Next: Derby County at Loftus Road

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QPR take on Derby County on Saturday. Derby recently got their first win in a long, long, time so that burden is now removed from their neck. One of the teams picked for promotion, if they beat QPR, that would be a good start for them. Over the years had various momentous games between the two clubs: Think Brian Clough and Dave Mackay getting knocked out of the FA Cup 5th Round in 1969...An incredible 5-1 win at Derby in 1975...A Phil Nutt goal at Loftus Road....(And several Derby victories, which we won't speak about!) See Head to Head Results between the two clubs. And of course, the two clubs shared a joint interest as both being recipients of loans from the mysterious ABC Company. Most recently Derby County complained about QPR's just-announced ticket price increase, and the Football League ruled against QPR. Derby apparently will not have Savage or Commons in the team on Saturday. Derby's results -- Derby's League Standing -- Derby's squad: (And of course accompanying all this, the question is whether or not the proposed fan protest against the ticket price increases goes ahead; and in what form; and of course, how many fans will take part (or will even know about it)


Derby Evening Telegraph - Road trips give Jewell's men hope as they aim to triumph at Loftus Road
DERBY County will tomorrow look to dent one of the three remaining perfect home records in the Championship when they take on Queens Park Rangers.
QPR shocked Premier League Aston Villa on Wednesday by winning at Villa Park in the Carling Cup but their impressive start to the season has been built on their form at Loftus Road.
Iain Dowie's side have beaten Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Southampton to collect maximum points from three home league games.
Reading and Wolverhampton Wanderers are the only other teams in the division to boast such a record.
For good measure, Dowie's men mauled Carlisle United 4-0 in a home tie in an earlier round of the Carling Cup.
Investment in the club has strengthened QPR's hand and confidence must be sweeping through the camp.
Striker Dexter Blackstock, who spent a loan spell at Derby in 2005, has hit five goals in eight appearances, while Patrick Agyemang provides power and pace up front.
Twenty-year-old Emmanuel Ledesma is also chipping in with goals.
The Argentine forward, on loan from Genoa, struck a hat-trick against Carlisle United and one in the victory over Doncaster.
The fixture is a test for Derby but Paul Jewell's team has shown plenty of character in an unbeaten run of three matches.
They have also shown plenty of fight on their travels.
Paul Green's equaliser earned a point against Bristol City at Ashton Gate and the Rams came away from Swansea with a 1-1 draw. Stephen Pearson's strike put them ahead before a sloppy goal was conceced from a corner 14 minutes from time, Ashley Williams escaping his marker to power a head past Roy Carroll.
Green headed the winner in the Carling Cup victory over Preston North End at Deepdale a few days before the one away defeat, the 2-0 setback at Barnsley, came in a game Derby bossed for 70 minutes.
"We have shown some character on the road, and the best performance was at Barnsley in a game we lost," said manager Paul Jewell.
"Sometimes it can be easier to play away from home because there is less expectation on you.
"We are not creating a host of chances at the moment but what we have to do is become hard to beat before we can move forward.
"We need to keep clean sheets but I believe we are getting more shape and balance in the team to make us harder to play against than we were in the past.
"I know we are playing against Championship players rather than Premier League players but if we had shown more resolve last season, we would not have been beaten five and six, and we might have held out in games rather than collapsing under pressure.
"There is definitely more resolve at this moment in time.
"It is nowhere near where I expect us to be but we are making slow progress."
QPR go into the game as favourites but the unpredictable nature of the Championship has already been seen in the early weeks of the season.
Many expected Derby to lose at Bristol City and Preston – they didn't.
Many thought Sheffield United would inflict more pain on the team and Jewell. They didn't and instead, the Rams recorded their first league win in 37 attempts.
And last weekend high-riding Birmingham City suffered their first defeat of the season at home to Blackpool.
Jewell went to watch QPR at Villa.
"I felt QPR, other than one chance when Gareth Barry got through, were quite comfortable," said Jewell.
"They have a way of playing and have got some good players.
"It will be top notch for us if we go and win there after three games unbeaten.
"Our run doesn't make all the problems go away but certainly you see a change in the players' demeanour.
"We've got a bit of fight about us now and when things go against us, we don't collapse like last year." Derby Evening Telegraph


