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Sunday, October 07, 2012

Chairman Fernandes: Hughes Stays - Expresses 1,000 Percent Support...Hughes Assessment of QPR...WBA Reports...QPR-India Youth Continues...Axing "The Doc" Flashback



- Thirty-Two Years ago Today: Time Up for The Doc...Axed (again) by QPR



- QPR REPORT MESSAGEBOARD

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 Chairman Tony Fernandes in a Sunday Tweet

   "For all QPR fans. Fans who analyse properly. I am not changing anything. And all shareholders agree. No team except the first game has outplayed us. We need a consistent 4 defenders not changing every week esp left and right back. Mark is the right man." Tony Fernandes
- QPR Coaches and Youth Tournament in India has Begun







WBA vs QPR


Fernandes says sticking with Hughes

Telegraph

By Jason Burt
QPR will not sack Mark Hughes even if the club are involved in a relegation battle for the rest of the season.

QPR slumped to another defeat on Saturday, losing 3-2 away to West Bromwich Albion, which left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table with just two points from seven matches and still in search of their first victory.

In an interview with *The Sunday Telegraph*, QPR chairman Tony Fernandes said emphatically: “My faith in Mark has not wavered. Not at all. I’m 1,000 per cent behind him. I love him. He’s honest, hard-working, ambitious and he’s a friend.”

Fernandes, who sacked Neil Warnock last January before appointing Hughes, said that success this season - given all the changes at the club with 17 players leaving and 12 signed and a host of injuries - would constitute finishing “one position above last season, then that’s progress. There’s a rough diamond in the making here”.

Last season QPR finished just above the relegation places, on a dramatic final day, during a difficult campaign and Fernandes said: “We changed the manager before and I did that because I didn’t feel Neil was the guy to take us forward for the next 10 years. I believe that Mark can.

“We get on very well, he’s had success in every club he’s been at. We’ve been incredibly unlucky - look at last season with the number of sendings off we had, goals disallowed, over the line at Bolton. All kinds of things.

“I can tell you all the players are impressed by Mark. He’s a proven product and I do think the criticism is crazy. When I came in I thought Neil would be here for a long time but unfortunately I then felt we had to make a change. I’ve learnt and we’ve up-graded.”

Fernandes said he knew that QPR would have a difficult start to this season. “I knew it would be tough. If you look at all my comments at the beginning of the season I knew our season wouldn’t really start until December. Why do I say that? We virtually bought a new team here and like anything it takes time.”

The Malaysian entrepreneur added: “My model is Arsenal - where you have a stable manager and coaching squad. That’s what I believe in. If you look at all my companies that is how I operate. Stability is the key.

“We’ve also had a lot of injuries. I don’t care whether you are the greatest manager in the world - but if you suddenly have to play four centre-backs in the defence it is going to affect you. But the squad is good. The manager and coaching staff are excellent. Spirit is good.
“There are going to be ups and downs, we will learn from it and get stronger but I’m not panicking. I’m here for the long term and am here to put something good together.

We are under the public eye. You have to be a big boy and deal with the criticism. It doesn’t change my feelings at all. People want to win, they want results and they want to criticize.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footbal....c h-report.html




SPORTING LIFE
Mark Hughes insists he is still the right man to lead QPR after a fifth defeat in seven games left them anchored at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League.

Rangers went down 3-2 at West Brom on Saturday afternoon and have collected only two points out of a possible 21.

James Morrison, Zoltan Gera and Youssouf Mulumbu netted for the Baggies with Adel Taarabt and Esteban Granero on target for QPR, who trailed 2-0 and 3-1.

But Hughes is convinced QPR will revive their fortunes once they stop conceding sloppy goals early in games and see their injury list shorten.

He said: "Am I still the right man? Oh yes, absolutely. We knew where we might possibly be at the beginning of the season because of the amount of changes we've made.

"We are disappointed because in a number of games we've played well and not got what we've deserved out of games.

"You've got to perform from start to finish because if you allow good teams, which West Brom are this year, any encouragement then they will take chances.

"We've got to give ourselves the chance to win games. It is disappointing because once again we have given ourselves too much to do.

"That's the second game running we've conceded two poor goals defensively from our point of view in that initial period.

"You can't afford to do that in the Premier League because you give yourself a mountain to climb."

Hughes added: "We are six or seven games into the new season, we've got a lot of new players and a lot of injuries which are not helping us.

"Once that settles down, people will see what we can produce and we've shown glimpses of that in almost every game.

"But we need to build performances and results."

Albion are lying fourth in the table after collecting 14 points from their opening seven games.

New manager Steve Clarke is unsurprised by the start but refusing to get carried away.

He said: "I've got to be honest, I'm not over-surprised. I'm delighted and obviously 14 points is a great return from the first seven games.

"But I'm not surprised. I knew we would be competitive in all the games we played.

"We don't get carried away with ourselves because we know what our primary objective is and we're firmly focused on that at the moment.

"It's to ensure another season in the Premier League. That's got to be the bottom line for the majority of clubs in the league."

Clarke felt Albion made harder work than they should have of securing a fourth successive home win - their best at the start to a season in the top flight since 1919.

