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QPR prepare for Bridge battle with Chelsea - full match preview
QPR prepare for Bridge battle with Chelsea - full match preview
Wednesday, 23rd Sep 2009 11:41

QPR are back in cup action tonight as Jim Magilton takes his team down the road to face West London neighbours Chelsea in a tie eagerly anticipated by the success starved Rangers fans.

Chelsea v Queens Park Rangers
Carling sponsored League Cup
Wednesday September 23, Kick Off 7.45pm
Stamford Bridge, London, SW6


“A lot of these foreign boys won’t have ever experienced a proper cup night like this,” said Gary McAllister on Sky Sports prior to the kick off at Leeds v Liverpool on Tuesday evening. Elland Road was packed (you’ve got to wonder where those 20,000 “loyal supporters” have been for the last few years), the atmosphere crackled, the game ebbed and flowed, storylines and intrigue littered the teams and match and ultimately we were close to an upset but not quite close enough. It was everything a great English cup night should be about and the much maligned Leeds fans gave both sets of players a standing ovation at the end in appreciation of what they had seen. Back to the bread and butter of Milton Keynes for Leeds on Saturday, but for one night on Tuesday they were mixing it, and mixing it very competently, with the big boys again.

How long though before we are left to say that not many of our young English players will have ever experienced a proper cup night like that? According to the BBC the next best cup tie on Tuesday night, or at least the one they selected for radio coverage on the Sports Extra channel, was Nottingham Forest v Blackburn. A Premiership side visiting a Championship one, a chance for an upset, a decent looking game on paper – attendance 11,533. The influx of foreign players and managers, the improved quality of the Premiership, the expolsion in popularity and importance of the Champions League and the massive television contracts may have brought a great deal to football and changed it beyond allrecognition - but it has done terrible damage to the famous institutions that are the British cup competitions.

The Carling Cup throws up a couple of ties a round such as the Liverpool Leeds one, and at the semi final and final stage is often a thrilling competition fought out between sides with little chance of a shot at silverwear elsewhere. For the most part though it is an unloved cup watched by nobody and played out in front of grounds that have whole sides closed to the public. The FA Cup risks going the same way and in many cases has already started – our replay defeat at Burnley last season in front of three men and a dog was depressing stuff for more reasons than just the result.

Cup football is absolutely fantastic. Cup football gives fans and players a chance to dream. It’s all very well saying we’re not going to win the League Cup but Barnsley got to the semi final of the FA Cup a season ago and Cardiff the final. Tranmere have been in a major final from this level. Chesterfield got to the semi final of the FA Cup from the bottom division. It can happen, it does happen, it could be you and your team at Wembley. On the 1992/93 season video Les Ferdinand talks about wanting to stay at Loftus Road because of his belief that we could “even” challenge for one of the cups - these days he’d be asking to leave because that is all we were capable of

Give me a choice now between beating Chelsea or beating Barnsley and Newcastle in the league and I’d take the latter. And I hate myself for it. It’s a disgusting way of thinking. The cup competitions in this country should be sacrosanct and treated as the opportunities they are, not as some irritation that gets in the way between another “Super Sunday” meeting with Spurs and that oh so crucial Champions League second (of six) qualifying match with FC Cruj of Whothefuckknowswhereisstan. Lifting a cup should be the ultimate prize, the ultimate goal - are your grandkids going to be impressed when you sit them down and tell them about the day you watched QPR lift an actual cup or the year we finishged seventh in the Premiership and qualified for the bloody Europa League because Manchester City had finished sixth and were already inthrough another route?

Resting players? Concentrating on the league? Barnsley at home? Distracted by Flavio Briatore being told he’s not allowed to play with the big Scalextric set any more? Do me a favour. This is it lads, Chelsea away, 6000 QPR fans – give it your best bloody shot, restore some faith in the British cup competitions, leave it all out there on the pitch, and come home with no regrets.

