as pretty as we would like, but we are taking a step back to basics to ensure we play in the right areas. The performance against Sheffield United last week was a battling one and we need more of those.”

Well I suppose having blown his Bristol City “the QPR teams of the 1960s and 1970s shaped many of my core beliefs on how football should be played” bull shit programme notes out of the water within 90 minutes against Gary Johnson’s side he may as well totally give up the pretence early. Now I understand what he means about getting the ball in areas where it’s safe to play and express yourself and that’s fine, but wanting more of that Sheffield United dirge from last week? Purlease. Here was me thinking 90 minutes of clipping the ball into the air so that Agyemang could jump and duck at the same time and lose out in the air to Chris Morgan was not what we wanted at all but apparently I’m wrong.

In all honesty if we really believe that performances like the one at Bramall Lane are what we aspire to then I could actually cry. It’s usually at this point that I write ‘I give up’ and then set off to the match. Well this week I do actually give up. I can go on Tuesday, I can get there and I can afford it. But they can whistle for my money this week. I don’t want to go and I’m not going to. In fact the thought of attending has never once crossed my mind since the final whistle at Bramall Lane. Watching two teams of potentially talented and entertaining footballers at this level reduced to leathering the living shit out of each other for 90 minutes under the guidance of two managers who have a collective footballing heart the size of a pea is not for me. So bollocks to them, I’ll stay at home and keep my tenner thank you very much. And it won’t be the last time this season either.

Links >>> Original match preview >>> Sheff Utd Official Website >>> Sheff Utd Message Board

History
Recent Meetings:
These two face off again on Tuesday because they couldn’t be separated at Bramall Lane a week ago. In a truly horrific spectacle of football Sheffield United twice hit the bar, Stephen Quinn missing a first half sitter and Ched Evans rasping a distance effort against the frame of the goal late on, but had to settle for a replay thanks to Jay Simpson’s first half strike from the only real passing move of the game. QPR’s hopes of winning the tie at the first attempt were dashed when Richard Cresswell equalised, just as he had done in the earlier league game at Loftus Road, with a close range header in first half injury time. An advert for anything other than staying at home and reading a good book in the warmth this most certainly was not.

Sheff Utd: Bunn 6, Geary 6, Morgan 7, Kilgallon 7 (Seip 46, 6), Taylor 5, Ward 6 (Little 87, -), Montgomery 5, Quinn 6 (Williamson 78, 6), Cresswell 7, Evans 6, Camara 6
Subs Not Used: Bennett, France, Reid, Harper
Booked: Cresswell (handball), Taylor (foul), Geary (foul)
Goals: Cresswell 45 (assisted Quinn)

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 6, Stewart 7, Gorkss 7, Borrowdale 6, Routledge 7, Faurlin 6, Leigertwood 6, Buzsaky 5 (Ephraim 71, 6), Simpson 6, Agyemang 5 (Helguson 85, -)
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Hall, Connolly, Balanta, Parker
Booked: Faurlin (foul)
Goals: Simpson 39 (assisted Routledge)

Paul Hart started life as QPR manager with a dire draw against Sheffield United at Loftus Road just before Christmas. Mikele Leigertwood gave Hart the best possible start to life in the Rangers’ dugout with a goal against his former club inside the opening minute but Ben Watson’s wayward back pass allowed Halford to set up Cresswell for an equaliser soon afterwards. Although Watson went close to winning the game with a header against the bar in stoppage time a draw always looked the favourite result with United happy to remorselessly waste time for every time the ball went out of play for the final hour of the game.

