________________________________________________________________________________
- "On This Day" Perspectives from then-QPR Chairman Chris Wright: Fifteen Years Ago, Wright Talking about the Need to Build the QPR Fan Base...Fourteen Years ago, Wright talking about Club Finances - on a QPR Webcast...12 Years Ago: Wright Backing Gerry Francis
- Video of Adel Taarabt's Goal Against West Ham
- Photos from QPR vs West Ham
- Five Years Ago Today: Rowan Vine Joins QPR - as the Flavio Briatore "Revolution" gets Under Way
Post-West Ham Loss, QPR's Chairman Fernandes Reaffirms his Support for Mark Hughes
This past Sunday (the day before QPR played West Ham), after a number of recent QPR messageboard posts (and press reports) raising questions about the continued tenure of the QPR Manager, and the name on everyone's lips, Harry Redknapp, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) Chairman Tony Fernandes offered an expression of his support for his manager Mark Hughes: In a Sunay tweet, the QPR Chairman wrote,"Mark hughes is the best thing to happen to QPR. We have been unlucky with injuries. Bar swansea we have looked a top top side. Lots to do. But feeling good. Its not all about result on monday. Keep the faith"
Tweeting again, after QPR's latest loss, Monday evening, to West Ham United, Chairman Fernandes again expressed his continued support for and faith in manager Mark Hughes.
"Bad game but I expected it. Need all injured players back. After West Brom. And get everyone to match fitness. Patientce. Keep calm."
"Mark will sort it out. Look at his record. We would have won if we didn't go down to 10. I am relxaed and confident. Let's get all our players back and in form and fit and then let's see. Think of spurs."
"Keep calm. 6 games does not make a season. I have learnt from many wise chairman"
"That's all we had. We have 5 injuries in the back. That's the problem. You fans have to realise. It will come good."
"Correct. Don't worry. I'm calm and want to build stability which is what most fans want. There are many out there who are clueless" Tony Fernandes
Chelsea 6 16
Everton 6 13
Man Utd 6 12
Man City 6 12
Tottenham 6 11
West Brom 6 11
West Ham 6 11
Arsenal 6 9
Fulham 6 9
Newcastle 6 9
Swansea 6 7
Stoke 6 7
Sunderland 5 7
Liverpool 6 5
Aston Villa 6 5
Wigan 6 4
Southampton 6 3
Norwich 6 3
Reading 5 2
QPR 6 2
Dave McIntyre/West London Sport
Hughes confident his job at QPR is safe
Mark Hughes is confident his job as QPR manager is safe following the 2-1 home defeat against West Ham which kept his struggling team bottom of the table.
Rangers, still without a league win this season despite more big spending during the summer, were two down at half-time following a dire display.
The result is bound to increase speculation about Hughes’ future given the ambitions of the Tony Fernandes-led regime at Loftus Road.
But the Welshman is confident he will be given time to improve results.
“I would think so. We’ve had a big investment in the club and are looking to improve – and we will,” he predicted.
“But until we get results, everything will be up for debate and the focus starts to come on the club.”
Hughes made no excuses for his team’s first-half horror show but suggested Rangers’ tough opening to the season, coupled with various players being unavailable, were the reasons for their league position.
He said: “The first half wasn’t any kind of performance. That was disappointing because, since the Swansea game on the opening day, we all felt we’d steadily improved in terms of performances, so that was a step backwards.
“It’s difficult at the moment, because in terms of selection it’s too fragmented. Some players haven’t been available or have been at different levels of fitness.
“After Swansea we got a good point at Norwich and then had games where we wouldn’t have been expected to get points. But we did get a point against Chelsea, who are European champions.
“If we’re honest, we knew at this stage of the season there was a likelihood that we might not have many points on the board. Tonight was an opportunity to do so and we’ve not done it.
