Ash returns with a look at where this Saturday's Loftus Road clash between QPR and Coventry can be won and lost.
Bouncing back:
It’s safe to say that last weekend’s defeat to Doncaster was easily our worst performance of the season. Many have put this down to Jim Magilton’s selection, the loan players being bedded in too quickly and general bad performances from a number of our key players. Whatever the reason is, we need to put it behind us and bounce back quickly on Saturday. Fortunately for us the loss didn’t do us too much harm in terms of places in the table, dropping only a couple of places, but we are now further adrift of the top two and with it being so tight at the top can ill-afford another setback. Our home form could also do with an injection of three points, having seen some below par displays at HQ this season. With Middlesbrough to come to W12 next week, three points against a Coventry side sitting in eighteenth struggling for goals and form would be the perfect way to forget last weeks away day blues.
QPR are odds on to win with all major bookies, the best price on offer is 4/6 with BetFred
Avoiding the bogies:
No I don’t mean the sniffing of noses as the weather gets that little bit colder but that old footballing tradition of a bogie team, which Coventry have started to become in recent seasons. The Sky Blues are unbeaten on trips to Loftus Road since 2005, winning three of the last four, while Rangers haven't gotten the better of City at home since a Jamie Cureton hat-trick in September the previous year. To add insult to injury, Coventry now boast Clinton Morrison in their ranks, who is never shy in front of goal when it comes to playing against the Superhoops. The Republic of Ireland international has scored seven times against the R’s in his career, and while none of those have yet to come in the Sky Blue shirt few would bet against him adding to that total at the weekend if presented with the chance. We need to not give Morrison any chance of furthering his goalscoring prowess against us on Saturday and prevent Coventry extending their own mini-hoodoo over Rangers. A 5-1 win in the vein of the Premier League days, would be the perfect way to banish them both.
Coventry are as long as 5/1 to win this game with Sky Bet Coral and others
Centre Midfield:
I think it has been universally agreed on LFW that the centre of midfield got it wrong last weekend. Faced with a fresh Ben Watson, a shiny new loanee in Steven Reid and and Alejandro Faurlin all ready to play at Doncaster, Jim Magilton decided to try and stifle Rovers’ passing game by crowding the middle of the park by playing all three. And that’s exactly what happened, it did get crowded but only to the disadvantage of Rangers. It was a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, as Watson looked as though he was scared of attracting a new red card and seemed to get in the way of Reid, a la Mahon and Leigertwood. While Faurlin easily the best of the three was hooked off early and any was creativity lost in from our game. The same can’t happen again, therefore Magilton will have to drop one of them, and this is where the problem rises. Some have suggested that part of Reid’s loan agreement means he has to play, as the sole purpose of his spell here is regain fitness. So if that’s the case then you either have to leave our Faurlin who has exceded everyone's expectations this season with some impressive displays and a nice array of passing or Watson who we are all hoping becomes a permanent part of this squad in January - but might not want to if he’s not getting played. Here’s hoping that Reid doesn’t have to play and he could start on the bench as adequate cover and we can start with two players who will are hope have bright futures in W12.
The uncertainty with the QPR midfield is reflected in the odds with Faurlin as short as 16s and as long as 25 for the first goal, Watson ranging from 9/1 to 14/1 and Reid ranging from 8/1 to 16/1
Jim Magilton:
Decisions, decisions for Mr Magilton this weekend. His team was soundly beaten by a team at the wrong end of the table last week and although we can expect a defeat or two every now and again, the same result against an average Coventry side would not go down too well. Whether he stumbled across a decent first XI or not over the last couple of months, he needs to get Saturdays team right and play to our strengths. I’ve already mentioned the centre of the park being a vital call but he also needs to decide who get’s the nod at left-back between Williams and Borrowdale. While Adel Taarabt will surely receive a re-call after missing his spark against Doncaster. Then there are the subs, if things do not according to plan on Saturday then he needs to make the right changes. Bringing on Patrick Agyemang is all well and good with the pace and power he adds to a game late on against tired legs but removing Jay Simpson our best striker and playing Pellicori instead is not going to win us the game. Hopefully the lessons from Keepmoat have been learned and we’ll see a much bolder match-winning selection from Madge at HQ this weekend.
Sadly the bet of the weekend looks to be Leon Best for the first goal at 9/1, although you can get faurlin at 25/1 with Ladbrokes and he must be due.