Five minutes on Chelsea
Recent History: I’ll stick to recent history as usual in the preview for fear of confusing 80% of the Chelsea fans with mention of the likes of Robert Fleck and Dave Beasant. Before you write in Chelsea fans allow me to present my case of the prosecution – there were half as many at Chelsea v Tottenham in the first year of the Premiership (1992/93) as were there on Sunday. That’s a hell of a lot of missing “lifelong”, “died in the wool” Chelsea fans. Prosecution rests.

Anyway while QPR were sinking out of the Premiership after the Ferdinand sale, never once stopping to open their eyes and realise they were about to spectacularly miss the television money ship by getting relegated at just the wrong time, Chelsea were just starting to dabble in the trendy new world of British football. With Ken Bates as chairman the club signed famous foreign stars like Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli, Marcel Desailly, Roberto Di Matteo and Ruud Gullit.

Initially at Chelsea, as at many clubs, these superstars mixed in with the more traditional English pros and journeymen to create situations where Paul Furlong was having his goals set up by Ruud Gullit and Jody Morris was partnering Di Matteo in midfield. Quickly these players have themselves been replaced so that you now find very few established Premiership teams with an English majority in their starting eleven, and certainly you don’t find many players like Morris, Erland Johnson, Kevin Hitchcock and Eddie Newton playing the game at the top level any more. Players that used to be the staple diet of Premiership sides now struggle to make a living in League One or lower.

Chelsea tried valiantly to keep pace with this rate of change, even winning the old Cup Winners Cup and FA Cup a couple of times along the way, but with debts spiralling out of control Bates was forced to look for a buyer or face the prospect of bankrupting the club he had saved from such a fate in the first place. What a buyer they found – say what you want about Abramovic being dodgy, crippling the club with a wage bill they simply couldn’t afford if he up and left, inflating the transfer market and all other criticisms that get thrown his way but the man must be some sort of demi-God to Chelsea fans.

While the Champions League has so far eluded them and the antics on and off the pitch of people like Drogba, Kenyon, and the Chelsea scouting team that has made a habit of upsetting smaller clubs by stealing their best young players (Scott Sinclair from Bristol Rovers springs to mind) have done few favours for for a club Abramovic allegedly wants to be loved by the general public as entertainers it is hard to argue with the results. They have won the Premiership twice for the first time since 1955 and although we all chortled when Barcelona whacked in that fabulous late winner at Stamford Bridge in last year’s Champions League, and when John Terry fell over taking a potentially trophy winning penalty against Man Utd in Moscow the season before last, you do get the feeling it is ‘when’ they win that cup, not ‘if’.

It’s when not if for Abramovic as well, because he won’t be around forever, and Chelsea are nowhere near self sufficient enough to cope without him. I am sure for now Chelsea fans don’t care as long as the trophies keep flowing in but as we may be about to find out ourselves – spending massively above your means on players and relying on one man to keep it all going is a risky business if, for whatever reason, that one man suddenly cannot continue to fulfil the role.

The Manager: Following the disastrous appointment of Luis Felipe Scolari as Chlsea boss last summer the club did well to salvage anything at all from their season let alone come out the other end as FA Cup winners. That owed much to the marked improvement under Dutchman Guus Hiddink who was brought in as a trouble shooter midway through the campaign. Fans and players alike took to Hiddink and pleaded with the club to make his stay more permanent this summer. Alas Hiddink was only ever a temporary appointment and when he returned to the day job of coaching the Russian national team into next year’s World Cup Chelsea turned instead to AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian has won every major honour in the Italian domestic and European games with Milan over an eight year spell. As a player he was a European cup winner and 26times capped Italian international with Parma, Roma and Milan between 1976 and 1992. He started his coaching career by guiding Reggiana into Serie A in his first season in charge but then left to manage Parma and then Juventus, finishing runner up twice in Serie A in 1997 and 1998. He was appointed AC Milan manager in 2001 and it was here that he really made his mark as a world class coach. He won the Champions League twice and lost another thrilling final against Liverpool, and won Serie A as well in 2004.

