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QPR Defeated Barnsley 4-0 today with penalties from Helguson and Taarabt and other goals from Mackie and Hall. The gates was just under 13,500
- QPR vs Barnsley
- Other Scores
QPR Official Site - GAFFER LAUDS TYKES DISPLAY
- R's gaffer Neil Warnock cut an ecstatic figure after seeing his R's side put Barnsley to the sword with a convincing four-goal victory.
Heidar Helguson and Adel Taarabt both scored from the penalty spot, with Jamie Mackie and Fitz Hall also netting from close range.
Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk: "We finished very strongly with some good goals.
"I'm pleased. It's the first game and I said to the lads before if you can get a 1-0 win and it's not a very good performance, then don't worry about it.
"First games of the season are so difficult. There are so many strange results."
Taarabt in particular shined in his first game since a permanent move from Spurs, and Warnock added: "I think Adel is a lovely lad with a lot of ability.
"Yes we have to calm him down a bit because he even wants the ball off the ball boys, let alone anybody else and gets frustrated!
"I look at his pluses, not minuses. We try and get a system to suit him, to give him the freedom to do what he's good at."
Turning his attention to the coming weeks, the QPR boss also explained: "I'd like another two or three in before the end of the month.
"Leon Clarke wasn't really fit and we're a bit thin on the ground. But the board has been very good to me and we'll continue to try and improve the squad when we can.
"Everybody wants to stay at the top, but let's keep our feet on the ground." QPR
Sky - Taarabt tipped for Barca
Warnock hails youngster after win over Barnsley
Neil Warnock predicted big things for Adel Taarabt after he inspired Queens Park Rangers to a 4-0 victory over Barnsley.
The talented playmaker, who arrived on a permanent deal from Tottenham this week, was one of the goalscorers against the Tykes.
And Warnock believes that if the 21-year-old listens to the right advice he could go on to play for a top team like Barcelona.
"Twenty years ago I wouldn't have taken Adel Taarabt. But I've said to my players to look at the good things he does and not the bad. We have to find a way of using that," said Warnock.
"When I came here last season he'd already been bombed out by the two previous managers. But I spent a lot of time with him and have to say I enjoyed working with him.
"I said to him that sometimes I'd drop him, or play him on the wing, and I didn't want him stamping around or throwing his shirt when he was substituted.
"He's got real talent. He thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, and I've told him that if he sticks with me he can get there. At the moment, they wouldn't touch him with a barge pole."
Aside from Taarabt, there were goals for Heidar Helguson, Jamie Mackie and Stephen Foster, and Warnock was thrilled with the performance.
"You can't ask for a better start than that, but I won't get carried away. We rode our luck at times, and Barnsley had a good shout for a penalty when it was 1-0," he said.
"Fitz Hall didn't handle it intentionally, so a penalty would have been harsh. But five out of 10 times those are given.
"We were quite entertaining, but the opening game is all about getting the result. We stuck at it, were solid, and played some good stuff too."
Robins reaction
Barnsley manager Mark Robins hopes that the shock loss will act as a wake-up call to his side.
He said: "It was a kick up the backside and not what we expected. It's disappointing, because I think we're better than that.
"We were slightly unlucky, but when we conceded the first goal we started looking like we felt sorry for ourselves.
"Then, in the second half, it was just a comedy of errors. There were basic defensive things, like tracking back, that we didn't do.
"At times we did look like we'd get back into it. We hit the post and should have had a penalty when there was a blatant handball by Fitz Hall.
"QPR are a fancied team and in some ways this is a good game to get out of the way. But I think 4-0 is a harsh scoreline, because it wasn't that kind of game.
"Neil Warnock said to me after the game: 'Don't be too hard on your lads, because Adel Taarabt was the difference. If I hadn't signed him, that wouldn't have happened'.
"We tried to contain Taarabt but he's very clever. It's hard to stop him unless you go man-to-man, and then that would give QPR more space, so it's difficult." Sky
Barnsley Official Site - POST MATCH REACTION FROM LOFTUS ROAD
BARNSLEY manager Mark Robins gave his thoughts following today's opening day defeat at QPR.