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 5, Stewart 6, Gorkss 7, Williams 7, Routledge 6, Leigertwood 6, Watson 5, Simpson 5 (Vine 68, 3), Taarabt 6, Agyemang 6
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Hall, Pellicori, Faurlin, Balanta, Parker
Booked: Stewart (foul)
Goals: Leigertwood 2 (unassisted)

Sheff Utd: Bunn 6, Stewart 7, Kilgallon 7, Morgan 7, Walker 7, Montgomery 7, Quinn 8, Kallio 6, Harper 6, Cresswell 6, Ward 7
Subs Not Used: Bennett, France, Evans, Reid, Little, Geary, Camara.
Booked: Morgan (foul), Bunn (time wasting)
Goals: Cresswell 8 (assisted Halford)

Head to Head
QPR Wins – 15
Draws – 18
Sheff Utd wins – 13

Previous Sheff Utd v QPR results:
2009/10 Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1 (Simpson)
2009/10 QPR 1 Sheff Utd 1 (Leigertwood)
2008/09 QPR 0 Sheff Utd 0
2008/09 Sheff Utd 3 QPR 0
2007/08 QPR 1 Sheff Utd 1 (Balanta)
2007/08 Sheff Utd 2 QPR 1 (Agyemang)
2005/06 Sheff Utd 2 QPR 3 (Nygaard, Morgan og, Furlong)
2005/06 QPR 2 Sheff Utd 1 (Bircham, Moore)
2004/05 Sheff Utd 3 QPR 2 (Rowlands, Gallen)
2004/05 QPR 0 Sheff Utd 1
2003/04 Sheff Utd 0 QPR 2 (Rowlands 2)
2000/01 QPR 1 Sheff Utd 3 (Ngonge)
2000/01 Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1 (Koejoe)
1999/00 Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1 (Beck)
1999/00 QPR 3 Sheff Utd 1 (Breaker, Wardley, Steiner)
1998/99 Sheff Utd 2 QPR 0
1998/99 QPR 1 Sheff Utd 2 (Peacock pen)
1997/98 QPR 2 Sheff Utd 2 (Sheron, Ready)
1997/98 Sheff Utd 2 QPR 2 (Murray, Morrow)
1996/07 QPR 1 Sheff Utd 0 (Spencer pen)
1996/97 Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1 (Slade)
1993/94 Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1 (Barker)
1993/94 QPR 2 Sheff Utd 1 (Wilson pen, Sinclair)
1992/93 Sheff Utd 1 QPR 2 (Allen, Holloway)
1992/93 QPR 3 Sheff Utd 2 (Ferdinand, Barker, Bailey)
1991/92 Sheff Utd 0 QPR 0
1991/92 QPR 1 Sheff Utd 0 (Wegerle)

Played for both clubs:
Vinnie Jones
Sheffield United 1990-91
QPR 1999
Few names from Rangers’ past can get the blood boiling more than Vincent Peter Jones, after his now infamous spell at Loftus Road. Picked up from the Swedish second division by Wimbledon in 1986, Jones quickly gained a reputation of a hard man which was highlighted in the famous picture of him grabbing Paul Gascoinge’s crown jewels in a match against Newcastle. Whist at the Dons Jones was part of the ‘Crazy Gang’ that would go on to cause one of the biggest ever FA Cup shocks by beating Liverpool in the 1988 final. A year later he joined Leeds and curbed his hard man image, receiving only three yellow cards in his one season at Elland Road helping the Yorkshire club to promotion back to Division One. After only a season Vinnie was on the move again this time joining Sheffield United. He played 35 times for the Blades in his spell at Bramall Lane but longed to move back to London.

Chelsea took him back to the capital but again only lasted a year and he then re-joined Wimbledon. This time Jones stuck around and would go on to stay at Selhurst Park for four seasons before getting a call from Ray Harford down at Loftus Road. Harford bought in Jones as player/coach along with Neil Ruddock to beef up the R’s as they battled relegation from Division One. However when Harford was sacked and the job was given to the returning Gerry Francis, Jones threw a wobbly because he was overlooked for the post. Jones was so angry he left the club and retired from the game, but the cash-strapped club were still paying the petulant ‘coach’ as he chased his new dream as a Hollywood actor. Few have forgiven him since for both sucking an obscene amount of money out of Rangers and for some of the truly awful film roles we’ve had to put up with since. -AR