He said: "It was probably harder than should have been. From 2-0 up we became a little bit too open.

"Defensively it was not a performance you would usually associate with us. But I think attacking-wise we played some fantastic football going forward.

"We created a lot of chances but it took us longer to close the game out than it should have done."

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/liv....ns-park-rangers





QPR OFFICIAL SITE

GAFFER: ‘WE GIFTED THEM IT’

by @OfficialQPR

Hughes’ honest assessment on West Brom defeat
R'S MANAGER Mark Hughes admits his side ‘gifted’ the game to West Bromwich Albion after a 3-2 defeat at The Hawthorns.

The Baggies were two goals up inside just 22 first-half minutes before Adel Taarabt replied with a splendid volley.

Rangers pressed for an equaliser throughout the second period but would concede a third goal five minutes from time through Youssef Mulumbu, following a fine team move.

Esteban Granero struck a consolation second for QPR in the dying seconds but it was not enough avoid defeat.

“We gave ourselves too much to do,” Hughes told www.qpr.co.uk. “When you want to give a performance away from home, you’ve got to do the fundamentals right.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t do that in the opening period of the game.

“There were a number of occasions where West Brom got out wide, put good quality into the box and got on to the end of it. That’s basic defending.

“You have to be ready to deal with that from the first whistle. That’s two games now (including Monday night’s home defeat to West Ham United) where we’ve been caught on the back foot and paid the price.”

Hughes added: “It’s frustrating, because for long periods we were in total control of the game – certainly in the second half, where our intensity was better.

“We took the game to West Brom at the end and scored two very, very good goals. But from our view we gifted goals to them because we didn’t defend correctly.

“When you give the home side a two-goal head-start, it’s nigh-on impossible to recover. We’ve got cut that out of our play.” http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/061012-gaffer-we-gifted-them-it-412075.aspx




The Observer

Stuart James at The Hawthorns
The Observer, Saturday 6 October 2012

Queens Park Rangers stay bottom after defeat to West Bromwich Albion

There is no respite for Mark Hughes. Having received a vote of confidence from his chairman earlier in the week, normal service was resumed on the pitch here as the Queens Park Rangers manager saw his side slump to a fifth league defeat of the season that leaves them anchored to the foot of the table.

"You're getting sacked in the morning" chanted the Albion supporters as Hughes prowled the touchline at the end. This was another miserable afternoon for the Welshman, who could have no complaints about the outcome. West Bromwich Albion outplayed QPR in the first half, when they raced into a two-goal lead through James Morrison and Zoltan Gera.

Adel Taarabt reduced the deficit before half-time only for Youssouf Mulumbu to add a third, in the 85th minute, for Albion. Esteban Granero's late goal proved to be no more than a consolation for a QPR side that have picked up only three points from their last 17 games on the road. For Albion, the future looks much brighter. This was their fourth successive home win, which is their best opening to a top-flight season since 1919.

Steve Clarke's side opened QPR up with embarrassing ease in the first half, exposing the visitors' weaknesses on the flanks, where Clint Hill's lack of pace was a problem on the left side and Jose Bosingwa's lack of interest in tracking back a cause for concern on the right. It was certainly no surprise that Hill was withdrawn at half-time, although by that point Albion had scored twice and come agonisingly close on another two occasions.

Their opening goal arrived in the fifth minute, when Mulumbu played a neat one-two with Peter Odemwingie and released Shane Long. The Republic of Ireland international turned and beat Hill for pace on the QPR right, sweeping a first-time cross on the run that was struck with such power and precision that all Morrison needed to do was meet the ball with his forehead and direct it towards goal. Julio Cesar, the QPR keeper, had no chance.

Roles were reversed in the 13th minute, when Morrison, running on to an Odemwingie pass in the same inside right channel, delivered a low centre in behind the QPR defence that Long, stretching every sinew, was unable to direct on target. QPR looked horribly disjointed and there was a sense of inevitability about Albion's second goal. Again they broke down the right, Morrison's cross causing consternation in the QPR defence, where Anton Ferdinand got in a tangle and made a pig's ear of his clearance. Gera, from no more 12 yards, rolled the ball into the corner of the net.

At that point all hope looked lost for QPR but Taarabt lifted their spirits with a wonderful goal 10 minutes before half-time. Granero lifted a pass in behind Gareth McAuley and Taarabt, showing supreme confidence as well as excellent technique, took the ball on his chest before sweeping a first- time volley that flashed beyond Ben Foster.

For a brief period QPR began to move the ball with more purpose, although they were fortunate not to concede a third on the stroke of half-time.

Odemwingie's superb pass picked out Gera, who was in ocean's space on the left as Bosingwa strolled back with not a care in the world, but the Hungarian's shot was turned around the post by Cesar.

