QPR's Opening-Day Victory - Match Reports and Pressures on Dowie

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Another thing to get used to: All the media coverage of QPR! Again references to the involvement of Briatore and the pressures on Dowie

The Guardian/Mark Tallentine - Dowie waving not drowning at new-look QPR

The ambition of Flavio Briatore is not in question and a close-season refit of the ageing stadium which has provided a big screen, padded seats, swish hospitality units and a bumper-sized directors' box with overspill area for the entourages of the fabulously wealthy owners only add to the view that QPR can buy their way to promotion. But doubts persist after this summer's most superficial of makeovers.

The fact that Iain Dowie, hired for his knowledge of the Championship and leading Crystal Palace out of it in 2004, had been in situ for only a hundred days or so before hearing about his demise and that before a ball had been kicked tells its own tale. Predictably he dismisses the stories as "tosh" but his new team need to keep winning, and more convincingly than this, if he and they are to go the distance.

"I know people are referring to us as the Chelsea of the Championship, which I don't believe as we are doing it in a more structured way, but that's what we're up against," Dowie added. "I tell Flavio what exactly is happening in training, how the games go. He's fine and perfectly supportive. We speak two or three times a week, we'll have a conversation about how he thinks the game is played. He understands how to build teams."

Briatore's close-season recruitment drive realised three free transfers and several loan signings, with four of the new guard given starts against Barnsley, who had three themselves, and the FA Cup semi-finalists were soon one up, a neat low finish from Iain Hume, £1.2m arrival from Leicester, when they should have been three ahead.

Dowie's contention that the pre-match pyrotechnics contributed to his team's distracted start was stretching things but Rangers did settle down and took the lead in a crazy two-minute spell when the central-defender Fitz Hall hammered in from close range and then hooked home a volley after a free-kick from Emmanuel Ledesma, an exciting if over-theatrical Argentinian winger, was only half cleared.

Hall had never scored two in a game but after Dexter Blackstock tumbled over Darren Moore's outstretched leg after 58 minutes he was handed the chance to make it three but his soft, low penalty was read by Luke Steele to his right. The effect on the game was as if Barnsley had equalised.

"I think it went to my head and I was already thinking about my celebration," Hall said. "I've been practising all week and didn't miss one. The new owners do come to the training quite a lot and we know them on first-name terms. They're just like friends and they seem to know everything about football. Flavio asked me what I was doing taking the penalty afterwards. He was just having a joke . . . I think."

Neither was laughing as QPR were forced to hang on for the points although they were given breathing space when Marciano van Hamoet clattered into a fifth debutant, Daniel Parejo, and was shown a straight red with five minutes to go, allowing Dowie to relax enough to acknowledge a fans' call to give them a wave. Time will tell if Briatore makes a similar demand.
Man of the match Emmanuel Ledesma (Queens Park Rangers) Guardian


THE TIMES - Gary Jacob - Jittery QPR feel weight of great expectations - Queens Park Rangers 2 Barnsley 1: all the action from the Coca-Cola Championship as QPR dream of making top flight

It takes a giant leap of imagination to picture Queens Park Rangers among the favourites for promotion when, for a decent period of last season, they were relegation candidates. But Flavio Briatore, the club’s Italian co-owner, is certainly dreaming of the top flight. Not since the day Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea has the weight of expectation at the start of a season been higher and, on Saturday, nowhere were the nerves more frayed or the final whistle more welcome a relief than at Loftus Road.

It was a new era for QPR, but the team began the match too stirred up by the razzmatazz of fireworks and cheerleaders, smothered by opponents with little to lose and haunted by the spectre of the millionaire and billionaire owners looking on.

By the end of a drizzly, chilly afternoon, it was clear that a talented squad will become more assured through familiarity, but time is not something Iain Dowie has. Last week’s clash with the fiery Briatore, who told the manager to leave before they patched things up the next day, is unlikely to be their only disagreement. “I’m aware of the history and about a big future - they want to achieve things,” Dowie said.

Dowie’s teams show perspiration and determination, but the inspiration came from Briatore’s contacts book that had helped to bring in two young players on loan: Emmanuel Ledesma, an Argentinian, from Genoa, and Dani Parejo, labelled as the best player produced by Real Madrid in recent years.

Yet, for all Ledesma’s quick feet and clever passes, QPR lacked composure in the final third and, perhaps, the poacher who can grab a goal out of nothing. They relied on Fitz Hall’s strike, two minutes after the defender had forced an equaliser.

