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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

QPR's Goaless, Yellow Carded Draw in Swansea: Reports and Unhappy Comments

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Another six QPR bookings as QPR drew 0-0: Rowlands (26), Delaney (38), Buzsaky (42), Leigertwood (49), Stewart (77), Connolly (81) QPR dropped to 9th. UPDATED TABLE


QPR Official Site - FAR FROM HAPPY
QPR Manager Iain Dowie pulled no punches in his assessment of the 0-0 draw away at Swansea City after the R's were second best throughout to their recently promoted opposition.
Speaking to www.qpr.co.uk , our gaffer said, 'We didn't play well, we didn't pass the ball well or retain it well enough.'
'We pride ourselves on our ball retention but tat just didn't happen tonight. The one team you don't want to give the ball to his a team like Swansea. They played well; Roberto has done a great job here.'
The game was marred by a nasty-looking challenge from Martin Rowlands on Swans keeper Dorus de Vries but Dowie was quick to defend his skipper, 'Martin's not that kind of player. The ball was there to be won but unfortunately he's caught him. We hope he makes a speedy recovery and wish him all the best.'
With no sub keeper on the bench, the hosts had to put defender Alan Tate between the sticks and Dowie was disappointed not to test the makeshift keeper, 'They've had an outfield player playing in goal and we haven't tested him at all and that is not good enough.' He said.
'For 70 minutes he's not done anything. But then we couldn't test him without the ball and Swansea moved it about well and made it difficult for us to get it back when we lost it.'
Dowie, however, was satisfied to take something back to W12, 'We've come away with a point and I'm pleased that we have that at least. But when we face Reading on Saturday, we have to play much, much better.' QPR


Swansea Official Site
The Swans were held to a goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium in a fiery contest against Queens Park Rangers.
Despite dominating for large periods of the game Roberto Martinez's side were unable to break the deadlock against the Loftus Road outfit.
The biggest downside of the evening was the injury to goalkeeper Dorus de Vries, and with no replacement stopper on the bench defender Alan Tate was called-up to take his place between the sticks, never looking out of place and keeping a clean sheet in the process.
There is one change to the side that drew at Ipswich on Saturday with Jason Scotland replacing Gorka Pintado in attack.
Tom Butler passed his late fitness test and keeps his place amongst the substitutes.
Swans: Dorus de Vries (Alan Tate, 27'); Angel Rangel, Garry Monk (C), Ashley Williams, Marcos Painter; Ferrie Bodde, Leon Britton, Darren Pratley, Jordi Gomez (Tom Butler, 90+1'), Mark Gower; Jason Scotland. Subs: Febian Brandy, Owain Tudur-Jones, Gorka Pintado.
QPR: Radek Cerny; Damien Delaney, Damion Stewert, Gavin Mahon, Fitz Hall, Mikele Leigertwood, Dexter Blackstock, Akos Buzsaky, Martin Rowlands (C) (Daniel Perejo, 59'), Peter Ramage (Matt Connolly, 80'), Lee Cook (Emmanuel Ledesma, 65').
Not Used: Angelo Balanta, Jake Cole. Attendance: 13,475
An even start to this Liberty contest had to wait until the fifth minute for its first clear cut chance when Dexter Blackstock met Akos Buzsaky's cross with his head but failing to hit the target.
The Swans also created their first clear-cut effort two minutes later following good work by Mark Gower down the left; it led to Jordi Gomez earning a free-kick 22-yards from goal and the former Barcelona flyer picked himself up to take it, only to curl it inches over the top.
Skipper Garry Monk almost delivered a rare assist with 12 on the clock as his defence splitting pass made its way through to Jason Scotland but, under pressure, the Trinidadian striker couldn't connect properly and the ball rolled out for a goal kick.
Scotland used his skil to win a corner six minutes later, and the from the resulting flag-kick Jordi Gomez, Leon Britton and Ashley Williams had a hand in it making its way back to Gomez who fired well wide and over. The Spaniard also linked-up with Scotland moments later, playing a one-two with the striker whose defelcted shot earned his side a corner.
Disaster struck for the home side mid-way through the first-half when Martin Rowlands chased onto the end of Dexter Blackstock's through ball and slid late into a challenge with Dorus de Vries, meaning that the Dutch 'keeper had to go off injured. With no replacement on the bench, defender Alan Tate was called upon to up position between the sticks.
It's not the first that Tatey has donned the Swansea City gloves; following an injury to Roger Freestone at Hartlepool in February 2003, and with no replacement 'keeper on the bench, the then on-loan Manchester United loanee swapped his centre back position to take his place in goal.
Play resumed shortly afterwards and the home side came close on two occasions with Ferrie Bodde's shot deflecting wide and from the resulting corner Garry Monk couldn't direct his header on target. Bodde also came close six minutes before the break when he connected with Marcos Painter's low cross from the left but sent it just wide of Radek Cerny's goal.
Half-Time: Swans 0 QPR 0
As we waited for the second-half to get underway news filtered through that a suspected fractured cheekbone was the cause of Dorus de Vries' first-half withdrawal, but as the action resumed Radek Cerny was called into action on no fewer than three occasions in three minutes.
First he got his body behind a Ferrie Bodde free-kick, followed by Jordi Gomez's curling effort and then, after some good build-up play involving Marcos Painter, Mark Gower and Jason Scotland, midfielder Darren Pratley forced the visiting 'keeper into throwing himself to left and stopping the goalbound effort.
Leon Britton had a chance that deflected wide just before the hour, Jason Scotland also fired off target and in between QPR made their first change with captain Martin Rowlands being replaced by on-loan Real Madrid youngster Daniel Parejo.
R's 'keeper Cerny used his get out of jail card with 65 on the clock as Mark Gower's powerful strike was parried by the visiting stopper but he was able to clear his lines under pressure from Darren Pratley.
Alan Tate came under his first piece of pressure midway through the half when Buzsaky's swerving free-kick found its way into the heart of the defence, it was cleared but, fortunately, the follow-up shot deflected wide. Down at the other end, meanwhile, Garry Monk came close with a header inside the area from a corner, while from another Mark Gower cross Ferrie Bodde found space but he was unable to hit the target.
But on 76 minutes the Swans had their best chance of the second period when Jason Scotland turned his man inside the area and squared to Garry Monk, the defender was placed just inside the six-yard box and was able to get a shot in only for it to be blocked by substitute Daniel Parejo on the line.
The Swans were now piling on the pressure and a minute later were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position following Damion Stewert's foul on Leon Britton. Jordi Gomez shot over from the free-kick and moments later the same player struck the foot of the post following a good run and pass by Mark Gower.
Gower was then picked out by Britton with just over six minutes left to play, getting into a good position before firing across the face of Cerny's goal. But the goalkeeper was forced into making an important stop from Gower a few minutes later.
The home side continued to pressure their hosts as the minutes ticked away but were unable to find that all important break through. Swansea Official Site Report


