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Late Doncaster goal floors lame QPR - report
Sunday, 1st Dec 2013 23:06 by Clive Whittingham

Harry Redknapp’s QPR side turned in their worst performance of the season so far in a 2-1 defeat at lowly Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The mystery of 2013/14 Queens Park Rangers team deepens still further.

Is this a wonderfully talented side that is simply finding the Championship too easy, and being caught out every once and a while when the comfort of winning in second and third gear each week manifests itself in complacency?

You could easily make a case for this. Rangers have really only played well — and even then it was certainly nothing exceptional — against Middlesbrough and Derby at home this season and yet had amassed 35 points from 16 games prior to Saturday to set a league leading pace. They’d lost only once, despite some insipid displays, and Championship opponents have queued up to hail the R’s as the best team in the league and a shoo in for promotion. When you look at the money spent and the players acquired you can see why they’d think this — Charlie Austin, Matt Phillips, Junior Hoilett, Niko Kranjcar, Joey Barton, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Richard Dunne and so on is not a Championship line up. In fact, it looks a better team on paper than the one Rangers had in the top flight last season.

Does the team simple get too big for its boots every now and again? Twice in an away game at struggling Millwall they went in front while playing well, only to quickly revert to messing around trying to keep possession in their own half - winding up opponents and taking silly risks rather than pushing on for a bigger win - and ended up with a draw.

Or is this team actually not that good at all? Has it simply been able to climb into the Championship’s promotion race by virtue of a fixture list that pitched it against the division’s ten worst teams in its first dozen matches, and a series of games — particularly at home — where opponents seem to have written the match off as an inevitable defeat before it’s even kicked off and done little more than make a half-arsed attempt to grind out a 0-0 draw?

As we enter December, we should be clearer about what exactly we’re watching here, but Saturday’s lame performance and pathetic defeat at relegation-haunted, injury-ravaged Doncaster Rovers has provided more questions than answers.

It could easily be said that Rangers were arrogant about their task at the Keepmoat Stadium. Fourth bottom Rovers, jaded after a long midweek trip to Charlton where morale will have been sapped by a 2-0 defeat in a rearranged game that they had originally led 3-1 when it was abandoned due to waterlogging, have worked their way through a first choice back four and are now busy injuring their loaned replacements, including Rangers’ own Yun-Suk Young. Four defeats and a draw from the previous six didn’t look a threatening record, and four clubs have already been to this corner of South Yorkshire and won games this season.

And so QPR plodded around a bit and waited for the inevitable victory. Joey Barton won the ball in his own half and set up a counter attack that Jermaine Jenas could have finished off with a goal had he been braver under challenge in the Doncaster penalty box eight minutes in — don’t want to muddy those shorts too early though. Richard Dunne headed a corner over and Joey Barton saw a shot blocked after a prolonged period of possession ended with Assou-Ekotto working the ball to him on the edge of the box. Matt Phillips cut inside and out and then dragged the ball hopelessly wide of the target from 20 yards out. Kranjcar shot wide with a late challenge from Khumalo a mitigating factor.

But this was no onslaught by any means. These meagre attempts on goal — none of which troubled Rovers’ Chelsea loanee Ross Turnbull between the sticks — were the sum total of half an hour of work. QPR were like a metronome on a low setting, and about as interesting to watch. I’ve seen orthodontic surgery carried out at a greater pace, and I’ve enjoyed trips to the dentist a lot more than this match. The match report notes, scribbled on the back of a betting slip for want of something better to do with my time during a turgid encounter, read “possibly the worst ten minutes of football I’ve ever seen in my life” at one point and “a lovely sunset” at another. The spectacular sky deserved a greater spectacle beneath it, but a half-empty, soulless, out of town stadium on a retail park, devoid of character and totally silent for the majority of the game, was a perfect setting for this absolute dirge.

When anybody did inject a bit of urgency, speed and pace into the game the shock of it was like having a bucket of iced water tipped over your head. Mark Duffy looked most likely for the home team, spinning cumbersome Richard Dunne a merry dance and then shooting at Green after a quarter of an hour. Ten minutes later QPR actually got Matt Phillips moving with some purpose for the first, and possibly only, time on the day but when he cut the ball back to Niko Kranjcar the Croat fired very high and very wide — one of several shots of his that went that way on a day he looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. Later Duffy had a shot blocked after prolonged Doncaster pressure, but by and large this was dreadful stuff. Utterly, utterly boring and a totally miserable experience for anybody unfortunate enough to have paid to get in.

And if that was down to QPR’s arrogant assumption that they could simply piss around at half pace for an afternoon and get a result anyway — and in their defence, home matches with Birmingham, Ipswich, Barnsley and Charlton will only have strengthened that belief — then the Charlie Austin goal just before half time will have hindered more than helped. An immaculate touch from Kranjcar wide left enabled him to move infield and feed Jenas and although he was tackled on the edge of the area the ball fell to Austin whose low shot somehow squirmed beneath Turnbull, rolled over the goal line and stopped before it hit the net. The reaction of the QPR players said everything about the quality of the goal, and possibly how simple they expected their afternoon to be. The standard of the opening strike, and the celebrations that followed, had a pre-season friendly feel about them.

