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- Birthday for QPR's Former Chairman, Flavio Briatore- On This Day in 1969: QPR Won one of their four games of the Season!
- Nineteen Years Ago: Les Ferdinand's Second Hatrick for QPR (Video) which came immediately his first QPR Hatrick -
Two Year Flashback: QPR Announce a Chief Scout (and then...?)
QPR vs SWANSEA Swansea 33 -9 39 Aston V 32 -9 35 QPR 33 -18 31 Wigan 33 -26 31 Bolton 32 -29 29 Blckbrn 33 -25 28 Wolves 33 -39 22 BBC
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - HUGHES HAILS 'EXCELLENT' R'S Mark Hughes dubbed the R's performance in our 3-0 win against Swansea City at Loftus Road as 'excellent.' Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk at the full-time whistle, a delighted Hughes heaped praise on his players, after goals from Joey Barton, Jamie Mackie and Akos Buzsaky sealed a comfortable win in front of an ecstatic home crowd. "I thought we were excellent from start to finish," he said. "Swansea are a very accomplished side, but we had a game plan tonight and - to a man - we executed it fantastically. "They're a difficult team to play against if you allow them to play. We had a great understanding of how to prevent them playing. "We've worked tirelessly over the last few days on ways to nullify the effectiveness of their play and it worked really well tonight." The victory lifted Rangers two points clear of the dreaded drop zone ahead of Saturday's trip to West Bromwich Albion, but the R's gaffer warned against complacency. He said: "We've still got key games to come - and difficult games at that. "But the way we're playing at Loftus Road, where we're backed superbly by our fans, is very good at the moment. "We ride the wave when we're at home, with the fans on our side. "They (the fans) were exceptional tonight and that's really helped us. "Every time we've got a game at Loftus Road we really look forward to it. "We needed three points and a performance tonight and we got that, and as the game wore on I sensed the players really enjoyed it." The only downer for Hughes and co. on an otherwise memorable night was Wigan's shock victory at home to Manchester United, which saw the Latics move level on points with the R's, albeit with an inferior goal difference. Hughes added: "There's still a long way to go and we won't be getting carried away with this win. "You've seen results like Wigan beating Manchester United this evening and you know there's going to be unexpected scorelines between now and the end of the season. "All we can do is take care of ourselves. "If we go about our business in the right manner, we'll be fine."
QPR Dave McIntyre/West London Sport - Hughes reveals QPR used Derry verdict as added motivation against Swansea
Delighted QPR boss Mark Hughes revealed that a sense of injustice helped inspire his team to their 3-0 victory over Swansea. Rangers failed with an attempt to have Shaun Derry’s red card against Manchester United rescinded – despite the player making minimal contact with an offside Ashley Young during Sunday’s defeat at Old Trafford. But they bounced back with a vital home win that took them two points clear of the relegation zone. “We were disappointed with that decision and the explanation given. The team used that as a motivating factor,” Hughes explained. “Akos Buzsaky came in and did great and that was what we needed – big performances from people.” And, given the events of the last few days. Hughes was able to smile about the fact that Jamie Mackie was in an offside position prior to scoring Rangers’ second goal. “We got a bit of luck – so be it,” the Welshman declared. “We were a bit hard done by at the weekend, so it’s the old adage of it evening itself out. Jamie still had a lot to do.” He added: “I thought that, to a man, we were excellent from start to finish. “It was important we understood what was required to stop Swansea dominating the game. “We worked on it, which is fine, but you have to have guys who make it happen and that’s exactly what we had. “It’s a really important win from our point of view. Defensively we did okay. The clean sheet is significant and the continuity in terms of our back five is helping us. “It was fully deserved. We were never really in danger of not winning this game. It was important we got maximum points tonight. Less than that would have been a disappointment for us. “It’s important to win our home games. The fans really drive us on and it was another example of that tonight. They really got behind us and we feel we can give anyone a game at home.” West London Sport