“But we know there are games ahead of us and once we get the full complement [of players] our play will warrant points in the Premier League.
http://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/hughes-confident5-his-job-at12-qpr-is-safe
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - HUGHES: DESPERATELY DISAPPOINTING
TELEGRAPH/Henry Winter
Queens Park Rangers 1 West Ham United 2: match report
QPR gave away 3D glasses with their programme but it was the blurred vision of their defenders that was decisive.
Although Adel Taarabt came on to give QPR hope, first-half mistakes by Mark Hughes’ back line kept the hosts rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
Until Taarabt arrived early in the second half, West Ham dominated.
Ricardo Vaz Te was superb, helping create the visitors’ first for Matt Jarvis and scoring the second.
Only when Taarabt stormed on, looking affronted at having started on the bench, did QPR look a cohesive threat. But Samba Diakite was dismissed for two cautions in 19 minutes, and QPR were unable to recover from their first-half mishaps.
West Ham’s first away win of the Premier League season was an ultimately nervy affair. Victory lifted Sam Allardyce’s side to sixth.
There was also the welcome return after a month out of Andy Carroll, who was being watched by Roy Hodgson. Carroll almost scored, unleashing a magnificent drive that Julio Cesar saved.
Talking before kick-off, Hughes had lamented “lapses of concentration at key moments” and his defence duly dozed off again.
QPR were missing Anton Ferdinand, Jose Bosingwa, Kieron Dyer, Armand Traore and Fabio through injury but nothing could really forgive the hapless nature of their first-half defending.
Cesar was hardly a beacon of defiance in goal either. A penny for the thoughts of Rob Green.
Hughes’s back line was all at sea when Kevin Nolan and the excellent Vaz Te combined down the right after three minutes.
Nolan lifted the ball rather inelegantly to the far post where the unmarked Jarvis scored with a cushioned header past Cesar.
QPR’s keeper looked surprised to find an opponent in his area. The lack of significant resistance was alarming for the home fans to behold, contributing to the brief flurry of boos at the break.
QPR tried to claw their way back into the game. Esteban Granero sought to bring his technical expertise to bear, sending Shaun Wright-Phillips down the right only to fire the return over.
Then QPR went route one, Bobby Zamora flicking Cesar’s long ball through but it was too far ahead of Cissé, allowing Jaaskelainen to sprint out and clear.
Allardyce had to rejig his defence when Winston Reid departed after being briefly knocked out by Jaaskelainen as a Rangers free-kick curled in.
Reid, who walked off looking a forlorn, groggy figure, was soon talking in the dressing room. James Tomkins came on, shortly followed by George McCartney as Joey O’Brien hobbled off.
Tomkins made an immediate impact, seizing on a clearance after a 35th-minute goalmouth scramble. He lifted it to the far post where Vaz Te, reacting quicker than Stephane Mbia, swept it left-footed back past Cesar.
Mbia should have got closer to Vaz Te but Cesar’s response was anaemic at best. West Ham could have inflicted more first-half damage but Carlton Cole headed Vaz Te’s cross over.
Cissé kept showing for the ball, bringing a save from Jaaskelainen. The half closed with Wright-Phillips’s cross being met by Zamora, whose header floated well over. “Oh Bobby Zamora, we’ve seen that before,’’ chanted his former West Ham fans.
Nolan went close to finding a third goal for the visitors, unleashing two shots goalwards but both were blocked by Ryan Nelsen.
The game became pockmarked with a succession of bookings and the sight of Vaz Te rolling on the ground, having encountered Clint Hill. Vaz Te was furious, as were QPR fans at what they perceived to be his play-acting.
Eight minutes into the second half, Hughes had seen enough, hooking Wright-Phillips and the anonymous Ji-sung Park, replacing them with Taarabt and Samba Diakite.
While Diakite brought some much-needed strength and running from midfield for 19 minutes until sent off, Taarabt immediately lit a firecracker of a goal.
Cutting in from the left, he created space brilliantly before driving the ball irresistibly past Jaaskelainen.
