Columnist Chris King was as exasperated as everybody else of a blue and white persuasion on Saturday as QPR undid much of the remarkably good work of Wednesday night and slumped back into bad habits.
They say it’s the hope that kills you. Well, Wednesday night sent the majority of the 18,033 supporters assembled at Loftus Road home filled with hope and expectation way beyond reason, given what they had witnessed in recent weeks.
Hope, that the partnership of Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora would continue to bear genuine goal scoring fruit. Hope, that the self-belief and determination Rangers had shown, as well as the sheer cheek and tenacity to come from 2-0 after 72 minutes to win 3-2 with seconds remaining, would translate into a real push for survival.
How wrong we were. At Sunderland the R’s supporters were treated to yet another dose of disappointment, ineptitude, and ill-discipline. From the tremendous highs of Wednesday’s “Istanbul moment” came what must sadly be described as a textbook QPR showing this season. Rangers were lacklustre in every department, and the dropping of skipper Joey Barton from the side did nothing to improve things.
Against Liverpool on Wednesday, the former Newcastle United midfielder was substituted in the sixty second minute, for eventual goal scorer Jamie Mackie, to a chorus of boos from around the stadium. This was in response to Barton’s egregious performance, and perhaps a longer-term reaction to what has been an incredibly disappointing season from a man used to talking a good game, but not so accustomed to playing one, at least in the blue and white hoops.
After the game Barton was predictably “active” on social networking site, Twitter. He said: “Disappointed with fans booing, were meant to be in it together. They won't break me, guaranteed. I've been through much worse”. Barton did acknowledge the somewhat underwhelming nature of his performance, which featured more passes to red shirted players than the Liverpool team managed themselves, and it is true that Barton’s natural position most certainly is not as a winger. However, this storm has been coming, and some will be surprised at how long it has taken for feeling to crystallise against the outspoken Barton.
Certainly Mark Hughes, elated in the dugout after the last gasp victory, took note of the crowd’s ill-feeling, and dropped Barton for the Sunderland game. Once again, Barton was quick to tweet his disgust to the world. The uncensored midfielder offered such gems as: “All time low.........two ways out. 1.Work hard 2.Worker harder”, and “Not selected. Nothing I can do sitting on the bench. Obviously disappointed”. He then announced, mercifully, a Twitter sabbatical: “Going to take a little twitter sabbatical before I say something I'll end up regretting. Have a good few weeks people”.
Hopefully this moment of shame and indignity has got to Barton as much as it seems to have done. He needed to be shaken out of complacency, and for a professional footballer, particularly one as self-obsessed and self-important as the R’s captain, there is nothing more humiliating and degrading than being demoted to the bench. But even a drastic turnaround from Barton probably won’t do anything to keep Rangers in the Premier League. With the notable exception of Wolves’ 2-1 defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road, every result went against Hughes’ charges yesterday. QPR are now back in the bottom three, and there we will remain with the visit of in-form Arsenal to W12 up next on Saturday.
The Sunderland game was about as poor as it gets. The highlights writ Rangers survival credentials large. It certainly wasn’t easy to watch. James McLean was offered all the time and space in the world to guide his cross onto the free head of Nicklas Bendtner, who predictably netted against the R’s for the second time this season. McLean then profited individually from the visiting side’s defensive generosity, benefiting from the complete lack of closing down to make it 2-0. Stephane Sessegnon completed the rout with a tidy finish a quarter of an hour from time. Once again, the marking was non-existent. At least we know that Taye Taiwo has a use, however. His free-kick was tremendous. Yet slim positives and the faintest of silver linings aside, under Hughes QPR have picked up eight points from a possible 27. Under no circumstances is this an acceptable return, and many are beginning to ask the formerly forbidden question: why did Tony Fernandes hire a notoriously slow-starting manager for what could be a very short lived managerial stint? We are yet to have an answer to this.
It’s hard to see a way out of the relegation mire, despite Wednesday’s awe-inspiring comeback. The same problems persist, notably the lack of width and service to the forwards, plus the inability to keep ten men on the pitch, but the most pressing difficulty of all is the run in.
Expect a handful of points to be procured between now and May by a team that, in all probability, now expects to be relegated. And if by some divine miracle the three teams dropping through the trapdoor happen to be Wolves, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic, Queens Park Rangers will ill-deserve their top flight berth. This writer will be stunned to see more than 34 points registered next to the Super Hoops’ name on league tables come 13 May.
Tweet @chriskking, @loftforwords
Pictures – Action Images