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Relegation strugglers QPR travel to promotion-challenging Plymouth on Boxing day. What until a month ago would have been another "Ian Holloway Seeks Revenge" game, is now a match between two of Holloway's former clubs: Both of whom desperately want three points! QPR's on-loan midfielder (and QPR's top scorer), Akos Buzsaky's returns to play at Plymouth. But QPR's Star Defender, Damion Stewart is suspended.
Plymouth's tactics in the words of their manager, Paul Sturrock: "[W]e have got to be in their faces, we have got to be aggressive - we're the home team - we have got to be offensive, get plenty of crosses in the box, and make sure they have got to defend." Plymouth
Plymouth home record is 4 wins - 5 draws - 2 defeats. (Scored 15; conceded 9). QPR's Away record is 2 Wins- 5 draws - 4 defeats (Scored 13; conceded 19) League Table
Plymouth Details: Plymouth Squad...Plymouth Results
PLYMOUTH HERALD - AKOS RELISHING ARGYLE RETURN
Akos Buzsaky has admitted it will be a 'special moment' when he plays for Queens Park Rangers against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park on Boxing Day (3pm).
The talented Hungarian international midfielder moved to QPR on loan from the Pilgrims at the end of October.
And Rangers will formally complete the £500,000 signing of Buzsaky when the transfer window re-opens in January.
But the 25-year-old still retains a strong affection for Argyle, where he made a total of 105 appearances and scored nine goals.
He told Herald Sport: "The game on Boxing Day is going to be a special moment for me.
"I still have great feelings for Plymouth and sometimes I talk about Plymouth like I'm still there."
Buzsaky had played 10 games for QPR and scored five goals, including two games Colchester on Saturday.
Rangers's win over Colchester saw them move off the bottom of the Championship and out of the relegation zone.
And after the recent takeover of the west London club by Formula One tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, they are likely to spend heavily during the transfer window.
Argyle are expecting one of their best attendances of the season for the visit of QPR on Boxing Day, and the return of Buzsaky.
"I'm looking forward to it," said Buzsaky. "Everybody knows how much I loved Plymouth. I really enjoyed my time there.
"It's going to be strange to play against a team I have been part of for almost three years. I have never been in this situation before in my career."
Buzsaky has remained in contact with Argyle's Hungarian duo Peter Halmosi and Krisztian Timar since leaving Home Park.
He said: "I always speak to them. They are good players and I'm not surprised they are doing well for the team.
"Everybody knows how good Peter is. On his day he is unstoppable. And Krisztian is a very strong defender.
"I think Plymouth are glad they signed both of them."
Halmosi and Timar have played important parts in the Pilgrims' fine form this season.
Buzsaky said: "I'm really glad they are doing well. They beat Sheffield United and Watford away from home and those are great results.
"Not too many clubs are going to be able to do that.
"I hope they continue their great form and that they will be up there at the end of the season."
Buzsaky had been in talks with Argyle about a new contract before his abrupt departure to QPR.
He was not included in the Pilgrims' squad for the 2-0 defeat at Preston North End on October 27 and moved to Rangers a couple of days later.
Buzsaky hopes the Green Army understand his reasons for leaving.
He said: "I think the fans liked me. I always tried to give my best for the team, even if sometimes I had a bad day.
"I hope the supporters appreciate that and they don't think too badly about me. "I had this opportunity (to move to QPR) and in football you have to make decisions.
"After three years at a club sometimes you need a new challenge and that's what I thought. But it was good business for the club."
Less than a month after Buzsaky's move to QPR, Argyle manager Ian Holloway resigned and took over at Championship rivals Leicester City.
Buzsaky said: "If he thought Leicester offered more chances for him to achieve his dreams that's fair enough.
"But he was always talking in the Press, and talking to the players, about taking Plymouth into the Premier League.
"He kept saying it, and then one day he just left.
"It was a little bit surprising to me, but that's football. Sometimes you don't know what goes on behind the scenes."
Holloway was replaced in the Home Park hot-seat by Paul Sturrock, who is in his second stint as the Pilgrims' boss.
Buzsaky said: "He was really successful at Plymouth before and he knows a few of the players from then.
"I'm sure he's going to be successful again because the players always have the passion and they give everything for Plymouth."
As far as QPR are concerned, Buzsaky believes there are exciting times ahead, despite their current lowly league position.
He said: "I have played most of the games and scored some goals, so it's going well for me at the moment.
"I'm sure there are going to be some big signings in January.
"The aim is to get into the Premier League as soon as possible.
"It probably isn't going to happen this season but we want to be pushing for promotion next year, so it's very exciting." This is Plymouth
PLYMOUTH OFFICIAL SITE - LUGGY GETS FRESH
ARGYLE manager Paul Sturrock is sticking to his pledge to freshen up his starting line-up for the Boxing Day visit of Queens Park Rangers.
Luggy promised personnel changes in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, when a poor first-half display cost the Pilgrims the chance of a second successive away win.
He will also consider jettisoning the 4-3-3 formation which he has used in our previous three games.
