Fans want Camp in goal for QPR season opener
Tuesday, 5th Aug 2008 13:20

In our latest vox pop, the last of the summer, three fans tackle the key issues of the week at QPR - including the poor pre-season results, future transfer targets and who should be starting in goal come 3pm on Saturday.

In our latest vox pop Jeff_V2.0 and WatfordR from the message board are joined by Adam Boxer, editor of the Vital QPR site - the boys look at our poor pre-season, possible future transfer activity, the goalkeeping situation and look ahead to the opening week of the season. If you wish to take part in the next Vox Pop at the end of August please e-mail loftforwords@yahoo.co.uk.

Pre-season has been pretty dire results and performances wise - has it altered your expectations for the season? Are you worried?

Adam: Having personally attended games at Stevenage, Northampton and Chievo, I am not so much worried about the performances of the players - some of which are undoubtedly talented professionals, but the style of play we are purporting. Iain Dowie has stated that he wants to see attractive football; thus far our system has displayed method over style, a far cry from some of the football we played under Luigi De Canio, against the likes of opening day opponents Barnsley in the 3-0 win at Loftus Road. In a nutshell, it is slightly worrying that Dowie has a blinkered view as to what constitutes as 'passing football', of which Chievo displayed the true meaning, but it is my belief that if the players play to their full potential, method shouldn't come into the argument. We should have enough about us to get the ball, keep it, and attractive football will follow.. one hopes!

Jeff Pre-season can be looked at in a number of ways – winning in pre-season could suggest that we’ve got some momentum and heads are high going into Barnsley, whereas losing means that we’re getting the kinks out of the way and working out what doesn’t work before the season starts. We have been pretty woeful truth be told, and we don’t seem to be scoring enough, especially from the strikers. It would appear that pre-season has suggested that Ledesma is going to be quality, which is nice to know. Whilst I would have preferred us to win that to lose, I’m hopeful that come Saturday the boys will be fired up for the Barnsley match. I just hope that Dowie knows his starting line up, as I’m buggered if I do at the moment. Not worried at the moment – cautiously optimistic truth be told, but eager to know Dowie’s first XI and how he plans to use the squad.

WatfordR: Not that worried about pre season results, and the two games I saw weren’t bad performances (Northampton & Chievo) in terms of trying to keep the ball down and pass it around. Wasn’t much cutting edge on view, though playing Dex & Pat together up front won’t ever work, and Dex won’t work as a lone striker. I can’t blame Dowie for not knowing this to start with, but it will be interesting to see who starts up front vs Barnsley. In terms of expectations, I still can’t see how we shouldn’t be top six. We achieved play off results from January on, and the squad is now much stronger than then. It’s possibly the most exciting collections of players we have ever had together. I’m not sure Dowie is good enough to get the very best from the squad, but he should be good enough to get them into the top six. I’m really very excited about the upcoming season.

Iain Dowie said at Monday’s press conference that he's looking for perhaps one more addition. What do we need most and who would you go for?

Adam: Definately not another midfielder, that is for certain! Although Ben Watson is constantly linked with Rangers in the press, I'm not sure he is our highest priority at this moment in time. I would like to see another striker at the club, regardless of the system our first team coach decided to deploy. Dexter Blackstock and Patrick Agyemang are the current favoured partnership upfront, with Dex preferred as a lone striker against Chievo. The pair do not have the necessary credentials to score the goals required in order to be succesful in this division in my opinion. This has been highlighted by the sheer lack of goals pre-season. An experienced goalscorer evidently would be the way to go for Dowie, but having reportedly missed out on Clinton Morrison, Kevin Phillips et al, it becomes all that more important to sign a goalscorer sooner rather than later, if the R's aren't to be held to stalemate.

Jeff It seems to me that the theme of the summer has been to buy as many attacking midfielders as we can – in the close season we’ve acquired Alberti, Ledesma, Cook and Parejo, who are all attack minded. This would suggest that a variation of 451 will be played, as otherwise we’re going to have some seriously pissed off players. I’m assuming that the Watson deal is now dead, and Dowie is going to sort out defensive duties from what he’s got (Legs/Mahon/Rowlands/Parejo), which now means that we have to sort out the striking issue. Our current strike force of Dex, Dave, SDC and Balanta does not strike the fear of God into the opposition. Dex may now be a different story due to the arrival of Cook and Ledesma by all accounts seems pretty good at the crossing malarkey, but I fear that we have no-one that will *guarantee* us a good scoring return, or at least lead the line well enough to bring the abundance of attacking midfielders into play. It’s not luck that all the teams that get promoted have a 20 goal striker in their teams.

So who is still available? Jason Roberts seems ideal, but seems pretty close to the first team again at Blackburn. Louis Saha is never coming in my opinion, and even if he does, he’ll never be fit anyhow. Nugent would be ideal, but won’t drop a division. Carlos Vela’s name is appearing, but I think he’s a ‘cute’ player, and he’s a much deeper player. David Healy must be available if AJ signs – why not go for him?

