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- From Bushman QPR Photo Archive
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- "Cesar would be a coup but QPR need a clear-out"
- Video Compilations of Julio Cesar in Action
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QPR Social Media Success
MIRROR - French connection: Barton move to Marseille back on as QPR agree to supplement his wages
Rangers are desperate to get rid of the troublesome midfielder on a season long loan with Stephen M’Bia moving in the opposite direction
Barton Fink: QPR have tired of Barton's behaviour and have offered him a free transfer
Julian Finney
Swaping “training with fellow Taliban members” for the crazy city which staged the French Connection could only happen to Joey Barton.
Who needs what and who could they get? Club-by-club guide to the last week of the transfer window
Especially after announcing it won’t happen on Twitter.
And if Olympique Marseille qualify for the Europa League tomorrow, the Enfant Terrible of English football will be playing European matches at a packed Stade Velodrome next month long before his domestic ban expires. It is certainly better than Fleetwood.
Yesterday started with Barton announcing to his 1.69million Twitter followers he was “heartbroken” that his loan move to Marseille was not going to happen.
But QPR are so keen to rid themselves of their former captain they are ready to continue to pay the bulk of his wages to end his internal exile at Loftus Road.
Hail Cesar: rangers want to bring in Inter Milan's Brazilian keeper
Getty
Barton’s agent Willie McKay said last night the player is ready to fly to Marseille with Stephen M’Bia heading in the opposite direction.
And sources close to Barton insist the year-long loan deal will finally go through in the next 48 hours although the French transfer window is open until September 4.
Meanwhile, QPR were finalising their ninth signing of the summer last night with Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar at Loftus Road.
The Inter Milan star, 32, is the latest thirtysomething player to be brought in on big wages with little re-sale value. And this at a club where agents claim they are unclear over who is really doing the transfer business. Mirror
Sporting Life - Barton leaving; Cesar joining?
Mark Hughes says Joey Barton's proposed move to Marseille could be back on and that QPR are close to signing Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
The former captain, who is in the midst of a 12-game ban, revealed earlier on Tuesday that a move to Marseille looked to be off.
However, following QPR's Capital One Cup victory over Walsall, Hughes said: "The Marseille ordeal may not be dead in the water.
"We might be able to get a solution for everybody. This option has attracted Joey's enthusiasm so hopefully it is concluded."
Meanwhile he is shocked the west Londoners are pulling off a move for Cesar.
The Brazil international was a key part of the Italian side's Champions League win two years ago but now looks set to leave the San Siro for W12.
Cesar was at Loftus Road on Tuesday to discuss terms ahead of the win over Walsall and looks set to pen a deal with the Hoops.
"There's nothing concluded yet," Hughes said. "There are a number of papers that need to go back.
"We're not at a point where we can actually say it's a done deal.
The intention is there obviously if we can but at the moment it's not concluded.
"I said I wanted to have two quality keepers this window if at all possible. Sometimes when opportunities present itself you want to pursue them.
"When you get an opportunity to possibly bring a player of the quality Julio Cesar's quality, with his playing record and his mentality, then I think you have to pursue to its conclusion.
"I think when we started the process we probably never thought there was an opportunity or chance he would be able to come here. If we are able to conclude it, we'll be delighted."
The move for Cesar has surprised some given QPR signed West Ham and England goalkeeper Rob Green earlier in the summer.
The 32-year-old penned a two-year deal with the Hoops but looks set to lose his number one spot after just three games.
Green kept his first clean sheet for the club against Walsall this evening and Hughes admits he did not manage to speak to him about the prospective Cesar acquisition before the game.
"I haven't had a chance to really talk to him about it," he said.
"Obviously I was concerned with the preparation for the game, but certainly I will sit down with Rob and go thought it.
"It is a challenge for everybody. What we're trying to do here is improve the quality of the group and that includes the goalkeeping position as well."
Hughes is also in the hunt for central defenders, with Real Madrid's Ricardo Carvalho and Tottenham club captain Michael Dawson amongst those targeted.
"That was the plan at the beginning of the window," he said.
"Probably of all the players we have gone after, that is the one position where we haven't really been able to address.
"We're looking at options right upto the window closing. Whether or not we'll be able to do it, I am not sure.
"Certainly it is an area we are certainly looking to bring one more in." Sporting Life
QPR vs Walsall
QPR Official Site - PROGRESSION PLEASES GAFFER
Hughes reflects on Saddlers win
MARK Hughes felt his team selection in tonight’s (Tuesday) 3-0
victory over Walsall was proof enough of his intent to do well in the
Capital One Cup.
Goals from Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bobby Zamora and Jose Bosingwa booked the R’s place in the third round of the competition.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Hughes said: “I was pleased with how we approached tonight.
“There’s
always a danger that you can underestimate the opposition. We were the
home side and we were playing lower league opposition.
“But I never felt at any point that we didn’t give Walsall the respect that they deserved.
“I thought Walsall played some good stuff – albeit most of the time in front of us. They didn’t create too many problems.
“I thought we were totally in control of the game and, in the end, it was pretty straightforward.”
He added: “You have to earn the right to play and we certainly did that.
“We want to progress in the competition. When people look at the side I put out tonight, that illustrates the point.
“We’ll
try and go as far as we can. I think it’s always important to try and
progress in every competition that you’re involved in, because there’s
not that many on offer.
“If we can do well this year, I think that will supplement our league form. One bounces off the other.” QPR
Walsall Official Site - BLAZING SADDLERS
Boss on Capital One Cup clash at QPR...
SADDLERS' boss, Dean Smith's post-match Press Conference was delayed by a small fire in the Loftus Road Club Shop.
"We came here and tried to play the right way," he
said once the three fire engines had departed. "We played some good
football at times, but in the end were disappointed by the final
scoreline.
