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QPR Official Site - GAFFER 'STILL TALKING TARGETS'
Posted on: Mon 24 Jan 2011
- Neil Warnock has revealed he 'wouldn't be surprised' if he added to his squad before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
- The R's gaffer has already boosted his ranks with the addition of Messrs Routledge, Miller and Chimbonda in the last 72 hours, and with the clock ticking towards the end of January, he added: "We're still talking with targets.
- "I spoke to Mr Mittal last week and he's been very supportive. Bernie and Flavio have supported me fantastically as well.
- "We're talking about players all of the time, but I'm just delighted we've been able to bring in these three players if I'm honest.
- "Anybody else would be a bonus to us, but I wouldn't be surprised if we get one more in before the deadline." QPR
- Year Flashback: Derek Buxton (RIP)
- On this Day in Football: January 24
- Blog Post: Des Bulpin: From Queens Park Rangers to India (via Uzbekistan, Philippines...)
- Sky Sports Presenters Sexism Comments & Aftermath
QPR vs Coventry Match Report & COMMENTS
- Just the Routledge Goal (and celebration)
-Little jumpy video - Overall game snippets
QPR 27 28 52
Cardiff 27 12 47
Norwich 27 9 47
Swansea 28 9 47
Leeds 28 7 45
Nott F 25 13 43
Watford 26 13 42 Table
QPR Official Site - Warnock's Comments - WARNOCK: 'AN IMPORTANT VICTORY'Posted on: Sun 23 Jan 2011
Neil Warnock was full of praise for his charges, after seeing them come from behind to beat Coventry City in front of the live Sky Sports cameras.
Marlon King gave the Sky Blues the lead, before skipper Adel Taarabt drew Rangers level with a typically top-notch finish.
And the icing on the cake arrived 11 minutes from time, when comeback kid Wayne Routledge converted Taarabt's sublime centre to cap a marvellous individual performance.
Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk: "I just think it's a really important victory, because with 19 games to go every point is vital at this stage of the season.
"It's so enjoyable watching us - it's end-to-end, chances galore and some of the football we play is magnificent at times.
"I thought we were better than them on the day and the goals were special - we finished them both really well."
With a goal and an assist to his name, Taarabt was the talk of the terraces once again at full-time, with Warnock commenting: "He's going to frustrate and disappoint, but what do you want him to do - win tackles or win football matches?
"His goal today was out of this world.
"He's great to have around the place."
The R's gaffer also revealed he had an inkling Routledge would prove to be the match-winner, adding: "I said to Wayne at half-time he'd get a goal for us.
"The way we play and the freedom he has - I fully expect him to get a few goals for us between now and the end of the season."
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/TheGaffer/0,,10373~2274354,00.html
Yann Tear/Gazette - Zest is back for QPR after Warnock's 'most trying week'
NEIL WARNOCK believes QPR have rediscovered the zest that can carry them towards promotion.
The Rangers boss was buoyant after seeing his side overturn a 1-0 deficit to claim their first win of the new year in Sunday's lunchtime clash with Coventry City - and was in no doubt about its significance.
“I think today was important after yesterday's results. To get the points, to make a statement really," he said. "I think today we showed we are a good team and we want to be up there.
“We've had a difficult run, but we've come through that now and I think we've got that zest again – you saw that we enjoyed it today and I think there's more to come from us.
“I think we've been playing well. We just needed that extra bit, which we got today and I think we've got a squad to cope now with two or three games a week.”
The 2-1 victory was the perfect end to a trying week for Warnock, whose tireless efforts to land Wayne Routledge this week were rewarded when the striker bagged the winner.
“I've never worked as hard to sign players as I have this week and I'm talking like 18-hour days to get Routledge and [Ishmael] Miller,” he said.
“We lost Agyemang, Mackie and Walker in the space of a few days and it's bloody hard at our level to cover quality players like that. But without transfer fees, we couldn't have got anybody better than Routledge, Miller and [Pascal] Chimbonda and if I could get another defender in, I'd be absolutely delighted. That would be my lot and we'd have a go.”
Warnock again reserved special praise for Adel Taarabt, who inspired the win with a superb goal and a sublime piece of skill to create the winner.
