Blackstock and Routledge Minor Injuries...Taarabt on QPR But NOT Staying...Giving Youth a Chance....Ephraim for England?...Langley on Vine and QPR

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QPR Official Site - DEX & WAYNE 'NOT SERIOUS'
- Paulo Sousa has revealed that the injuries that sidelined influential duo Wayne Routledge and Dexter Blackstock against Swansea City last night are 'not too serious.'
The pair were both ruled out of the R's 1-0 victory at Loftus Road, but the Rangers boss played down fears that the injuries were long-term, commenting: "Dexter has a hamstring injury, that he picked up against Southampton. It is a muscle injury, so we need to assess it day by day.
"Also, Wayne took a kick on his knee that swelled up. We took him for a scan and it is nothing to worry us, so we have three days to get him ready for Bristol City this weekend." QPR


Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - It'll be adieu to Adel in the summer
- LOAN signing Adel Taarabt has confirmed he has no intention of staying with QPR beyond the end of the season.
The Tottenham midfielder chose to join Rangers over rival Championship sides after speaking to former team-mate Radek Cerny, but he views the move purely as an opportunity for match practice.
"Harry Redknapp called me on Thursday and said because Tottenham are not in a good position he couldn't give a chance to a young player now," Taarabt told the Times.
"But QPR wanted me, so I could go and play some games and I think it will be good experience. In January a lot of clubs wanted me and I didn't want to go to the Championship.
"People were saying to me 'it's not the league for you because it's more physical and they kick you'. But this time I said 'OK, I'll go so I can get fit and come back more strong.'
"I have a World Cup qualification game soon, then there are only six games left, so I want to play as much as I can. Then I hope I can go back in pre-season and have a chance with Tottenham."
Cerny, who lives close to Taarabt in Essex, convinced the Moroccan youngster to make the temporary switch in an 11pm telephone call and Rangers sealed the deal the following day.
"If it wasn't in London I wouldn't have gone on loan because I wanted to stay living in Chigwell," added Taarabt, who has two years left on his Tottenham contract.
"But I know Radek and he told me QPR was a good club, it was an opportunity and I should go.
"Wayne [Routledge] also played with me before and I know him well, so it doesn't take so much time to know the players. If this was for six or eight months it might be different."
The 19-year-old playmaker, who joined Spurs from Lens in 2007, has made 15 first-team appearances for the north London side - all as substitute.
Rangers also made an inquiry about Taarabt's Tottenham colleague Giovani Dos Santos, but the Mexican international opted for a loan move to Ipswich instead. Kilburn Times


Evening Standard/Dean Jones - Taarabt is spurred on to prove a point at Rangers
- Adel Taarabt has revealed that he wants to use his loan spell at Queens Park Rangers as a platform to launch his career with Tottenham.
The 19-year-old made his full debut last night as Mikele Leigertwood netted the only goal to move Rangers within seven points of the Championship's top six.
The Moroccan international has joined until the end of the season and showed moments of brilliance that set him apart from his colleagues.
Since joining Spurs from French side Lens in 2007, the midfielder has made just 15 appearances - and none of them were starts. Harry Redknapp has now told him to use his time at QPR to prove that he can handle English football.
"This match was good for me, I really enjoyed it," explained Taarabt after completing his first full 90 minutes of competitive football in this country. "Since coming over here I am used to playing 15 or 20 minutes but this is a chance for me to play regularly and build my confidence.
"It hasn't been frustrating at Spurs, Harry just told me to come here and make the most of it. That is what I will do and I will kick on after this."
Taarabt played on the left side of QPR's midfield diamond but pushed into a central role whenever possible. He was a thorn in the side of Swansea's back line and came within inches of a goal as he curled a brilliant long-range effort just off target in the second half.
Taarabt admits the idea of playing in the Championship has never had huge appeal to him in the past but does realise the benefits now that he is here. "I am here for two months and it will help me," he admitted.
"French football is very different and more technical. Here you have to work very hard.
"One of the good things about QPR is that they are an attacking side and I don't like to defend. I like to make assists and to score.
"Spurs send scouts to watch, they were here for this one and will watch me closely."
Manager Paulo Sousa admitted afterwards that he was impressed by Taarabt's display but he will also have been pleased with the manner in which his side collected these points.
Swansea are one of the best teams in the League but rarely did they threaten the QPR goal. It helped that top goalscorer Jason Scotland was given a rest and only featured for the final 20 minutes.
However, home supporters saw their side grind out a win - courtesy of Leigertwood's 30th-minute header - that suggests they really might still have an outside chance of sneaking into the top six. Taarabt insisted he will do everything he can to make it happen and added: "While I am here we are going to try to make the play-offs.
"After that I'll try to break through at Spurs but there is a lot of competition. This season we have had it hard so there has not really been a chance to use the young players.
"The squad is strong, we have about 35 players. It's difficult for me to play but I'm confident I'll get there eventually because that's my aim.
"Maybe I'm just lacking a bit of experience, so I can get that here."
The victory ends a nine-match winless run and Rangers must now tackle promotion rivals Bristol City on Saturday.
"I don't care about opponents when we are looking at reaching the play-offs," said manager Sousa as he reflected on his side's position last night. "I believe in our work and we can get great results.
"We have had critics from outside the club but we have a team with union who are trying to get three points every time they go out there."
The critics will be few and far between if Taarabt and Rangers make it to Wembley in May. This is London


Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - Give the kids a chance
- PAULO Sousa has pledged to throw more youngsters into the firing line for QPR's remaining games this season if they impress in training.
- Sousa gave 17-year-old striker Antonio German his senior debut against Southampton last Saturday and has also utilised Angelo Balanta and Romone Rose in recent games.
- And, with Rangers' play-off challenge fading to no more than a statistical possibility, the Loftus Road boss is keen to see what else the youth team can offer as he begins preparing for next season.
- "First of all they have to have ability," Sousa declared. "But we need to think they will become better and in the future they can help us to get to our target.
- "Because we lost players to injury, I've already given opportunities to some young players. For instance, I brought Romone in for the game against Burnley in the FA Cup and he played fantastic.
- "He could have scored two goals and it would have been the best trophy for him, but the Burnley keeper made good saves. I'm always looking to push the younger players.
- "But first we need a solid team to help them grow. It's not for the youngsters to push the older ones to play a better game - it should be the other way round.
- "Players will get more opportunities if they give me the feeling in training they can be useful and better than the others. It's not about 'younger' or 'older' - it's about what he can give the coach."
- Understandably, Sousa declined to single out individuals, but admitted he already has firm views as to which current members of the Rs' youth set-up have first-team potential.
- Overall, the Rangers coach intends to make few changes to his squad in the close season - a digression from the club's recent policy of chopping, changing and attempting to stockpile as many players as possible.
- "We're without six or seven important players and most of them won't be fit until pre-season," Sousa admitted. "With the players back from injury, we will have a strong team, I have no doubt about that.
- "There will be small adjustments. We'll look at what kind of players we need and also which ones to let go - I think we will not make so many changes."
- Those adjustments to the squad will include decisions on whether to offer longer contracts to midfielders Jordi Lopez and Liam Miller, both of whom are on deals that expire at the end of the season.
- But QPR are unlikely to attempt to keep striker Samuel Di Carmine, who is on a year-long loan from Fiorentina, but has made it clear that he plans to return home to Italy at the end of the season. Kilburn Times


Kilburn Times/Ben Kosky - Hogan can be a hero for England
- HOGAN Ephraim has been tipped as a future England star after inspiring QPR to their first win in 10 games.
Ephraim sparkled in the centre of midfield and linked up well with loan signing Adel Taarabt as Rangers overcame play-off hopefuls Swansea City at Loftus Road on Tuesday.
Although the 20-year-old started his career as a striker at West Ham and was deployed wide when he first came to Loftus Road, Rs boss Paulo Sousa believes he could gain international honours in a central role.
"He's not a winger," said Sousa. "From the moment I came here he's worked in the middle. He's a player for the national team, in my opinion.
"He's made a lot of progress and he can be a much better player, but I don't have any doubt."
London-born Ephraim, the son of an Irish mother and Nigerian father, has already represented England from under-16 through to under-19 level.
Meanwhile, Sousa confirmed that Wayne Routledge (knee) and striker Dexter Blackstock (hamstring) are both struggling to be fit for Saturday's clash with Bristol City. Kilburn Times


Richard Langley/Kilburn Times
- IN what looks like a fast approaching anti-climax to the season, the return of Rowan Vine will have fans hoping he might be the one to add spice up front. If QPR are planning a final attack on the top six, this is the man we need to get into his stride extremely quickly.
- First off I must congratulate Rowan, who is due to make his comeback this week, having been out since last April with a complicated leg break.
- Many people say that footballers are all overpaid for what they do and to a certain extent I could agree with their arguments.
- But this great job is accompanied by incredible lows. What is overlooked is how testing times are after sustaining a long-term injury - this is the lowest point in a player's career and I can pay testimony to that first hand.
- I have spoken to Rowan throughout his rehab and it has been full of ups and downs. His mental strength, commitment and dedication to recovering is hard to describe accurately enough to give him the praise he deserves. Form might not come instantly but I know from my own experience that QPR fans will be patient.
- Having played with him for a season at Luton, I can say that his infectious 'will to win' attitude will have been sorely missed. It is something that is quite apparent when you watch him play - and traits very similar to those of Martin Rowlands, which I personally feel have been missing at QPR.
- I think that the abundance of money is great, but there needs to remain a backbone of players in the team who really have an affiliation with the club, be it inherent in players like Lee Cook or Rowlands, or acquired like Viney. These are the players that wear their heart on their sleeve.
- The team needs to be built around players who know what it means to play for the club, following the likes of Chelsea, with Lampard and Terry, and Liverpool, with Carragher and Gerrard.
- It might be too soon to be hailing Rowan as the saviour for our promotion push, as I don't think we will really see his best until next season. But we do have a player who will fight for the cause and drive on players alongside him.
- It is hard to see much light at the end of the tunnel, with games running out quickly but, with the return of a player like Viney, anything is possible.
- IF you have any questions or comments to put to Richard, you can email us at nwl.sport@archant.co.uk - Kilburn Times