 Wednesday, 4th Jan 2012 23:39 by Chris King As if the first week back at work after the Christmas break isn't bad enough QPR extended their winless run with two further defeats at the weekend. Chris King is not a happy man. Queens Park Rangers have won once at home all season. Admittedly, said victory was a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea , the sweetest of results, but it was secured with the hosts being decidedly second-best. Neil Warnock’s side were dominated by Andre Vilas Boas’ nine men, and in many respects lucky to emerge with the three points. Since, and even prior to then, it has been a tale of missed opportunities, profligacy and acute defensive vulnerability. Rangers have let in 11 goals in five games at Loftus Road , and vital lessons have not been learned. The R’s still have a worrying tendency to concede late on; West Bromwich Albion’s equaliser came in the eighty first minute, Norwich City’s winning goal in the eighty third, and Sunderland’s just a minute from time. It doesn’t matter what happens, you never get the sense that Rangers will net more than once or twice, and the opposition always appear potent, virile and dangerous on the break. QPR have even begun to be dominated by opponents in terms of possession; the Canaries enjoyed 60% of the ball in the first half, even struggling Sunderland had 55% throughout their smash-and-grab win. Attacking-wise, the R’s are largely impotent. Devoid of the aerial ability of Heidar Helguson, enjoying nothing less than a footballing renaissance begun by Warnock’s arrival in W12, Queens Park Rangers would have scored just 12 Premier League goals. In 20 games. This indicates a rather serious problem, and one which, at least in this writer’s opinion, will not be solved by Federico Macheda’s arrival on loan. However, some would argue that it doesn’t really matter how much money Warnock has it his disposal, it needs to be spent correctly, and his signings thus far have proven themselves, in many cases, to be less than superb. Take Joey Barton for instance. Made captain immediately as he arrived, the tempestuous, mixed-up lost soul has flattered to deceive in almost every game. His use of set-pieces is atrocious, and on far too many occasions Barton has been utterly anonymous and bypassed by players who theoretically at least, are half as reputable as he. Further to this, there is a belief amongst some supporters that players’ wages ought to reflect their performance level, rather than past reputation. In the case of Joey Barton, the latter is definitely, and sadly the case. It seems there is a rather bizarre rule at Loftus Road that the biggest ego in the club at any moment in time must be afforded both the captaincy, and the role of set-piece taker. Whether they are suitable for these equally vital positions is irrelevant. The only times when QPR have appeared dangerous from set-pieces over the past few matches have occurred when Barton has been physically prevented from carrying out his pre-ordained job. Adel Taarabt was desperately unlucky not to score against Norwich , his inch-perfect free kick striking the post after John Ruddy got a vital hand to the ball. As soon as Alejandro Faurlin took over corner duty away to Swansea we suddenly had variation, balls that cleared the first defender, and our formerly dormant aerial threats were awoken from their slumbers. Yet still, even when the “eureka!” moment has passed, Warnock persists with the status quo, which has time and again failed to bear any fruit. Indeed, it appears that the former Sheffield United hothead has his favourites amongst the current roster of players. Favourites who repeatedly escape any criticism and constantly enjoy the unreasonable backing of the manager, at least publicly, in a deeply unfair system based primarily, as far as this writer can see, on reputation. On a number of occasions last season, Matthew Connolly was lambasted by the Yorkshireman for his allegedly sub-standard performances. But herein lies the lesson for Warnock: if you set a precedent by openly criticising somebody, you must persist with this direct route, and nobody ought to be immune from fair critical assessment. After all, the gaffer really set his stall out in the direction of honesty and clarity when he called Armand Traore a “disgrace,” claiming that the 22-year-old Senegalese defender had “let everybody down” after being sent off during the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. Warnock added that he was looking to “fine him as much as I can,” suggesting the existence of a zero-tolerance attitude towards indiscipline and, by extension, mistakes in the camp. Accordingly, Shaun Wright-Phillips ought to have been berated by his manager for the winger’s appallingly-sloppy pass, which led directly to Robin Van Persie’s winning goal at the Emirates. In a similar vein, Barton ought to have been expecting both a private and a very public verbal colonic in Warnock’s post-match interview after he was sent off against Norwich, costing the R’s a vital point (or three). Barton did little wrong, and was extremely hard done by. Nevertheless, a captain with his experience, and a penchant for winding up opposition players and veering wildly away from the manner in which decent supporters want to see the game played, should have known better than to square up with Bradley Johnson, whose role was essentially to push the QPR skipper into making a mistake. Job done, you might say. But still, the midfielder receives nothing but blind loyalty. He has received no public scrutiny from the man whose interview technique is akin to a child in a sweet shop. To hear the manager of your team repeat the phrase “oh we’re just happy to be here, it’s a great league” as his side misses yet another golden opportunity to move clear of the drop zone, which we are currently just two points off, let it not be forgotten, is irritating to say the least. As for double