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Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - Crystal Palace 0 QPR 0
"... HEIDAR Helguson could have been the immediate star of the show as he stepped onto the stage - but the Icelander fluffed his lines.
Helguson, making his QPR debut after one of the strangest on-off loan sagas ever, screwed wide in front of an open goal with virtually his first touch of the ball.
That ensured that Rangers' interminable goal drought away from home in the Championship would extend to more than 11 and a half hours of football - the latter one and a half including not a single shot on target.
It was surprising that a match overseen by the Rs' bĂȘte noire, Rob Styles, produced so little in the way of incident, bookings or controversy - although it's a pity Styles declined to reach for his pocket in the case of Daniel Parejo.
The Real Madrid loanee's persistent habit of taking a tumble is almost as embarrassing as his ineffective performances when he does remain upright - and it's plain for all to see that his place in the side stems from patronage, not footballing merit...." Kilburn Times
Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times -Gorkss going nowhere
KASPARS Gorkss has stressed he has no intention of leaving QPR despite speculation that the club planned to offload him after just four months.
Rangers spent virtually all summer trying to clinch the big centre-back's signature from Blackpool - only to drop him from the side after just three league starts.
Championship rivals Preston, who had tried to lure Gorkss to Deepdale in the close season, were believed to be interested in belatedly snaring their man on a loan deal last week.
But Gorkss, who reclaimed his place in the Rs team for their derby clashes with Charlton and Crystal Palace, told the Times: "I think there was loads of talk around, but I haven't personally spoken to anyone.
"I only just came here and I want to prove to everyone that I'm not a waste of time, that I deserve to be in this team and to be in the gaffer's plans for the future.
"To be honest, every footballer is frustrated when he isn't playing and happy when he is. Now I'm looking forward to every game and I want to stay happy for longer than I did before."
With Fitz Hall suspended and Matthew Connolly out injured, the Latvian international turned in a man of the match performance at Selhurst Park last weekend as Rangers picked up a useful point.
Nevertheless, the 0-0 draw meant their failure to score on the road in the Championship has now extended to seven matches since Martin Rowlands bagged the winner at Norwich in mid-September.
And Gorkss, like the rest of the QPR squad, is at a loss to understand the reason why a team in play-off contention appear incapable of hitting the net away from home.
He added: "The clean sheet is a little step to improvement in our away performances - at least we got a clean sheet and one point. Hopefully we can build on that and maybe even score some goals and win games!
"The boys have spoken about this and nobody really has the explanation for why this is happening. But now we have to prepare for Wolves on Saturday - they're the best team in the division, so it's going to be a big test for us. Kilburn Times
Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times - Nowhere to Heid, but Helguson will do fine
PETER Ramage is backing Heidar Helguson to be a hit at QPR despite the striker's embarrassing miss only minutes into his debut on Saturday.
The experienced ex-Watford and Fulham frontman squandered a golden opportunity to break the deadlock after replacing Daniel Parejo as a half-time substitute at Selhurst Park, but Ramage is confident his new team-mate will come good.
"Heidar could have won it and that chance probably came too early for him. But you've seen from 45 minutes what a quality player he is - his hold-up play's excellent," said Ramage.
"I've played against him in previous games and he's a quality player who's going to add competition to the forwards we've got and hopefully give us that bit of experience to help us up the league.
"Heidar's settled in well - he knows quite a few of the lads anyway and obviously he played with Gavin Mahon at Watford. He's not the kind of character who shies away in the corner, he's very expressive."
Helguson, 31, finally agreed to join Rangers on loan from Bolton last week after initially backing out of a deal which would have kept him at Loftus Road until the close of the January transfer window, and considering alternatives.
Injuries had restricted the Icelandic striker to just two appearances this season - and 10 in total - since he joined the Trotters from Fulham in the summer of 2007.
And Helguson was accompanied through the front entrance at Loftus Road by a more unexpected loan signing, Coventry City reserve full-back Gary Borrowdale - who was farmed out to Colchester earlier in the season.
But Ramage, who has been QPR's first choice right-back for most of the season so far, is unfazed by the increased competition for places, admitting: "You want it and you don't want it.
"On one hand it keeps you on your toes, on the other hand if you don't play well there's somebody waiting to come in. But it's a long hard season - we're not even halfway through - and we're going to need more players."
Borrowdale, 23, who was an unused substitute against former club Crystal Palace, is expected to be in the Rangers squad again when they face Championship leaders Wolves in a televised clash at Loftus Road this Saturday (kick-off 5.20pm).
Damiano Tomassi is set to deputise for Mikele Leigertwood, who is serving a one-match ban, but Argentinean craftsman Emmanuel Ledesma is available again after completing a suspension of his own at Selhurst Park.
"We caught a little bit of Wolves on TV [against Birmingham] before the Palace game and we're excited about playing them," Ramage added.
"They're top of the table, but Birmingham were up there and we raised our game that little bit more. If we get the crowd behind us in the same way, it'll really help, so hopefully we can repeat that performance and get a win. Kilburn Times
Express and Star - Mancienne knocked about by virus
Wolves loan defender Michael Mancienne has confessed his virus knocked him about so much that he could hardly run during the Birmingham game.
The Chelsea man missed the two previous games with the bug picked up on England duty, following his shock call-up to the full squad for the win in Germany.
Mancienne finally returned on Saturday and played 90 minutes in the derby draw, getting better as the game wore on.
The 20-year-old said: “It was just a virus I picked up after coming back from the England trip. That was tough but I just had no energy, I couldn’t even run.
“The illness certainly knocked me about and I still felt it a bit during the first half. By the second half I felt a lot better and I feel normal now. I’m just glad it’s passed now and I feel alright again.”
Mancienne was relieved to come through the Blues test but can at least reflect on training with the best players in the country as part of his development.
He said: “Training with England was great, just to be in and around it was a really good experience. The standard was very high and I was just happy to be involved.
“I might have got on from the bench if the game had been more comfortable but because it was so tight that made it difficult. But I took a lot away from the week as a whole, I was just glad to be there.”
Mancienne admits there will be sentiment when he steps out at QPR on Saturday tea time for Wolves.
The Chelsea stopper played 58 games on loan over two seasons at Loftus Road, mostly at right-back and admits it was a different experience.
He said: “I had a couple of good seasons at QPR, which I’m grateful for, so I’m looking forward to Saturday’s game. They gave me a first taste of first team football and I still know a few of the lads there.
“That won’t stop me trying to help us win the game on Saturday though. It’s good to be here at Wolves at a club near the top of the league, because you’re trying to play good football.”
“Being involved in a relegation scrap sometimes makes it more of a battle just to win games and it’s a different kind of football.
“It’s a different kind of pressure at the top end of the league but it’s one I relish.” Express and Star
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