QPR were looking more solid and fluid in a 4-3-3 system with Taarabt on the left, Cissé through the middle and Zamora right. Cissé guided the ball through to Granero but Jaaskelainen saved. Cole should have eased the pressure, ushered through by Nolan but sending his shot wide.
Back came QPR, making a real game of this. Taarabt slid a terrific pass through for Cissé, whose shot was saved by Jaaskelainen.
Allarydce set QPR a new problem when sending on Carroll. Their hopes of resisting QPR’s resurgence was helped when Diakite deservedly departed for two yellow-card offences.
The impetus seemed to drain from the hosts. West Ham went about chasing a third, and only a marvellous save from Cesar denied Vaz Te.
QPR had a good chance to equalise but Jaaskelainen pushed away Cissé’s strike.
A huge cheer went up when the fourth official signalled there would be six minutes of injury time. West Ham continued to collect yellow cards, eventually numbering eight, and they will be fined. They will not worry.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footbal....tch-report.html
GUARDIAN/Kevin McCarra
West Ham find the verve to leave Mark Hughes' QPR still stranded
A furious and engrossing match saw West Ham insist on a victory that leaves Queens Park Rangers at the foot of the table. Their sorrows were added to when the substitute Samba Diakité soon racked up two cautions. If this was an intemperate occasion it was also one that gripped the audience. The authorities must also take an interest, since the winners amassed eight yellow cards. A fine awaits West Ham but the club will privately applaud the combativeness, even it often seems uncontrollable.
Disapproval of the recklessness is to be expected but it would be hypocritical not to admit that this frenetic contest was a riveting spectacle. Even the overworked referee, Mark Clattenburg, might have had fleeting moments when he could appreciate the passion generated in a match conducted as if everything depended on the outcome. That was not the case, but the losing manager, Mark Hughes finds himself under increasing pressure, since the club has only two points.
Elsewhere there was satisfaction and encouragement. Andy Carroll, on loan to West Ham from Liverpool, was in good enough shape to come off the bench. This might well see him involved in the World Cup qualifier with San Marino at Wembley on 12 October despite continuing anxieties about his hamstring troubles. "I'll give Roy the rundown on his condition," said the victorious manager, Sam Allardyce. "He's woefully short of match fitness. I think England will be sensible if they do call him up."
Hughes can hardly feel comfortable with his situation. "We felt we had improved steadily," he remarked of some previous showings. "The performance tonight was a step back. West Ham didn't allow our creative players to get on the ball." There are many games still to come but, unless QPR are galvanised soon, the manager's own position will be called into question.
West Ham, by contrast, are in fine fettle. After a delivery from Ricardo Vaz Tê in the third minute, Matt Jarvis scored his first goal for West Ham with a floating header. Nothing came conveniently to the opposition. They lost a pair of men as well as two goals before the interval. There was relief when the centre-back Winston Reid eventually recovered after being caught by the elbow of his own goalkeeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, in a goalmouth mêlée but he still had to be replaced by James Tomkins in the 23rd minute.
West Ham's lead was stretched in the 35th minute when Vaz Tê scored from a tight angle. The ball ought, however, to have been cleared long before it came to him. QPR had difficulty in maintaining some structure and showing they had a plan to follow.
The fact that a great deal of team restructuring took place in the summer means, however, that Hughes' judgment is under review. He put an emphasis on experience but the wisdom of that policy is impossible to judge so soon in the campaign. The immediate craving was simply for a win, which would thereby bring the team its first league goal at home in this campaign.
That did not look easy to achieve when the visitors were Allardyce's team. People might think the sides he manages are pragmatic but that is hardly the gravest flaw when West Ham had begun the Premier League by, at the very least, holding their own. At Loftus Road they did better still.
There were periods in the second half when QPR did show more verve but it was to be anticipated that Allardyce's men would have little cause to take risks. That, however, put West Ham at a little danger. There are no inhibitions for a team whose plight is great.
