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Sunday, January 04, 2009

Update: Parejo Injured....Reports and Comments re QPR's Burnley Cup Draw

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Visit the QPR Report Messageboard for additional footall postings (such as Match Report from QPR's Last FA Cup Win - eight years ago!) and posters' comments.

- UPDATE: Ex-loanee, Dani Parejo Injured

Note: QPR's replay at Burnley will be on January 13 (between Burnley's two Carling Cup Semi-Finals.) The FA Cup Fourth Round Draw is today (Sunday) at 3:25 pm GMT. (QPR/Burnley are No. 21)

QPR OFFICIAL SITE SOUSA'S BURNLEY VERDICT -
- Paulo Sousa believes Rangers still have a good opportunity to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup, despite today's goalless draw against Burnley.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Sousa said: "Of course we want to win every game, but it was a very tough fixture today.
"They played very well and defended in numbers. The first and second phase of our play was good, but we didn't create as many chances as we have done in previous weeks.
"The last moment of our offensive organisation wasn't as good as it can be. In previous weeks we have created chances and scored goals. Today, we controlled long spells of the game - the first and second phase in particular - and made good transitions, but didn't create chances.
"Sometimes football is like that, but we can go up to Burnley and get a result."
ousa bemoaned the lack of protection afforded to his players by the officials, highlighting the second half incident which saw Emmanuel Ledesma receiving what appeared to be an elbow to his head.
We didn't have any help from the referee," he said.
"I don't like to speak too much about the officials, because they have a very tough job, but he (the referee) missed a lot today.
"The last game against Watford, Fitz (Hall) broke his nose because of a foul. Everyone saw it, apart from the referee.
"Today, Emmanuel (Ledesma) was caught with an elbow and he failed to spot it again. It was one against one and somehow he missed it.
"We need to protect the game and the players are a big part of the game. Without that protection, it is tough. QPR


Burnley - Gaffer: A Great Result With 17 Players
Owen Coyle felt a replay was the least his side deserved after a goalless FA Cup third round tie at Loftus Road.
Wade Elliott hit the bar and Chris Eagles the side netting as the injury and suspension ravaged Clarets earned their place in Sunday's fourth round draw.
Coyle said: "It was hard fought and there weren't too many opportunities in the game.
"What there were, I thought we had the better of and I felt if anyone was going to score today it was going to be ourselves.
"Chris had a chance in the second half and Wade cracked one off the bar in the first half, but with only 17 players available it's a great result to still be in the cup."
With skipper Steven Caldwell and fellow defender Stephen Jordan both suspended, Chris McCann and Kevin McDonald both injured and Remco van der Schaaf sidelined with a kidney problem, Coyle could only name six of the seven subs available to him.
But with players playing out of position and Christian Kalvenes coming through 90 minutes for the first time in over two months, there were plenty of positives to take for the gaffer.
He added: "Wade was terrific playing in one from the right and Christian did ever so well after being out for a few months and only a few days training.
"We had to put on a game against the youth team in midweek, when Steve Davis, Sandy Stewart and myself made up the numbers to get him a game.
"He's come through today and that will give him a huge boost from that. He will certainly sleep tonight!"
"Remco has been on and off. He had a little kidney problem and never travelled.
We've sent him for a scan, so we await the result of that and all in all it was just a tremendous ask for the players again to play out of position.
"But we showed terrific energy to bounce back from a couple of disappointing results we've had."
Coyle added: "I think we can play a lot better, in terms of how we pass and move the ball - and we can maybe show a bit more guile - but it was a terrific result.
"I didn't want them distracted ahead of Tuesday night and I think they showed real professionalism and we're still in the draw for the next round."
"The replay is another game, but we are still in the FA Cup and we want to get as far as we can in every competition we enter into.
"This provides us with an opportunity to progress, if we are at our best and I would hope we have a few fresh faces available when it comes about." Burnley


The Times - Burnley’s Coyle pleased despite stalemate
-Burnley were unable to inflict more capital punishment when they were held 0-0 at Queens Park Rangers. Owen Coyle’s side had beaten Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal on their way to the Carling Cup semi-final against Tottenham on Tuesday but QPR managed to keep them out in a drab affair. Brian Jensen, the Burnley keeper, who has been an inspiration during their Carling Cup run, saved from Samuel Di Carmine, while Wade Elliot hit the bar with a 25-yard volley. The draw maintained Queens Park Rangers’ poor run in the FA Cup, in which they have not won a match since 2001. Coyle was pleased with his team’s performance in front of Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp. ‘It was important to get a positive result going into the Tottenham game after two defeats over Christmas because football is about confidence.’ Crystal Palace of the Championship halted League One leaders Leicester’s eight-match winning run at home with a 0-0 draw The Times


