QPR's "Poorest Display" of the Season: QPR and Nottingham Forest Draw: Reports and Managerial Comments

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QPR 1 Nottingham Forest. Before a rather low crowd of only 13,000,QPR took the lead in the first half. Nottingham Forest equalized (Not Blackstock!) in the second half. UPDATED TABLE (QPR below Sousa's Swansea and Holloway's Blackpool)

MANAGERIAL COMMENTS

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - GAFFER: 'OUR POOREST DISPLAY YET'
- Jim Magilton expressed his disappointment following the R's 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at Loftus Road.
- Rangers took the lead through a Mikele Leigertwood wonder-goal in the first half, only for Forest to hit back courtesy of David McGoldrick's strike.
- "It was a classic strike from Mikele," he told www.qpr.co.uk, "but the game was far too open for my liking.
- "It was really frenetic stuff, a case of you have it, we have it, and we'll see who scores first.
- "I felt we could take a stranglehold after we scored, but we didn't and that really disappoints me.
- "At half-time there was a precautionary note, simply because we didn't defend properly in the first half.
- "And low and behold, we gifted them an equaliser, but at the end of the day, we haven't lost the game and that's important."
- Magilton added: "We need to be far more inventive going forward, but it just isn't happening for us at the moment.
- "Out of all our performances yet this season, that was definitely our poorest.
- "It's still very much work in progress, but we've got to improve quickly.
- "It was like a Friday morning five-a-side at times, unbelievably laid back and open, and that's not what I expect from my players." QPR


Sporting Life - Magilton and Davies
"...QPR boss Jim Magilton said: "It was a wonderful strike from Mikele and after that you'd have thought we might have gone on and taken control.
"At half-time there was a precautionary message because we hadn't defended properly - and lo and behold a defensive lapse then led to a goal.
"We have to stop giving away chances, because at the moment we are being punished for it.
"There's a nervousness about us. I think these lads are hoping to win rather than expecting to, but it is still a work in progress.
"Everyone is saying we should sign a striker. I feel like we do have goals in our team, although if a good player comes up I will of course be trying to get them."

Nott Forest's Davies
- DAVIES KEEN TO RETAIN AUTONOMY
- Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies insists any possible bigger role for David Pleat at the City Ground must not affect his own job.
- Television pundit and former Tottenham boss Pleat is currently a consultant to the Forest board, who are assessing his future involvement.
- Speaking after the 1-1 draw at QPR, Davies said: "I was asked by the chief executive (Mark Arthur) about the role of the football consultant.
- "I was told David now has more time on his hands. My view is that David's role or anyone's at that level is none of my business. It's something for the board to decide.
- "Every manager should be able to manage the direction of the team. In modern football you have middle men, chief executives and football consultants - whatever you want to call them.
- "They're in football to stay, but the manager must be able to direct and advise on which way the football team goes if he is responsible for what goes on."
- Davies stressed Pleat's presence did not cast doubt over his future, saying: "Don't misunderstand me. I have known David a long time and never had a cross word with him. I will not be walking over this."
- But he added: "I've identified clearly three defenders and got none of them. Now I cannot identify to you why we didn't get them.
- "We have defensive frailties and I cannot tell you why we are having to play with an outside-right at right-back."
- Forest went behind at Loftus Road when Mikele Leigertwood fired into the top corner from 30 yards.
- They hit back 12 minutes into the second half. Ex-QPR keeper Lee Camp's kick was flicked on by Dele Adebola, and David McGoldrick sneaked between defenders Gary Borrowdale and Kaspars Gorkss to fire home.
- Both teams are still awaiting their first league win of the season.
- But Davies said: "Anyone watching this club will see there has been an outstanding progression, even if it's not being rewarded with the results.
- "We are 80 per cent of the way there, and we'll keep working with what we've got and continue to make progress.
- "You can see the quality we've got. We were complacent against Watford but excellent against Reading, West Brom and QPR, and how we're sitting with just two points is remarkable."Sporting Life