standards, why not ask Adel Taarabt? After all, the admittedly petulant Moroccan is perennially a target for his mentor’s scathing Northern tongue. It must be said that without Warnock, QPR would not be in the top flight. That is unquestionable. But it seems that, in less than a year, we have become rather sanitised, almost harmless. Rangers have long been rather toothless from an attacking perspective, but even last year’s rock-solid defence has dissipated. In recent games the most lacklustre of forwards (Nicklas Bendtner anyone?) have looked to be able to make whatever mediocre pairing is mustered at centre half week after week look scared and at times inept. Other teams play with grit, pace and determination, battling on to the final minute in search of the margin between glory and failure. Rangers, on the other hand, play with lethargy, timidity, and have a penchant for error which is costing them, dearly. Any break is immediately quelled by that most depressing of moves in football, the pass back to defence. This would be acceptable, were the possession statistics right; they are, however, anything but. It seems that even the most explosive of players are restrained by the system currently being employed at Loftus Road , and unsuccessfully tried further afield. On the occasions when he is seen fit to lead the line, and the group in favour of this is diminishing by each match, Jay Bothroyd invariably ends up on the wing, centring the ball to himself. Wright-Phillips almost seems afraid to take defenders on, a move on which his entire career to date has been founded. It would appear as though many of the serious questions Warnock may have had to face have almost been “postponed” in view of the January transfer window, that wonderful “get out of jail free card” Tony Fernandes has generously thrown the stricken blue and white ship, in an attempt to keep it afloat. However, come February, if results don’t improve, Warnock’s media mentality may not be enough to shield him from a few home truths. The success with which Swansea City and Norwich have adapted to the Premier League in comparison to QPR is staggering. Both look at ease, able to keep possession, and achieve results at home, both of which the R’s have been incapable of doing. Paul Lambert looks every inch a Premier League manager, and despite the shamefully unsporting way his team sets out to play, as evidenced in the latest encounter, the Canaries will almost certainly stay up. Swansea too, appear likely to avoid the dreaded trapdoor. Their defence is watertight, based around an incredible ‘keeper in Michel Vorm. In many ways, Vorm is little better than Rangers’ own stopper, Paddy Kenny. The problem, however, lies in the brittle spine which has manifested itself in recent weeks. Even when the fight-back from 2-0 down was completed against Sunderland , it took nothing less than an effective set piece – which Queens Park Rangers were bereft of despite having a grand total of eight corners – to undo all the players’ hard work. Even star performers such as Alejandro Faurlin are flawed. The Argentine has taken to the Premier League like a sun-seeker to the south of France , yet when in space on the edge of the box, he looks almost afraid to shoot. A few games ago, when having an effort from distance, Faurlin almost apologised for his daring and selfishness in shooting at goal, as if such a scandalous act is against club policy. After all, we rarely have players in the box when the ball is delivered, a problem which can’t fail to have escaped the boss' attention, so why not have long shots? It isn’t as though the majority of Taarabt’s strikes last season were incredible efforts from distance, is it? The worst part of all, however, is that Warnock’s obstinacy remains, even if his passion and anger, which has brought a fair amount of success over the years, appears to have evaporated amidst the Premier League media circus. It is inevitable that once again Warnock will devalue the FA Cup by fielding a line-up that will succumb with ease to the form, confidence and home advantage of the MK Dons. And for another year, Queens Park Rangers will have failed to advance further than the third round of the world’s oldest cup competition. Does this matter? Well perhaps not; some might argue that we need to rest players, and “concentrate on the league,” for in this day and age, glory and competition have long since been slain by the overriding importance of money. But this attitude is actually rather archaic and deeply misguided. We have taken two points from a possible 24. Without a win since Stoke City away in mid-November, confidence levels in the squad must be at rock-bottom. Warnock may disagree, but blooding an entirely second-string side against the Dons this weekend, and them being predictably torn apart by a team whose confidence levels must be sky-high, for the sake of “resting” our key players, will do more harm than good. It will place inexorable pressure on the Newcastle United clash a week later, which already looks like a bridge too far for this beleaguered West London outfit, a million miles from the cocksure league winners they were just over half a year ago. I'm by no means suggesting that the most prized of first-team possessions ought to be wheeled out, like lambs to the MK Dons’ slaughter, on Saturday. Far from it. But a team featuring the likes of Cerny, Andrade, Bothroyd, Smith, Hall and Orr will, if it’s even possible, boast less confidence than the tattered, nervous starting eleven. And, wishful thinking aside, players do read the Sunday papers, they do notice when a pattern begins to form, and it will not have escaped their attention that, with the margin of error so tight in the Premier League, confidence becomes not just desirable, but indispensable. Tweet @chriskking Pictures – Action Images Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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