“Either goal was fit to win a game today," he said. "They were starting to have a go at him before he scored one or two people, but I said to Curley [assistant coach Keith Curle] you can say what you like about Adel, but only he will score for us today. You could tell that.
“You are going to get frustrated with him at times but we're very lucky to have him on board.
“He was looking threatening today and you couldn't see a better ball for the second goal in any game in the world, let alone the Championship.” Fulham Chronicle
MAIL/Ivan Speck -QPR 2 Coventry 1: Adel Bowles over Rangers as leaders battle back in style
Billions in the bank do not guarantee promotion, but they do ensure the man who will take Queens Park Rangers to the Barclays Premier League cannot be poached.
Without Adel Taarabt, as Coventry manager Aidy Boothroyd agreed on Sunday, Rangers would be a mid-table Championship side.
With him they moved a comforting five points clear of their promotion rivals as the Moroccan inspired them to a dazzling comeback victory.
With Rangers drifting towards half-time, trailing to a Marlon King goal, Taarabt seized the ball on the left wing. Accelerating inside Richard Keogh, he drove into the area and lifted a curling shot beyond goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.
Eleven minutes from time, Rangers were beginning to stutter towards another draw when Taarabt gave in to his imagination once more.
Tracked into a siding along the left touchline, the 21-year-old lobbed a 40-yard pass with the outside of his right boot that dropped perfectly on Wayne Routledge's instep. A neat clipped finish later and Rangers were lording it over the Championship once more.
While Neil Warnock punched the air in delight, his opposite number Boothroyd could only contemplate the unfairness of it all.
'The difference between the sides today, the fact that they are top and we are mid-table, is Taarabt,' he said.
'We have played them twice and he's an exceptional player. I was tempted to run on the pitch and kick him myself at one stage.
Wayne's world: Winger Routledge gets the better of Coventry keeper Westwood to seal the points for QPR
'How do you stop him? Well, I'm not really bothered now if anyone else stops him. Even when he gets kicked, he gets up and smiles.
'With the talent he's got, you have to ask the question why he's here. But then, where this club are going, he's probably in the right company.'
In truth, Rangers might have been out of the match 10 minutes before the break. King had side-footed home a low Gary McSheffrey cross and Freddy Eastwood wastefully dragged his shot wide on another Coventry break.
But when a goal was needed, the home side turned to Taarabt.
They know a thing or two about playmakers at Loftus Road, yet in his unpredictability and daring to be different, Taarabt fits perfectly into the mould of Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles - a half-time guest on Sunday.
Former Tottenham player Taarabt did not do everything - Heidar Helguson ought to have headed Rangers in front from a Routledge cross in the 13th minute, Shaun Derry and substitute Ishmael Miller forced brilliant fingertip saves from Westwood, while Alejandro Faurlin's second-half free-kick struck the base of the post - but he was the game's dominant influence.
Warnock said: 'Adel thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid and he could do, but first of all he's got to help me finish my career in the right way. He has been bombed out by his two previous managers - quite rightly so - and when I was younger I wouldn't have entertained him.
'Not in a million years would I ever have dreamed of managing a player like him before.
'He excites me. He'll pull your hair out, but he sees things that none of the rest of us do. You couldn't see a better ball for the second goal in any game in the world.' Mail
Telegraph/Neil Tranis - Queens Park Rangers 2 Coventry City 1
The returning Wayne Routledge played a key part as Queens Park Rangers regained their bearings as Championship leaders.
Routledge was insatiable on the right, clearly determined to prove to Alan Pardew that he was wrong to allow him to momentarily leave Newcastle United.
The source of his goal which saw off a durable Coventry City was inevitably Adel Taarabt. A nonchalant swish with the outside of his right boot in the second half found Routledge breaking through to score.
“The difference between the two sides was Taarabt,” said Coventry manager Aidy Boothroyd. “He’s an exceptional player. I was tempted to run on and kick him at one stage. He was terrific. With the talent he has got you have to ask why he’s here, and that’s no disrespect to QPR.”
That last comment hinted at the Moroccan’s temperament when gracing grander stages. “You’re going to get frustrated with him at times but you won’t see a better ball for the second goal in the world,” said Neil Warnock, the QPR manager.
“Not in a million years have I ever dreamed of managing a player like him. He thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid. He could play for them but first of all he’s got to help me finish my career in the right way. He’ll probably end up playing in Saudi Arabia where they pay players a million pounds a game.”