The home team had endured a queasy opening during which Barnsley threatened to add to Iain Hume’s neat finish. Hall later missed a penalty and the Yorkshire side had Mar-ciano van Homoet sent off for a lunging tackle on Ledesma. “The owners seem to know everything about football - Flavio asked why I was taking the penalty,” Hall said. “He was having a joke, I think.”

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): R Cerny - P Ramage, F Hall, K Gorkss, D Delaney - E Ledesma (sub: M Alber-ti, 83min), M Leigertwood, G Mahon, L Cook - D Blackstock, P Agyemang (sub: D Parejo, 72). Substitutes not used: L Camp, M Connolly, A Balanta. Booked: Cook.

Barnsley (4-4-2): L Steele - S Foster, D Moore, D Souza, M van Homoet - M Devaney, B Hassell (sub: D Leon, 84), B Howard, M El Haimour (sub: M Rigters, 74) - I Hume, J Macken (sub: K Odejayi, 84). Substitutes not used: R Kozluk, M Mostto. Sent off: Van Homoet.

Referee: N Swarbrick. Attendance: 14,964. The Times


NICK TOWNSEND - THE INDEPENDENT - QPR 2 Barnsley 1: Ledesma adds quality to QPR's exotic mix

For the first 20 minutes on Saturday you wondered what QPR's Emmanuel Ledesma, an elegant Argentine, made of it all. Welcome to the land of pinball passing and flying tackles. As his manager, Iain Dowie, said later, Ledesma hails from a land where "they play a languid, laid-back style. This is more harum-scarum."

You suspect the 20-year-old midfielder will find life at Loftus Road something of a contrast to that at Genoa. However, after a first appearance in which his finesse with the ball and crossing from the right won him a standing ovation when he was substituted after 84 minutes, some were saying he possesses the attributes of those great QPR entertainers Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles.

"I think he's already a cult hero," said Dowie. "He's got some talent, the boy. He's one who will gets the bums off seats. But he's also capable of taking some heavy challenges."

One of Ledesma's fellow loanees, 19-year-old Daniel Parejo from Real Madrid, found out just how heavy those tackles can be when he was caught by a red-card lunge from the Dutchman Marciano van Homoet.

QPR are intent on securing the Premier League future their owners – Flavio Briatore, Lakshmi Mittal and Bernie Ecclestone – demand with craft, graft and grit. The latter quality was embodied by their Latvian centre-back Kaspars Gorkss, who has been signed from Blackpool.

Briatore has been crucial in bringing in Ledesma and Parejo – "I wouldn't have been able to do that," said Dowie. Though the former Coventry, Charlton and Crystal Palace manager described reports of him falling out with Briatore as "mischief" and "a load of tosh", it is clear Rangers' progress will be scrutinised.

"Credit to Barnsley. It was like two heavyweight boxers slugging it out and we had to grind it out today," Dowie said after Fitz Hall's two goals had won a close contest. "It wasn't pretty. We were not at our best."

Hall's negligence contrib-uted to Barnsley's early goal, from Iain Hume. The defender atoned with his goals, but when offered a chance of a hat-trick, from the spot after Darren Moore felled Dexter Blackstock, he made it too easy for Luke Steele to save.

Simon Davey said his Barnsley team "had the lion's share of the game... and were the better side". They will certainly provide an obstacle in the paths of those with title pretensions.

Goals: Hume (5) 0-1; Hall (29) 1-1; (31) 2-1.
Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): Cerny; Ramage, Hall, Gorkss, Delaney; Ledesma (Alberti, 84), Leigertwood, Mahon, Cook; Agyemang (Parejo, 72), Blackstock. Substitutes not used: Camp (gk), Connolly, Balanta.

Barnsley (4-4-2): Steele; Foster, Moore, Souza, Van Homoet; Devaney, Hassell (Leon, 84), Howard, El Haimour (Rigters, 74); Hume, Macken (Odejayi, 84). Substitutes not used: Kozluk, Mostto.

Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Booked: QPR Cook.
Sent off: Van Homoet (83).
Man of the match: Ledesma.
Attendance: 14,964.
The Independent


MIRROR - DOWIE: ALL'S FINE WITH FLAVIO
Victory in the first game of the season - and Iain Dowie was still left defending his position as Rangers boss.
Midweek reports had suggested a row with Flavio Briatore had puthis position in jeopardy before a ball had even been kicked, but Dowie dismissed it all as "mischief".
And the man with the task of taking QPR back to the top flight insisted working with the Formula 1 boss had distinct advantages.
Dowie (left) said; "We speak two or three times a week. He's fine and supportive.
"We got Emmanuel Ledesma, who has done very well today, because I've gone to Italy, watched a few games, given Flavio a list - and he knows the Genoa chairman and managed to get him over the line. I'm not able to do that. Flavio was in at Christmas when it was won 8, lost 7, drawn 7,so he understands you can't win games just like that
"We ground it out today. Not pretty, not our best, but we had the spirit and the desire to hang in there."
Barnsley boss Simon Davey believes the QPR moneymen will need patience but expects Dowie to handle the pressure. He added: "It will be difficult for Iain to blend in all his new players.
"They're favourites to win the league because of the amount of money behind them. But that brings its own pressures and difficulties.
"Last season I brought in 12 or 13 new players in the close season and it takes time for them to gel." Mirror


MIRROR/Ann Gripper - FITZ CRACKERS
Coca Cola CHAMPIONSHIP H-oops! Two-goal Hall pays the penalty
QPR 2 BARNSLEY 1
Qpr: Cerny 5, Ramage 5, Hall 8, Gorkss 6, Delaney 6, Agyemang 6 (Parejo 72, 6), Mahon 7, Leigertwood 7, Ledesma 8 (Alberti 84), Cook 6, Blackstock 6 .
Barnsley: Steele 8, Foster 6, Moore 6, Souza 6, van Homoet 3, Devaney 6, Hassell 7 (Leon 85), Howard 7, El Hiamaur 6 (Rigters 79), Hume 7, Macken 6 (Odejayi 85).
Referee: N Swarbrik
ATTENDANCE: 14,964
Fitz Hall was QPRS unlikely saviour on the opening day of the season-even if he missed out on the chance of an even unlikelier hat-trick.
Barnsley's £1.2million new-boy Iain Hume had put the visitors in front inside five minutes as Rangers' new-look side, which featured five debutants, played like a group of strangers.
But two goals in two minutes from Hall - the second a stunning volley - ensured the Hoops got off to the start the money men in the directors' box would have expected.
And when Darren Moore upended Dexter Blackstock to give away a second-half penalty it was centre-back Hall - Rangers' designated penalty taker - who stepped up to the spot, only to see his attempt saved by Luke Steele.
"I've never scored two in a game before and I doubt I'll ever get another chance to score a hat-trick," he said afterwards.
"I think it went to my head and I was already thinking about my celebration before I took the penalty.
"I was picked last week to take them, but I think that will be the first and last time they ask me.
"I've been practising all week in training and didn't miss one. I must have been saving it for today."
Hall, signed from Wigan for £700,000 in January, is one of 20 players to arrive at Loftus Road in the nine months since Formula One moguls Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, with the added backing of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, took over the West London club.
The Fl men have become familiar faces at the training ground, although they seem keener to give the players football tips than Grand Prix tickets.
Hall said: "They do come to training quite a lot. They don't sit back and pump in their money.
"They get involved and that's good. We know them on first-name terms and we went to a dinner party at Mitel's house at the end of last season which was good.
"But there's been no Grand Prix races, no free Renaults and we can't get caught up in the hype. We've got a job to do.
"They seem to know everything about football - they told me a few things about my penalty.
"Flavio asked me what I was doing taking the penalty. He was just having a joke - I think."
Briatore's international contacts have seen Rangers raid Europe to bring in rising stars on loan deals and it was Genoa's 20-year-old Argentinian Emmanuel Ledesma who caught the eye on Saturday.
The winger could become a cult hero in the manner of cricketer Monty Panesar as he combines the sublime - the ability to run at defenders, tight, close control and a sweet left foot - with the ridiculous - dives with no one within five yards and a bizarre routine when forming a wall at free-kicks.
It was his dead-ball delivery which set up Rangers' 29th-minute equaliser, his 25-yard strike forcing Steele into a smart save before Blackstock's effort rebounded off the bar for Hall to bundle in, and Ledesma left to a standing ovation when he was substituted six minutes from time.
By that stage Daniel Parejo, who arrived on loan from Real Madrid this week to much fanfare, had been welcomed to English football with a dreadful lunge from Marciano van Homoet, which saw the Barnsley man red-carded.
That gave Rangers an easier run-in to the final whistle but they will need to improve significantly if they are to live up to their pre-season billing as promotion favourites.
I've never scored two in a game before and I doubt I'll ever get another chance to score a hat-trick..." Mirror


Also: Earlier Match Reports - QPR 2: Barnsley 1

- Briatore's Involvement With Team Matters (Or Just Joking?)

- QPR's Barnsley Victory - Compilation of Match Reports

- QPR Start With Come-From-Behind Victory