Further Match Reports of Queens Park Rangers 1 Southampton 0

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THE TIMES - Langley spoils teenager’s leaving do

Theo Walcott produced some inspired touches at QPR yesterday, but was profligate in front of goal in Southampton’s 1-0 defeat, writes Jon West
HE IS the teenager already performing a man’s job but Theo Walcott, seemingly Arsenal-bound despite his present manager’s denials, could still do with time at a finishing school.
The 16-year-old is rightly regarded as the hottest teenage talent in England, because of his pace and potential, but the boy dubbed the new Thierry Henry is not yet a Premiership-quality predator, as his display in Southampton’s 1-0 defeat by Queens Park Rangers showed.
Turning out for the Saints is a thankless task anyway these days as the South Coast side inflicted a fifth defeat in six league matches on its long-suffering fans, who nevertheless outsung their Rangers counterparts, so the teenager can hardly be blamed for wanting to head east along the M3 to Arsenal’s training ground.
It was easy to see why Walcott had caught the imagination of Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager. There was a glorious few seconds in the second half when super-fast feet beat one man, a second and a third before a promising move came to an abrupt end with a pass to a less gifted colleague.
But should this turn out to be his farewell performance in a Saints shirt, and there is always the possibility that he will be sold and loaned straight back, then it will be a costly double miss soon after Rangers had gone ahead that will linger the longest.
The chance had been fashioned by another academy product, Dexter Blackstock, who stuck out a leg to divert the ball into his strike partner’s path. QPR goalkeeper Simon Royce parried Walcott’s initial, well-struck effort but was helpless as the ball rebounded straight back to the prodigy, who wastefully fired over.
Rangers manager Ian Holloway admitted afterwards he had been surprised Walcott had even taken part such was the intensity of his press coverage but George Burley, his Southampton counterpart, was adamant afterwards that the teenager might yet remain on the South Coast.
“Nothing has changed at all as far as I am aware,” he insisted, with a twinkle in his eye that all but confirmed he was happy with a leading role in a post-match pantomime. “As for him being sold and coming back on loan, we are not even thinking about that. We are planning ahead with Theo at the club. We naturally want to keep him for as long as possible.” The game was decided by one clumsy first-half moment when Danny Higginbotham, who had survived an earlier handball shout, barged Gareth Ainsworth over and Richard Langley sent Paul Smith, Antti Niemi’s successor between the Saints sticks, the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Southampton applied immense pressure in the final half-hour but skipper Nigel Quashie wasted a penalty he had won himself by planting it against a post. The award, for Steve Lomas’s challenge on the former Rangers midfielder, had followed a moment of Walcott magic on the by-line, but it was that kind of day for the Saints. That kind of season in fact.
STAR MAN: Marcus Bignot (QPR)
Player ratings: QPR: Royce 7, Bignot 8, Shittu 8, Santos 8 (Taylor 78min, 5), Rose 7, Ainsworth 6 (Donnelly 88min, 5), Lomas 6, Langley 7, Cook 7, Furlong 7, Baidoo 7 (Moore 84min, 5)
Southampton: Smith 7, Prutton 6, Lundekvam 6, Powell 6, Higginbotham 5, Dyer 6 (Fuller h-t, 5), Oakley 6, Quashie 6, Belmadi 5, Walcott 6, Blackstock 6 (Jones 68min, 5)
Scorer: QPR: Langley 21 pen
Referee: M Jones Attendance: 15,494
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2093-1986213,00.html


INDEPENDENT
QPR 1 Southampton 0: Southampton serve up a weak farewell for prodigy Walcott
By Andy Sims at Loftus Road
Published: 15 January 2006
As farewell matches go, it was not ideal, but if it was indeed goodbye to Southampton for Theo Walcott, the 16-year-old prodigy will probably have plenty more opportunities to celebrate in the future.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow," joked the Saints manager, George Burley. "I might not be here myself, who knows? I won't guarantee anything, but as far as I'm aware, nothing has changed."
Walcott, apparently, may not have been planning to head back to the South Coast after a frustrating afternoon as Richard Langley sealed the points for Queen's Park Rangers with the only goal of the game from a first-half penalty, as he is expected to sign for Arsenal by the end of tomorrow. The teenager's misery was increased by Nigel Quashie missing a penalty for the Saints.
His display on the left wing may not be his last in the Saints' red-and-white stripes, because if his move to Highbury does go through (although Arsène Wenger, Arsenal's manager, is still being coy about the exact timing of the agreement), he may return to St Mary's for the rest of the season on loan.
Rangers have played South-ampton twice now this season, so their right-back, Marcus Bignot, can sleep easier in his bed knowing he will not have to face the high-speed trickster until at least next season. He needed to be alert twice right from the off yesterday, timing his tackle perfectly as Walcott tried to go past him. Walcott then floated the ensuing corner on to the head of Darren Powell and Bignot cleared the ball off the line.
Rangers found their rhythm and went ahead after 21 minutes when Lee Cook's long shot was parried by Paul Smith in Saints' goal and, as the ball looped up, Gareth Ainsworth was brought down by Danny Higginbotham. Langley shut out the distraction of Saints' protests and sent Smith the wrong way.
After the break Quashie thumped a drive too high before Walcott, with 14 minutes left, sped down the right and crossed. Belmadi touched the ball off to Quashie, who fell under pressure from Ainsworth and Steve Lomas. He picked himself up to take the penalty but his shot came back off the post and Rangers cleared the rebound.
Southampton could get Walcott on the rebound, at least temporarily, if his move goes ahead.
As farewell matches go, it was not ideal, but if it was indeed goodbye to Southampton for Theo Walcott, the 16-year-old prodigy will probably have plenty more opportunities to celebrate in the future.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow," joked the Saints manager, George Burley. "I might not be here myself, who knows? I won't guarantee anything, but as far as I'm aware, nothing has changed."
Walcott, apparently, may not have been planning to head back to the South Coast after a frustrating afternoon as Richard Langley sealed the points for Queen's Park Rangers with the only goal of the game from a first-half penalty, as he is expected to sign for Arsenal by the end of tomorrow. The teenager's misery was increased by Nigel Quashie missing a penalty for the Saints.
His display on the left wing may not be his last in the Saints' red-and-white stripes, because if his move to Highbury does go through (although Arsène Wenger, Arsenal's manager, is still being coy about the exact timing of the agreement), he may return to St Mary's for the rest of the season on loan.
Rangers have played South-ampton twice now this season, so their right-back, Marcus Bignot, can sleep easier in his bed knowing he will not have to face the high-speed trickster until at least next season. He needed to be alert twice right from the off yesterday, timing his tackle perfectly as Walcott tried to go past him. Walcott then floated the ensuing corner on to the head of Darren Powell and Bignot cleared the ball off the line.
Rangers found their rhythm and went ahead after 21 minutes when Lee Cook's long shot was parried by Paul Smith in Saints' goal and, as the ball looped up, Gareth Ainsworth was brought down by Danny Higginbotham. Langley shut out the distraction of Saints' protests and sent Smith the wrong way.
After the break Quashie thumped a drive too high before Walcott, with 14 minutes left, sped down the right and crossed. Belmadi touched the ball off to Quashie, who fell under pressure from Ainsworth and Steve Lomas. He picked himself up to take the penalty but his shot came back off the post and Rangers cleared the rebound.
Southampton could get Walcott on the rebound, at least temporarily, if his move goes ahead.
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/coca_cola/article338706.ece