QPR vs Wolves - Reports and Comments

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SUNDAY PEOPLE - Wolves re-open a Can of worms - Ian Gibb
Gigi De Canio hopes fellow-Italian Fabio Capello makes a good impression on England fans when he arrives to become national coach.
But whether De Canio is around long enough to see how it works out for the new England supremo remains to be seen as Rangers remain chained to the bottom three.
Rumours abounded that De Canio needed the midweek upset win at Burnley to save his job - and after this draw at least he can point to an unbeaten run of three games.
However, QPR still look in mortal danger and co-owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone cannot contemplate relegation to League One.
Wayne Hennessey made some outstanding saves to stop the rot for Wolves, who had lost two in a row, but Rangers were also extremely lucky that Stephen Elliott missed the easiest of second-half chances for the visitors.
Qpr also had what looked like a good penalty appeal turned down by rookie Championship referee Fred Graham when Kevin Foley seemed to hold down Marc Nygaard.
De Canio groaned: "I wonder when we are going to be given any free-kicks around the penalty area. What happened to Nygaard was unbelievable."
Mick McCarthy exonerated striker Elliott from any blame because of his hard-working general play.
"I thought he was terrific with his all-round performance," said the Wolves boss. "He's been doing all the tough jobs and maybe because of all the work he'd done, he just couldn't stick that chance away.
"It would have been the icing on the cake but in the end we'll take a point and carry on.
It was better to get something rather than have a third successive defeat."
Despite their midweek win, it took more than half-an-hour for Rangers to show any confidence, Rowlands trying a low, trundling shot from 25 yards that Hennessey saw late before diving to his right to deflect for a corner.
But even Hennessey was helpless as Dexter Blackstock somehow missed from five yards after Gareth Ainsworth's intelligent cutback.
Rowlands tried his luck again on 36 minutes, and this time Hennessey dived to his left to push the ball for a corner.
Blackstock attempted to atone for his miss on 48 minutes when he turned neatly past Neill Collins and the ball sat up nicely only for the big man to blaze his shot wastefully wide.
But Blackstock did well on 81 minutes to set up Rowlands, who thought he had broken the deadlock - only for Hennessey to fly across his goal and keep the ball out.
McCarthy was full of praise for the Wales keeper, saying: "He made a mistake last week but I thought he was remarkable in his resolve and the calmness he showed after that.
"He made good saves and he's a top keeper."
But Wolves striker Elliott will still bewondering how he didn't clinch victory in the 70th minute.
Darron Gibson, on loan from Manchester United, exchanged passes with Jay Bothroyd before centring low to the far post.
It needed only a touch but Elliott contrived to slide the ball the wrong side of the woodwork.
Qpr will certainly have to get busy in the January transfer window if they are to move out of the danger area.
Wolves, on the other hand, still look on course for a top-six place though McCarthy needs to give them a bit more belief if they are to finish in the top six.
Qpr: Camp 6 - Malcolm 6, Stewart 6, Rehman 7, Barker 6 - Ainsworth 6, Leigertwood 6, Buzsaky 6, *ROWLANDS 7 - Nygaard 6, Blackstock 6 (Sinclair, 82mins).
Wolves: *HENNESSEY 8 - Foley 6, Collins 7, Ward 7, Gray 6 - Gibson 6, Olofinjana 7, Henry 6, Ward 6 - Elliott 5, Bothroyd 6 (Keogh, 87mins). Ref: F Graham 6.
Sunday People


SUNDAY MIRROR MANAGERIAL COMMENTS - LUIGI TIPS CAPELLO FOR GLORY - Warren Haughton
Rangers boss Luigi De Canio hopes that Fabio Capello will be as happy as he is in England.
De Canio, the only Italian manager in English league football, also expects Capello to be a big hit with the national side and take England to the top of international football again.
The QPR boss said: "Capello is a great professional and will make the England team succeed.
"He will also have a lot more time to learn the language as he will not see his players every day like me!"
De Canio saw his side earn a point against promotion hopefuls Wolves, who made it five straight away League games without scoring and lost touch with the automatic promotion chasers.
De Canio said: "It was the right result against a good team and it allows us to continue our good run."
He was disappointed that his side were not awarded a second-half penalty when Wolves defender Kevin Foley seemed to wrestle big striker Marc Nygaard down in the box, but the referee waved play on to the amazement of the home fans.
De Canio said: "What worries me is that we are not awarded penalties or free-kicks. What happened to Nygaard was unbelievable."
The home side should have taken the lead on 34 minutes when the industrious Gareth Ainsworth picked Michael Gray's pocket on the edge of the area, pulled his cross back from the byline and Dexter Blackstock somehow contrived to screw his effort wide from all of four yards.
Wolves striker Steven Elliott missed a golden chance to give his side all three points on 69 minutes when a superb move down the right resulted in a cross from Darron Gibson but Elliott missed an open goal from three yards.
Mick McCarthy has not been happy with his front men this season and Elliott did nothing to ease the manager's fears.
The Wolves boss said: "I feel sorry for Steven because his all-round performance was excellent and the icing on the cake would have been a goal.
"We've only scored 20 goals all season, we are not prolific - if we were we'd be higher in the league. But it's not because we don't create chances." Sunday Mirror


