QPR ended their pre-season campaign with their most convincing win of the summer as League One side Southampton were beaten 3-0. There was no place in the side for keeper Radek Cerny who has apparently been struck down with Swine Flu.
Jim Magilton’s starting eleven for the Blackpool game in seven days time really seems to be taking shape with very similar teams picked for the last three friendlies. That said Adel Taarabt will have given the manager plenty of food for thought with a fine individual goal after coming on as a substitute against Southampton on Saturday.
Taarabt’s goal put the seal on a comfortable 3-0 win after goals in the first half from Kaspars Gorkss, heading in a Routledge corner, and Angelo Balanta, who impressed again wide on the left.
Manager Jim Magilton told the club’s official website: “We were 2-0 up at half time but I do not think we really played as well as we have done over the past couple of games. Kaspars scored a nice goal from a set piece which was good to see. Angelo has been a constant threat for us throughout pre-season and I thought he took his goal very, very well. His form has been a major plus for us. I thought we played better in the second half and Adel scored a wonderful goal.
“The application and attitude of the players has been first class from the moment I arrived. We are hoping to get off to a good start and build from there. I fell we are ready for next week now, the players have set the standard.”
QPR: Marshall, Ramage (Ainsworth 77), Hall (Stewart 69), Gorkss, Borrowdale (Brown 77), Routledge (Ephraim 69), Mahon (Alberti 77), Rowlands, Balanta (Pellicori 77), Vine (Taarabt 63), Agyemang (Helguson 46)
Subs not used: Putnins
Goals: Gorkss (9), Balanta (34), Taarabt (70)
Southampton: Davis, James (Murty 46), Harding, Wotton (Gillett 46), Lancashire, Perry, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Saganowski (Thomson 75), Paterson (Rasiak 63), Mills (Gobern 81)
Subs not used: Bialkowski
Goalkeeper Radek Cerny was absent from the team on Saturday with the club reporting ‘illness’ as the reason. Injured midfielder Lee Cook was on co-commentating duty and admitted that doctors do suspect the Czech goalkeeper has contracted Swine Flu and will be kept away from the rest of the players for a week before returning to training, possibly on Tuesday. This news may firm up the club’s interest in goalkeeper Andy Marshall who, despite having little to do in the Southampton game, looks set to sign a one year deal at Loftus Road.
Cook was actually a tremendous source of information during the game, confirming that the club has appointed a new fitness coach to replace John Harbin and that although his knee operation has been a success he expects to be out for a good while yet and may not be fit for the trip to Newcastle at the end of September.
Elsewhere in the Championship this weekend Ipswich have confirmed that striker Jordan Rhodes has been allowed to join League One side Huddersfield, Vincent Pericard has joined Cardiff on trial, West Brom have beaten Blackpool to the signing of Rotherham striker Reuben Reid.