QPR go into the Wolves' lare on Saturday aiming to prevent the table topping home side from sealing their promotion to the Premiership with a victory.

Wolves 1st v Queens Park Rangers 10th
Coca Cola Championship
Saturday April 18, Kick Off 3pm
Molineux, Wolverhampton

“Are we in the stand where they spit on you from above, or the one where they spit on you from the side?” asked one message board wit as the confusion over just where on earth the QPR support is going to be sitting this Saturday deepened. You’ve got to laugh really, what a thoroughly unpleasant hole in the ground this is to spend a Saturday afternoon.

I hate watching other people celebrate at our expense. Even last Saturday at Burnley in a meaningless match I noticed some red faced, pissed up, wife beating Lancastrian made a special effort to come to the front of the main stand and dance around like a deranged chimp to Tom Hark in front of an away support of roughly 150. I can’t stand it, and I don’t understand fans who purposefully go and sit as close to the stand containing opposition fans as they can get. Sure it’s hilarious to see the fat drummer at Leicester silenced as Marc Nygaard rips one in from 35 yards but QPR have won three times on the road this season – three. That means 24 times this season in all competitions we have had to sit there while the fans of other teams gloat. And people enjoy putting themselves in that situation.

At Wolves on Saturday we have no close but to sit close to the Wolves fans. Originally we were allocated the lower tier of the side stand where the locals welcome you with green balls of phlegm that are dismissed immediately as “condensation from the roof” by stewards too poorly paid and lacking in self esteem and confidence to do anything about it. That has now changed and we’re going to be penned in behind the goal again – Wolves are suddenly able to sell out their ground now success is imminent and consequently we have had to give way to the hangers on. If the stand behind the goal is segregated as last time we will be close enough to the home fans to reach across the divide and shake hands – if you’re confident enough that said locals won’t rip your arm clean out of its socket and beat you to death with the soggy end were you to do so.

If it’s bad enough being near supporters celebrating a goal at your expense how about a championship or promotion. West Brom last season celebrated winning this league on our pitch after our captain had been harshly sent off with QPR on top at the time. Crewe won promotion at Loftus Road after similarly dire refereeing decisions went their way. Cardiff and Reading both went up with victories against QPR, Everton and Liverpool won league titles with results against us in the late 1980s. Ian Holloway said watching Cardiff celebrate beating us at the Millennium Stadium drove Rangers on the following season. It’s bloody irritating at times and I hope we somehow manage to pinch something from Wolves on Saturday just to postpone their celebrations until we are at a safe distance – failing that, let’s hope it gives our players a taste for it.

Five minutes on Wolves
I now I often harp back to this when writing about our opponents this weekend but the abiding memory I have of them, the image I would show people new to the game to sum the Wolves club up, is the fan proudly unfurling a bed sheet at the end of a make or break end of season match at Molineux with the words “You’ve let us don again” painted across it in thick black letters. Somebody somewhere had actually gone to a crucial match at Wolves adequately prepared the slate the players publicly, just in case they did indeed cock things up.

Wolves always start seasons in this league as favourites, they always seem to spend more money than anybody else and they always seem to find a way to completely cock it up well and truly. Only once since its inception in 1992 have they graced the top flight, and it took a manager as good as Dave Jones to get them there. They stayed for nine months, came back, and have been stuck here ever since.

I have also often said that the fans are a big part of the problem. Molineux can be a very intimidating place for an away side to play, but it can also be that way for the home team as well. The fans in this part of the world, as shown by the bed sheet incident, will turn on their own side very quickly and very vocally. The fixture between these two last season was farcical not only for the defending both teams put in during a 3-3 draw but also by the way the home crowd swung from catcalls and jeers towards their own players whenever QPR were in front to hero worship and deafening songs once they had equalised. You need strong characters in your Wolves team to cope with the immense pressure put on by the home crowd and they don’t come much stronger than Mick McCarthy.

He has managed Millwall and Sunderland to great success below the Premiership and enjoyed an excellent spell in charge of Ireland that could have ended so much more happily and successfully at the World Cup in the Far East had Roy Keane not chosen that exact moment to throw every toy he’d ever owned not only out of his pram but directly in the direction of his manager. I often wonder whether Keane, with the benefit of hindsight and 18 months as a manager himself during which he appeared massively sensitive to the moans and groans of players and supporters, regrets not sitting down and biting his tongue in 2002.

McCarthy rejuvenated Sunderland inside nine months but they were embarrassingly under prepared for the top flight and came down with a paltry 15 points. McCarthy was sacked two thirds of the way through the season.