Telegraph - FA Cup: Bore draw at Loftus Road as QPR and Burnley fail to warm up the fans - QPR (0) 0 Burnley (0) 0
QPR and Burnley face a replay later this month after an uninspiring goalless draw in their FA Cup third round tie at Loftus Road.
Rangers remain without a win in the competition since beating Luton 2-1 in a replay at this stage in 2001, while Burnley were unable to continue their knack for beating London clubs in cup competitions this season.
There were shocks elsewhere, but this third round tie was just a shocker.
Burnley could have claimed to have had their minds on Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Tottenham, but Rangers' excuse was more challenging to substantiate.
Battling the crowds at the nearby Westfield shopping centre would have been more appealing than sitting in the cold at a sparsely-populated Loftus Road - perhaps those not in attendance knew something the rest of the 8,896 crowd did not.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, on a scouting mission ahead of next week's semi-final, must have wondered how Premier League rivals Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal succumbed to Burnley this season.
Owen Coyle's side were hit by injuries and suspensions and could not even fill the substitutes bench.
Christian Kalvenes made his first appearance since the end of October, while Joey Gudjonsson and Steven Thompson were also recalled.
Rangers' three new signings Wayne Routledge, Gary Borrowdale and Heidar Helguson were left out.
Manager Paulo Sousa, who used 18 players for the two drawn games against Charlton and Watford over Christmas, continued to rotate his squad as Kaspars Gorkss, Mikele Leigertwood, Samuel Di Carmine and top scorer Dexter Blackstock returned to the starting line-up.
There were patches of the neat football you would expect from two sides vying for play-off places in the Championship, but neither team looked threatening in the opposition's final third.
Rangers created the clearer chances. Di Carmine forced Burnley keeper Brian Jensen to block at his near post after he broke the offside trap to latch on to Damion Stewart's throughball in the 20th minute.
Leigertwood mishit a far-post volley just before the half hour mark. The midfielder's shot went out for a throw when he really should have scored.
In between, Wade Elliott struck the crossbar with a volley from the edge of the area after the home side failed to clear a corner. A flag from the referee's assistant averted the danger for Rangers as the ball rebounded loose.
Chances were equally hard to come by in the second half. Gorkss looped a shot on to the roof of the net from 20 yards after 52 minutes.
Chris Eagles fluffed his lines for Burnley a quarter of an hour later when he ran the ball out of play as he tried to round Radek Cerny when one-on-one with the Rangers keeper." Telegraph


QPR OFFICIAL
QPR will meet Burnley for the third time this season, after they played out a goalless draw with the Clarets in the first match at Loftus Road in 2009.
In a match of few chances - neither side fashioning anything clear-cut - only Samuel Di Carmine forced a decent save from either keeper when he tested Brian Jensen in the visitors' goal, whilst Kaspars Gorkss nearly snatched victory as his volley landed on top of the net.

Burnley went closest through Wade Elliot who struck the cross bar with a ferocious volley, but both sides will meet again at Turf Moor to decide who progresses to round four.

For the tie with the Clarets, Manager Paulo Sousa made changes to the side that drew with Watford in the last match of 2008.

In came Dexter Blackstock to spearhead the attack, with the ever-improving Lee Cook playing in a more advanced left-sided role, and Di Carmine taking up residence in a similar position on Blackstock's right.

In defence, Gorkss reclaimed the right to line up alongside Damion Stewart at the heart of the Rangers defence. The pair were flanked, as usual, by Peter Ramage on the right, and Damien Delaney on the left.

The usual diamond gave way to a three-pronged midfield featuring the returning Mikele Leigertwood, alongside the tough-tackling Gavin Mahon and Captain Martin Rowlands.

With the added bonus of an additional two seats on the bench, Joe Oastler continued to experience First Team affairs, and he was joined by Matteo Alberti, Hogan Ephraim and Matthew Connolly, amongst others.

Burnley's injury-ravaged squad meant that they could only put forward six substitutes on their bench, but could still boast the attacking talents of Robbie Blake, Elliot and Martin Paterson. There was also a start for star midfielder Chris Eagles and ex-Rangers defender Clarke Carlisle.

With one eye on Tuesday's Carling Cup semi final showdown with Tottenham Hotspur, Manager Owen Coyle could ill afford any new injury problems.

Rangers' fans were formerly introduced to new signing Wayne Routledge before the match kicked off, with the winger, who arrived from Aston Villa yesterday, parading his new colours to the watching media.

A tentative, nervy start produced no real opportunities until the 20th minute. An inch-perfect lofted pass from Stewart found Di Carmine, who, after picking up the ball wide on the left, cut in and blasted a shot that needed a strong two-handed save from visiting keeper Brian Jensen.