Nottingham Forest Official Site - Davies Delighted With Progression
- Manager Billy Davies expressed his delight at the progression his side are making after their excellent performance at Loftus Road gave them a share of the points.
- Rangers took a first half lead but Forest produced some good football to thoroughly deserve their second half equalizer.
- Davies told us: "We should have been three goals up in the first half, we missed some very good chances, we were not clinical enough in front of goal.
- "But they went ahead with a wonder goal, against the run of play. It is a difficult place to play and we showed today that we carry an outstanding group of players."
- The manager has no doubt that his side have shown great progression since the start of the season, adding: "Four out of the five games we have played have been absolutely fantastic, I am delighted with the progression we are making, there are nothing but positives as far as I'm concerned.
- "I understand the frustration of the fans but I must remind them to stay positive and behind this team and they will see the progression we are making." Nottingham Forest


MATCH REPORTS

SUNDAY TIMES/Barry Flatman - August 23, 2009
Billy Davies claims control despite appointment of David Pleat
- Both teams are still looking for their first win of the season, both managers curious to know exactly where they stand with their employees. But whereas QPR’s Jim Magilton is accepted as having one of the most precarious jobs in the Championship after five of his predecessors have been shown the door in the last two years, Nottingham Forest’s Billy Davies is curious to know the influence of ‘football consultant’ David Pleat.
- Davies was approached by Forest’s chief executive Mark Arthur this week who informed the manager that Pleat ‘has more time on his hands’ after being deemed surplus to requirements as part of the ITV commentary team. “I said to him that’s none of my business and it’s got nothing to do with me,” replied the Scot who succeeded Colin Calderwood last season.
- However Davies is frustrated that three defensive players he has identified as transfer targets in recent weeks have failed to materialise and is looking for answers. Davies sees Pleat’s task at the club as simply a friend and confidante to chairman Nigel Doughty and he is equally emphatic on his own task.
- “Every manager should be allowed to manage the team,” said Davies. “Modern football is full of middle men, whatever name you give them; directors of football, general managers, football consultants. But the manager is the man that should be in control.”
- If points were awarded for inventiveness and the will to attack then Forest would have headed back to Nottingham with three bolstering their account. Newly recruited Polish international Radoslaw Majewski was a constant nuisance to the QPR defence and twice might have give Forest an early lead. With only two minutes gone he stretched Radek Cerny into a double save and then four minutes before the interval tested the goalkeeper with a bending free kick.
- For the most part QPR were inferior in work rate, cohesiveness and simple imagination. Home debutant Alejandro Faurlin was treading a neat path through midfield but his clever touches lacked support and when opportunities did come Adel Taarabt, on a season’s loan from Tottenham Hostpur, failed to impress the watching Joe Jordan by being horrendously lax in his finishing.
- Yet QPR were to take the lead completely against the run of play. Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp had spent the best part of three years in the employment of the opposition and yet found himself completely flatfooted as Mikele Leigertwood advanced from his normally withdrawn role in the centre of midfield and moved towards the right angle of the penalty area to bend an adroitly flighted left-footed shot into the net.
- Even the most ardent of West London supporter would have struggled to argue the lead was deserved . So long as Forest maintained their pressure, it seemed they would be rewarded and so it turned out 11 minutes after the interval.
- McGoldrick, who arrived from Southampton during the summer for £1million, had seen a curving shot fractionally miss the left handed post just before half-time but he was far more careful with his finishing when the goal next beckoned. The goal was undeniably Route One as Camp aimed a long clearance forward and the seasoned head of Adebola delivered just the right kind of flick for McGoldrick to run onto and strike in a rising volley from 15 yards to score his first ever goal for his hometown club.
- “How we are sitting with only two points to our name so far this season is really quite remarkable,” said Davies. “I just cannot believe that we didn’t win that one.”
- Magilton was not about to argue with that assessment although he made his views plain to players afterwards. “I was disappointed with the quality of our play today and we had a few choice words in the dressing room,” said the Irishman who knows he is not blessed with an abundance of time to impress his employers. - QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 6, Hall 5 (sub Gorkss HT 6), Stewart 6, Borrowdale 6, Routledge 5, Leigertwood 7, Faurlin 7, Taarabt 6 (sub. Buzsaky 66 mins 6), Helguson 7, Pellicori 4 (sub.Vine 60 mins 5).

Nottingham Forest: Camp 6, Gunter 7, Morgan 7, Chambers 7, Lynch 6 (sub. McCleary 6 HT) , Garner 6, Majewski 8, McKenna 7, Cohen 6, McGoldrick 7 (sub. Tyson 74 mins 5) , Adebola 6 (sub. Blackstock 71 mins 6) .