"I think we've got to freshen up," said Luggy, after training on Christmas Eve.
"We've got to get back to how we normally play at home.
"It's vitally important we get us on the front foot, and QPR on the back foot, very early. The tempo is going to have to be high.
"That is why I am freshening things up."
Having fielded a starting line-up on Saturday unchanged from the previous week's win over Watford, Luggy will now go into the second of four games inside ten days with all options on the table.
Midfielder Lilian Nalis and right-back Paul Connolly, who were suspended for the trip to Watford, are bound to be in his thoughts, while he also has on-loan Manchester United winger Lee Martin available after injury.
"I would say there will be one or two changes from the team that played the other day," said Luggy, "just to give us that running edge, that sharpness, which sometimes, with games coming thick and fast, you miss out on.
"I don't want to be caught out as far as that's concerned, so it's vitally important we put some fresh legs in there."
The game sees the return to Home Park of Ákos Buzsáky, who scored both goals in Rangers' 2-1 win over Colchester on Saturday, when the newly cash-rich Londoners moved out of the Championship relegation zone.
Luggy, though, is less concerned with how the Hungarian international midfielder plays then with his own tactics.
"QPR are coming off a good win and have done well over the last couple of weeks," said Luggy. "I think they have been quite pleased with their performances.
"But, as I say, we have got to be in their faces, we have got to be aggressive - we're the home team - we have got to be offensive, get plenty of crosses in the box, and make sure they have got to defend." Plymouth Official Site
Plymouth Herald/Chris Errington - LUGGY VOWS TO MAKE CHANGES
Manager Paul Sturrock has promised there will be team changes for Plymouth Argyle's clash with Queens Park Rangers at Home Park on Boxing Day (3pm).
It follows the Pilgrims' 2-1 defeat away to Crystal Palace in the Championship on Saturday.
Sturrock opted for the same starting line-up at Selhurst Park that had beaten table-topping Watford 1-0 at Vicarage Road in the previous game.
That meant defender Paul Connolly and midfielder Lilian Nalis, both back from one-match bans, missed out.
Connolly was a non-playing substitute as England under-18 international Dan Gosling continued at right-back while Nalis did not even make the bench.
But Sturrock has vowed to shake up the side for the visit of QPR.
Rangers were bottom of the table before their 2-1 home win against Colchester United on Saturday, which saw them move up to 21st position.
Their on-loan Argyle midfielder Akos Buzsaky scored both of their goals, taking his tally for QPR to five in 10 games.
Buzsaky will play for Rangers on Boxing Day because his loan deal will become a permanent £500,000 move when the transfer window reopens on January 1.
Sturrock, meanwhile, should have on-loan Manchester United winger Lee Martin available on Boxing Day.
The 20-year-old has recovered from a torn hamstring and will almost certainly be included in the Pilgrims' squad against QPR.
Whether it would be too soon for him to be named by Sturrock in the starting line-up remains to be seen.
Argyle found themselves trailing Palace 2-0 at half-time, after goals from on-loan Stoke City defender Clint Hill and striker James Scowcroft.
Striker Jermaine Easter replied with a fine diving header in the 49th minute but the Pilgrims could not force an equaliser.
It leaves them in eighth position in the Championship, two points outside of the play-offs, going into back-to-back home games this week.
The visit of QPR will be followed by a clash against Tony Pulis's fourth-placed Stoke on Saturday (December 29).
Sturrock was very critical of Argyle's attitude and workrate in the first half at Selhurst Park, and has demanded much better from them against QPR.
Asked whether there were any injuries after the defeat by Palace, he replied: "Just pride."
Sturrock continued: "There are no easy games in this league. QPR are fighting for their lives and they will definitely come with the same attitude, workrate and desire that Crystal Palace showed on Saturday.
"We can't afford to think that we can go and play them and it's just going to happen for us.
"I'm hopeful I can freshen the team up. That will enable me to put a presence on some of the players who, maybe, have felt they are certain starters every week."
Easter's goal against Palace was his second for Argyle since his loan move from Wycombe Wanderers at the end of October.
After making a series of substitute appearances, the Wales international striker has started the last two matches for the Pilgrims and will hope to retain his place aginst QPR.
He said: "QPR are a team on the up, but they are coming to our place and it's somewhere people should be scared to come to.
"It gives us a chance to put right what happened on Saturday. If we can pick up maximum points from these next two home games we will be in a nice position."
Argyle defender Marcel Seip will be on duty against QPR despite suffering a facial injury against Palace.
Seip was off the pitch receiving treatment for a cut above an eye, which eventually needed stitches, when Hill gave Palace the lead.
He said: "I was going for the ball and I headed against the back of the head of someone.
"It wasn't an elbow or anything. It was just unlucky. I knew there was a cut because it was bleeding straight away.
"I was only off for two or three minutes and they scored a goal."
Seip continued: "We have got two home games coming up and if we want to keep near the play-off positions then we have to win now.
"We know what we have to do to keep there." Plymouth Herald