At Sunderland McCarthy was brought in as the team was about to be relegated the first time, lost every game in sight, and then returned them to the top flight despite a nervy start to the campaign. He has therefore technically had two cracks at the top flight, both with the Mackems, and failed miserably on both occasions. In fact I think McCarthy has only won three Premiership games in the best part of an entire season in charge.

Wolves’ seemingly unassailable position at the top of the Championship is the culmination of a three year plan. Every club has one, Wolves have actually pulled theirs off. He took over a club about to lose its parachute payments and knocking talent like Joleon Lescott off at discount prices following failed attempts at getting the club promoted by Glenn Hoddle. McCarthy arrived just weeks before the start of the season and started with a squad of less than 20 players. For the first time since Jack Haywood got involved at Molineux the expectations of the supporters were actually low and by picking up players from the lower leagues of the quality of Andy Keogh and Michael Kightly McCarthy was able to steer his side into the play offs against all expectations. Wolves lost to bitter rivals West Brom, but the fans didn’t mind too much – they were just glad to be there at all.

That of course raised expectations back up to previous levels for last season and there was plenty of disquiet when they failed to make the six despite a late equaliser in that amazing game with us around a year ago. McCarthy had found another gem in Sylvain Ebanks Blake but had a crusty and ageing defence, laid bare by Luigi De Canio’s QPR side that cut Wolves to ribbons on their last visit to this ground. McCarthy freshened things up back there this season by adding young defenders Richard Stearman from Leicester and our old Chelsea loanee Michael Mancienne as well as one time QPR transfer target Matt Hill from Preston and Scottish international Christophe Berra. He also brought in journeyman striker Chris Iwelumo to provide a physical presence for Ebanks Blake to feed from.

Wolves have subsequently been unplayable at times, although did go on a run of eleven matches with only one win after the turn of the year which started to bring horrible memories of previous shit outs flooding back to the Molineux faithful. They have pulled it together again more recently, although they were poor in defeat at Birmingham last week when I saw them, and are now all but certain to be promoted.

The question now is can a manger who has tried and failed in the top flight already and a team that has done likewise combine to prevent an immediate return next season. The Wolves fans will no doubt be right on hand to let them know exactly what they think in no uncertain terms should they not.

Men to watch
The really bad news for QPR is tat Sylvain Ebanks Blake has returned to training this week and should be available. Blake has developed an almost Dele Adebola like knack for scoring against QPR with three for Plymouth and two for Wolves already in what is still a fledgling career. Rangers’ vastly improved defence that kept him well under wraps at Loftus Road will have to be well on their toes this weekend if he does play.

One of the main reasons behind Wolves’ success tis season is the myriad of strikers they have at their disposal – no two the same. Ebanks Blake’s raw power and goal scoring ability was complimented early in the season by the target man, hold up play of Chris Iwelumo and the pair scored for fun before Christmas. More recently former Scunthorpe man Andy Keogh has started to get more of a look in. I always said when Billy Sharp was banging the goals in at Glanford Park that it was Keogh who was the better player and I think you see that now with Sharp struggling to make an impact at Sheff Utd and Keogh playing well for Wolves and Ireland. Keogh may not score enough goals but his play around the penalty area is excellent and he did bag the crucial winner at Derby over Easter – he is prone to whistling his shirt off after such events sadly, revealing a physique similar to a Bernard Matthews’ Turkey Twizzler. Still, good player.

McCarthy also swooped to bring top lower league prospect Sam Vokes in last summer and despite spending most of the season on the periphery (29 sub appearances this year) he has still managed six goals.

To supply these forwards McCarthy has a number of talented midfielders available to him. Michael Kightly is the headline act but is out for the rest of the season leaving Matt Jarvis to fill in for him. Jarvis was superb at Loftus Road in December and reminds me a lot of Lee Cook when he first arrived with us from Watford. The former Gillingham man loves to take people on, often poses a threat and can deliver a good final ball but is often inconsistent and frustrating.

David Jones, once of Man Utd, has been promoted from this league before with Derby and can pass a nice ball and the whole operation is anchored in place by former Stoke man Karl Henry. QPR tried desperately to sign Henry when he moved to Wolves but he rejected our advances, it’s easy to see what we saw in him. His own fans gave him unmerciful abuse here last season for passing sideways and backwards too often but he does a superb, steady and competent job in midfield allowing others to break forward ahead of him.

Wolves’ sticky patch this season came after Michael Mancienne had to return to Chelsea from his loan spell with Wolves. McCarthy obviously saw that too and moved quickly, and expensively, to bring Scottish defender Christophe Berra in from Hearts. He joins Matt Hill, somebody else QPR frantically tried to sign once upon a time but who chose Preston as his next destination after Bristol City instead, and former Leicester youngster Richard Stearman in the back four.