QPR did make alterations, with Adel Taarabt producing an instant contribution from the bench. He cut in from the left and put a swerving, dipping drive across and round Jaaskelainen in the 57th minute. There is little to be done in the face of such excellence but the narrowing of the score added to the excitement.
It is one of the pleasures of the English scene that matches can so often pulsate as if there was a vast reward to be had with a win. The yellow cards were soon to flutter and poise seemed an impossibility. Matters deteriorated further for QPR when Diakité's foul on Guy Demel brought a second caution. His club's torment is great.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/01/premier-league-qpr-west-ham
Post-West Ham Loss, QPR's Chairman Fernandes Reaffirms his Support for Mark Hughes
This past Sunday (the day before QPR played West Ham), after a number of recent QPR messageboard posts (and press reports) raising questions about the continued tenure of the QPR Manager, and the name on everyone's lips, Harry Redknapp, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) Chairman Tony Fernandes offered an expression of his support for his manager Mark Hughes: In a Sunay tweet, the QPR Chairman wrote,"Mark hughes is the best thing to happen to QPR. We have been unlucky with injuries. Bar swansea we have looked a top top side. Lots to do. But feeling good. Its not all about result on monday. Keep the faith"
Tweeting again, after QPR's latest loss, Monday evening, to West Ham United, Chairman Fernandes again expressed his continued support for and faith in manager Mark Hughes.
"Bad game but I expected it. Need all injured players back. After West Brom. And get everyone to match fitness. Patientce. Keep calm."
"Mark will sort it out. Look at his record. We would have won if we didn't go down to 10. I am relxaed and confident. Let's get all our players back and in form and fit and then let's see. Think of spurs."
"Keep calm. 6 games does not make a season. I have learnt from many wise chairman"
"That's all we had. We have 5 injuries in the back. That's the problem. You fans have to realise. It will come good."
"Correct. Don't worry. I'm calm and want to build stability which is what most fans want. There are many out there who are clueless" Tony Fernandes
Chelsea 6 16
Everton 6 13
Man Utd 6 12
Man City 6 12
Tottenham 6 11
West Brom 6 11
West Ham 6 11
Arsenal 6 9
Fulham 6 9
Newcastle 6 9
Swansea 6 7
Stoke 6 7
Sunderland 5 7
Liverpool 6 5
Aston Villa 6 5
Wigan 6 4
Southampton 6 3
Norwich 6 3
Reading 5 2
QPR 6 2
Dave McIntyre/West London Sport
Hughes confident his job at QPR is safe
Mark Hughes is confident his job as QPR manager is safe following the 2-1 home defeat against West Ham which kept his struggling team bottom of the table.
Rangers, still without a league win this season despite more big spending during the summer, were two down at half-time following a dire display.
The result is bound to increase speculation about Hughes’ future given the ambitions of the Tony Fernandes-led regime at Loftus Road.
But the Welshman is confident he will be given time to improve results.
“I would think so. We’ve had a big investment in the club and are looking to improve – and we will,” he predicted.
“But until we get results, everything will be up for debate and the focus starts to come on the club.”
Hughes made no excuses for his team’s first-half horror show but suggested Rangers’ tough opening to the season, coupled with various players being unavailable, were the reasons for their league position.
He said: “The first half wasn’t any kind of performance. That was disappointing because, since the Swansea game on the opening day, we all felt we’d steadily improved in terms of performances, so that was a step backwards.
“It’s difficult at the moment, because in terms of selection it’s too fragmented. Some players haven’t been available or have been at different levels of fitness.
“After Swansea we got a good point at Norwich and then had games where we wouldn’t have been expected to get points. But we did get a point against Chelsea, who are European champions.
“If we’re honest, we knew at this stage of the season there was a likelihood that we might not have many points on the board. Tonight was an opportunity to do so and we’ve not done it.