Coventry competed with relish, inspired by goalkeeper Keiren Westwood. Athletic saves denied Shaun Derry and Ishmael Miller, an effervescent presence on his first appearance since arriving on loan from West Bromwich Albion.
Not for the first time this season, though, Taarabt indelibly marked a football match with his own brand of genius. His side trailed to an opportunist goal from Marlon King when he took down Paddy Kenny’s long goal-kick in an instant, slipped past Gary McSheffrey and Richard Keogh and curled a delicious shot into the top corner.
QPR are not quite one-dimensional but they labour when Taarabt is nullified or below par.
Nonetheless, victory was as much a reason for relief as it was celebration. QPR, after all, had taken just eight points from a possible 21 before this match and, considering the intolerance of demanding owners desperate for Premier League football, a fine start to the campaign had suddenly evaporated into a haze.
“I’ve not been concerned,” Warnock insisted. “We’ve been playing well. We now have a squad to cope with two games in a week. We couldn’t have got anyone better than Routledge, Pascal Chimbonda and Miller.”
QPR often take a stranglehold of games at Loftus Road and Coventry were instantly shunted back.
Routledge sped past McSheffrey and whipped in a cross that found Helguson, whose shot was blocked. When the ball ricocheted back into the area, Routledge reacted quickest and drilled in another delivery that Helguson nodded off target.
There was little hint that Coventry might get a foothold in the match, much less forge a lead, but QPR habitually offer glimpses of their susceptibility to direct football. King has divided opinion among Coventry followers since his move to the club in the wake of run-ins with the law and his every touch was greeted by boos. Yet that dissatisfaction soon melted away. A long punt downfield undid QPR and the ball was worked out to McSheffrey, whose low cross was missed by Matthew Connolly and converted by King.
For a while the game lay on a knife-edge. Freddie Eastwood dragged a chance wide and Alejandro Faurlin’s free kick struck a post.
Will they cut it in Premier League?
The squad
Championship experience has complimented youthful zest this season. And there has been Adel Taarabt trying to prove Spurs should have kept him. However, QPR are over-reliant on Taarabt, their leading league scorer with 12 goals. A 4-2-3-1 demands width from full-back but Bradley Orr and Clint Hill fail to penetrate even if Tommy Smith has impressed.
Tactics
Neil Warnock’s 4-2-3-1 has made QPR impenetrable. Defensive sturdiness in Kaspars Gorkss and Matthew Connolly blends with holding midfielders, Shaun Derry and Alejandro Faurlin, to liberate Taarabt to lead a three-pronged attacking midfield seeking to break beyond a lone forward.
Durability
A contrast between ruggedness and elegance has seen off Championship opponents but top-flight clubs will be a lot shrewder in countering such an approach. Taarabt takes a breather in games but his colleagues run for 90 minutes.
Plan B
Resilience and discipline are QPR hallmarks but the dependence on Taarabt for invention will be crippling. When he fails to play well, QPR struggle. A plan B will be required.
Match details
Queens Park Rangers (4-2-3-1): Kenny; Orr, Connolly, Gorkss, Hill; Derry, Faurlin; Routledge (Ephraim 90), Taarabt, Smith (Hall 83); Helguson (Miller 55).
Subs: Cerny (g), Clarke, Hulse, Moen.
Booked: Derry.
Coventry City (4-4-2): Westwood; Keogh, Cranie, Wood, O’Halloran; Baker, Gunnarsson, Doyle (Clingan 67), McSheffrey (Platt 79); Eastwood (Jutkiewicz 46), King.
Subs: Ireland (g), Bell, Clarke, Cameron.
Booked: Doyle, O’Halloran.
Referee: M Haywood (West Yorkshire). TELEGRAPH
Talksport - Exclusive - Warnock rules out move for Woodgate
* By Michael Wade
QPR boss Neil Warnock has told talkSPORT that rumours linking Jonathan Woodgate with a loan move to Loftus Road are wide of the mark.
Woodgate is just returning to full fitness following over a year on the sidelines with injury.
And Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is keen to loan him out in order to help him return to first-team football.
But Warnock quashed the speculation when saying that he believes the former England international is beyond them at the moment.
He told Sunday Exclusive: “If I could get another defender I would bring another defender in to help but other than that I’m quite happy with what we’ve got.
