QPR manager Mick Harford must start finding some answers to the team’s alarming slump down the table if they are to avoid a relegation battle. The visit of fourth bottom Ipswich is a game the R’s dare not lose.

Queens Park Rangers (14th) v Ipswich Town (21st)
Coca Cola Championship
Tuesday Ferbuary 9, Kick Off 8pm
Loftus Road, London, W12

Who would want to be Mick Harford this morning? Chances are quite a few of you probably said yes to that, if only to give you the chance to go into the QPR dressing room tonight and deliver a few home truths to our precious players – I would say ‘and bang a few heads together’ but it turns out that’s already been tried once this season.

In all honesty though what more can Big Mick do? He doesn’t play long ball football, he doesn’t play overly defensive, he doesn’t play two cloggers in midfield, he likes to attack, he doesn’t pick Fitz Hall every week and we’re still losing. We’re short of strikers so he goes out and brings two in on loan and then has to stand and watch while Marcus Bent and Tamas Priskin, two players who have next to no opportunity to play football anywhere for months and who you would think would be chomping at the bit to get involved in some first team action, turn in two of the most half arsed, under committed, shambolic performances you could ever wish to see on Saturday against a Peterborough side that has conceded more goals than anybody else in the league this season.

Every player we bring to this club to improve things is almost immediately engulfed by the anger and malaise that surrounds QPR at the moment. I’ve no idea what the answer is, and I suspect Harford doesn’t either. All the talk last week was of how the new arrivals had pepped the other players off and created a terrific atmosphere around the place. Then on Saturday against the worst team in the league – more of the same old rubbish. I honestly cannot see where the next win, or even the next goal, is coming from. Only the idea that no team goes on losing forever convinces me that either will come in my lifetime.

There are however, sorry for the tired cliché, more important things than football. I would sincerely hope that prior to tonight’s match we are given a chance, either in silence or applause, to pay tribute to a terrific QPR supporter Harold Winton. A man who, along with his sons Alex and Matt, stepped up and put considerable money where his mouth was at a time when QPR was a good, honest, loveable club but essentially a black hole for finance. In administration off the field but clearly building something special on it under the guidance of Ian Holloway the Winton family stepped forward with their own cash to fund the signing of three players, including cult hero Danny Shittu, and that paid a key role in the rebuilding process.

I’ll never forget Harold’s passionate rant in the direction of Gianni Paladini at an AGM I attended. A terrific QPR man who stood proud for the club when it needed help most and somebody who should not be forgotten following his death this week after a long battle with cancer. Rest in peace Harold.

Five minutes on Ipswich Town
The story so far: This season certainly was not what Ipswich signed up for when they appointed Roy Keane as manager towards the back end of the previous campaign. There was a feeling that Town had grown stagnant after three years under the guidance of Jim Magilton, who did a good job rebuilding them post-Joe Royle initially but struggled to make that final push into the play offs and fell out with numerous players, fans and members of the local media along the way.

A change of chief executive under the guidance of reclusive rich owner Marcus Evans last season quickly saw a change of manager as well and Simon Clegg’s first duty at Portman Road was to announce the appointment of former Sunderland boss Roy Keane. Clegg has played a key role in the record breaking British Olympic team before pitching up at Portman Road and with an impressive 3-0 win at play off chasing Cardiff and 2-1 home success against Coventry to finish the season with it seemed that his arrival and the appointment of Keane would be the catalyst towards making that big step back to the Premiership this season. After Keane’s tremendous, and speedy, success in this league with Sunderland bookies, and LFW queued up to tip Town for an assault on the top six prior to the big kick off back in August.

Just how wrong we all were remains to be seen – but unless Ipswich win just about every game left between now and May it is safe to assume that we were wildly out with our predictions and the campaign as a whole has been a disaster. Ipswich come into this game just one point and one place above the relegation zone and can be in the bottom three at the close of play on Tuesday if Reading win and they do not. This is largely due to a nightmare start to the season when Town failed to win any of their first 15 matches – they were unlucky in some, Doncaster and Sheff Utd both scored late in 3-3 draws, but were dire in others and found themselves soundly beaten by Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Crystal Palace.