Mark said: "We hit the post three times and had a certain penalty shout turned down. I thought their penalty claims were easily given and we have shot ourselves in the foot today. Taarabt was the difference today and we were playing a good side but we expected to come and get something. I did not expect a 4-0.
"I think it is a kick up the backside that we did not expect but we have been given and we have to bounce back from the on Tuesday. We have to pick ourselves up and get back to it on Tuesday night.
"We did ok at times but we did not pass the ball as well as we can do. We have gifted them goals and it is a disappointing start but we have to put it behind us and move on.
"Neil Warnock spoke to me and said that if they had not brought in Taarabt then we would have won the game. It is easy to say that when you are four up though.
"We hit the post three times and had a blatant, blatant penalty turned down. We have not got anything today but we have not really given a good account of ourselves either". Barnsley
BBC (Presumably Dave McIntyre) QPR 4 - 0 Barnsley
QPR started the new season in style as they hammered Barnsley and gave notice of their promotion intentions.
Heidar Helguson's penalty put them on their way, although Barnsley's Adam Hammill then twice hit the post, before Jamie Mackie tapped in to make it 2-0.
Barnsley conceded another penalty when Jason Shackell fouled Helguson and this time Adel Taarabt scored the spot-kick.
The rout was complete when Hogan Ephraim laid on a tap-in for Rangers skipper Fitz Hall.
The result was the perfect way for Neil Warnock's side to begin justifying their tag as one of the clubs tipped for promotion.
And with the impressive Taarabt in their ranks - with the former Tottenham midfielder ran Barnsley ragged - their ambition could come to fruition.
The 21-year-old forced keeper Luke Steele into two fine saves before one of his jinking runs ended with Stephen Foster fouling him inside the area. Helguson's penalty was cool, placed low into the corner, giving Rangers a deserved lead.
Yet just before the break Barnsley could have been level, but Hammill headed Bobby Hassell's cross against the post when he should have done better.
Hammill was frustrated again seconds after the re-start with his shot coming back off the upright and Rangers made him pay for his wastefulness minutes later.
Steele failed to deal with a Rangers cross and Mackie was on hand with a predatory finish to slot home their second of the game.
Taarabt then grabbed a deserved goal for his performance, albeit from the penalty spot.
Helguson also later struck the post for QPR before the scoring was completed when Hall struck from close range late on. BBC
QPR Official Site
QPR began the new campaign in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 defeat of Barnsley at Loftus Road to send them top of the npower Championship.
The R's took the lead just four minutes before the break, with Heidar Helguson netting from the spot after Adel Taarabt was brought down by Jay McEveley in the box.
Rangers doubled their advantage on 53 minutes, after Jamie Mackie slid home from close range when Luke Steele failed to hold Hogan Ephraim's cross.
Taarabt added a third with a penalty ten minutes later after Helguson was felled by Nathan Doyle in the area, before Hall nipped in at the back post following Ephraim's dangerous, low cross on 81 minutes to cap off a perfect start on the opening day for Rangers.
The Hoops handed league debuts to no less than five players in a 4-2-3-1 formation, while Taarabt also made the QPR starting line-up following his permanent switch from Tottenham Hotspur.
Paddy Kenny was in goal for QPR.
In defence, Bradley Orr and Clint Hill took up the full-back positions, with Captain Hall and Kaspars Gorkss in the centre.
Shaun Derry and Alejandro Faurlin featured in defensive positions in midfield, with Ephraim, Taarabt and Mackie deployed in more advanced roles.
Icelandic striker Helguson led the R's attack.
As the rain lashed down on a lush Loftus Road playing surface, Rangers were out of the traps fastest and fashioned the first effort of the half.
Faurlin smashed an effort over the bar following Gorkss' knockdown from an Orr free-kick.
Play then switched to the other end, and Stephen Foster was unlucky not to find the target when he headed goalwards McEveley's dangerous, in-swinging corner from the right.
The match had started at a frantic pace, and Rangers turned it up a notch more just moments later.
Mackie thought he was through on goal following Hill's ball at deep that looped over the Tykes' defence, before Jason Shackell came across to knock the ball out of play for a corner.