“I had a good chat with [Woodgate] when we played them last week in the reserves but I think he’s a bit beyond us at the minute.
“We’ve just got to concentrate on players that we know at Championship level and let’s worry about that next year.
“This year we’ve just got to graft for 19 games and try and get where we want to be.”
- CLICK TO LISTEN to WARNOCK
EXPRESS - ROUTLEDGE THE HERO IN QPR WIN
Wayne Routledge marked his second QPR debut with a goal as the npower Championship leaders came from behind to claim a 2-1 win over Coventry.
This time last year the winger left Loftus Road for Newcastle and helped guide the Magpies to promotion and the title. He looks eager to repeat the trick having rejoined Rangers on loan and got off to the perfect start by hitting the winner against the Sky Blues.
Adel Taarabt had earlier added another dazzling solo effort to his growing collection to cancel out a shock opener from Coventry's Marlon King. Rangers' early-season promotion charge may have slowed down to more of a canter - this was only their third win in eight outings - but they still sit a handy five points clear of the chasing pack.
Routledge set about Coventry from the off and almost set up an opening goal after 12 minutes. The winger turned Martin Cranie inside-out before crossing to Heidar Helguson, whose downward header bounced up and over the crossbar.
Yet against the run of play the visitors opened the scoring in the 25th minute with their first attack of the game.
Gary McSheffrey's ball across the face of goal was missed by Rangers defender Matt Connolly and King was left with a simple tap-in past Paddy Kenny.
The hosts could have found themselves two down when Freddy Eastwood burst into the area and got the better of Connolly, but the former Southend frontman dragged his shot wide.
Taarabt, the player who has had more shots than any other in the Championship this season, then took aim from 25 yards but his effort flashed past the post. But the Moroccan found his range in first-half stoppage time, jinking inside Richard Keogh before unleashing a stunning curler from the corner of the area beyond Westwood and into the net.
Rangers came agonisingly close to taking the lead six minutes after half-time when a free-kick from Alejandro Faurlin beat the dive of Westwood but came back off the inside of the post.
But they were not to be denied and with 11 minutes left Taarabt's lofted pass sent Routledge through and with a delightful first touch and finish he secured the three points http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/2248....#ixzz1BsQ1oCrC
GUARDIAN/Barney Ronay - Adel Taarabt sinks Coventry and gives QPR breathing space at the top
Led by the sublimely skilled Moroccan Adel Taarabt, Queens Park Rangers took a small but significant step towards promotion to the Premier League with their first win in 2011. Taarabt scored one goal, brilliantly, and made the other just as expertly to seal an entertaining victory against an energetic Coventry City that put Rangers five points clear at the top of the Championship.
With QPR stuttering, Neil Warnock has had cause to make some small but significant changes to his squad in the past week, most notably bringing in Wayne Routledge for a second stint at the club. Routledge started brightly here, scoring the winning goal and twinkling intermittently on the right wing, raising hopes he might be able to ease some of the creative pressure on Taarabt.
A succession of Routledge crosses narrowly evaded their targets before, in the 12th minute, he found Heidar Helguson unmarked on the corner of the six-yard box. The Icelander, who has scored once since early October, headed wide of the gaping goal.
The lively Marlon King threatened to make Rangers pay but his low shot after a neat turn was straight at the QPR goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny. Rangers continued to press with width but Coventry remained compact in defence and their opener, after 25 minutes came from a neat and incisive breakaway. Freddy Eastwood flicked on a long pass towards Gary McSheffrey. The left-winger crossed instantly towards King, who deflected a bouncing ball adroitly with his knee.
Warnock switched Taarabt into the centre from the left wing, a move that almost paid off immediately as he found space 30 yards out and shot just wide.
The equaliser came on the stroke of half‑time and it was executed with the kind of craft that has characterised Taarabt's season. Cutting in from the left, he jinked with almost outrageous ease past McSheffrey and Richard Keogh and curled a precise shot inside the far post.
Adrian Boothroyd responded by bringing on Lukas Jutkiewicz for Eastwood at half time and almost immediately the 21-year-old Southampton-born striker narrowly failed to make contact with McSheffrey's driven cross from the left.