QPR OFFICIAL SITE Goals from Joey Barton, Jamie Mackie and Akos Buzsaky helped QPR to an excellent 3-0 victory over Swansea City at Loftus Road. On an evening that saw Rangers move two points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone, Barton drew first blood for Mark Hughes's side with a crisp drive on the stroke of half-time. Mackie then kept up his rich vein of form against the Swans with his third strike in as many meetings with City ten minutes after the break. But it was left to Buzsaky to save the best until last, with his stunning solo effort in the 67th minute securing a valuable victory for Rangers. Hughes made two changes to his Rangers side for the visit of the Swans - one of which was enforced. Shaun Derry's dismissal at Manchester United last weekend meant that the midfielder had to sit out owing to a one-match ban, with skipper Barton returning to the side to take his place. Bobby Zamora also came back into the starting XI at the expense of Jay Bothroyd. Despite the changes, the R's did stick to a 4-5-1 formation, with Paddy Kenny in goal. Nedum Onuoha, Anton Ferdinand, Clint Hill and Taye Taiwo lined up in defence for the Hoops. Buzsaky, Barton and Samba Diakite took up more central roles in midfield, with Mackie and Adel Taarabt operating from the flanks. Zamora led the line for Rangers in attack. Swansea enjoyed a wealth of possession inside the first ten minutes. But it was the home side who twice went mightily close to leading in the opening stanza. It took the R's just three minutes to fashion their first attempt on target. Onuoha's low centre from the right was deflected back out to Buzsaky on the edge of the box, who lashed an effort on the volley just inches wide of the post. Swans keeper Michel Vorm then had to be at his very best just five minutes later. Former Manchester City ace Onuoha was again involved, latching on to a pass from Barton before his cross saw Mackie force a stunning point-blank stop from the Dutch shot-stopper. City themselves went within a whisker of opening the scoring on 15 minutes. The in-form Gylfi Sigurdsson played architect, with his teasing corner from the right diverted towards goal by both Steven Caulker and Scott Sinclair. Barton, however, was on hand to produce a superb goal-line block. Play soon switched to the other end. Clever footwork from Taarabt saw him manoeuvre his past Joe Allen before the Moroccan dragged a shot straight at Vorm. Two minutes later, Rangers could - and probably should - have taken the lead. Diakite's low centre saw Zamora expertly hold off his marker with his back to goal before feeding Mackie, who could only fire a tame drive straight at the Swans keeper. Chances were now aplenty at both ends. Swansea again went close in the 36th minute. Danny Graham's clever knock-down from a ball into the box found Sinclair, before his subsequent shot forced a fine goal-saving intervention by Hill. Three minutes later, Sigurdsson's rasping low drive forced a smart stop by Kenny. At the other end, meanwhile, Taarabt's corner was spilled by Vorm, before Zamora blazed an effort over the crossbar - albeit with not much time to react. The deadlock was finally broken in second-half stoppage time with a goal that eased the tension inside Loftus Road. The Swans were originally penalised for a foul on Zamora, before Taarabt eventually stepped up to fire an out-swinging centre into the box. City managed to clear - but only as far as Barton just inside the penalty area, who stole in the fizz an effort into the bottom left-hand corner. The strike left Vorm with no chance as the Hoops skipper wheeled away in jubilation, before Barton punched the air in delight. The R's opener forced Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers into two changes at the half-time break, with both Alan Tate and Nathan Dyer introduced for Neil Taylor and former QPR man Wayne Routledge. And it was City who were first to go close following the interval, after Allen's attempt was taken at the second attempt by Kenny. But those two Swansea changes couldn't halt a Rangers second, as the hosts doubled their advantage through Mackie. It was a fine individual effort from the Scot, who turned on Ferdinand's ball from deep before showing tremendous composure to skip into the area and slide an effort into the net. QPR had Hill to thank for keeping their two-goal lead intact just five minutes later. Sigurdsson's free-kick from the left was met by Caulker at the back post, whose header looked to be looping home before Hill was on hand to clear off the line. It was then left to Buzsaky to cap an outstanding victory with an equally as impressive third for the hosts. Taarabt found the Magical Magyar with a pass from the left, who took a touch before rifling a beautifully-struck shot into the left-hand corner of the goal. QPR: Kenny, Diakite, Hill, Taarabt (Smith 88), Mackie (Wright-Phillips 78), Buzsaky, Barton, Taiwo, Ferdinand, Onuoha, Zamora (Bothroyd 78). Subs: Cerny, Gabbidon, Campbell, Young. Goals: Barton (45), Mackie (55), Buzsaky (67) Bookings: Taiwo (72), Diakite (79) Swansea City: Vorm, Williams, Taylor (Tate 46), Caulker, Britton (Moore 62), Graham, Sinclair, Routledge (Dyer 46), Rangel, Allen, Sigurdsson. Subs: Tremmel, Monk, McEachran, Gower. Referee: Mr L Probert Attendance: 17,557 (1322 away)
QPR GUARDIAN/Paul Doyle Joey Barton returns with a bang as QPR ease past Swansea City Since he was entrusted with the mission of rescuing Queens Park Rangers in January, Mark Hughes has demanded performances from his team as high as the stakes they face. Frequently he has been let down, but this result and this display have helped convince him that his players are on course for survival. They pestered Swansea vigorously before sinking them with three spectacular goals to edge further away from the relegation zone. "I can see signs that we now have a real understanding of what is required to stay in this league," said Hughes. "There is a real determination now to get maximum points in every game we play and if that's not possible, we have to at least get something from each game. That is the attitude we have to have." The stadium managers sought to reinforce that message as before kick-off Loftus Road's giant screen showed Al Pacino's famous motivational speech from the film Any Given Sunday. A clatter of red cards in recent months suggested QPR's players have been more inspired by the actor's character from Scarface but here their intensity was matched by impeccable discipline, and their third successive home victory, following the wins over Liverpool and Arsenal, increases the belief that they can, as Pacino demands in the speech, "climb out of hell, one inch at a time". Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur are the season's last two visitors to Loftus Road and neither will be relishing the trip, although Hughes reckons his team will also need to improve their showing on the road and take points off West Bromwich Albion, Chelsea and Manchester City. His team pulled off one daunting challenge last night as they disrupted Swansea's usually slick passing game, a feat that has eluded many opponents this season. Brendan Rodgers' team were pressed so intensively that they could seldom make their way into the QPR box, and it was the home side who created the most chances before making the breakthrough just before the interval. Angel Rangel headed an Adel Taarabt free-kick to the edge of the area, where Joey Barton collected it and drove a low shot into the net. Three weeks ago Barton was booed off the pitch by QPR fans following what he later admitted was the worst performance of his career; now he was feted as a saviour, the crowd's cries of "there's only one Joey Barton" ringing in his ears as his team-mates engulfed him. It was sweet redemption for Barton and vindication of Hughes, who had chosen to omit him from Sunday's defeat at Manchester United to ensure he would not get a booking that would have prevented him from playing in this game. "The other positive of that was that he came into this game really fresh and he topped off an excellent performance with that goal," the manager said. Rodgers made three substitutions in a bid to avoid a fourth successive defeat for his team, but they soon fell further behind. In the 55th minute Jamie Mackie produced the sort of skilful flourish usually associated with Taarabt, spinning past Ashley Williams as he collected a pass from Anton Ferdinand before leaving Steven Caulker floundering and letting fly from 20 yards. A deflection off Rangel flummoxed Michel Vorm and gave QPR a two-goal lead. Clint Hill heroically kept that intact in the 62nd minute when he dived to nod a Caulker header off the line following a Swansea corner. Moments later Akos Buzsaky embellished QPR's goal difference, which was already much better than the team's around them, by rocketing a shot into the net from 25 yards. "We never deserved anything from the game," said Rodgers, whose side may be on 39 points but are not mathematically safe." I've always said we can't take our foot of the pedal, we still have a lot of work to do." Guardian
DAVE McINTYRE/WEST LONDON SPORT QPR brush aside Swansea to secure vital win QPR produced the goods in the game they simply had to win, clinching a priceless victory that took them two points clear of the relegation zone. Goals from Joey Barton and Jamie Mackie put them in control before Akos Buzsaky’s blockbuster midway through the second half capped a great night for Mark Hughes’ side. Their difficult run-in to the season, not to mention Wigan’s shock win over Manchester United, made it imperative that Rangers beat Swansea – and they did not disappoint. Barton got the all-important opener – his third goal of the season – in first half injury-time, when he fired home from 15 yards after City could only half-clear Adel Taarabt’s right-wing free-kick. Earlier, Barton rescued his team at the other end when his goal-line block prevented Scott Sinclair from scoring at the far post after Rangers had failed to deal with Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner. Apart from that scare, Rangers looked the more dangerous side and deserved their half-time lead. Buzsaky went close with a right-footed effort, and Mackie and Bobby Zamora missed good chances before Barton broke the deadlock. And once Mackie doubled the lead nine minutes into the second half, Rangers were firmly on course for three valuable points in their battle to stay up. Anton Ferdinand played the ball forward and Mackie, who looked offside, spun away from Ashley Williams before his shot deflected in off the unfortunate Angel Rangel. It was a lucky break for Rangers – probably deserved given the awful refereeing decisions that have gone against them of late – but there was nothing fortuitous about the strike from Buzsaky which killed off any prospect of a Swansea fightback. The Hungarian collected Taarabt’s pass and smashed an unstoppable 25-yarder beyond keeper Michel Vorm. Barton, much improved since being booed off and dropped last month, almost netted an even more spectacular goal, forcing a good save from Vorm with a volley from Taarabt’s corner. West London Sport
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The Guardian/The Knowledge Ian McCourt Which clubs have had problems with moles in the dressing room?...
Guardian -
- Video Flashback to that CANTONA LATE Equalizer against QPR
- - QPR Videos from 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s AND the Last Minute FA Cup Tie Winning Stan Bowles Free Kick from 1973/74