The Rams - The Rams' no-risk policy on commons
Paul Jewell is keen for Derby County to sharpen their cutting edge but refuses to risk Kris Commons if the Derby County winger is not 100 per cent fit.
Commons is out of tomorrow’s trip to face Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road and is already a major doubt for Tuesday’s Championship clash against high-riding Birmingham City at Pride Park Stadium.
The Scottish international was an ever-present until he missed the last two matches with niggling calf and hamstring strains.
Derby are short of goals – they have scored five in seven League games – and Jewell believes the strikers are suffering from a lack of service.
Commons is one of the side’s creative players and Jewell says the former Nottingham Forest man is missed when he is not in the team.
“It’s disappointing for Kris because he’s picked up the injury and it keeps niggling him,” Jewell added.
"The injury is at the back of his knee, where the hamstring and calf are attached. He got a kick on it and it has turned into a strain.
"It’s not a major worry and he’s not a million miles away but he’s not right and we’ve got to make sure he is.
“He needs to be 100 per cent fit because if he plays on it and it goes, he will be out longer.”
Goalkeeper Roy Carroll is expected to face QPR and maintain his ever-present run in the side this season.
Carroll complained of a stiff back at half-time during the draw against Cardiff City last Saturday and has had treatment this week.
“He trained yesterday and should be OK,” said Jewell.
Australian international Ruben Zadkovich is working with the physios as he recovers from surgery on a groin injury.
The midfielder, who has yet to make his debut, could feature in the Reserve League Cup tie at Walsall on October 8.
“He is going to be another 10 days with the physios and all being well, he will be somewhere close for that game,” said Jewell.
Serbian striker Alexsander Prijovic could also face Walsall. The 18-year-old scored for the Academy team against Manchester United at the weekend.
Jewell said the Reserve fixture was likely to come round too soon for Giles Barnes, who is working his way back to fitness following knee surgery.
“Giles is training with the kids and is making progress,” added Jewell.
“It is very important we do not rush Giles. He has worked exceptionally hard, he has met all his targets and is on schedule but we definitely will not rush him back because he has had such a major injury and to rush him back would be crazy.” The Rams


Derby Evening Telegraph - Jewell: Loan would not rule Sav out of picture
ROBBIE Savage is set to sit out a sixth consecutive game tomorrow as Derby County take on Queens Park Rangers in the Championship.
The 33-year-old midfielder – he turns 34 next month – last featured for the Rams in the home defeat by Southampton on August 23.
He is currently not in the first-team plans and has been told he can go out on loan if the right offer comes in.
Savage has turned down a loan move to Brighton and there could be interest from one of his old clubs, Crewe Alexandra.
The former Welsh international was expected to be a key figure for the Rams in the Championship but he has slipped behind Paul Green, Miles Addison and Przemyslaw Kazmierczak in the battle for midfield places.
Jewell says Savage going out on loan would not necessarily rule him out of his thinking.
"No, it wouldn't," said Jewell.
"I have no problem with Sav, there is not an issue. People have tried to make an issue but there has never been an issue.
"Players can go out on loan and can come back and get back in the team. Lewin Nyatanga did it last season.
"Loans can suit both parties. If Sav is getting games and playing well, he could come back to Derby and try and get in the first team.
"Brighton asked about him but it was not for Sav.
"If a club comes on and Sav wants to do it and it suits us, we'll do it, but Sav did not want to go to Brighton on loan. That's no problem with me."
Asked about interest from Crewe, Jewell replied: "I have not heard from Crewe."
Savage, who cost £1.5m from Blackburn Rovers in January, has started two league games this season and the Carling Cup first round victory over Lincoln City.
Jewell says other players not in the first-team picture are also available for loan.
"Nobody likes not to be playing and there are players I think would be available, I know would be available, if other clubs came in for them," he said.
"We've got quite a big squad so if we could get some more out on loan I would be quite happy because that frees it up for me to go out and maybe exploit the loan market to bring players in.
"It has to benefit all parties. My interest is the club and the player, and obviously the club where we want to loan them want to get something out of it. So, if it suits everyone I don't see a problem." Derby Evening Telegraph

See Also:

- LoftforWord's Ashleigh Rose' Derby Connections and Memories

- LoftforWords - Derby Preview