QPR - Southampton: Further Match Reports

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From the BBC: Photo of The Players Commemorating Ray Jones

The Sunday TimesSeptember 2, 2007 - Rasiak double drives Saints
QPR 0 Southampton 3Ivo Tennant at Loftus Road
SOUTHAMPTON’S ordinary start to the season, amounting to three defeats in succession, has been properly corrected. Victory over Stoke City was followed by this convincing triumph over Queen’s Park Rangers, who failed to master the basic requirements of defending. There was scant marking of any description on the ground or at set-pieces.

Grzegorz Rasiak, a Tottenham forward last year, scored twice through openings that he could rarely have visualised in the Premier League. Rangers, grief-stricken, barely came up with a chance, let alone a shot on target.

Even the recommended takeover of Rangers by Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone was overshadowed by the celebration – that is what it was, rather than a doleful minute’s silence – of the life of Ray Jones, the talented 18-year-old forward who died in a car crash last week.

Wreaths were laid, his abilities and character hymned. John Gregory, the Rangers manager, reminded us that Jones had scored against Southampton in one of his first matches in charge at Loftus Road. Whether or not the teammates who applauded their late friend so vigorously were affected by the ceremony, or whether they were simply performing like the team without a victory that they are, was hard to gauge. Needless to say, Jones was missed in every sense.

“The death of Ray Jones has hit everyone at the club really hard,” said Gregory. “The players are absolutely devastated. Ray was one of the most popular figures in the dressing room – no one ever had a bad word to say about him and I had hoped we could put on a show this afternoon to give him the perfect send-off.”

It wasn’t to be, though, as Southampton opened the scoring after 18 minutes when Youssef Safri’s corner picked out Rasiak at the far post and he rose above the immobile Rangers defenders and headed past Camp. Then, just before the break, Jhon Viafara’s pace enabled him to reach a 50-50 ball ahead of Camp, who upended the Colombian and was booked after Rasiak had slipped the ball into the untenanted goal.

Shortly after half-time, Rangers’ marking was again abject as a Nathan Dyer cross was headed in by Bradley Wright-Phillips for the third. “I cannot remember seeing so many clear-cut opportunities,” said Southampton manager George Burley. “Lee Camp was tremendous for Rangers but our football was a joy to watch.”

Star man: Grzegorz Rasiak (Southampton)

Player ratings. Queens Park Rangers: Camp 6, Barker 6, Stewart 4, Mancienne 4 (Cullip, 82min), Bolder 5, Sahar 5 (Nardiello, 66min), Curtis 5, Blackstock 5 (Nygaard, 66min), Rowlands 5, Ephraim 5, Leigertwood 5

Southampton: Davis 6, Makin 6, Thomas 7, Vignal 7, Dyer 6, Viafara 6, Wright 6, Surman 6 (Euell, 63min), Safri 6, Wright-Phillips 7 (Saganowski, 72min), Rasiak 8 (John, 83min)
- Sunday Times

Sunday Mirror - Football: HOOPS IN REVERSE GEAR Graham Otway

Queens Park Rangers were promised a fast-track back to prosperity yesterday after two Formula One bosses took control of the Loftus Road boardroom.

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Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore are believed to have paid around £30 million for the struggling Championship side.

And on the evidence of Rangers' third home defeat of the season, their rescue act has not arrived a minute too soon.

Existing Rangers chairman Gianni Paladini will nominally remain in his current position.

But Briatore, having agreed to help pay off Rangers' £20 million debt, has joined the board, along with two of his associates.

Briatore's presence yesterday was largely overshadowed by Rangers' tribute to teenage striker Ray Jones, who was killed in a car crash a week ago.

But Briatore was, nevertheless, positive about his plans for the club, despite a dire display against Southampton. He said: "We are fully aware of the history of QPR and we are totally committed to bringing future success to the club."

But after watching Rangers yesterday, Briatore must be wondering just how much money he will need to spend.