Nevertheless with the limited grasp of English and notoriously defensive tactics (the AC v Juventus European Cup final of 2003 is still one of the worst in living memory) this looked a risky appointment – certainly no Hiddink. Chelsea seem to have settled in well with their new boss though. They have seven wins in normal time and a penalty shoot out success against Man Utd in the Charity Shield from their opening eight games. Hiddink has brushed aside the idea that Anelka and Drogba cannot be paired together in attack and done just that great effect. Chelsea are scoring freely, playing good football, and have already shown great character in coming from behind to win on three occasions already in this fledgling season. It’s early days yet, and Chelsea started brilliantly under Scolari 12 months ago, but all the signs are good at the moment. The acid test for Ancelotti will come in January when the African Nations Cup combined with the recent transfer embargo placed on the club leaves him woefully short in a number of key areas, most notably attack.

Three to Watch: Who not to watch? Chelsea are currently the best team in the country on league record and are yet to lose in eight matches so far this season, winning seven of them. The League Cup is probably some way down the Blues’ list of priorities this season, particularly with a transfer window in which they are not permitted to operate and an African Nations Cup that will rob them of several key players to come at the turn of the year. Chelsea will however use tonight as an opportunity to start Joe Cole for the first time in eight months since he damaged ligaments in the FA Cup match against Southend.

Cole was touted as one of the greatest players ever produced by this country as he emerged through the ranks at West Ham. Sometimes he was a little bit too ‘flicky and tricky’ without a lot of end substance, sometimes he seemed more bothered about his hair than his football, sometimes he flattered to deceive - but he was clearly an outstanding footballer right from day one at Upton Park. The piss poor management of Glenn Roeder meant a West Ham team containing Cole, Paulo Di Canio, Jermaine Defoe and others was relegated in 2003 and that enabled Chelsea to swoop for Cole for the relatively cheap fee of £6.6m. Cole has since rounded his game into the complete attacking midfield package. He can be devastatingly effective on his day and with a World Cup to come at the end of the year he will be keen to prove his worth to Fabio Capello following an eight month injury lay off.

Personally Cole would be one of the first people on the plane if it was up to me, and one of the first names on the team sheet as well. While the nation drools over Aaron Lennon’s recent form let’s not forget that this time last year everybody though Ashley Young was going to be England’s new messiah and he seems to have drifted out of Capello’s thoughts for now. Cole has not only shown up for England at major championships, but he can also fill the problem left sided position with ease. England need him fit and available for next summer and tonight is the first step on that road.

Somebody else who will probably be given a chance to impress tonight is young striker Daniel Sturridge. Chelsea await a decision from a tribunal on just how much the 20 year old will cost them after picking him up at the end of his Manchester City contract in the summer. Sturridge is hardly flavour of the month at his old club after the media wildly speculated on just how much money he was asking for to stay at Eastlands - £60k a week screams one tabloid, £75k a week says another. These stories, I would hope, are exaggerated but it is clear that a player fresh out of City’s youth academy and with only 21 first team appearances and five goals to his name had ideas above his station in City’s eyes. He would probably disagree, and Chelsea have bought a player with undoubted potential, but the idea of somebody so young and inexperienced demanding so much so soon has commentators ringing their hands and bemoaning the state of the game. His chances to prove the doubters wrong have been few and far between so far but he may well get a chance to start tonight.

Another new face in the Chelsea side tonight is wide man Yuri Zhirkov. he can play left wing or left back and was signed in the summer from CSKA Moscow. Ray Wilkins says the Russian will make his first start tomorrow so watch out for his swift pace down the Chelsea left.