Links >>> Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1 Match Report >>> QPR 1 Sheff Utd 1 Match Report >>> Match Report Archive >>> Connections and Memories

This Tuesday
Team News: New loan signing Carl Ikeme is ineligible to play in this fixture but all signs point to him being given a chance to shine at Blackpool on Saturday rather than simply warm the bench as Tom Heaton did. Heidar Helguson, who came on as a sub in the first game, is now back with Watford so will play no part here. Youngster Antonio German has been added to the squad in his stead. Lee Cook may finally make the bench for the first time this season after impressing in training over the last week. Martin Rowlands and Gavin Mahon remain long term absentees while it seems Alessandro Pellicori has played his last game for the club and is set to return to Italy.

United are without two players who featured in the first game because of injury. Striker Henri Camara is out, joining top scorer Darius Henderson on the treatment table which probably means it will be Richard Cresswell and Ched Evans leading the line against us with Jamie Ward in support. Centre half Matt Kilgallon, now apparently not Newcastle bound, left the field at half time against us and is out with a hamstring injury giving new loan signing Marcel Seip a chance from the start. Gary Naysmith is out with a knee injury but Lee Williamson is fit again and pushing for a start.

Elsewhere: Five ties will attempt to beat the weather on Tuesday night to be played to their conclusion. Probably the stand out game is the in from teams in the top two divisions, Birmingham and Nottingham Forest, meeting at St Andrews. Bristol City v Cardiff is a first attempt rather than a replay, their original meeting was frozen off a week ago. Portsmouth won’t be relishing a trip to Coventry much, although such is the state of that club at the moment I’m not sure you could actually call a City win an upset if it did happen. Liverpool v Reading and Newcastle v Plymouth (poor sods) play Wednesday.

Referee:
Northamptonshire official Andy Woolmer is in charge of this one, his first QPR game since November 2008 when the R's were beaten 2-1 at home by Burnley. His last Sheffield United fixture was a 2-2 draw at Plymouth in the league last February. More details at the link below.

Links >>> Dean Sturridge Memorial Injury List >>> Arthur Gnohere Discipline Counter >>> Woolmer in charge >>> Referee League

Form
QPR:The draw at Sheff Utd means it is just one win in nine games for QPR, and that sole victory was the dire match against Bristol City where the team was booed off despite winning because the fans objected to Paul Hart’s miserable tactical approach to the game. Hart said the football club needed a win but that remains the only success in nine for the R’s and the value and bundling a win by finishing with a 6-3-1 formation was shown immediately when the R’s were taken apart at Ipswich 3-0 in the next game. QPR have not been further than the third round since 2001 and have lost at the first possible opportunity in this competition for the last eight seasons, three after replays. The nine teams to beat us since we bundled our way past Luton in 2001 are Arsenal, Chelsea, Blackburn, Forest, Burnley, Luton, Swansea, Vauxhall Motors and Grimsby Town.

Sheff Utd: Although United slipped a place to eighth without even playing at the weekend the draw with us in the FA Cup last week made it just one defeat from ten games played. Kevin Blackwell looked to be in some difficulty earlier this season when a run of eight games without a win left them languishing in the bottom half of the table after being many people’s pre-season tip for promotion. However the board kept faith and he has repaid them with an impressive run that has coincided with a return to fitness for several key players. They have won five of their last nine. The Blades have not lost to QPR since the memorable 3-2 win at Bramall Lane under Gary Waddock, five games and three seasons ago. United won the only previous FA Cup meeting between these sides 1-0 at Loftus Road in the fourth round in 1923.

Prediction: I see few reasons to suggest this game is going to be anything different from the dirge these two have served up twice already this season. Expect dire football, plenty of stoppages and injuries, few goals, a tight game, extra time and probably penalties as well. Who would bet against Cerny, apparently set for the chop at the weekend, coming out on top in such a situation – he has already saved two spot kicks this season, although Barnsley’s Andy Gray converted the rebound.
Penalties, Cerny to save at least two

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