Rangers came even closer on 51 minutes, Alejandro Faurlin curling a free-kick around the wall and on to the base of Keiren Westwood's right-hand post.
QPR's 79th‑minute winner, which was deserved for their second‑half pressure came when Taarabt played a sublime dinked pass over the Coventry defence with the outside of his left foot. Routledge, cutting in from the right, took the ball with one soft-pedalled touch and finished instantly.
Despite late pressure, Rangers held on for a victory that left Warnock punching the air with delight, and perhaps also relief.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jan/23/qpr-coventry-city-championship
MIRROR -Routledge the hero in QPR win *
*Wayne Routledge marked his second QPR debut with a goal as the npower Championship leaders came from behind to claim a 2-1 win over Coventry.
This time last year the winger left Loftus Road for Newcastle and helped guide the Magpies to promotion and the title. He looks eager to repeat the trick having rejoined Rangers on loan and got off to the perfect start by hitting the winner against the Sky Blues.
Adel Taarabt had earlier added another dazzling solo effort to his growing collection to cancel out a shock opener from Coventry's Marlon King. Rangers' early-season promotion charge may have slowed down to more of a canter - this was only their third win in eight outings - but they still sit a handy five points clear of the chasing pack.
Routledge set about Coventry from the off and almost set up an opening goal after 12 minutes. The winger turned Martin Cranie inside-out before crossing to Heidar Helguson, whose downward header bounced up and over the crossbar.
Yet against the run of play the visitors opened the scoring in the 25th minute with their first attack of the game.
Gary McSheffrey's ball across the face of goal was missed by Rangers defender Matt Connolly and King was left with a simple tap-in past Paddy Kenny.
The hosts could have found themselves two down when Freddy Eastwood burst into the area and got the better of Connolly, but the former Southend frontman dragged his shot wide.
Taarabt, the player who has had more shots than any other in the Championship this season, then took aim from 25 yards but his effort flashed past the post. But the Moroccan found his range in first-half stoppage time, jinking inside Richard Keogh before unleashing a stunning curler from the corner of the area beyond Westwood and into the net.
Rangers came agonisingly close to taking the lead six minutes after half-time when a free-kick from Alejandro Faurlin beat the dive of Westwood but came back off the inside of the post.
But they were not to be denied and with 11 minutes left Taarabt's lofted pass sent Routledge through and with a delightful first touch and finish he secured the three points. Mirror
INDEPENDENT/Arindam Rej - QPR indebted to the trickery of Taarabt Queen's Park Rangers 2 Coventry City 1
there were well-weighted passes, clever shimmies and tricky runs. Coventry could clearly see the danger Adel Taarabt posed before he unlocked their defence but, like so many Championship sides before them, they were powerless to shackle him.
When QPR are trailing and struggling to penetrate – as they were here – the mercurial Moroccan is the man they turn to and, once again, his two moments of eye-catching excellence turned this game.
First, there was the equaliser. A long goal-kick by Paddy Kenny landed at Taarabt's feet on the edge of the 18-yard box. Taarabt teased Gary McSheffrey and Richard Keogh with his footwork before slipping away from the pair of them and powerfully striking the ball beyond goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.
Then came the match-winning assist, a lofted pass with the outside of the right boot over the top of the defence for Wayne Routledge to finish.
The QPR manager, Neil Warnock, said: "You pay money to watch Taarabt. He thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid. He could play for them. Either goal was fit to win a game. The second goal was fit to win any game in the world, not just the Championship."
Match-winner Routledge was making a return to his former club's line-up after signing on-loan from Newcastle. The winger created the first serious danger for Coventry in the 12th minute, crossing for Heidar Helguson, whose downward header from eight yards bounced up and over.
QPR were frustrated again midway through the half when they had a penalty appeal for handball rejected as another Helguson header was blocked by Martin Cranie. But Coventry took the lead on a rare attack through Marlon King. McSheffrey supplied a low, curling cross from the left and King neatly knocked the ball beyond Kenny from the middle of the six-yard box.
Taarabt drifted out of the game in patches but still looked the man most likely to bring QPR back into the contest. Coventry did not heed the warnings though and he eventually equalised in first-half stoppage-time.
The visitors responded well after half-time but Rangers rattled them minutes later when Alejandro Faurlin's 25-yard free-kick struck a post. Kenny then received a deserved ovation when he made a fine double-save. First he kept out King's 25-yard shot before smothering Lukas Jutkiewicz's close-range follow-up.