Links >>> Chelsea Official Website >>> Chelsea Message Board >>> Travel Guide

History
Recent Meetings:
When these two sides last met in January 2008 QPR were just starting their rebuilding job at the beginning of Flavio Briatore’s first transfer window in charge at Loftus Road. Manager Luigi De Canio gave debuts to four new signings at Stamford Bridge and had another two waiting for their first appearances from the bench. Ultimately the R’s, solid but lacking ambition on the day, succumbed to a soft goal when Claudio Pizarro’s low shot rebounded into the net off QPR keeper Lee Camp after hitting the base of the post. Martin Rowlands fired a second half shot over from similar distance but ultimately second half injuries to Blackstock and Buzsaky put paid to any hopes of QPR springing a shock.

Chelsea: Hilario 7, Ferreira 8, Ben-Haim 7, Alex 7, Ashley Cole 6, Wright-Phillips 5 (Joe Cole 79, 6), Obi 6, Sidwell 8, Sinclair 5 (Drogba 60, 6), Kalou 6, Pizarro 7 (Ballack 71, 7)
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Belletti
Goals: Camp 28 og (assisted Pizarro)

QPR: Camp 7, Hall 8, Stewart 8, Barker 7, Ainsworth 6 (Agyemang 46, 6), Connolly 8, Mahon 8, Rowlands 8, Ephraim 6 (Balanta 65, 6), Blackstock 6, Buzsaky 6 (Lee 50, 7)
Subs Not Used: Bolder, Walton
Booked: Hall (foul)

Rangers and Chelsea shared the spoils at Stamford Bridge in March 1996. John Spencer gave the home side the lead after only eight minutes with a bullet header at the Shed End but Simon Barker had the R’s back on terms within ten minutes with a rasping drive from the edge of the area. A draw away from home was always a good result for that QPR side – who had lost 2-1 at Loftus Road against Chelsea in both league and cup prior to this game – but sadly come May they hadn’t accumulated enough points to stave off relegation.

Chelsea: Hitchcock, Clarke, Gullit, Spencer (Peacock) Hughes (Furlong) Wise, Burley, Lee (Johnsen) Petrescu, Phelan, Duberry

QPR: Sommer, Bardsley, Maddix (Ready) McDonald, Yates (Brazier) Brevett, Barker, Impey, Dichio, Gallen (Hateley) Sinclair

Attendance - 25 590 Head to Head:
Chelsea – 17
Draw – 17
QPR – 13

Previous Results:
2007/08 Chelsea 1 QPR 0 (FA Cup)
1995/96 Chelsea 1 QPR 1 (Barker)
1995/96 QPR 1 Chelsea 2 (Quashie)
1995/96 QPR 1 Chelsea 2 (Allen)
1994/95 Chelsea 1 QPR 0
1994/95 QPR 1 Chelsea 0 (Gallen)
1993/94 QPR 1 Chelsea 1 (Ferdinand)
1993/94 Chelsea 2 QPR 0
1992/93 QPR 1 Chelsea 1 (Allen)
1992/93 Chelsea 1 QPR 0
1991/92 Chelsea 2 QPR 1 (Allen)
1991/92 QPR 2 Chelsea 2 (Wilson, Peacock)

Links >>> Chelsea 1 QPR 0 Match Report >>> Match Report Archive >>> Connections and Memories

This Wednesday
Team News: QPR may be able to call on Adel Taarabt who missed training last week and the Cardiff City game with a bout of mumps. They will sadly be without young defender Matt Connolly who is laid low with a virus rumoured to be glandular fever. Ben Watson is cup tied after appearing for Wigan in their humiliation at Blackpool in an earlier round before joining Rangers. Tom Heaton is likely to be given another start in goal, his only previous appearance came in this competition against Accrington. Fitz Hall is back in training after his groin injury but this game comes too soon for him and Angelo Balanta who is out with a similar complaint.