Straight after half time Kranjcar dribbled a shot at Turnbull and then Phillips drew a routine catch from him with a deflected shot. So perhaps QPR weren’t complacent, or over-confident, or cocky, or anything else - perhaps they’re just not as good as everybody seems to think, and as they look on paper - because what followed was 42 minutes of football where Doncaster, with their meagre resources and stretched squad of players, were by far and away the better team.

A corner two minutes after the break, and the subsequent cross back into the area, were both headed away powerfully by Dunne but Rangers couldn’t clear their lines fully and when Richie Wellens pinged a fine ball out to Theo Robinson wide on the right he stood Assou-Ekotto up and then bent the ball around him, through a crowded penalty box and into the far corner of the net from the corner of the area.

If it was simply over-confidence then, as happened at Millwall, Rangers would have stepped up and retaken the lead. But the lack of tempo in the Londoners’ game was palpable and absolutely slayed them here. Passes were laboured, delivered far too late, after too many touches, and too much dwelling on the ball. A blind man in a medically induced coma could have telegraphed the R’s intentions. Wellens chopped into Barton and, after prolonged treatment himself and a typical exchange of words with the QPR man, was yellow carded but the incident seemed to stoke the home fires rather than stir Rangers up at all.

Harry Redknapp sent on Andy Johnson for the wholly ineffective Gary O’Neil, and he almost caught Turnbull napping straight away by snuffing out a chance at the near post from a low corner. Later he was just out of reach of a fine cross from Danny Simpson but any improvements effected by Johnson’s introduction were superficial. QPR were carrying too many passengers — Kranjcar and Jenas totally anonymous and Phillips ineffective wide right — for Johnson’s hard running and high work rate to make much discernible difference. When Kranjcar again lazily thrashed a loose ball out of the ground after Johnson had worked hard to win a corner, Redknapp hooked the apparently totally disinterested Croatian and sent on Junior Hoilett. That sparked a flurry of half chances — Hoilett and Clint Hill both failed to keep volleyed efforts from loose corners down sufficiently to trouble Turnbull — but again the change was to little avail.

Doncaster grew in belief that there was more than a point here for them. A counter attack with Robinson at its heart drew a yellow card from Dunne for a shirt pull in back play and then the Irish centre half had to flick a header behind as Rovers players queued up to convert the cross. Federicho ‘Smokey’ Macheda shot into the side netting with a now silent away following fearing that one of Rangers’ worst loanees in recent memory might come back to haunt them, and Khumalo came up for a corner but headed over.

When the R’s conceded another corner with a minute of normal time to play the script seemed written and sure enough Paul Quinn, probably the home team’s worst player on the day, rose highest to head home Duffy’s flighted delivery.

Four minutes of stoppage time brought a stupid booking for Jenas, and Robert Green kicking the ball straight out of play, to the audible frustration of the few QPR fans who had remained in their seats for the duration — many did not, and nobody could blame them for that.

A festering turd of a football game, from which QPR got exactly what they deserved.

Links >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/33444/doncaster-rov Player Ratings >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/33443/doncaster-rov Your Say >>> http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/forum/95567/match-thread Board Match Thread

Doncaster: Turnbull 5; Quinn 5, Khumalo 6, McCullogh 6, Stevens 6; Coppinger 6, Furman 6, Wellens 7, Duffy 7; Robinson 6, Macheda 7

Subs not used: Paynter, Cotterill, Maxted, Wakefield, Woods, De Val, Paterson

Goals: Robinson 48 (unassisted), Quinn 89 (assisted Duffy)

Bookings: Wellens 51 (foul) Turnbull 90 + 4 (time wasting)

QPR: Green 6; Simpson 6, Dunne 6, Hill 6, Assou-Ekotto 5; Barton 6, O’Neil 5 (Johnson 63, 6); Phillips 5, Jenas 4, Kranjcar 4 (Hoilett 77, 6); Austin 6

Subs not used: Traore, Carroll, Onyewu, Henry, Murphy

Goals: Austin 43

Bookings: Dunne 81 (foul), Jenas 90 + 3 (foul)

QPR Star Man — N/A

Referee — Oliver Langford (West Midlands) 7 Not much to referee, with QPR not really in the mood to be competitive, but allowed a poor game to flow as best he could. Should have got to drips with Turnbull’s time wasting a lot sooner — a card in the fourth minute of injury time isn’t much of a deterrent really — but as QPR did nothing when the ball was in play it’s difficult to get too upset about that.

Attendance 8,854 (1,500 QPR approx) A great following from London in number if not volume, although given how dull the match was and how poor Rangers were that’s perhaps understanding. It didn’t stop some QPR fans starting on others though, even blaming their lack of vocal support for the dirge on the pitch in some cases, which was a bit of a shame.

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Pictures — Action Images

Photo: Action Images



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smegma added 23:39 - Dec 1
I thought Barton was the only player who seemed to show any urgency during the game but those around him seemed to think it was a preseason friendly. The other 4 in midfield were bystanders and totally bereft of ideas. And Phillips only passed the ball forward once the whole game, absolute toilet .
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Nov77 added 00:55 - Dec 2
"a half-empty, soulless, out of town stadium on a retail park, devoid of character and totally silent for the majority of the game, was a perfect setting for this absolute dirge."