From the resultant set-piece, Rangers should have taken the lead.
Taarabt's corner from the left bounced up off a Barnsley defender, and when Ephraim nodded the ball back across the face of goal, Helguson somehow headed over from six-yards out.
Soon after, Taarabt came closest yet when he picked up a ball from deep, before he drove at the Tykes' defence and unleashed a ferocious, low drive from 25 yards that was tipped wide by Steele.
Moments later, Barnsley came within inches of opening the scoring when Andy Gray touched the ball to Hugo Colace on the edge of the box, who saw his driven effort whistle just past the left-hand upright.
Steele was soon called into action once again at the other end, however, and after Ephraim squared the ball to Taarabt 25-yards out, the Moroccan magician forced the Reds keeper into a fine diving save to his left, before the ball was cleared away up field.
Five minutes before the break, Taarabt was again involved - and this time his trickery earned the R's a penalty.
Neat, intricate passing play between Faurlin and Ephraim saw the latter feed Taarabt, before he drove into the penalty area.
Taarabt beat two men before attempting to pass a third, McEveley, who brought down the defender, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot.
Helguson stepped up to take the penalty and remained coolness personified to slide the ball home into the bottom right-hand corner and give the R's a half-time lead.
Intent on finding a goal to draw level, Barnsley came for the second period in positive mood and only a minute has passed on the clock before they almost did just that.
Half-time substitute Iain Hume played the architect, laying the ball across the edge of the penalty area and into the path of Goran Lovre, whose smashed effort came back off the post before hitting Orr and going out for a corner.
Soon after, the R's were back on the offensive. Hill broke down the left before crossing on to the head of Mackie, whose weak effort went straight at Steele.
Mackie was not to be denied at the second time of asking, however, and on 53 minutes he doubled the R's lead.
Lovely passing play from Faurlin and Ephraim eventually saw the latter find space before sending in a low cross from the left.
Steele looked to have Ephraim's centre covered, before he let the ball slip into the path of Mackie, and the former Plymouth attacker slid in the divert the ball into the back of the net from close range.
Ten minutes later - and QPR found a third goal to almost certainly seal the points.
Doyle's mistimed challenge in the box saw him clip the heels of Helguson, and when the referee pointed for a second penalty kick, this time Taarabt stepped up to side-foot the ball into the right-hand corner.
And if the points weren't already safe, they surely were on 81 minutes.
Faurlin and Ephraim combined - not for the first time - before the latter sent over a teasing cross from the right and in to the area.
The ball flashed across the face of goal before finding Hall at the back post, who slid home number four for the Hoops.
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry (Leigertwood 80), Hall, Taarabt (Parker 78), Helguson (German 83), Faurlin, Mackie, Gorkss, Ephraim.
Subs: Cerny, Clarke, Connolly, Borrowdale.
Goals: Helguson (pen 41), Mackie 53, Taarabt (pen 63), Hall (81)
Bookings: Orr (61)
Barnsley: Steele, Hassell, McEveley, Shackell, Doyle, Foster, Lovre (Butterfield 86), Devaney (Hume 46), Hamill (Neumann 76), Colace, Gray.
Subs: Preece, Dickinson, Boulding, Potter.
Bookings: McEveley (41), Doyle (90)
Referee: Mr J Linington
Attendance: 13, 445 QPR
Fulham Chronicle/Yann Tear - Super Adel steals the show for impressive Rs
ADEL Taarabt wasted no time in justifying the huge outlay QPR have committed themselves to in order to land the Moroccan star – earning the penalty which set Rangers on their way to an opening day win.
Barnsley simply could not cope with his trickery and he had spelt big trouble for the visitors long before he weaved around Jason Shackell inside the box before being tripped by a desperate Stephen Foster five minutes before the break.
A tap-in from Jamie Mackie on 53 minutes put Rangers into the comfort zone and Taarabt inevitably got on the scoresheet when he tucked home a penalty on 63 minutes.
Fitz Hall even got in on the act – celebrating being made captain by turning in a low cross from Ephriam at the far post. Hall scored twice in a win against the same team on the opening day two years ago and this will have felt as sweet.