Southampton, a club with its own boardroom turmoil, dominated a first half in which Polish striker Grzegorz Rasiak should have killed the game off.

Saints took the lead after 17 minutes when Rasiak climbed above the Rangers defence to power home a Youssef Safri corner.

But then when twice faced with only Rangers' keeper Lee Camp to beat, Rasiak hesitated at the crucial moment. It took a controversial refereeing decision from Mick Thorpe to present Rasiak with his second goal just before the break.

A strong 60-yard run from Jhon Viafara was only halted when Camp ran out of his area to foul the midfielder.

But with the ball running straight into Rasiak's path, Thorpe waved play on, leaving the Pole staring at an empty net. Amazingly, Camp was only booked for the challenge.

Four minutes after half-time any suggestion of a Rangers recovery was ended by Saints' third goal.

Again the marking at the centre of QPR's defence was woeful, as Bradley Wright- Phillips rose unchallenged to head home a Nathan Dyer cross.

Saints boss George Burley said: "It was obviously a very emotional day for Rangers, but my job is to try to win matches and entertain the public, and I think we did both.

"We were a joy to watch and created so many chances we could have had double figures."

HOW THEY RATED

QPR

Camp 4, Curtis 5, Mancienne 3 (Cullip 4), Stewart 4, Barker 5, Rowlands 5, Leigertwood 5, Bolder 5, Ephraim 5, Blackstock 4, (Nygaard 5), Sahar 4 (Nardiello 5).

Manager Gregory 5

SOUTHAMPTON

Davis 6, Wright 6 Vignal 6, Makin 6 Thomas 6, Dyer 6, Viafara 7, Safri 6, Surman 5 (Euell 5), Wright-Phillips 6 (Saganowski 5), RASIAK 8 (John 5).

Manager Burley 6
Referee M Thorpe 4
MAN OF THE MATCH GZREGORZ RASIAK
Rangers had no answer to his extra height and power Sunday Mirror

People - RASIAK ATTACK BLASTS HOOPS By Chris Davies
Queens Park Rangers celebrated the life and times of Ray Jones yesterday, but could not get the result which would have been the perfect send-off.

An emotional afternoon saw a respectful minute's applause for the teenage striker who was killed in a car accident last weekend.

Rangers players wore 'Ray Jones' on the back of their jerseys and perhaps the occasion proved too much for them. Southampton had a field day against the home defence which was fortunate to concede only three goals.

Saints took the lead in the 18th minute when Grzegorz Rasiak climbed over Damion Stewart to head home Youssef Safri's left-wing corner.

A minute before the interval Jhon Viafara raced clear and was brought down by Lee Camp, who would have been dismissed had the ball not run to Rasiak to score his second goal.

Camp was fortunate a minute later when he appeared to handle Bradley Wright-Phillips' shot outside his area, but the referee ruled that the ball struck the goalkeeper's chest.


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Wright-Phillips took advantage of more slack Rangers marking in the 50th minute to head Nathan Dyer's right-wing cross past Camp.


On the evidence of this display, Rangers will need Bernie Ecclestone to dig deep into his pockets after a consortium led by the Formula One chief had a £25million takeover bid recommended by the board.


Qpr: Camp 6 - Curtis 5, Mancienne 5 (Cullip, 84mins), Stewart 4, Barker 5 - Rowlands 6, *LEIGERTWOOD 7, Bolder 6, Ephraim 5, Blackstock 6 (Nygaard, 70mins, 5) - Sahar 6 (Nardiello, 70mins, 5).

Southampton: Davis 7 - Wright 7, Thomas 7, Makin 7, Vignal 6 - Dyer 7, Viafara 7, Safri 7, Surman 6 (Euell, 64mins, 6) - *RASIAK 8 (John, 84mins), Wright-Phillips 7 (Saganowski, 74mins, 5).

Ref: M Thorpe 8 People

Also: Earlier Reports of QPR 0 Southampton 3