WatfordR: I am concerned that we don’t have cover for Delaney, though I’m guessing Connolly would be asked to do the job if needed. Like everyone else though, I think it appears as though we need another option up front. We really miss a nasty aggressive front man, a bit like Furlong. Jason Roberts would absolutely be my choice, I think he’d guarantee promotion if he kept fit, and it looks to me as though the “Guvnor” (rofl) is having a few problems at Blackburn, I think the right offer could get him. Of the other options, I’d like Ched Evans, and still have a sneaky feeling he’ll end up at LR this season.

Dowie will inform Lee Camp and Radek Cerny who is starting against Barnsley early this week - who would you pick and why?

Adam: It is my opinion that Lee Camp is the current goalkeeper, and is the first name on the team-sheet, it is up to Radek Cerny to prove he is the man to replace him should the opportunity arise. Lee Camp holds alot of respect within the club, and the fans left Dowie in doubt that he is the one they want between the sticks, cheering his 85 minute substitution against Chievo, which incidentally shows that Dowie is also caught in two minds, or doesn't want to show his hand. Camp and Cerny are in essence very similar goalkeepers, with their forté in reflexes and shot stopping. Cerny's distribution is excellent and he has a wealth of experience in Europe, but Camp has proven many times down the years how much class he has between the sticks, so certainly a conundrum for Dowie, but the jersey is Camp's to lose for me.

Jeff For me, this is a bit of a no-brainer – Camp simply has to start. It was only Rowlands’ phenomenal form in the centre that stopped Camp from being the player of the season last term and he won us far more points than he cost us. Blip against Norwich aside, he was practically faultless. Cerny has come to us with a bit of a reputation after usurping Robinson last season, but I think it would be a real kick in the teeth for Camp to lose out to Cerny, certainly in the opening stages of the season. Let’s not forget that Camp came to us when we were destitute and fighting for our Championship life, and I assume took a pay cut as opposed to getting Premiership wages with Derby. I think the position is Camp’s to lose as opposed to his to win back. quite happy with the healthy competition for the place though.

WatfordR: A toughie. I’ve only see Cerny live on Saturday. I have seen on him on TV playing for Spurs, and he has appeared to me to be a bit of a flapper under crosses. If I were an opposing manager, I’d have big guys crowding him at set pieces. But his distribution from hand to full backs was good on Saturday, and it’s something Camp doesn’t do well. This is really an important part of playing a controlled, passing game in my view, if the ball is simply being kicked upfield all the time, it means you are often giving the ball away too often. But I do have a lot of time for Camp, who is young, can only improve, and who has also played such a part in our recent history. In my book, he was our Player of the Year last season because he was consistent over the whole season. On balance, I’d probably go for Camp.

This week’s LoftforWords readers’ poll gives you the chance to give your opinion on who should start in goal against Barnsley. After two days of voting Lee Camp currently leads the way with 76% of the vote but the poll will stay open until Friday so there’s plenty of chance to have your say - just use the voting box down the right hand side of the screen. Look out for Friday’s Barnsley match preview when the final score will be revealed.

Barnsley, Swindon and Sheffield United to start - how do you see those three games going?

Adam: None of these games will be a walk-over, and the Sheffield United game will provide a stern test to our tag as promotion favourites. Barnsley will relish coming to W12 as the under-dogs, as their F.A. Cup giant-killing exploits showed last season, I would expect Rangers bolstered by Parejo and Cook to score goals against a leaking defence, but at the back Rangers still aren't the finished article. Swindon are the old foe, especially at the County Ground, many a rainsoaked day I've spent being laughed at, with the only joy coming courtesy of Jerome Thomas. It's up there with Port Vale as a ground I don't mind going to, but always prepare for the worst. I would expect even our second string to get a positive result. As mentioned the Sheffield United game will be the sternest of early tests, and I'm not sure we can live up to the tag as favourites in this clash, it's going to be tough. I would hope for a draw at Bramall Lane, and a performance to match, or is that really too much to ask?

Jeff From the two league games, I would like at least four points. Three at home to Barnsley, and one at Sheffield United. If we are going to make a fist of this league, we need to hit the ground running, slow starts could really cost us in what threatens to be a ridiculously tight league this time round. I certainly won’t be calling for Dowie’s head if he doesn’t deliver the four points however, as I fully expect it to take a while before the squad is settled. Let’s not forget that we’re without three absolutely vital players for the first part of the season. There does seem to be some sort of expectation that we’re going to win the league with a record of P46 W46, but that’s clearly not going to happen. The League Cup is anyone’s guess really. It would be nice to have a cup run once in a blue moon, and whilst Swindon are no slouches, I’d like to think we’ve got enough to put them to the sword. Although we should have put Northampton, Vauxhall Motors, Leyton Orient et al. to the sword too…

WatfordR: To be honest, until Rowly, Buzz and Vine are back, we aren’t going to see the real deal, so I won’t be surprised to see us get off to a slowish start. Barnsley, expecting nothing less than three points and a good performance. That’s it, end of. Swindon, well I think it’s about time we had a cup run, but I wouldn’t have minded something a little less tricky. I’ll go for a narrow 2-1 win, but not with huge confidence. Sheffield United, that’s a tough game against one of the team that I think will be right up there. A draw would be great, but I’d be happy with a decent performance and a loss.

Don’t miss the annual LoftforWords jumbo Championship preview which will be online on Wednesday morning