Keane was clearly feeling the pressure – getting needlessly and typically arsey with any member of the media who dared to ask him exactly what the hell was going on and his famed death stare did little to deter supporters who abused him at the end of a televised game with Sheff Wed in December. His £1.6m summer signing from Watford Tamas Priskin flopped spectacularly leaving Town short of firepower which meant draws that should have been wins, and defeats that should have been draws.

Form has improved over the last few months since Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards were added to the midfield from Keane’s former club Sunderland and Owain Garvain recalled from his senseless exile in the reserves. However they still draw too many games and although Keane juggled his options in January, ousting Priskin in favour of Sunderland reserves Daryl Murphy and David Healy, they drew again against Boro at the weekend and remain deeply ensconced in a surprise relegation scrap.

The Manager: Fears about just what kind of a manager Roy Keane would be when he retired seemed to have been laid to rest by his first season at Sunderland but are starting to re-emerge now he has resurfaced in Suffolk. After a glittering but controversial playing career with Nottingham Forest, Man Utd and Celtic Keane marched into a Sunderland club still settling down after a takeover by Niall Quinn’s consortium, and having endured a disastrous start to the season in the Championship after relegation from the Premiership. They lost their first five matches of the season under Quinn’s own caretaker charge, including a 3-0 defeat to Southend and League Cup loss at Bury, but Keane calmly turned the whole thing around and won the league with something to spare by the end of the season. It seemed the man could do no wrong. The Premiership proved to be a tougher mistress. Keane spent an astronomical amount of money assembling a distinctly average top flight squad at the Stadium of Light - £43m in his first year when they were nearly relegated anyway, and another £15m last summer with little improvement.

Keane has never had to be used to losing during his career and as the beard grew longer, the mood grew darker and the morale of his team worsened it didn’t seem he was taking to it very well. Stories of the players being afraid of him, morale being rock bottom, days when he wouldn’t even speak to his staff and so on started to pour forth and it was left to Ricky Sbragia to be the reluctant caretaker through to the end of a season they were lucky to survive. Keane made an immediate impression at Sunderland, and seemed to do so again at Ipswich with two wins from two games at the end of last season but his time on Wearside quickly soured and this season has been a disaster at Portman Road.

Keane has seen fit to lambast members of the media for daring to have their mobile phones on in press conferences, or asking him if his position is under threat, while he has done his own job abysmally, taking a squad of players that should be challenging for the top six and leading them into a relegation battle. Very, very fortunate not to have been sacked already.

Three to Watch:
Keane showed his hand on the final day of the transfer window to bring in strikers Daryl Murphy and David Healey. They’re both Irish, one from either side of the border, which is no surprise considering it’s Keane doing the signing. Of the two I would say that most QPR eyes will be on Murphy as we have been repeatedly linked with his signature since our own takeover a couple of years ago.

The Republic of Ireland international (seven caps no goals) will no doubt be desperate for some first team football at Portman Road as he has spent almost his entire career to date as a stand in or reserve for other players and at the age of 26 he really needs to be playing regularly sooner rather than later. Murphy initially came through the ranks at Luton before impressing in his homeland with Waterford United with whom he won the League of Ireland First Division and division Young Player of the Year award. That was enough for Sunderland to come calling in 2005 but he has struggled for a run in the side since – spending time on loan at Sheff Wed in 2005. He has made 110 appearances for the Black Cats, mostly in this division, and scored against QPR for them in November 2006, but his chances have been further restricted by the arrival of Darren Bent this season and he now finds himself back with former boss Roy Keane.

Another Irishman signed by Keane and one who will be very familiar to QPR fans, is Damien Delaney. Delaney was one of our first post takeover signings, joining for £600k from Hull when Luigi De Canio was in charge in January 2008. He was not the club’s first choice but several big offers for Tommy Spurr were rebuffed by Sheffield Wednesday and in the end Delaney did initially enjoy great success at Loftus Road. While our old friends among the Hull City support mocked us for even looking twice at the player, never mind paying that sort of money for him, Delaney won many friends at Loftus Road with a wholehearted approach to the game and penchant for barnstorming runs down the left flank.