Goals:
QPR: Leigertwood 24 mins
Forest: McGoldrick 56 mins

Star player: Radoslaw Majewski (Forest)
Attendance: 13,058 - Sunday Times


QPR OFFICIAL SITE

Rangers had to make do with a point, after Mikele Leigertwood's spectacular effort was not enough to take all three points.

The R's took the lead in the 25th minute when Leigertwood struck from fully 25-yards out after turning his man.

But Forest weren't to be deterred, as David McGoldrick sent the ball home from close range after a clever knock down.

Rangers manager Jim Magilton made just two changes from the side that went down 1-0 at Bristol City on Tuesday evening.

Both Alessandro Pellicori - making his competitive home debut alongside Alejandro Faurlin - and Heidar Helguson started in attack for the R's, at the expense of Patrick Agyemang and Akos Buzsaky respectively.

That meant Adel Taarabt started the game on the left-hand side, as the R's looked to exploit the Forest back line.

Elsewhere, former R's goalkeeper Lee Camp started for the visitors, while fellow ex-Ranger Dexter Blackstock had to make do with a place on the Reds' bench.

As the teams emerged into the blazing sunshine it was Forest who were to fashion the first opportunity of the game - forcing Radek Cerny into making two top-quality saves.

Only three minutes had passed on the clock when, after a clever through ball, Radoslaw Majewski found himself clear down the left.

Bearing down on goal, the Polish midfielder sent in a vicious shot that looked destined for the net, before Cerny got down well to his right to parry the ball away.

The action wasn't finished there though, as the ball fell to the feet of Joe Garner from close range. The Forest striker looked certain to score as he sent in another low, rasping shot - but Cerny got down excellently again to tip the ball wide for a corner.

At the other end, trickery from Taarabt after a clever pass from Gary Borrowdale saw the Spurs loanee beat two men before setting up Mikele Leigertwood on the edge of the area, but he could only shoot high and wide.

If anything, this was becoming an end-to-end affair, not least when after good work down the left from Chris Cohen, his cross just evaded Dele Adebola, after good pressure on him by Fitz Hall.

Moments later the R's broke, creating their best chance to date to take the lead. A neat pass from Faurlin found Helguson just outside the area.

The Icelandic forward then played a first-time pass to Taarabt, who in all fairness, had more time than he realised when being put through on goal, and could only snatch his shot wide.

Rangers were now having the greater say in terms of possession, and after super work from Taarabt saw him find Routledge out wide on the right, he crossed dangerously into the box.

However, when the ball somehow found its way to Borrowable from 10-yards out, he could only blast wide.

The R's didn't have to wait much longer for that all-important first goal though, and in the 25th minute, Leigertwood fired Rangers into the lead with a quite stunning strike.

After receiving the ball from a throw -in, the former Crystal Palace man turned his marker superbly from 25-yards out, before sending in a thunderous strike past a helpless Camp with his weaker left foot.

Just before half time, Forest did have a chance to pull level after Majewski sent in a dangerous free-kick from a central position, though Cerny was more than equal to that effort to tip the ball away for a corner.

As the teams reappeared for the second half, the R's were enforced into making a substitution, as Fitz Hall was replaced by Kaspars Gorkss. Although the extent of that injury thus far, is unclear, it looked to be a precautionary switch from R's boss Magilton.

That setback wasn't to deter Rangers though, and soon after the break, they nearly doubled their lead.

It was the ever present Taarabt who after driving down the middle, played to ball to Routledge, who was quick to react and play Pellicori in down the left. The Italian forward went close, but could only see his shot hit the side netting.

Thereafter it was Forest, though, who were having the better of the play - and soon they were rewarded with a second-half equaliser in the 58th minute.

After a long ball was played into the direction of Dele Adebola, he used all of his experience to nod the ball down for David McGoldrick as near as 10-yards out. The former Southampton man made no mistake from there, drilling into the roof of the net to draw Forest level.

It was a goal that had the ability to dishearten Rangers, though it didn't, and soon after the R's went in search of a second, introducing Rowan Vine for Pellicori in the process.

It was in fact Vine who was instantly involved, receiving the ball from Helguson before drilling an effort from the edge of the area at CampRangers could sense that a second goal could be in the offing, and with that sent on Akos Buzsaky for the impressive Taarabt in search of that goal that would give them all three points.

And Buzsaky was close to giving Rangers the lead they craved when he send in a dangerous free-kick from the right, but that wasn't to beat Camp.