In goal, with Matt Murray incapable of getting up in the morning without rupturing some form of knee ligament, is Wayne Hennessey. He trialled with QPR once during the Holloway years but is now with Wolves after a spell with Brighton. He shot to fame by smashing the league’s clean sheet records – nine in a row – in his first nine matches on loan at Stockport two seasons ago and has kept the number one shirt pretty much ever since although Carl Ikeme has had spells this year when Hennessey’s form has dipped.

Wolves, and Hennessey in particular, are there to be got at and the keeper has made some big mistakes over the past 18 months, not least his piss poor handling of Cameron Jerome’s goal at St Andrews last week. If QPR can get Heider Helguson around the keeper nice and early and put him off his stride a little we may have a chance to get to them there.

Previous Meetings
QPR have a good record against the top sides in the league this season and will be going for a double on Saturday following a televised 1-0 win at Loftus Road in December. QPR were excellent, playing a direct, aggressing and pacy game that ruffled Wolves’ highly rated young centre half pairing and won three points. Blackstock, Helguson and Agyemang all missed several chances each before half time and it looked like that would come back to haunt the R’s as Ebanks Blake was presented with a close range tap in after half time. Bizarrely, the striker tried to punch the ball in rather than head it, Cerny saved and delivered the ball downfield to Helguson who nodded it down to Rowlands who lashed in from 30 yards.

QPR: Cerny 8, Ramage 6, Stewart 9, Gorkss 9, Delaney 7, Ephraim 7, Mahon 7, Rowlands 8, Blackstock 6 (Cook 27, 6) (Di Carmine 90, -), Helguson 7 (Tommasi 77, 5), Agyemang 7
Subs Not Used: Cole, Borrowdale
Booked: Rowlands (foul)
Goals: Rowlands 63 (assisted Helguson)

Wolves: Hennessey 8, Foley 6, Stearman 5, Mancienne 5, Ward 6, Kightly 5, Edwards 6, Henry 6, Jones 6 (Jarvis 58, 7), Iwelumo 5 (Vokes 72, 6), Ebanks-Blake 5 (Keogh 78, 6)
Subs Not Used: Higgs, Collins
Booked: Mancienne (handball)

Match Report

At Molineux last season Wolves kept their faint play off hopes alive with a scrambled last minute equaliser from Andy Keogh in an incredible 3-3 draw. QPR took the lead three times in the match, starting with a low drilled shot from Akos Buzsaky midway through the first half. However Wolves drew level on all three occasions and came back into this one with a headed goal from Keogh on the stroke of half time. Most of the QPR fans in attendance assumed that Rangers would quietly slip to a defeat after that but immediately after half time they were given a dodgy penalty for handball in the area and Blackstock converted. Back came the hosts with a very harsh penalty of their own – Ebanks Blake converted after Jarvis had barely been touched by Mancienne outside the penalty box. Boasting a legitimate goal and a dodgy one each both teams went to win the game in the last half an hour and QPR thought it was theirs when Mikele Leigertwood drilled in a third goal ten minutes from time. Five minutes of added time were advertised and in the sixth of those shambolic defending from Camp, Leigertwood, Rehman and others meant that an almighty goal mouth scramble ended up in the back of the net and Keogh’s second of the game. This was the 12th, 13th and 14th times in the season that QPR had let a lead slip and the seventh occasion they were robbed of points by a last minute goal.

Wolves: Hennessey 5, Foley 6 (Kyle 87, -), Collins 6, Rob Edwards - (Craddock 6, 7), Elokobi 7, Jarvis 7, Olofinjana 8, Henry 7, Gray 7 (Eastwood 59, 7), Keogh 8, Ebanks-Blake 8
Subs Not Used: Stack, Gibson
Booked: Collins, Jarvis
Goals: Keogh 45 (assisted Gray), Ebanks-Blake 67 pen (assisted Jarvis), Keogh 90 +6 (assisted Eastwood)

QPR: Camp 6, Mancienne 6, Connolly 7 (Rehman 59, 5), Hall 7, Delaney 6, Buzsaky 7 (Ainsworth 75, 7), Leigertwood 7, Rowlands 7 (Mahon 31, 7), Vine 6, Blackstock 7, Agyemang 6
Subs Not Used: Pickens, Balanta
Booked: Mancienne, Delaney, Blackstock
Goals: Buzsaky 28 (assisted Vine), Blackstock 49 pen (unassisted), Leigertwood 79 (unassisted)