Sadly when De Canio and his open, all out attack style of play departed W12 to be replaced by a more regimented approach under first Iain Dowie and then Paulo Sousa Delaney’s flaws shone through. He was terrible for the vast majority of last season, and whereas before his attacking runs covered a multitude of sins when he had to stick to the left back role more rigidly he looked distinctly average at times and a bloody liability at others. QPR snapped Ipswich’s hands off when the Suffolk club bizarrely made an offer that represented a small profit during the summer and initially the Town fans must have wondered why they bothered. However a recent switch to centre half, where Delaney did actually start his career with Leicester and Hull, has benefitted him hugely and he now looks like a good signing – so much so that the previous first choice in that position Alex Bruce has been allowed to join Leicester. It’s easy to like Delaney and forgive his many failings because of his refreshing attitude off the pitch and constant hard graft on it but really the fact that he commands the transfer fees he has and earns the money he does is just another sad indictment of the modern game. Still, his regular honest assessments of just what a farce QPR really is makes a welcome change from the spin and bullshit we’re fed the rest of the time.

The arrival of Healy and Murphy could restrict the chances of one man who is turning into a regular scourge of QPR. strong>Jon Stead has five goals against Rangers in his last three appearances, including two in the 3-0 rout at Portman Road earlier this season. Stead burst onto the scene when Blackburn paid £1m to take him to the Premiership from League Two side Huddersfield but his career has stagnated somewhat since an initially flurry of goals at Ewood Park and his move to Ipswich last season was the latest attempt to kick start it. Stead suffers from being average in too many areas. His work rate is second to none but he is not particularly tall, or well built, or quick or prolific in front of goal. Derby got some joy using him as a winger but 17 goals in 57 appearances so far for Town can at best be described as reasonable. A decent Championship player but little more than that, except when he plays against us when he turns into a chuffin world beater.

Links >>> Ipswich Town Official Website >>> Ipswich Town Message Board

History
Recent Meetings:
Rangers were soundly beaten at Portman Road over Christmas during the farcically brief Paul Hart reign at QPR. Town scored early when Peter Ramage allowed Jon Walters to run 50 yards into the QPR penalty box and then deflected his shot past Cerny and into the net. The R’s then missed two glorious chances to equalise when Adel Tarrabt first headed and then volleyed high over the bar with gilt edge chances at the back post and they were made to pay in the second half when Jon Stead got his customary goal against us and quickly followed that with another to make it three nil and, in truth, with QPR obviously giving up 20 minutes before the end it could have been far, far worse.

Ipswich: Lee-Barrett 6, Rosenior 6, McAuley 7, Delaney 7, Peters 7, Edwards 6 (Garvan 54, 6), Norris 6 (Colback 55, 6), Leadbitter 8, Walters 7, John 5 (Wickham 75, 7), Stead 8
Subs Not Used: McLoughlin, Bruce, Counago, Brown
Goals: Walters 4 (assisted John), Stead 63 (assisted Garvan), 78 (assisted Colback)

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 6, Stewart 5, Gorkss 6, Williams 5, Buzsaky 4 (Agyemang 66, 5), Watson 4, Leigertwood 5, Taarabt 6 (Balanta 78, 7), Routledge 6, Simpson 5
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Hall, Connolly, Faurlin, Borrowdale

Last season’s play off push was dealt an irreparable blow at Loftus Road against Ipswich in February when the Tractor Boys came from behind to win 3-1 in front of the Sky cameras. Things all looked good for Paulo Sousa’s men as Sam Di Carmine (no, really) gave them the lead inside two minutes but Jon Stead equalised before halftime and as the fans turned on the hapless Gavin Mahon Pablo Counago and Jon Walters added further goals in the second half. QPR went on to make it nine games without a win to drop right out of the play off picture.