The visitors struck not only back, but the woodwork, as an Eagles corner was eventually headed into the path of Elliot, who swivelled and smashed a sweetly-hit volley that cannoned back off the crossbar with Radek Cerny beaten.

Both teams had enjoyed spells of possession but likewise lacked the cutting edge to brighten an affair of few chances. Eagles hardly stung the palms of Cerny with a left-footed drive that lacked any power at all as the first half was brought to a close.

At the break, Sousa replaced Cook with Emmanuel Ledesma, with the wide-man suffering from the effects of an illness.

Seven minutes into the half and Gorkss very nearly registered his first goal for the Club. A long free-kick forward was nodded into his path just inside the box and the Latvian international did well to volley at an awkward height.

The ball sailed over Jensen and came within a whisker of dropping under the bar, but unfortunately it landed on top of the net instead of in it.

Ledesma went close with a 25-yard strike minutes later as the R's continued to shade it, but Rangers just lacked that killer ball that would unlock the Burnley defence and present a clear chance.

In search of that pass, R's boss Sousa introduced Ephraim, with the youngster taking the place of Mahon in midfield.

Instead, it was the Clarets that created the next opportunity. Livewire Eagles picked up a pass and fed Steven Thompson in the R's penalty area. The big Scot turned, and hoisted a shot over the bar.

Further change was afoot as Sousa altered his plans once again with the arrival of Patrick Agyemang, who replaced the tiring Di Carmine.

Burnley once again threatened, and the newly-introduced Alan Mahon sensed another chance to add misery on the R's, after his goal in the League some weeks ago sealed a 2-1 win for the Clarets. This time he sent a 25-yard drive crashing wide of Cerny's right-hand post.

But that was a close as it came, and both sides had to settle for a draw that would see a replay at Turf Moor, something neither side would relish.

QPR: Cerny, Delaney, Stewart, G. Mahon (Ephraim 61), Leigertwood, Blackstock, Gorkss, Rowlands, Ramage, Cook (Ledesma 46), Di Carmine (Agyemang 72). Subs: Cole, Connolly, Alberti, Oastler.
Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Kalvenes, Duff, Carlisle, Gudjonsson, Paterson, Elliott, Blake (A.Mahon 71), Thompson (Rodriguez 86), Eagles. Subs: Penny, Akinbiyi, Kay, MacDonald. Referee: Mr A Bates ttendance: 8,896 QPR


BURNLEY OFFICIAL SITE

Burnley gained home advantage as they continue to chase two cup competitions following an entertaining stalemate at Loftus Road.

The Clarets came closest to breaking the deadlock against their Championship rivals when Wade Elliott thumped the crossbar in the first half.

And as they geared-up for the Carling Cup semi final showdown with Spurs in midweek, a replay was the very least Owen Coyle's side deserved from London in the latest instalment of 'capital punishment'.

Christian Kalvenes featured for the first time in over two months as injury and suspension forced Coyle to shuffle his pack.

Wade Elliott switched to central midfield following injuries to Kevin McDonald and Chris McCann and Steven Thompson started in attack, with only six substitutes named.

Burnley made a bright start and earned their first corner in the fourth minute, which ultimately came to nothing.

Damion Stewart somehow avoided a booking in the 12th minute when he unceremoniously upended Chris Eagles as the Clarets cut through the middle of the Rangers defence.

Given some of the cards Burnley have 'earned' recently, it was a ridiculous decision by referee Tony Bates.

Little had been seen from Rangers in attack, but in the 20th minute Di Carmine beat the offside trap down the left and cut back inside onto his favoured right foot to force Brian Jensen into a fine, low save.

But the Clarets came closest to opening the scoring minutes later.

The visitors' third corner was only half cleared and Elliott watched the ball drop before volleying a vicious drive off the face of crossbar from 25 yards.

Eagles and Elliott then combined well and the latter cut cleverly to the by-line, only to see his dink into the danger area hacked clear by a backtracking defence.

And as the half ended with Burnley continuing on the offensive, Coyle would certainly have been the happier of the two managers.

There was more intent from the hosts as the second half began, with sub Emmanuel Ledesma looking lively and just failing to find the target from 18 yards.

But in the 64th minute, Eagles might have opened the scoring for the Clarets as he broke from midfield.

Unfortunately the touch to take him clear of the last defender was just too heavy and as he tried to retrieve the situation by rounding Cerny, he was just forced too wide and could only find the side netting at full stretch.

Thompson fired over following more god work by the tireless Eagles as the game reached the three-quarter mark still hanging in the balance.

Alan Mahon, the match winner in the league meeting at Loftus Road a matter of weeks ago, replaced Robbie Blake for the final 17 minutes.

And as the replay loomed the Republic of Ireland ace was inches away from winning it with a swing of the left foot. that flew over the angle. Burnley

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