“But we know there are games ahead of us and once we get the full complement [of players] our play will warrant points in the Premier League.
http://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/hughes-confident5-his-job-at12-qpr-is-safe
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - HUGHES: DESPERATELY DISAPPOINTING
MARK HUGHES cut a frustrated figure after watching his side succumb to a disappointing home defeat against West Ham United.
Rangers lost 2-1 at Loftus Road, after first half goals from Matt Jarvis and Ricardo Vaz Te gave the Hammers a deserved half-time advantage.
The R’s responded thanks to a sublime Adel Taarabt goal moments after he entered the fray as a 56th minute substitute, but a late red card for Samba Diakite – for two bookable offences – proved costly as Rangers’ winless run in the Premier League stretched to six games.
“We didn’t start the game at all well and the first half display in general was desperately disappointing,” Hughes told www.qpr.co.uk.
“It wasn’t anywhere near the level we know we are capable of.
“We gave them far too much time on the ball to show the strength and power that they’ve got in their side. They were good value for their two goal advantage at the break.
“To be fair to the lads, the second half was better and Adel scored a fantastic goal to get us back into the game and at that point I thought we had a lot of momentum.
“Unfortunately the sending off really set us back.”
Speaking about the sending off, Hughes added: “I can accept they were two fouls by Samba, but whether they both warranted yellow cards and the subsequent red is debatable.
“I think it was a bit harsh on the boy, but that’s what we seem to be up against at the moment.
“Things aren’t going our way at the minute. The beauty of the Premier League is that the games come around fairly quickly, so we’ve got the opportunity to put things right on Saturday against West Brom.” QPR
Rangers lost 2-1 at Loftus Road, after first half goals from Matt Jarvis and Ricardo Vaz Te gave the Hammers a deserved half-time advantage.
The R’s responded thanks to a sublime Adel Taarabt goal moments after he entered the fray as a 56th minute substitute, but a late red card for Samba Diakite – for two bookable offences – proved costly as Rangers’ winless run in the Premier League stretched to six games.
“We didn’t start the game at all well and the first half display in general was desperately disappointing,” Hughes told www.qpr.co.uk.
“It wasn’t anywhere near the level we know we are capable of.
“We gave them far too much time on the ball to show the strength and power that they’ve got in their side. They were good value for their two goal advantage at the break.
“To be fair to the lads, the second half was better and Adel scored a fantastic goal to get us back into the game and at that point I thought we had a lot of momentum.
“Unfortunately the sending off really set us back.”
Speaking about the sending off, Hughes added: “I can accept they were two fouls by Samba, but whether they both warranted yellow cards and the subsequent red is debatable.
“I think it was a bit harsh on the boy, but that’s what we seem to be up against at the moment.
“Things aren’t going our way at the minute. The beauty of the Premier League is that the games come around fairly quickly, so we’ve got the opportunity to put things right on Saturday against West Brom.” QPR
TELEGRAPH/Henry Winter
Queens Park Rangers 1 West Ham United 2: match report
QPR gave away 3D glasses with their programme but it was the blurred vision of their defenders that was decisive.
Although Adel Taarabt came on to give QPR hope, first-half mistakes by Mark Hughes’ back line kept the hosts rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
Until Taarabt arrived early in the second half, West Ham dominated.
Ricardo Vaz Te was superb, helping create the visitors’ first for Matt Jarvis and scoring the second.
Only when Taarabt stormed on, looking affronted at having started on the bench, did QPR look a cohesive threat. But Samba Diakite was dismissed for two cautions in 19 minutes, and QPR were unable to recover from their first-half mishaps.
West Ham’s first away win of the Premier League season was an ultimately nervy affair. Victory lifted Sam Allardyce’s side to sixth.
There was also the welcome return after a month out of Andy Carroll, who was being watched by Roy Hodgson. Carroll almost scored, unleashing a magnificent drive that Julio Cesar saved.
Talking before kick-off, Hughes had lamented “lapses of concentration at key moments” and his defence duly dozed off again.