QPR: Camp 5, Connolly 4, Gorkss 5, Hall 4, Delaney 4 (Blackstock 67, 5) Routledge 6, Mahon 2, Leigertwood 6, Miller 5 (Balanta 73, 5) Cook 5, Di Carmine 6 (Helguson 55, 4)
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Alberti
Goals: Di Carmine 3 (assisted Routledge)

Ipswich: R Wright 7, D Wright 7, McAuley 8, Bruce 7, Thatcher 5, Miller 7, Norris 8, Civelli 6 (Walters 61, 7), Quinn 7, Stead 8 (Lisbie 69, 6), Counago 8 (Garvan 82, 6)
Subs Not Used: Supple, Balkestein
Booked: Thatcher (time wasting)
Goals: Stead 14 (assisted Norris), Counago 61 (unassisted), Walters 70 (assisted Quinn)

Head to Head:
QPR wins - 21
Draws – 18
Ipswich wins – 27

Previous Results:
2009/10 Ipswich 3 QPR 0
2008/09 QPR 1 Ipswich 3 (Di Carmine)
2008/09 Ipswich 2 QPR 0
2007/08 Ipswich 0 QPR 0
2007/08 QPR 1 Ipswich 1 (Nygaard)
2006/07 Ipswich 2 QPR 1 (Furlong)
2006/07 QPR 1 Ipswich 3 (Gallen)
2005/06 Ipswich 2 QPR 2 (Moore, Furlong)
2005/06 QPR 2 Ipswich 1 (Rowlands, Gallen)
2004/05 Ipswich 0 QPR 2 (Furlong, Shittu)
2004/05 QPR 2 Ipswich 4 (Furlong 2)
1999/00 QPR 3 Ipswich 1 (Peacock, Koejoe, Kiwomya)
1999/00 Ipswich 1 QPR 4 (Steiner 2, Peacock, Wardley)
1998/99 Ipswich 3 QPR 1 (Kiwomya)
1998/99 QPR 1 Ipswich 1 (Gallen)
1997/98 QPR 0 Ipswich 0
1997/98 Ipswich 0 QPR 0
1996/97 Ipswich 2 QPR 0
1996/97 QPR 0 Ipswich 1
1994/95 Ipswich 0 QPR 1 (Ferdinand)
1994/95 QPR 1 Ipswich 2 (Ferdinand)
1993/94 Ipswich 1 QPR 3 (Impey 2, Ferdinand)
1993/94 QPR 3 Ipswich 0 (White 2, Barker)
1992/93 Ipswich 1 QPR 1 (White)
1992/93 QPR 0 Ipswich 0

Played for both clubs:
Steve Palmer
Ipswich Town 1989-95
QPR 2001-04
When you go down the list of players that have played a important part in the history of Queens Park Rangers, I doubt Steve Palmer would be too high on the list. But in his relatively short stint at Loftus Road, Palmer he played an integral part of Ian Holloway’s promotion winning side. Born in Brighton, Palmer is well known for being the only professional footballer of the modern era to have graduated from Cambridge University, where he obtained a degree in software engineering whilst captaining Cambridge Uni AFC. Despite earning a degree it was football where Palmer saw his future and signed pro-terms with Ipswich Town in 1989.

At Portman Road, a young Palmer learnt his trade and was part of the squad that won the old Second Division in 1992, earning promotion to the newly formed Premier League. In all Palmer played 90 games for Ipswich most of them in the top flight before Town’s relegation in 1995, and then joined Watford for a £135,000 fee. In his time at Vicarage Road, under Graham Taylor Palmer played for the Hornets in three different divisions. Helping the club gain two promotions from the Second Division and his return to the Premier League. It was Palmer who skippered Waford in their play-of final victory over Bolton to reach the top-flight. Unfortunately their stay with the big boys only lasted one season and after a further year with the Hornets, Palmer left to join QPR on a free transfer.

He joined a side who had just been relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time since the sixties and had been re-built by Ian Holloway over the summer with free transfers and trialists. Seeking his leadership qualities, Holloway appointed Palmer captain and made his debut in a 1-0 win over Stoke City. He would go onto be an ever present in the Rangers side for the next two seasons, although some questioned the wisdom of playing the big centre-back as a defensive midfielder as Holloway did on occasions. He led the R’s to the play-off final in 2003, only to lose to Cardiff but Palmer and the side bounced back the following season kicking off with a goal in the 5-0 opening day win over Blackpool and finishing celebrating at Hillsborough as the R’s secured automatic promotion. He left Loftus Road that summer to finish his career with a two season spell with MK Dons but now can be seen working with Tottenham’s youngsters as the academies Performance Manager.