Chelsea should have a couple of big guns available should they wish to use them. Didier Drogba limped out of the weekend win against Tottenham with a calf injury but that is not serious and he is available if Ancelotti so desires. Long term injury victim Joe Cole is expected to use this game as a chance for a comeback after eight months out of action with knee ligament damage suffered in the FA Cup at Southend in January. Russian wing back Yuri Zhirkov is expected to make his first start for the club.

Elsewhere: The tie of the round was played on Tuesday night and saw Leeds miss a hat full of chances against Liverpool before succumbing to a single goal from David Ngog. Barnsley knocked out Premiership side Burnley but Blackpool eventually went down 4-3 at Stoke. There are six more ties on Wednesday night with Man Utd Reserves v Wolves Reserves disgracefully selected as the live television game ahead of the more attractive Preston v Spurs game. Hull v Everton and Man City v Fulham are the all Premiership clashes, Aston Villa will look to avoid a repeat of their defeat to QPR at this stage last year when they take on Cardiff at Villa Park – the Bluebirds must bounce back after being beaten by the R’ themselves on Saturday.

Referee: A Premiership ground, and a Premiership referee for the tie as well – Michael Jones from Chester is in charge for this one. Jones has refereed QPR several times in the past, most recently taking charge of a dour 0-0 between us and Southampton at St Mary’s last season. His record with the R’s in knockout football is not positive from our point of view – he sent off Stefan Bailey in an FA Cup replay at Luton three seasons ago which the R’s contrived to lose 1-0 late on despite dominating from start to finish.

Links >>> Dean Sturridge Memorial Injury List >>> Arthur Gnohere Discipline Counter >>> Jones takes charge >>> Referee League

Form
Chelsea: The Blues have slipped seamlessly into life under Carlo Ancelotti despite many wishing that Guus Hiddink had stayed longer after turning things around last season. Their early season form has given rise to hope that this could well be their year in the Premiership again, it remains to be seen whether that coveted first ever European Cup can be theirs this time. Chelsea are yet to be beaten in eight games played in all competitions this season, winning seven of them. They have beaten Hull, Burnley, Porto and Spurs at Stamford Bridge conceding just one goal and scoring nine of their own in the process. At the weekend Spurs were beaten 3-0 although it could have been very different had Robbie Keane been awarded the penalty he deserved at 0-0. They are already three points and three goals better off the nearest challengers Man Utd and sit top of the Premiership after six matches. In the league this season they have come from behind to win on three occasions – at Stoke (2-1), Sunderland (3-1) and Hull at home on the first day (2-1). Chelsea’s 86 match unbeaten home run, that included a 1-0 cup success against QPR, was ended last season by Liverpool but they have since started putting another run together with 18 games unbeaten on their own patch since Arsenal won there in 2-1 in November.

QPR: Rare though QPR wins undoubtedly are it seems that they come in pairs when they do happen. The 1-0 win at Scunthorpe at the end of September was the R’s first on the road since a 3-0 tonking of Blackpool in January – that came on the back of a 2-0 win at Derby and sure enough on Saturday the Scunthorpe result was followed by another win, 2-0 at Cardiff. QPR are currently positioned in mid-table in the Championship despite losing a game less than third place Middlesbrough due to a combination of too many drawn games and a postponement. Three points in that game in hand against Palace would move the R’ into play off contention but at the moment it is the four draws, particularly the 1-1 stalemates with Blackpool and Plymouth, that look like the big missed opportunities. Rangers haven’t won three away games on the spin since beating Gillingham, Crewe and Brighton in August and September 2004.

Prediction: Of course a Chelsea win is the only prediction here. If the game goes to plan, even with a reserve side out, Chelsea should comfortably have enough to dispose of QPR by two or three goals without even trying very hard. What normally happens in these situations is that the bit team plays within themselves and does just enough, as Man Utd and Chelsea themselves have done to us recently. It’s the hope that keeps you going and in this competition last year not only did Rangers win at Villa but Burnley came here and won on penalties as well. So there is hope, not much, but hope all the same.
Chelsea, narrowly

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Photo: Action Images



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