Heidar Helguson calmly rolled the ball home from his spot kick to make it 1-0 at the break, but the Icelander was hardly the hero of the first 45 minutes – having headed over from two yards after Hogan Ephraim had headed a Taarabt corner invitingly back across goal.
He also won't want to see a re-run of his miss from a similar distance after Taarabt had put a chance on a plate with a low cross from the right which would have made it 4-0.
Taarabt, who agreed a three year deal this week, was involved in nearly everything Rangers created. He had one low shot clawed to safety by keeper Luke Steele and another 25-yard rasper than almost found the net. Even more eye-catching was a delicious pass with the outside of the boot that Jamie Mackie miscontrolled.
Mackie was one of five debutants in Neil Warnock's first starting XI of the campaign along with keeper Paddy Kenny, defenders Bradley Orr and Clint Hill and midfielder Shaun Derry.
All had to take a back seat as Taarabt stole the show against a Barnsley side looking for a first win at Loftus Road in 60 years.
Barnsley were not without hope and twice hit a post either side of half time – the first a close range header from Andy Gray, the second a low shot from Adam Hamill that had Kenny floundering.
But the game was already effectively up on 53 minutes when Mackie was on hand to tap in from a yard after Steele had made a hash of a low cross from Ephraim.
Taarabt made it 3-0 on 63 minutes - burying a penalty after more woeful defending – Shackell tripping Helguson after Barnsley had given the ball away cheaply. Fulham Chronicle
Barnsley Official Site - FULL TIME FROM LOFTUS ROAD
Posted on: Sat 07 Aug 2010
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 4 (Helguson 40 P, 63 P; Mackie 53, Hall 82)
BARNSLEY 0
REFEREE James Linington made all the headlines for the wrong reasons at Loftus Road as he handed Queens Park Rangers two soft, soft penalties while denying the Reds a blatant spot kick early in the second half with the game on a knife edge and the home side leading 1-0.
The opening day of the season is always full of optimism although Mark Robins' new look Reds face a baptism of fire at the home of promotion hopefuls Queens Park Rangers. Barnsley's new boys were led by skipper Jason Shackell while Jay McEveley and Goran Lovre also featured from the start. Fellow new arrivals Jeronimo Neumann, after clearance came through in time; Michael Boulding and Liam Dickinson were on the bench. Kieran Trippier, who signed on loan for the Reds on Friday afternoon, was ineligible as the Club were waiting for the paperwork to be registered. Diego Arismendi missed the match after being sent off in while on loan at Brighton last season.
The only major change from last weekend's pre-season win at Chesterfield was a recall for Hugo Colace, who replaced Jacob Butterfield in the heart of the Reds midfield.
QPR handed debuts to Paddy Kenny, Bradley Orr, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry, Adel Taarabt and Jamie Mackie.
Although early August, the teams were greeted by a monsoon as kick off approached but the torrential rain did little to dampen the spirits of the thousands inside Loftus Road, including 800 or so Barnsley fans. The home side fired the first shot in anger inside two minutes as Alejandro Faurlin blazed one high and wide after the Reds had cleared Orr's free kick.
The Reds were quickly on the break and Queens Park Rangers had to defend well from Martin Devaney and Bobby Hassell down the right flank. Stephen Foster the probably should have done better on five minutes as he met McEveley's corner but flashed a free header just wide of the post. It was a bright and confident start from the men in all red.
Foster was almost embarrassed on 13 minutes as he let Hill's long ball bounce and it skipped through to give Mackie a sight of goal but the Reds defender recovered to make a telling block. Rangers should have been in front seconds later as Heidar Helguson somehow managed to miss at the near post from Orr's corner. It was a free header for the striker but he put it over the top. Taarabt forced Luke Steele into a fine save on 15 minutes with a rasping drive from 30 yards that the Reds number one managed to tip around the post.
Great play on the edge of the area by Hassell, Gray and Hammill gave Colace a great chance to strike one from 30 yards on 20 minutes and the Argentine was only inches away from finding the top corner with a great effort. Steele was again in fine form on 25 minutes to turn Taarabt's effort away while Andy Gray was only a tight flag away from a clear run on goal ten minutes later.