QPR were missing Anton Ferdinand, Jose Bosingwa, Kieron Dyer, Armand Traore and Fabio through injury but nothing could really forgive the hapless nature of their first-half defending.
Cesar was hardly a beacon of defiance in goal either. A penny for the thoughts of Rob Green.
Hughes’s back line was all at sea when Kevin Nolan and the excellent Vaz Te combined down the right after three minutes.
Nolan lifted the ball rather inelegantly to the far post where the unmarked Jarvis scored with a cushioned header past Cesar.
QPR’s keeper looked surprised to find an opponent in his area. The lack of significant resistance was alarming for the home fans to behold, contributing to the brief flurry of boos at the break.
QPR tried to claw their way back into the game. Esteban Granero sought to bring his technical expertise to bear, sending Shaun Wright-Phillips down the right only to fire the return over.
Then QPR went route one, Bobby Zamora flicking Cesar’s long ball through but it was too far ahead of Cissé, allowing Jaaskelainen to sprint out and clear.
Allardyce had to rejig his defence when Winston Reid departed after being briefly knocked out by Jaaskelainen as a Rangers free-kick curled in.
Reid, who walked off looking a forlorn, groggy figure, was soon talking in the dressing room. James Tomkins came on, shortly followed by George McCartney as Joey O’Brien hobbled off.
Tomkins made an immediate impact, seizing on a clearance after a 35th-minute goalmouth scramble. He lifted it to the far post where Vaz Te, reacting quicker than Stephane Mbia, swept it left-footed back past Cesar.
Mbia should have got closer to Vaz Te but Cesar’s response was anaemic at best. West Ham could have inflicted more first-half damage but Carlton Cole headed Vaz Te’s cross over.
Cissé kept showing for the ball, bringing a save from Jaaskelainen. The half closed with Wright-Phillips’s cross being met by Zamora, whose header floated well over. “Oh Bobby Zamora, we’ve seen that before,’’ chanted his former West Ham fans.
Nolan went close to finding a third goal for the visitors, unleashing two shots goalwards but both were blocked by Ryan Nelsen.
The game became pockmarked with a succession of bookings and the sight of Vaz Te rolling on the ground, having encountered Clint Hill. Vaz Te was furious, as were QPR fans at what they perceived to be his play-acting.
Eight minutes into the second half, Hughes had seen enough, hooking Wright-Phillips and the anonymous Ji-sung Park, replacing them with Taarabt and Samba Diakite.
While Diakite brought some much-needed strength and running from midfield for 19 minutes until sent off, Taarabt immediately lit a firecracker of a goal.
Cutting in from the left, he created space brilliantly before driving the ball irresistibly past Jaaskelainen.
QPR were looking more solid and fluid in a 4-3-3 system with Taarabt on the left, Cissé through the middle and Zamora right. Cissé guided the ball through to Granero but Jaaskelainen saved. Cole should have eased the pressure, ushered through by Nolan but sending his shot wide.
Back came QPR, making a real game of this. Taarabt slid a terrific pass through for Cissé, whose shot was saved by Jaaskelainen.
Allarydce set QPR a new problem when sending on Carroll. Their hopes of resisting QPR’s resurgence was helped when Diakite deservedly departed for two yellow-card offences.
The impetus seemed to drain from the hosts. West Ham went about chasing a third, and only a marvellous save from Cesar denied Vaz Te.
QPR had a good chance to equalise but Jaaskelainen pushed away Cissé’s strike.
A huge cheer went up when the fourth official signalled there would be six minutes of injury time. West Ham continued to collect yellow cards, eventually numbering eight, and they will be fined. They will not worry.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footbal....tch-report.html
GUARDIAN/Kevin McCarra
West Ham find the verve to leave Mark Hughes' QPR still stranded
A furious and engrossing match saw West Ham insist on a victory that leaves Queens Park Rangers at the foot of the table. Their sorrows were added to when the substitute Samba Diakité soon racked up two cautions. If this was an intemperate occasion it was also one that gripped the audience. The authorities must also take an interest, since the winners amassed eight yellow cards. A fine awaits West Ham but the club will privately applaud the combativeness, even it often seems uncontrollable.