QPR made the most of their fortune, probing diligently until Taarabt paved the way for Routledge, who snatched the lead with little more than 10 minutes remaining.
QPR (4-4-1-1): Kenny; Orr, Gorkss, Connolly, Hill; Smith (Hall, 83), Derry, Faurlin, Routledge (Ephraim, 90); Taarabt; Helguson (Miller, 55). Substitutes not used Cerny (gk), Clarke, Hulse, Moen. Booked Derry.
Coventry City (4-4-2): Westwood; Keogh, Cranie, Wood, O'Halloran; Gunnarsson, Doyle (Clingan, 67), Baker, McSheffrey (Platt, 78); Eastwood (Jutkiewicz, h-t), King. Substitutes not used: Ireland (gk), Bell, Clarke, Cameron. Booked Doyle, O'Halloran.
Man of the match Taarabt.
Match rating 7/10.
Possession QPR 54 % Coventry City 46%.
Shots on target QPR 6 Coventry City 7.
Referee M Haywood (Yorkshire). Attendance 13,185. Independent
BBC QPR 2 - 1 Coventry
QPR moved five points clear at the top of the Championship after Wayne Routledge toasted his return to the club with the winner against Coventry.
In a fluid encounter Marlon King gave Coventry the lead when he poked in Gary McSheffrey's tantalising cross.
Adel Taarabt then scored his 13th goal of the season on 45 minutes by cutting inside two defenders to fire home.
But after Rangers had hit the post it was Routledge who was the difference as he slotted in Taarabt's fine pass.
The game had several other chances with Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood pulling off a host of smart saves to deny Neil Warnock's side a more convincing lead.
But the visitors contributed to an absorbing Sunday lunchtime game with King looking a threat on his return to the side after suspension.
Rangers made a positive start to the game as they looked to extend their league lead over second placed Cardiff, who were 4-2 winners against Watford on Saturday.
After a couple of half-chances, Heidar Helguson should have hit the target on 13 minutes when Routledge, who returned to the QPR side on loan this week, picked him out at the second attempt but the Icelandic striker headed into the ground and over the bar.
Coventry were content to absorb the early pressure with King their most potent outlet on the break, but the opening goal came from a more direct route.
Westwood kicked long, and after a King flick-on, the ball was set back to McSheffrey who delivered across the edge of the six-yard box for the former Watford striker to steer in.
Freddy Eastwood could have extended Coventry's lead after a quick break but scuffed his shot when well placed.
Just as it looked like the visitors would head into the break in front, the dangerous Taarabt collected Paddy Kenny's deep free-kick, cut inside two defenders and curled his shot into the far corner for a goal deadly in its precision.
QPR full-back Clint Hill then shot narrowly over as Coventry desperately held on before half-time.
The second half began in similarly open fashion with Alejandro Faurlin hitting a post from a curling free-kick before King's set-piece engineered a fine double save from Kenny, who also denied substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz from the follow up.
Warnock, who had also added Pascal Chimbonda and Ishmael Miller to his squad this week, then introduced the latter and the former West Brom striker again brought out the best in Westwood as he tipped round the post.
But the keeper was caught out by Taarabt's crafted pass for Routledge's goal, as the Moroccan forward sliced open the Coventry defence with a pass from the left touchline with the outside of his right boot.
Routledge marked a fine debut by controlling the ball superbly and coolly placing home to give Rangers a comfortable cushion at the top of the Championship.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/9364537.stm
QPR Official Site
COVENTRY City came away from Loftus Road empty handed after the league leaders came from behind to take all three points.
Marlon King returned to the starting line up after a three-match suspension to give the Sky Blues the lead midway through the first half but Adel Taarabt levelled for QPR on the stroke of half time with loan winger and former R Wayne Routledge grabbing the winner 11 minutes from time.
Sky Blues boss Aidy Boothroyd opted to make one change to a side that dominated against Sheffield United the previous week, re-introducing King into the line-up after the striker had served a three-match suspension in City's draw with Ipswich Town on New Years Day.
And City started off brightly with a strong tackle from Carl Baker on Taarabt to set the tone early on but it was QPR who fashioned the first two half chances of the afternoon after five minutes.