I do hope those words aren't used to describe future home games given the Kendal avenue talk this week.

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qprmick added 03:11 - Dec 2
SWP would put in more of an effort than all but Barton. We need more goals from midfield if we are going to play with one up front. Not that SWP is the answer, but someone needs to put their hand up.
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DesertBoot added 04:29 - Dec 2
It was frustrating and embarrassing to see my team treat opponents with such disdain. The players looked as bored as the rest of us. Deserved to lose.
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Tomo_5 added 05:59 - Dec 2
Clive, as ever I await your blurb from afar, New Zealand in fact and it sounds like I was the luckiest R's fan not to witness such rubbish. If we are serious title contenders then messrs Kranjcar and co should be nailing these games 5 nil. It worries me that Harry and Kevin don't install enough drive to give the guys a sounds dressing down to promote some energy on the pitch. Maybe Harry was being distracted by talk of AVB leaving the Yids and the messiah returning, who knows but I haven't seen enough to believe we have a genuine chance of going up this season yet, there ar quite a few teams that seem to have what it takes to beat us and as you say I think we have been given too much respect albeit undeserved that has seen us sneak the points. The team has the tallent but does it have the balls? Time will tell.
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steveB66 added 07:29 - Dec 2
This report tops even 'Harry Redknapp in a deckchair at Yeovil' and perfectly sums up a truly, dismal performance.

Hands up I didn't attend but watched a decent live stream. My prognosis was that we looked like we were playing with a hangover! Frightening thought that the season of over indulgence is upon is and we are already dishing out our Christmas presents early and Lord knows how many extra pounds in weight a certain Croatian might be carrying come January!!
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Marshy added 08:36 - Dec 2
I was one of the 8,854 cold and shivering who had the misfortune to be be in attendance at the Keepmoat Stadium, to witness a very lacklustre and disjointed QPR side in what ranks as our worst performance of the season.

I guess it's fair to say there are no easy games in the Championship, but on paper we should have been able to at least have come away with a draw. However, we literally pressed the self destruct button and gifted Doncaster the 3 points. I was surprised by the low level of support for Rovers. I suspect (ironically) their fans thought they were going to get stuffed, and stayed away. I wish I had.

Harry once again had set up the team too negatively by packing out the midfield, and leaving Charlie Austin alone upfront to his own devices. Yes we had more possession, but that is all very well if you are creating chances and scoring lots of goals, which we are not. Over the course of the whole season the only objective is to get promotion, but by playing this same system week in week out, make no mistake it's not going to happen!

To anyone who has read my previous posts I apologise for constantly repeating myself, (and even I'm getting fed up saying it), but 442 is the way forward. Therefore a message to our allegedly illustrious Manager. It's not rocket science, if you want to be managing the R's next season in the Premiership, play both Austin and Johnson upfront from the start. Simples!
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Silverfoxqpr added 09:40 - Dec 2
Well I'm glad you mentioned the sunset, it WAS lovely and the clear highlight on a frustrating afternoon.
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enfieldargh added 10:06 - Dec 2
I do hope the Harry and all the playing staff read this.

Think someone should print copies of this off and put under the wipers of their cars at training on Monday...
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benbu added 11:05 - Dec 2
A few things that frustrated me ...

1) o'neill and jenas don't actually do anything they seem to slowly move up and down the pitch without doing much. It's 2 positions in the team where we seem to carrying both players.

2) kranjcar left side... WHY??? Play him in the middle and drop one of the 2 above. We have swp or hoilett on the bench. Niko would only need to be in a position to create some magic he can't do that 40 yards from goal on the touch line. I would have him behind Austin Central using swp and hoilett on the wings supported by Barton and 1 other in central midfield

3) formation change. Why not start 4-3-3 today surprise doncaster and send a statement were here to win. Niko Charlie and AJ all start. Or 4-4-2 with 2 proper wingers just try something different and confuse the other team. We are organised and set in 4-5-1 but look so slow and lifeless and it takes an eternity to create anything. Very frustrated like everyone today but agree Harry is doing a great job and were in a superb position we will have the odd defeat in this league

Onto Tuesday, surely AJ has to start this one and we need to start positively and go for it from the start
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hoops_legend added 12:36 - Dec 2
Thanks for the report... I believe this games defines the period 'Life after Taarabt and Faurlin'
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TacticalR added 14:36 - Dec 2
Only saw the second half on a stream which had no commentary. The echoes around the ground gave the feeling of a pre-season game, and it looked like we thought we were playing a pre-season game. Perhaps we thought we could stifle the opposition with possession, but this match showed you can't always do that.

What's up with Kranjčar's shooting? It seems like the ball doesn't listen to him in Doncaster.

At least Macheda didn't score - that would have topped it all off.
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AshteadR added 17:29 - Dec 2
Thanks Clive. Great away day, sh1t game.

I think I might have fallen asleep in the first half, but as nothing was happening I couldn't be sure.

Let's see what response we get tomorrow.
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