Disapproval of the recklessness is to be expected but it would be hypocritical not to admit that this frenetic contest was a riveting spectacle. Even the overworked referee, Mark Clattenburg, might have had fleeting moments when he could appreciate the passion generated in a match conducted as if everything depended on the outcome. That was not the case, but the losing manager, Mark Hughes finds himself under increasing pressure, since the club has only two points.
Elsewhere there was satisfaction and encouragement. Andy Carroll, on loan to West Ham from Liverpool, was in good enough shape to come off the bench. This might well see him involved in the World Cup qualifier with San Marino at Wembley on 12 October despite continuing anxieties about his hamstring troubles. "I'll give Roy the rundown on his condition," said the victorious manager, Sam Allardyce. "He's woefully short of match fitness. I think England will be sensible if they do call him up."
Hughes can hardly feel comfortable with his situation. "We felt we had improved steadily," he remarked of some previous showings. "The performance tonight was a step back. West Ham didn't allow our creative players to get on the ball." There are many games still to come but, unless QPR are galvanised soon, the manager's own position will be called into question.
West Ham, by contrast, are in fine fettle. After a delivery from Ricardo Vaz Tê in the third minute, Matt Jarvis scored his first goal for West Ham with a floating header. Nothing came conveniently to the opposition. They lost a pair of men as well as two goals before the interval. There was relief when the centre-back Winston Reid eventually recovered after being caught by the elbow of his own goalkeeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, in a goalmouth mêlée but he still had to be replaced by James Tomkins in the 23rd minute.
West Ham's lead was stretched in the 35th minute when Vaz Tê scored from a tight angle. The ball ought, however, to have been cleared long before it came to him. QPR had difficulty in maintaining some structure and showing they had a plan to follow.
The fact that a great deal of team restructuring took place in the summer means, however, that Hughes' judgment is under review. He put an emphasis on experience but the wisdom of that policy is impossible to judge so soon in the campaign. The immediate craving was simply for a win, which would thereby bring the team its first league goal at home in this campaign.
That did not look easy to achieve when the visitors were Allardyce's team. People might think the sides he manages are pragmatic but that is hardly the gravest flaw when West Ham had begun the Premier League by, at the very least, holding their own. At Loftus Road they did better still.
There were periods in the second half when QPR did show more verve but it was to be anticipated that Allardyce's men would have little cause to take risks. That, however, put West Ham at a little danger. There are no inhibitions for a team whose plight is great.
QPR did make alterations, with Adel Taarabt producing an instant contribution from the bench. He cut in from the left and put a swerving, dipping drive across and round Jaaskelainen in the 57th minute. There is little to be done in the face of such excellence but the narrowing of the score added to the excitement.