Match Report

Head to Head
Wolves wins – 15
Draws – 15
QPR wins – 12

Past QPR v Wolves results:
2008/09 QPR 1 Wolves 0 (Rowlands)
2007/08 Wolves 3 QPR 3 (Buzsaky, Blackstock, Leigertwood)
2007/08 QPR 0 Wolves 0
2006/07 Wolves 2 QPR 0
2006/07 QPR 0 Wolves 1
2005/06 QPR 0 Wolves 0
2005/06 Wolves 3 QPR 1 (Gallen)
2004/05 QPR 1 Wolves 1 (Gallen)
2004/05 Wolves 2 QPR 1 (Gallen)
2000/01 Wolves 1 QPR 1 (Bruce)
2000/01 QPR 2 Wolves 2 (Peacock 2)
1999/00 Wolves 3 QPR 2 (Peacock, Slade)
1999/00 QPR 1 Wolves 1 (Peacock)
1998/99 QPR 0 Wolves 1
1998/99 Wolves 1 QPR 2 (Sheron 2)
1997/98 QPR 0 Wolves 0
1997/98 Wolves 3 QPR 2 (Sheron, Peacock)
1997/98 Wolves 1 QPR 2 (Peacock, Murray)
1997/98 QPR 0 Wolves 2
1996/97 QPR 2 Wolves 2 (Peacock, Spencer)
1996/97 Wolves 1 QPR 1 (Dichio)

Team News
Kaspars Gorkss should be fit to play with headgear after having the best part of 30 stitches in a wound sustained against Sheffield Wednesday on Monday. Expect Delaney to go to left back and Connolly to centre half if he isn't risked. Gavin mahon limped off with a foot injury on Monday shortly after scoring the equaliser and is likely to be replaced by Mikele Leigertwood who almost joined Wolves in January. Rowan Vine will be pushing for another start after his goal scoring substitute appearance last time out. Martin Rowlands, Akos Buzsaky and Patrick Agyemang are the long term absentees.

Wolves welcome back top scorer Sylvain Ebanks Blake after he missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury picked up on England Under 21 duty. With Andy Keogh in fine form at Derby on Monday it remains to be seen how McCarthy shuffles his pack to accomodate things.
Injury List

Referee
Cambridgeshire official Kevin Wright is in charge of QPR for the second time this season at Wolves on Saturday. Wright actually tops the referee league at the moment with a rating of nine for his handling of our win at Derby in January. His performances with rangers in the past have been inconsistent, although Rangers’ results with him have been remarkably good over the years.
Details

Elsewhere
We are in the thick of the end game now and the top and bottom sides in the Championship can cement their places in new leagues for next year this weekend. If Charlton fail to beat Blackpool they are gone, if Wolves beat us they can look forward to the Premiership. Sheff Utd are in pole position to join Mick McCarthy’s men but they must wait until Monday evening to play another top six side Burnley on Sky. Norwich have a big televised match this weekend too as they attempt to avoid joining Charlton in League One. They travel to Ipswich on Sunday.
Tony’s Championship Preview

Form
QPR’s three two victory against Sheff Wed on Easter Monday was their first haul of more than two goals in 14 attempts, and only the fourth time this season the R’s have scored three or more in the league – for the record Heidar Helguson has played in all but one and Patrick Agyemang played in the other showing the value to Rangers of having a target man who can bring others into play fit and available for selection. Gareth Ainsworth was the first manager at Rangers this season to have Routledge, Helguson, Cook and Vine all fit and available for a match. Rangers have now lost just one of their last six winning three of the other five. Away from home the form remains poor with just three wins. The 1-0 defeat at Burnley last Saturday was the 14th time QPR have failed to score in twenty five road trips this season.

After a mid season blip where Wolves won just one of eleven games and looked all set to perform their annual bottle ob the ship has been steadied and they are now on course for the Premiership. That run of five defeats and five draws from eleven matches ended with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in March and they have hardly looked back since – winning six and drawing one of their next eight matches. The defeat in that sequence came at Birmingham last week in a physical encounter where Wolves were clearly second best even once Birmingham had been reduced to ten men. They quickly got over that to win twice of the Easter weekend, including a dramatic late 3-2 win at Derby, and they are now just one win away from promotion.
Form Guide

Prediction
QPR have been regular cannon fodder for these sorts of occasions over the years as I said in the intro but with Gareth Ainsworth in charge Wolves should maybe be a little bit warier of us than may have been necessary a week ago. Ainsworth has told the players to express themselves and we do have some talented players so if they are able to play on the home team’s nerves we could cause problems. I have to say whenever I sit down to think about this game I come back to our trip here the season before last when we were guaranteed safety after a long battle and Wolves needed to win to boost their play off hopes. QPR played well while the Wolves fans got nervous and barracked their own side as usual – Jimmy Smith hit the underside of the bar at 0-0 and eventually Wolves just about managed to get it together for long enough to win 2-0, and I envisage something similar on Saturday.
Wolves 2 QPR 0

Photo: Action Images

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