QPR vs Cardiff: No Fowler or Hasselbaink

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UPDATE: 3:30 Am

QPR Official Site - Team News: Four Return Nardiello, Blackstock, Stewart, Curtis - QPR

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: CARDIFF CITY

Bluebirds boss Dave Jones has been forced to shuffle his pack over the summer months, in the wake of the high-profile departure of hot-shot Michael Chopra.

The 23 year-old striker joined big-spending Sunderland in a £5million move in mid-July and his potential has shone through already, with the diminutive striker notching two goals in as many games for the Black Cats.

Undeterred, Cardiff moved quickly to fill the void left by the former Newcastle United front-man.

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler was brought in as a direct replacement, while Cardiff also added ex-R's midfielder Trevor Sinclair and more recently, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, to their squad.

Expectations have risen in South Wales as a result, but new signing Sinclair insists it's belief that will see them improve upon last season's 13th place finish.

"We need to follow Sunderland's example of last year, they went on a run and that brought belief," he said.

"With that belief came a winning mentality, and if we can get that same sort of belief we will do well."

But despite Sinclair's positivety, Cardiff got off to the worst possible start on day one of the new campaign.

Ryan Shawcross' debut goal and a superb penalty save from Steve Simonsen gave Stoke City maximum points at Ninian Park.

On-loan Manchester United defender Shawcross got on the end of a 27th minute Liam Lawrence corner to crash home a right-footed volley.

On 85 minutes Shawcross was adjudged to have pulled MacLean's shirt, but the striker saw Simonsen block his resultant penalty and miraculously parry the follow-up.

Man to watch: Gavin RAE

Dave Jones completed the noteworthy signing of Glasgow Rangers midfielder Gavin Rae in June.

The Scottish international joined as a free agent after his release from the Ibrox-based Club.

Rae began his career at Dundee, where he made over 200 appearances in an eight-year spell.

He was transferred to Rangers for £250,000 in January 2004, but despite captaining the Scottish giants in the SPL last season, he made the surprise switch to Ninian Park this summer.

Transfers

In's

Trevor Sinclair (Manchester City - free)

Robbie Fowler (Liverpool - free)

Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink (Charlton - free)

Ross Turnbull (Middlesborough - loan)

Tony Capaldi (Plymouth - free)

Steve MacLean (Sheffield Wednesday - free)

Gavin Rae (Glasgow Rangers - free)

Michael Oakes (Wolves - free)

Out's

Michael Chopra (Sunderland - £5,000,000)

Neil Alexander (Ipswich - free)

Scott Allison (Hartlepool - free)

Head-to-head:

QPR wins: 23

Draws: 9

Cardiff City wins: 20

Match odds:

QPR 6/5

Draw 9/4

Cardiff 19/10 QPR

CARDIFF OFFICIAL SITE - QPR PREVIEW

The Bluebirds move into their second fixture of the new season looking to get all three points from a tough clash at Loftus Road...

Our last encounter was a stormy affair where Michael Chopra saw red at the end of the game and six players were booked. It was a massive game for Rangers
as it meant the win would keep them in the Championship.

Cardiff line up v QPR: Forde ,Gilbert (Parry ,57 ) ,Johnson ,Gunter ,McNaughton ,Whittingham
,McPhail ,Ledley ,Flood (Blake ,75 ) ,Thompson (Feeney ,72 ) ,Chopra

Subs not used Alexander, Green,

Visiting Loftus Road hasn't been a very happy hunting ground for the City as on the last three occasions we have lost 1-0. The last time we beat the Hoops in their own back garden was back in November of 2002. A superb second half from the Bluebirds saw us run out 4-0 winners with a Earnshaw hat-tick.

This time round things are different both teams have a clean slate and are looking for a successful Championship season.

John Gregory has been busy during the summer and one of his additions who is unavailable for the game is Chris Barker. The former Bluebird picked up a red card at the end of last season and is serving a three game ban. Daniel Nardiello (Barnsley), Simon Walton (Charlton), Lee Camp (Derby), John Curtis (Nottingham Forest), Michael Mancienne (Chelsea, loan), Ben Sahar (Chelsea, loan).

Simon Walton another former Bluebird broke his leg in pre-season and is out of action for a while, we wish him well in his recovery. Ben Sahar is also out as he has had appendicitis.

The Hoops played in midweek and were knocked out strangely enough by Leyton Orient our opponents in round two of the cup.

Adam Boyd put QPR to the sword and knocked them out of the competition with the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 2-1 victory for the League One side.

Early team news:

The Bluebirds have Robbie Fowler, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and Ricci Scimeca unavailable. Dave will pick his 18 to travel to London after the training session on Friday morning. Cardiff

QPR versus Cardiff - No Robbie Fowler or Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink versus QPR(unless there's a sudden change of plans!). Trevor Sinclair is coming!
IC Wales
Hopefully Cardiff will be to a small degree focused on financial issues.
Cardiff started the season with a 0-1 home loss to Stoke before winning in the Cup after extra time, against Brighton. (In the next round, Cardiff are at home to Orient!)
Cardiff's squad

SPORTING LIFEQPR welcome back Dexter Blackstock and Daniel Nardiello for the home clash with Cardiff.

The forward pair were left out of the midweek Carling Cup first-round defeat by Leyton Orient due to respective hamstring and back problems, but Rangers manager John Gregory expects them to recover in time for the visit of Dave Jones' men.

Gregory will also have Hogan Ephraim available again after the midfielder was denied permission to play against Orient under the terms of his loan deal from West Ham.

Defenders Marcus Bignot and Danny Cullip returned from injury for the Orient game, but it remains to be seen whether either player retains his place after the disappointing 2-1 home reverse against the League One side.

On-loan Chelsea forward Ben Sahar is still recovering after an appendectomy, while defender Pat Kanyuka (thigh), winger Gareth Ainsworth (ankle) and forward Ray Jones (foot) remain sidelined.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will play no part in Cardiff's trip to the capital.

The former Leeds, Chelsea and Middlesbrough forward, 35, had been tipped to join Cardiff's Coca-Cola Championship rivals Leicester.

But he opted to join the Bluebirds on Thursday, although he will not join up with his new team mates until Monday.

Hasselbaink's arrival is a boost to Dave Jones' men, who are still without Robbie Fowler as the former Liverpool striker battles to return to fitness.

The Bluebirds are still missing midfielder Riccardo Scimeca and striker Steve Thompson due to injury but Jones has no other injury or suspension concerns as his side go in their pursuit of their first points of the new season. Sporting Life


In an article on the QPR Official Site entitled "BOUNCEBACKABILITY" (a term from Ian Dowie?)
"Newly apponted R's skipper Adam Bolder is determined to put the wrongs of Tuesday night's Carling Cup defeat to right this weekend.
Rangers welcome Cardiff City to Loftus Road for their maiden home fixture of the new Championship campaign on Saturday and the ever-popular R's midfielder is desperate to bounce back after the disappointing 2-1 defeat to Leyton Orient.
"It goes without saying that we were deeply disappointed with Tuesday's Cup defeat," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We never really got out of first gear in the first half and it took them to open the scoring before we found our feet.
"We still had chances to force extra-time after Rowly got us back in it, but all in all, there can be no excuses for our below-par display."
Bolder believes a home fixture, in-front of a partisan R's crowd, presents Rangers with a perfect opportunity to register their first victory of the new season.
"The good thing about this stage of the season is that the games come thick and fast and we're determined to put the wrongs of Tuesday's display to right on Saturday.
"Cardiff will be up for it after losing on the opening day, but we're confident we can win the game and we'll be going all out to register the three points." QPR