QPR Official Site
QPR were fortunate to come away with a point against an imperious Swansea City side at the Liberty Stadium as a heated exchange ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
The game was marred by a nasty looking injury to home keeper Dorus de Vries after an accidental collision with Martin Rowlands.
The hosts dominated throughout and were unlucky not to score with Radek Cerny denying Jordi Gomez with a fine save and the Spanish midfielder striking a post.
The R's never got out of the blocks and will thank their lucky stars to have earned a point.
From the side that picked up a much needed win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, only Angelo Balanta lost his place, with Gavin Mahon adding numbers to the midfield and leaving Dexter Blackstock as the lone striker up front.
Balanta had to make do with a place on the bench where he was joined by keeper Jake Cole and the returning Daniel Parejo.
Swansea Manager Roberto Martinez handed starts to ex-Birmingham defender Marcos Painter, striker Jason Scotland and midfielder Ferrie Bodde, with the Trinidad and Tobego hit-man fully recovered after his international exertions in recent weeks.
However, it was the visitors who carved out the first chance. Lee Cook sent a looping ball from the left towards Mikele Leigertwood who controlled and found Akos Buzsaky. The Hungarian swung in a left-foot cross that Blackstock rose well to head. Unfortunately, he could not direct his effort on target.
Swansea had a chance of their own minutes later with Spaniard Gomez trying his luck with a 25-yard free-kick that whistled a fraction wide of the upright.
It was a sign of things to come and Swansea began dominating possession. Jason Scotland went close, his drive from the edge of the area deflecting just over.
Then, on 26 minutes, the game turned controversial. Rowlands was fed through by Leigertwood and, as de Vries rushed out, the two were involved in a nasty-looking collision. The Swansea keeper left on a stretcher and, with no sub keeper on the bench, Swans defender Alan Tate stepped forward and donned the gloves. The Rangers captain was cautioned, to a chorus of boos from the home support.
The Swans did not let the injury to their keeper affect them and went in search of the opening goal once more, Bodde and Garry Monk missing the target with respective chances.
The Welsh side continued to dictate the game and Painter sent over a tantalising cross from the left that Bodde stabbed out a leg to, connecting well. With half the ground cheering, the other half waited for them to realise it had hit the side netting only.
It proved the last real chance of the half and, with the game turning heated; the half-time whistle was a welcome sound.
The second half opened where it had left off, with the Swans quickly seizing the initiative once more, Darren Pratley drawing a flying save from Radek Cerny.
Manager Iain Dowie made his first change just before the hour, Rowlands making way for Parejo.
Not that the change made much of an immediate impact as Scotland dragged a shot wide in the latest Swans attack.
The second of Dowie's changes saw Cook be replaced by Emmanuel Ledesma.
The travelling Rangers support almost had something to cheer about on 70 minutes but after Parejo had volleyed a hot at goal, a deflection killed its velocity. As the ball trickled hearts were in mouths as it crawled wide.
Minutes later Damien Stewart came to the rescue with am imperious header to clear the danger ahead of the charging Monk. From the resultant corner, Bodde thundered another long range effort narrowly over the bar.
Swansea were getting closer and Parejo was in the right place at the right time to hack off the line from Gomez's point-blank shot.
A foul on Leon Brittain by Stewart gave Gomez another free-kick attempt and the Spaniard almost capitalised but once again saw his driven set-piece fly wide.
Swansea were relentless and Gomez smashed a shot against the post after Peter Ramage inadvertently fed him the ball in the area.
Despite constant Swansea pressure, Rangers somehow stood their ground and escaped the Liberty Stadium with a point...
Bookings: Rowlands (26), Delaney (38), Buzsaky (42), Leigertwood (49), Stewart (77), Connolly (81) QPR