Blackstock and Ainsworth Perspectives on QPR

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Dexter Blackstock Diary - Icons - Thursday 22nd February 2007

We need our fans in full force

After having what seemed an eternity to dwell on our poor performance at Southend, it was a relief to get back out there playing at Elland Road on Tuesday night. We needed to show our fans some fight and I think we did that. It was a good performance from us to get a 0-0 up there.

Leeds had reduced ticket prices which meant there was a big crowd there to get behind them and I have to say that they made it quite an intimidating atmosphere. I'd like to see QPR follow suit and slash prices because if we can fill Loftus Road it will be like a 12th man for us.

I can't emphasise enough how important the supporters can be. When they turn up in force and sing their hearts out for the team it makes such a difference. It lifts us. With so many important home matches left I'd urge every Hoops fan to try and get along to the stadium and get behind us. The home games are going to be critical.

We are very confident of staying up. The belief remains strong that we can win enough matches to stay in the division because we do have quality within the squad. It's now a matter of winning the winnable games, and taking points from the tougher looking ones. We are equipped to cope with the pressure and pull out the results when we need them most, in my opinion.

There has been talk in the press questioning the manager's future at the club. Personally I don't believe it one bit. John Gregory has our full support. It would be crazy to make a change in my opinion.

So, it’s all about preparing for Plymouth Argyle this weekend now. They are on a roll, but I see it as a game we can, and must win. If we get about them and impose ourselves on them right from the start we should be fine.

I hope that we have a big crowd at Loftus Road to cheer us on, and help us to three valuable points. Icons


GARETH AINSWORTH - KILBURN TIMES
RUMOURS have been rife in the last few days about the gaffer's position, so I'm glad that the chairman came out and quashed them.

In some ways, I think it's flattering to have some big names linked with QPR - it shows this is a big club and the kind of club people would want to come and manage.

Those stories are part and parcel of the game, but you can't take them all at face value. John Gregory's the manager, he's the man who's going to lead us to survival and that's all there is to say.

Obviously we had a free weekend and the only players who really enjoy those are the injured ones. But it does give everyone a chance to do some fitness work and build up our sharpness.

We kept an eye on the other results, of course, and overall they were as good as we could have hoped for.

Whatever's been happening away from home, we've got to view Plymouth as a chance to continue what we started against Burnley.

Once you get back to your home ground, you can draw the pitch in your mind - you can almost picture where every bump is because you know it so well.

The gaffer's been very positive - there are no endless videos of the Southend game or moping about what went wrong, it's all about the next game.

Ollie never used to like everyone going over the top about people coming back to their old clubs and all that - but I think he'll have to put up with it this time.

Plymouth have attracted a few headlines recently because of their FA Cup run and there's a chance some of their players might be thinking ahead to Watford.

But I know Ollie well enough to be sure that he won't let the cup run become a distraction and he'll have his lads really up for it on Saturday, without question.

Kev won't be playing, but I'm sure he'll have told his team-mates as much as he can about us. Plymouth pay his wages now, he wears green on his back and he'll do whatever he can to help them win.

I'm not sure it's such an advantage to know too much about the opposition, though. If I come up against players I don't know a lot about, I won't be worrying about them - it's a chance to impose myself on the game and let them worry about me. Kilburn Times