It is one of the pleasures of the English scene that matches can so often pulsate as if there was a vast reward to be had with a win. The yellow cards were soon to flutter and poise seemed an impossibility. Matters deteriorated further for QPR when Diakité's foul on Guy Demel brought a second caution. His club's torment is great.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/01/premier-league-qpr-west-ham
| QPR Official Site FIRST-HALF goals from Matt Jarvis and Ricardo Vaz Te were enough for West Ham United to register all three points at Loftus Road. Jarvis’ close-range header put the Hammers in front after just three minutes, before Vaz Te’s neat finish from a tight angle put the visitors further ahead. Substitute Adel Taarabt’s outrageous solo effort gave Rangers hope but, after Samba Diakite was dismissed just 21 minutes after coming on late in the second half, the home side were unable to add a second goal. Hoops boss Mark Hughes made three changes to his QPR side following last week’s League Cup exit at the hands of Reading. Ryan Nelsen, Shaun Wright-Phillips and top scorer Bobby Zamora all came in for Rangers, who signalled their intent to attack from the off by pairing the latter with Djibril Cisse in attack. The R’s were looking for a first Premier League win of the campaign going into this one but were dealt an early blow when their London neighbours took an early lead. Excellent build-up play from the visitors ended with Vaz Te finding Kevin Nolan in the box, whose miscue fortuitously allowed Jarvis to head home at close range. The Hammers even went close to doubling their lead seven minutes later – that after Mo Diame broke on the counter attack before seeing his shot from distance deflected just past the upright. QPR’s first real chance of the evening arrived on 13 minutes. Esteban Granero and Ale Faurlin exchanged passes and when the ball was cleverly worked out to Wright-Phillips on the right, he crossed for the former to fire over. The home side went even closer seven minutes later when a Granero free-kick crashed off the body of West Ham’s James Collins, before Joey O’Brien cleared off the line. Visiting defender Winston Reid was forced off when he injured himself in the same move but it didn’t appear to trouble Sam Allardyce’s side, who stretched their lead ten minutes before the break. In fact, it was Reid’s replacement who played the architect in West Ham’s second goal of the contest. Rangers failed to clear their lines from a corner and when Tomkins sent over a hanging cross from the right, Vaz Te produced a fine finish from an acute angle at the back post. The hosts almost reduced the deficit four minutes later. Another teasing Granero free-kick eventually fell to Cisse just inside the box, whose scissor-kick on the half-volley forced a stunning stop from Jussi Jaaskelainen. The Finn’s opposite number who was called into action just after the half-time break, with Julio Cesar blocking excellently from a Diame blast. Two goals behind, Rangers needed a lifeline and threw on Taarabt and Diakite on 56 minutes in search of it. The switch paid instant dividends. It was a moment of sheer individual genius from Taarabt, who excellently controlled a high ball forward and shifted his way past Diame. The finish was equally as impressive, with the Moroccan’s spectacular 25-yard effort crashing into the top right-hand corner. The goal brought the Loftus Road faithful to life and they were soon on their feet again when Jaaskelainen was on hand to thwart Granero. West Ham should have regained their two-goal lead in the 68th minute. Nolan capitalised on a Diakite slip before sliding Carlton Cole through on goal, who could only drag an effort wide from 12 yards. This was fast becoming an end-to-end affair and at the other end Taarabt’s exceptional vision saw the gifted attacker free Cisse, whose shot was blocked away by Jaaskelainen. The home crowd could sense a comeback was on the cards. But Rangers’ task was made all-the harder when Diakite was dismissed just 21 minutes after his introduction for a second bookable offence, following a late challenge on Vaz Te. QPR had to hold firm for a short spell. Clint Hill did well to head a dangerous Jarvis cross over on the goal-line, while Vaz Te’s stinging half-volley forced a spectacular save from Cesar Rangers recovered but were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempts to land a late leveller. Jaaskelainen parried from Cisse and, after six minutes of added time went up on the board, the Hammers custodian was equal to a Faurlin effort from range. QPR: Cesar, Hill, Park (Diakite 56), Cisse, Wright-Phillips (Taarabt 56), Granero, Onuoha (Hoilett 84), Nelsen, Zamora, Faurlin, Mbia. Subs: Green, Mackie, Ephraim, Ehmer. Goals: Taarabt (57) Booked: Diakite (58 &75) Red Cards: Diakite (75) West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid (Tomkins 23), Nolan, Jarvis, Cole (Carroll 72), Vaz Te, Noble, O’Brien (McCartney 35), Collins, Demel, Diame. Subs: Maiga, Henderson, Benayoun, O’Neil. Goals: Jarvis (3), Vaz Te (35) Booked: Diame (39), Noble (45), McCartney (63), Jaaskelainen (67), Cole (69), Nolan (69), Collins (78), Tomkins (90) Referee: Mr M Clattenburg Attendance: 17,363 (1681 away) http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/011012....w=full#anchored |