QPR improved after the interval but they lacked penetration and Mulumbu grabbed Albion's third when he swept home Gonzalo Jara Reyes's cross. QPR, however, were not finished. Granero's well-struck struck shot in injury- time set up a frantic finish when Bosingwa, incredibly, could have equalised only for the full-back to blaze over.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footbal....c h-report.html



QPR Official Site

Taarabt and Granero strikes not enough for Rangers
ADEL Taarabt was on target with a fine individual effort but could not help QPR stave off a 3-2 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

The high-flying Baggies were two goals to the good through James Morrison and Zoltan Gera before the Moroccan struck home a fine volley in the 35th minute.

The goal gave Rangers momentum but although they enjoyed the better of the possession after the half-time break, they struggled to dismantle a defiant Baggies defence.

The R’s pressed for a leveller throughout the second half but conceded an all-important third goal five minutes from time, after Youssef Mulumbu finished a free-flowing team move.

Esteban Granero added a consolation second for the visitors in second-half stoppage time.

Mark Hughes made three changes to his side after Monday night's 2-1 home defeat to West Ham United.

Taarabt started after coming from the bench to net a sensational solo effort against the Hammers, as did recent injury victims Jose Bosingwa and Anton Ferdinand.

Rangers – winless in the league this term prior to kick-off – knew they would be up against it given Albion's excellent start to the season.

Indeed, the Baggies were in sixth spot in the Premier League before the fixture and were looking for their fourth consecutive win of the campaign on home soil.

They had also failed to concede in their first three games of the season at The Hawthorns.

Such a fine start would be reason enough to give any team confidence and West Brom started like a team that had bundles of it, taking a fifth-minute lead.

It may have only been the first chance of the contest but the opening goal was certainly a well-worked one.

Shane Long sped away from Clint Hill down the right before sending over a delicious centre for Morrison, whose superb close-range header put Albion in front.

The goal gave West Brom added purpose and they almost extended their advantage10 minutes later.

The home side broke on the counter attack and when Morrison crossed from an Peter Odemwingie pass, Long somehow blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

Gera soon saw another Baggies attempt saved by Julio Cesar, before the hosts eventually added a second goal on 22 minutes.

Ferdinand failed to clear Morrison’s low cross from the right and when the ball fell to Gera on 12 yards, he coolly slotted an effort into the bottom right-hand corner.

The second goal would have no doubt deflated Rangers but they pulled one back 13 minutes later in stunning style through Taarabt.

Hot on the heels of his blockbuster against West Ham on Monday, the Moroccan ace chested down Granero’s clip forward before lashing an unstoppable volley into the top right-hand corner.

Hughes’ men grew in confidence – and possession – after that but could so easily have seen West Brom regain their two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time.

Morrison’s defence-splitting pace put Gera in the clear, whose subsequent 12-yard effort was wonderfully tipped around the post by Cesar.

The R’s, who brought on Armand Traore in place of Hill at the break, fashioned the first attempt of the second half just a minute after the interval, with Taarabt shooting straight at Ben Foster.

West Brom looked nervous in possession and it wasn’t long before Shaun Wright-Phillips had another Rangers chance when latching on to Taarabt’s slide-rule pass. The diminutive winger, however, opted to shoot rather than cross from an acute angle, dragging an effort into the side-netting.

Despite seeing their team lead, the home crowd were edgy and Hughes – who had already made a relatively attacking switch by introducing Traore at the expense of Hill – threw on Jamie Mackie in place of Wright-Phillips on 58 minutes.

QPR were now arguably the stronger force but just lacked that second goal for their efforts.

It almost arrived in the 69th minute when the Baggies failed to deal with Bosingwa’s cross into the box. Granero lashed the loose ball over.

A minute later, Junior Hoilett was brought on to replace the injured Stephane Mbia, who limped off after appearing to pick up a knock.

Despite enjoying the greater possession, Rangers were struggling to break down a resilient Baggies backline.

In fact, it was West Brom who could have added a third goal in the 80th minute after Morrison saw his rasping 30-yard effort whistle inches past the upright.

But they did a minute later – and what an impressive team goal it was, too.

Mulumbu started and finished a move which eventually saw substitute Gonzalo Jara Reyes cross into his path before finishing with aplomb inside the box.

Granero gave Rangers a small glimmer of hope when he curled home a lovely 12-yard effort in second-half stoppage.

The R’s even had an opportunity to complete the unluckiest of comebacks when Granero’s corner fell into the path of Bosingwa in the dying seconds, but he could only shoot over from six yards.

West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Olsson, Popov, Yacob, Morrison, Long (Lukaku 63), Mulumbu, Gera, McAuley, Odemwingie (Rosenberg 63), Tamas (Reyes 46).

Subs: Daniels, Dorrans, Dawson, Fortune.

Goals: Morrison (5), Gera (22), Mulumbu (85)

Bookings: Tamas (25), Park (45)

QPR: Cesar, Ferdinand, Hill (Traore 46), Park, Taarabt, Wright-Phillips (Mackie 58), Granero, Nelsen, Bosingwa, Zamora, Mbia (Mbia 70).

Subs: Green, Cisse, Onuoha, Faurlin.

Goals: Taarabt (35), Granero (90)

Bookings: Park (45), Mackie (89)

Referee: Mr M Jones

Attendance: 23,987 QPR






- Premiership League Table from a year ago after Six Games



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