He wasn’t the most skilful or talented player to grace the hoops but his leadership and determination when the team needed it most in a difficult period will always be remembered fondly. –AR

Links >>> Ipswich 3 QPR 0 Match Report >>> QPR 1 Ipswich 3 >>> Match Report Archive >>> Ipswich Connections and Memories

This Tuesday
Team News: Rangers suddenly have a couple of suspensions to deal with after Leigertwood and Ramage both received red cards at Peterborough on Saturday. Legs gets a three game ban for his straight red and Ramage a single match for his two bookings so both sit this game out, as does striker Tamas Priskin who was absolutely bloody awful on his debut on Saturday and cannot play against Ipswich under the terms of his loan. On Saturday’s performance, Keane may have been better served letting the Hungarian play after all. Rangers are therefore likely to move Matt Connolly to right back instead of Ramage with Stewart coming into centre half instead of Connolly. Up front expect Jay Simpson to be recalled alongside Marcus Bent against his former club. Wide on the right instead of Leigertwood it could be any one of Ephraim, Balanta or Buzsaky getting the call although surely the former two are long overdue some first team action wherever it may be on the pitch.

Ipswich may give another run out to their new look strike force of David Healey and Daryl Murphy who combined for a goal just 22 seconds into their first appearance against Middlesbrough at the weekend. That could mean Jon Stead misses out although with the striker’s recent record against QPR Keane may be wise to include him. Jon Walters, who also scored against Rangers in the corresponding fixture, came through 90 minutes unscathed at the weekend after a hamstring injury and should play again. Pablo Counago and Alan Quinn are both fit and available to return.

Elsewhere: The games are coming thick and fast now in the Championship and it is another full programme of action scheduled for this Tuesday night. The top three all have winnable games with Forest at Coventry, Newcastle at Derby and West Brom hosting Scunthorpe. Palace v Swansea would have been a battle for play off places but for the Eagles’ points deduction. At the bottom our opponents Ipswich will be keeping a keen eye on a six pointer between Reading and Plymouth, two of the bottom three, at the Madejski Stadium. By the time we visit that ground for a midweek match in March we could well be talking about that as a relegation scrap as well.

Referee: Fred Graham is the referee for this one, the third time in his career he has taken charge of a QPR match. Don’t expect a raft of cards and free kicks on Tuesday if Graham stays true to form – he’s notoriously lenient and in a game between us and Wolves a couple of seasons ago I was actually moved to wonder whether he’d left his whistle and cards in the toilets at half time, such was the brutal treatment that went unpunished.

Links >>> Dean Sturridge Memorial Injury List >>> Arthur Gnohere Discipline Counter >>> Graham in charge >>> Referee League

Form
QPR: What more is there to say about QPR’s form at the moment? It just gets worse, and worse, and worse. Rangers have just one win from their last 14 matches and haven’t kept a clean sheet in nearly half a season – 20 games in fact. They are without a goal in their last three matches, have lost four of their last five, have won just one of their last eight at home and so it goes on. Since rising to sixth in the table with a 4-2 win at Derby at the end of October Rangers have won just two of 16 matches and are now 14th, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Ipswich: Town are actually lower than us in the table – one place and one point above Reading in the final relegation spot. They were tipped by many for promotion this season under Roy Keane and that simply has not panned out. They were very poor in the early part of the season, failing to win any of their first 15 league games prior to a 1-0 victory against Derby at Portman Road in October. However since then the form has been better with just three defeats from 19 matches – the problem has been too many draws that have held Ipswich back. They have drawn ten of those 19 matches, and 15 in total this season, more than any other side in the division. They come into this game without a win in four in all competitions. They have won twice away from home so far this season – at Blackpool in the cup and Cardiff in the league, both 2-1.

Predictions: I just cannot see where a win is coming from. The team is playing without belief or heart, the loan signings we bring in simply slot straight into the malaise that exists here. We just appear so far off the pace against every opponent we play it is hard to foresee another three point haul from anywhere. Ipswich are slightly better than their league position suggests and have been held back by too many draws, so maybe that’s a sensible score to guess at here but only because we cannot go on not scoring forever.
1-1

Links >>> Championship Table >>> Total Form >>> Home Form >>> Away Form >>> Prediction League >>> Fantasy League

Photo: Action Images

Queens Park Rangers Polls