And soon after it was Buzsaky involved again as he crossed for Helguson, but his header went just over, as the R's couldn't find a way past a defiant Forest defence.

QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Hall (Gorkss 46), Leigertwood, Routledge, Helguson, Pellicori (Vine 61), Faurlin, Borrowdale, Taarabt (Buzsaky 66).

Subs not used: Mahon, Agyemang, Connolly, Heaton.

Goals: Leigertwood (25).

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Chambers, Morgan, Adebola (Blackstock 72), Garner, Cohen, Gunter, McGoldrick (Tyson 75), McKenna, Majewski, Lynch (McCleary 46).
Subs not used: Anderson, Earnshaw, Davies, Smith.
Goals: McGoldrick (58).
Referee: Mr J J Linington.
Attendance: 13, 058. QPR


NOTTINGHAM FOREST OFFICIAL SITE

QPR 1 v 1 Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest won a well-deserved point at Loftus Road after producing some excellent football. It was a wide open game, with both sides committed to attack and the score hardly reflected the number of chances both sides created.

It was a fast and furious first half but, in spite of playing some good football and creating some excellent chances, Forest went in at half time a goal down, after a superb goal gave Rangers the lead 25 minutes into the game.

The second half was equally fast and evenly matched but Forest worked hard to deserve the equalizer and, with some good end-to-end football, the game could easily have gone either way.
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Forest started well and had a real chance as early as the third minute when Radoslaw Majewski made a break from midfield. His powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area sent Radek Cerny diving to make the save. He couldn't hold the ball and it came back out to Joe Garner whose effort forced the QPR keeper to dive low to his left to make the second save.

The pace continued at a frenetic pace with flowing football from both sides.

Forest created another chance after good work by Chris Cohen down the left. He sent the ball over the head of Wayne Routledge towards the corner post where Garner was held off by a Rangers defender and was unable to get on the end of it.

Another good move saw Paul McKenna set the ball up for Majewski who found David McGoldrick in loads of space. He beat the defender and the goalkeeper but then dragged the ball just an inch wide of the post.

It was then Rangers turn to miss the target after Heidar Helguson did well to find Adel Taarabt whose effort was also wide of the post.

Gary Borrowdale tried for a shot on target after waiting for the ball from Routledge to come down and slashed at the half volley to send it flying high over the bar from eight yards out.

Rangers' pressure paid off when they took the lead 25 minutes into the game with a superb goal. Routledge picked out Mikele Leigertwood who got round Cohen and shot from over 20 yards, curling the ball over Lee Camp and into the top corner of the net.

There was another narrow miss from Forest when a free kick by Cohen found Wes Morgan who sent a powerful header in from the back post. He looped the ball back across the face of goal and just over the crossbar.

An excellent free kick by Majewski again put Forest close to an equalizer. He sent the ball up and over the wall and it would have gone in but for the right hand of Cerny, who turned the ball round the post for a corner.

Garath McCleary came out in place of Joel Lynch for the start of the second half after the defender picking up a knock in the first half.

A good long-range effort from Cohen early in the half caused Cerney some problems but he managed to make the ball safe at the second attempt.

Forest worked hard to thoroughly deserve the equaliser just before the hour mark, from a free kick by Lee Camp. Dele Adebola flicked a great ball on to McGoldrick, who got past the defender and crashed the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards out.

Rowan Vine tried to find the goal from long range but saw his effort saved by Camp, going down low to his left.

And just before he was substituted, Taarabt tried a shot when he couldn't get through the Forest defence, but the ball was put out by Morgan for a corner.

Great play by Forest saw McKenna play the ball in to McGoldrick, who played it to substitute Dexter Blackstock and he sent the ball spinning towards goal, but it was cleared off the line by Peter Ramage.

Forest threw everyone back as it became Rangers turn to pile on the pressure again and again, with the away side making the occasional break forward.

There was a fright for Forest fans on the 90th minute when Camp came out of his area to chase the ball as Helguson ran forward, but the linesman judged him to be offside.

As the pressure continued, Buzsaky was prevented from getting a stoppage time winner by a good challenge from Morgan.

On the final whistle there were a few boos from around Loftus Road, but not from the away supporters who were on their feet to applaud a good travelling performance by Forest. Nottingham Forest


- ADDITIONAL QPR vs Nott Forest Match Reports



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