Sunday Mirror - Football: WOLVES DROUGHT GOES ON Warren Haughton
It was a story of missed chances for the visitors as Mick McCarthy watched his side complete five away league games without scoring.
But the home side will be happy with their point after another workmanlike performance as they fight for their Championship lives.
In a game high on endeavour but low on quality, the first shot in anger came from home skipper Martin Rowland. He robbed Seyi Olofinjana and ran from inside his own half but his shot was saved well by Wayne Hennessey.
Moments later Rowlands repeated the trick on the big Nigerian but again the Wolves keeper was equal to his longrange effort.
Rangers should have taken the lead on 34 minutes when the industrious Gareth Ainsworth picked Michael Gray's pocket on the edge of the area and pulled his cross back from the byline but Dexter Blackstock somehow contrived to screw his effort wide from all of four yards.
Wolves boss McCarthy came out of his dug-out following a push on Michael Gray by Ainsworth which resulted in the defender crashing into the advertising boards.
In the second half slack defending from Neil Collins should have helped give Rangers the lead their industry deserved. Blackstock latched on to Collins's mistake but fired his shot just past the post.
Jay Bothroyd should have done better minutes later when he got ahead of his defender after good work from Stephen Ward but the striker's first touch was poor.
The home fans were incensed when the referee failed to award a penalty when Marc Nygaard was held then pushed over by Kevin Foley.
Olofingana and Ward both went close for Wolves but failed to break the deadlock.
The visitors should have taken the lead on 69 minutes when a superb move down the right ended with Stephen Elliott missing an open goal from three yards out. McCarthy has not been happy with his front men this season and Elliott did nothing to change that.
Rowlands forced a great save from Hennessey with a thunderous shot from the edge of the box after good work from Blackstock.
HOW THEY RATED
QPR
Camp 6, Stewart 6, Blackstock 6, Barker 6, Buzsaky 7, AINSWORTH 8, Rowlands 6, Malcolm 6, Rehman 7, Nygaard 6, Leigertwood 6.
Manager De Canio 7
WOLVES
Hennessey 6, D Ward 6, Collins 6, Olofinjana 6, Henry 6, Bothroyd 5, S Ward 6, Elliott 5, Gibson 6, Foley 6, Gray 6
Manager McCarthy 6
Referee F Graham 6
MAN OF THE MATCH - Gareth Ainsworth Hard work, deserved more
Sunday Mirror


SUNDAY TIMES - Wolves fail to end drought - Rob Maul
Like the common cold, finding a cure for this problem may prove troublesome. At the most unfortunate time of the season, with the festive period looming, Wolverhampton Wanderers have developed, for some strange reason, an unwanted attacking impotence on their travels. More than seven-and-a-half hours of football have passed now since their last goal away from the confines of Molinuex and, as hard as they may have tried here, they never looked likely to change that statistic yesterday.
The work-rate of either side could not be be faulted; just the apparent lack of composure and quality in front of goal. Wolves manager Mick McCarthy kept faith with strikers Stephen Elliott and Jay Bothroyd but they failed to reward him, with few clear-cut opportunities between them. “Is it psychological? I don’t get wrapped up in all that business,” said McCarthy. “I’ll take the point, shut my gob and get on with it. I certainly did not want to lose three on the bounce.”
Until the 32nd minute, when left-back Michael Gray was needlessly pushed into the advertising boards by Gareth Ainsworth, nothing interesting happened whatsoever. Then, exuberant Rangers winger Martin Rowlands had two long-range attempts pushed wide by goal-keeper Wayne Hennessey, while Dexter Blackstock contrived to fire wide from six yards out. One example of how embarrassingly woeful Wolves were in attack came on 69 minutes when Elliott, receiving a wonderfully teasing cross from Darron Gibson, somehow sent his effort off target.
Luigi De Canio, who felt that his side should have had a second-half penalty when it appeared that Kevin Foley had pulled back Marc Nygaard, backed the appointment of Fabio Capello as the new England manager. Speaking through an interpreter, the only Italian manager in the Football League said: “He’s a great professional and will be able to make the national team succeed again.”
Star man: Gareth Ainsworth (Queens Park Rangers)
Player ratings
Queens Park Rangers: Camp 7, Malcolm 6, Stewart 6, Rehman 7, Barker 6, Ainsworth 7, Buzsaky 7, Leigertwood 5, Rowlands 7, Blackstock 7 (Sinclair 83), Nygaard 5
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Hennessey 7, Foley 6, Collins 6, D. Ward 7, Gray 5, Gibson 6, Olofinjana 6, Henry 6, S. Ward 6, Bothroyd 5 (Keogh 88), Elliott 6 Sunday Times



Also: Compilation of QPR vs Wolves Reports & Managerial Comments