First loanee Wayne Routledge was picked out on a counter attack and ran at goal only to be caught by Martin Cranie and Stephen O'Halloran who snuffed out the danger.
Taarabt was then disappointed moments later as he latched on to a chipped ball into the area and tried to play a first time ball across the box to Heider Helguson only to put too much on the delivery and send it over the striker's head.
Helguson then had a chance to open the scoring for Rangers after 12 minutes when Routledge beat the offside trap to float a cross over the head of Keiren Westwood, City breathing a sigh of relief as Helguson's header at an near empty net was headed into the ground, the ball then bouncing over the bar.
The Sky Blues retuned fire two minutes later when King received a ball on the edge of the area, cutting inside and firing straight at Paddy Kenny who collected comfortably.
Westwood was forced into a good save on 17 minutes when Taarabt tried his luck from 20 yards, the City 'keeper forced into stopping the shot with his legs.
Shaun Derry then went close six minutes later from slightly further out when a bouncing ball sat up just right for him to unleash a half volley which flashed over Westwood's bar.
It was City who struck first though after 25 minutes when Gary McSheffrey whipped a low cross across the six-yard box which missed everybody but King who only needed the slightest of touches to direct the ball past Kenny.
Taarabt could of had a chance to level on the half hour when he chased a long ball over the top and then beat Richard Keogh at the byline to close in on goal although the acute angle forced him to fire into the side netting.
Freddy Eastwood then had the chance to double the advantage for City four minutes later as the Sky Blues caught QPR on the counter attack with Michael Dopyle playing an inch perfect through ball to set Eastwood on his way.
The City hitman then turned Derry inside out in the QPR area but pulled his final shot infront of goal just wide of the far post.
Taraabt went close again moments later, again trying his luck from range as his effort from just shy of 25 yards flew inches wide of the foot of Westwood's post.
The QPR man finally got onto the scoresheet though in the final minute of first half added time when he cut inbetween Keogh and Doyle before curling an effort over and around Westwood from just inside the City area.
The hosts then finished off the half with Clint Hill flashing a half volley just over the bar from 20 yards.
Boothroyd made a change at half time, bringing on Lukas Jutkiewicz inplace of Eastwood and it almost bore fruit straight away.
Baker made a scything run through the middle of midfielder before playing a through ball wide to McSheffrey whose low cross across the face of goal was just inches away from the boot of half time substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz who slid in at the back post.
Rangers even closer to taking the lead though five minutes after the restart when Alejandro Faurlin curled a low free kick at goal which bent around Westwood and hit the inside of the far post, forcing the ball to rebound across the face of goal and out for a goal kick behind the opposite post.
At the other end, Kenny was required to make an excellent double save a minute after the hour.
First off King thundered a free kick effort at goal which Kenny had to parry infront of him and then he recovered to get in the way of Jutkiewicz's goalbound follow up effort.
Westwood made a fantastic fingertip save at the other end on 69 minutes to deny loan substitute Ishmael Miller a debut goal, the striker trying to get around the outside of Richard Wood ebfore turning back on himself and aiming a low shot at the far bottom corner only for Westwood to get enough of his finger on the effort to steer it wide of the post.
The end-to-end nature continued of the game continued in the 71st minute when a long kick from Westwood found King whose first touch brought the ball into the path of McSheffrey who could not keep his effort down from just inside the QPR area.
With another goal at one end or the other appearing to be on the cards though it was the hosts who grabbed it with 11 minutes to go.
Loan winger Routledge marked his debut for Rangers with the winner as he beat the offside trap to control a ball over the top from Taarabt with his first touch and thread it underneath Westwood with his second to hand the hosts all the points.
Attendance: 13,185 (464 Sky Blue Army)
Teams
Coventry City: Westwood, O'Halloran, Keogh, Cranie, Wood, Gunnarsson, Doyle (Clingan 66), Baker, McSheffrey (Platt 79), King Eastwood (Jutkiewicz 45)
Subs: Ireland (GK), Bell, Clarke, Cameron
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Taarabt, Helguson (Miller 54), Faurlin, Gorkss, Routledge (Ephraim 90), Connolly, Smith (Hall 82)
Subs: Cerny (GK), Clarke, Hulse, Vaagen Moen
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10373~53359,00.html
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