Barnsley's good first half performance was thrown away in an instant on 39 minutes as Taarabt twisted and turned his way past Shackell and into the area before collapsing over Foster's legs just outside the six yard box. Foster was the wrong side but it was more a case of the midfielder looking for a penalty, which referee James Linington rightly or wrongly gave. Helguson made no mistake from the spot.
The Reds were almost level in stoppage time as Kenny made a horrible mess of dealing with Hassell's free kick. The QPR keeper dropped an easy catch for Shackell to attack but the Reds skipper could only watch as his header smacked into the post and away. Barnsley were through QPR again seconds later when Colace did well down the left to gift Hammill a great chance but the winger sliced his effort through the area. Devaney reacted quickest but could not direct his effort into the net.
Reds boss Mark Robins wasted no time changing things, sending Iain Hume into the action at half time. The change almost paid immediate dividends as Hume and Goran Lovre did brilliantly well to tee up Hammill but the winger saw his effort strike the post and QPR managed to hack the ball clear. Hume's corner again had Kenny flapping but Colace could not turn the loose ball in at the far post.
QPR should have killed the game on 49 minutes as the Reds defence went walkabout from Hill's cross and Mackie had a free header just eight yards out but nodded straight at Steele.
Barnsley were denied a clear, clear penalty on 51 minutes as Hall blatantly handled Foster's header in the area. It was as obviously a penalty as you are ever going to see and far more definite than QPR's in the first half but amazingly referee James Linington gave nothing.
Rangers made the most of a shocking decision just two minutes later when Steele spilled Helguson's cross into the path of Mackie and the striker made no mistake slotting it home from two yards out.
Barnsley were clearly aggrieved by what had transpired in the opening ten minutes of the half and Nathan Doyle drove a shot inches wide of the post on 55 minutes. Orr picked up the first caution of the game on the hour mark after cynically stopping Hammill in his tracks. Hume's free kick had Rangers scrambling but Foster could not drive the ball through a crowd from 12 yards out.
Referee Linington again handed Queens Park Rangers a chance from the spot on 62 minutes as Helguson nipped in to punish sloppy play by Doyle in the area before throwing himself to the ground as if he had been shot. It was another very, very soft penalty but Helguson wasn't complaining and unsurprisingly quickly recovered to fire home from 12 yards.
Rangers finally clicked into gear to play the kind of football which had them labelled as pre-season promotion favourites. Mackie raced at the heart of the Barnsley defence on 67 minutes before finding Taarabt but the impressive midfielder could not plant a fiercely struck shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards out.
The Reds were in on 70 minutes as Hammill nipped past a couple of challenges before finding Hume in the area but the striker could not apply the finish and shot wide. Barnsley were doing their best to gift QPR a fourth on 71 minutes as McEveley diverted Taarabt's free kick goalward from only six yards out but somehow Steele was able to claw it away from the back of the net. Taarabt then went inches away crafting a goal seconds later as he fired a cross through the heart of the Reds six-yard box but there was no one able to apply a finish.
The Reds were cut open on 81 minutes as Rangers finally scored a goal of real quality. It was Hogan Ephraim who made it with a fantastic defence splitting pass from the right hand side that gave Hall the simplest of tap ins at the back post.
Antonio German almost added a fifth for Rangers in stoppage time as he raced onto Josh Parker's pass but his effort was well blocked by Hassell and hit the sidenetting.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry (Leigertwood 79), Hall (c), Taarabt (Parker 77), Helguson (German 83), Faurlin, Mackie, Gorkss, Ephraim.
Subs: Cerny, Clarke, Connolly, Borrowdale.
BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Shackell (c), McEveley, Devaney (Hume 45), Colace, Doyle, Hammill (Neumann 75), Lovre (Butterfield 85), Gray.
Subs: Preece, Dickinson, Boulding, Potter.
Referee
Mr JJ Linington
Assistant Referees
Mr A Davies and Mr RP Whitton
Fourth Official
Mr CJ Berry
Attendance - 13,445
Match Report by Rob Knowles Barnsley
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