"Their second goal was a great
finish but I felt that we were always in the game. I was really pleased
with our attitude and, to be fair, we created some decent chances.
"Against
that calibre of player, you aren't going to create too many chances but
Jamie Paterson, Will Grigg and George Bowerman all went close. Had one
of those opportunities gone in, it could have been a different game.
"The
lads were pleased when they saw the strength of their line-up as it was
an opportunity to pit our wits against top-flight opponents, which
won't do us any harm.
"We earned the right to
come here and, as I say, to way that we tried to win the game and do the
right things was very pleasing. We must now take this into our next
game."
Adam Chambers was forced to leave the field with a hamstring injury which will be assessed on Wednesday. Walsall
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - QPR 3, WALSALL
Rangers book their place in round three of the Capital One Cup
GOALS from Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bobby Zamora and Jose
Bosingwa saw QPR book their place in the third round of the Capital One
Cup thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over Walsall at Loftus Road.
Rangers
were always in control against their League One counterparts and were
ahead in the 29th minute when Wright-Phillips finished after combining
with Zamora.
Zamora then turned provider to
scorer in the 66th minute, latching on to recent long-term injury victim
Kieron Dyer’s pass before lobbing David Grof.
Bosingwa made sure of the victory with a close-range finish six minutes from time.
Ale Faurlin was handed his first competitive start in almost eight months for the visit the Saddlers.
There
was also a competitive debut for summer signing Ryan Nelsen, as Rangers
boss Mark Hughes made five changes in total from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at
Norwich City.
Dyer was named among the R’s substitutes.
Rob Green was in goal for QPR, who lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.
Bosingwa, Anton Ferdinand, Nelsen and Fabio da Silva made up the back four.
Faurlin
was joined by captain Ji-Sung Park in the centre of midfield, with
Wright-Phillips and Junior Hoilett operating from wide.
Andy Johnson partnered former Fulham team-mate Zamora in attack.
There was very little to choose between the two sides in the opening stanza.
The first chance of the evening fell the way of Rangers on ten minutes.
R’s
loanee Fabio broke away down the left before squaring the ball back to
the waiting Wright-Phillips on ten yards, who fired an effort with his
weaker left foot wide.
Two minutes later,
Zamora won possession just past the halfway line and put Johnson through
on goal, who saw his effort from an acute angle tipped away by Saddlers
keeper David Grof.
Rangers again went close from the resultant corner, with Wright-Phillips’s centre powered wide by the head of debutant Nelsen.
A
largely tepid spectacle up to this point, the Saddlers were unlucky not
to edge in front on 19 minutes. Will Grigg’s glancing header from an
Ashley Hemmings free-kick forced a smart save from Green.
Six minutes later, the R’s missed their best chance of the half to date.
The
home side eventually worked the ball out to Bosingwa down the right,
whose cross was headed agonisingly wide of the upright by Johnson.
Moments
later and the R’s were again on the attack, with Hoilett, Zamora and
Park all combining before the latter saw a thumping shot deflected wide.
The Hoops took the lead on 29 minutes thanks to an excellent piece of link-up play.
Wright-Phillips
started and finished the move, playing the ball into Zamora on the edge
of the box who in turn put the diminutive winger through on goal with a
precise slide-rule pass.
The finish was equally as impressive, as Wright-Phillips got to the ball ahead of the keeper to poke home the opener.
Six
minutes before half-time, Jamie Paterson flashed an effort wide from an
acute angle after a defensive slip. Ferdinand also powered a header
straight at Grof seconds later after meeting a Wright-Phillips
free-kick.
Rangers started the second period
brightly but it was the visitors who fashioned the first attempt of the
half. Florent Cuvelier’s 25-yard blast was tipped around the post by
Green.
Walsall should have levelled from the
resultant set-piece when Dean Holden rose to smash a header against the
bar. A goalmouth scramble followed, before the R’s eventually managed to
avert the danger.
Dyer made his long-awaited comeback from injury on the hour mark, introduced at the expense of Hoilett.
It was a moment of magic from the ex-England international that proved key in Rangers adding a second goal six minutes later.
Dyer received Fabio’s pass before shifting his way past one man and sliding Zamora through on goal.
And
Zamora’s subsequent effort was just as classy, with the R’s front-man
dinking the ball over the advancing Grof with an expert lob.
QPR rubberstamped the win in the 84th minute.
A
corner was cleared only as far as Faurlin just outside the box and,
when his deflected shot was blocked by the keeper, Bosingwa followed up
to fire home a Rangers third.
QPR:
Green, Ferdinand, Park, Johnson, Wright-Phillips (Traore 68), Nelsen,
Bosingwa, Fabio, Hoilett (Dyer 60), Zamora (Cisse 69), Faurlin.
Subs: Murphy, Derry, Mackie, Onuoha.
Goals: Wright-Phillips (29), Zamora (66), Bosingwa (84)
Walsall:
Grof, Butler, Holden, Featherstone, A. Chambers (Baxendale 37),
Cuvelier, Grigg (Bowerman 70), Paterson, Hemmings (Jones 78), Purkiss,
Taylor.
Subs: Walker, Williams, Benning, Downing.
Bookings: Holden (43)
Referee: Mr M Naylor
Attendance: 6,129 (436 away) QPR
FROM THE BUSHMAN PHOTOS ARCHIVES: SOME PAST QPR vs WALSALL ENCOUNTERS
QPR 0 - 0 Walsall. Att: 11,860
QPR 2 - 0 Walsall. Scorers: Petchey, Hawkins. Att: 12,273.
QPR 2 - 1 Walsall. Scorers: Hatton, Hartburn. Att: 26,119.