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This being the first chance that I have managed to get online since yesterday, I will say that the small amount of confidence that I took from the second half against Ipswich has been completely blown to shreds. Watching QPR is becoming extremely hard work for me now, but I will try and be as fair and honest in my opinions of the game without going into the off-field carnage we are going through.

For anyone interested, here was my take on yesterday’s loss to Coventry City.

We had a fairly good trip up to the ground, and after parking just a short way from the ground, we eventually made it into the stadium with about 20 minutes to spare. We took to our seats right at the top of the stand, and I was thankful at having my jumper with me… it was bitterly cold. Looking down from our seats, and the away following wasn’t brilliant (not surprising considering recent performances), and I would say we probably took around 500-550 fans up there maximum.

I was horrified to see that Priskin would be starting. I mentioned in my last report that I really didn’t think he was going to fit in with our style of play, and having Taarabt on the bench after playing so well against Ipswich was another odd selection by Harford.

Either way the side lined up with Ikeme in goal. Ramage recalled at right back, with Stewart and Gorkss in the middle and Hill on the left. Buzsaky was also given a starting place, with Connolly unusually playing in midfield with Faurlin, and Cook on the left. As touched on above, we started with Priskin and Simpson upfront.

The opening few minutes didn’t really provide us with any real goalmouth action. The closest we came to scoring was when Lee Cook saw an in swinging corner just tipped up and round the post from Westwood. This was up the other end, so I didn’t have a brilliant view of it… but it was clear that Cook nearly caught him unawares.

Coventry weren’t really posing any real threat coming forward, with Clinton Morris the only real player that stood out for them… He was latching onto a fair amount of long balls, but he had very little support and they didn’t really have any chances of their own.

Our first real effort on goal again came from a corner. This time it was Buzsaky that put the ball into the box, and as Gorkss rose above everyone in the area he couldn’t help but see his header fly just wide of the right hand post.

As I mentioned above, Coventry’s only real form of attack was the long punt up to Morrison… and we looked to be dealing with it fairly well, until he suddenly made us pay around the 10 minute mark. He again latched onto the ball, and just prodded it back to Deegan who struck the ball goalwards… it seemed to deflect off of Gorkss and we watched on almost in slow motion as the ball spun into the corner… Ikeme completely rooted to his spot.

I was extremely critical of the defence against Ipswich, and I still maintain that we gifted them every single one of the goals that they scored. This was slightly different, and it was just sheer fluke that the ball ended up where it did. We were extremely unfortunate here.
Again we found ourselves on the back foot, but we came ever so close to pulling the scores level through Buzsaky shortly after… Connolly won back possession in the middle of the pitch, and after spraying the ball out wide to Cook, he darted through the middle and played a delicate one two which left Faurlin bearing through on goal. He was then cut to the ground and we were awarded a freekick around 20 yards out. The ball was slightly left off centre, with Cook and Buzsaky both stood over the ball. We watched on as the latter sent a curling shot what looked like centre-metres wide of the left hand post. Westwood was well beaten, and Buzsaky couldn’t have come much closer.

Our only other real moment came around half hour or so into the half. After breaking from a Coventry corner, Faurlin played the ball through to Cook on the left hand side. After taking one touch to set himself, he sent a marvellous ball over the top and left Priskin bearing through on goal with just the keeper to beat. He must have ran around 20 yards, and just as he cut in to have a shot, the defender came flying into the box and sliced the ball out for a corner. Like was the case at Peterborough, he is just so painfully slow that by the time he is ready to have a go on goal, the defender has either tackled him or in a position to block his effort… He really should have scored here, or at very least have tested the keeper.

For all our possession, we just couldn’t seem to hurt Coventry at all. The first half we looked devoid of any ideas or game plan, and you just never felt that we would take anything from the game. As the referee blew time on the first half, we rushed down under the stairs… to keep warm more than anything else! The expressions on pretty much every QPR fan’s face told a story in itself, and everyone was saying more or less the same things… needless to say the frustration was at its peak.

For the first opening 15 minutes or so nothing really happened. With the players now attacking the stand that we were located, I suddenly could appreciate how hard Simpson had been working. He was chasing literally every single ball, and you couldn’t have asked more for him… A complete contrast to Priksin, who was strutting around like a Hungarian version of Dimitar Berbatov. It hadn’t gone unnoticed with the travelling fans either, and after losing possession and just throwing his hands up in the air – plenty of QPR fans arose from their seats screaming at him to put some effort in.

It was no shock at all when he was substituted shortly after, and the reception he got would probably be best described as frosty. There was no spark to our play, and again the game was crying out for Taarabt/Ephraim to be brought on. Frustratingly, Harford opted to bring on German (wrong choice in my eyes).

Aside from a Cook freekick that went straight into Westwoods arms, we didn’t create any opportunities of note. The QPR fans were completely muted, and the whole mood and atmosphere was just flat. Harford finally decided to substitute the helpless Buzsaky for Taarabt with about 20 minutes left.

Within minutes of being on the pitch, he broke from midfield and unleashed a shot at goal from around 20 yards out. It was closer to hitting the corner flag in all honesty… but at least it was something. The frustrating thing was that the longer this half was drawing on, the more direct our play became. On the rare occasion that we did actually play the ball to feet, we actually looked OK. But more often than not Ikeme, Stewart, Ramage or Hill just punted the ball aimlessly up field. The only defender looking to play the ball out from defence was Gorkss – and the more we did it, the more it played straight into Coventry’s hands.

There must have been around 80 minutes or so on the clock until we had a real opportunity on goal. We were awarded a free kick on the right hand side after Taarabt had been brought down. Cook sent a teasing ball into the box, and as Stewart just managed to get a foot on it, we were up celebrating at drawing the scores level… or so we thought – as Westwood somehow fly down to his left hand side and pushed the ball wide for a corner kick. All too many times this season we have been screaming that we are too wasteful in front of goal, but here you just have to hold your hands up and say what a stunning save was made. It’s no surprise that Westwood is so highly thought of up there, he really did keep them in it here.

We had one other chance right at the death. After German had got to the by-line, he drilled a cross past Westwood and right over the 6 yard line… Simpson looked to almost throw his body at the ball, but it somehow evaded with him, and with that so did any chance of getting a point.

Coventry did have one chance right at the end, but Eastwood could only manage to slam his shot into the side netting with the defence pushed right forward.

As the referee blew time on the second half, we couldn’t really have any complaints about the score line. As in the first half, we completely dominated in possession, but we just couldn’t do anything with it. We were unfortunate not to salvage at least a point from the game with the two chances at the end, and the Coventry goal was very unfortunate - but on the whole it was again a very poor performance.

I think the message from the fans at the end made quite a statement too. I was expecting plenty more flying fists and booing towards our players – but there was nothing. Only a handful of fans made the effort to clap the 4 that came over: Cook, Ikeme, Ramage and Hill (who was smiling?!?!?!!), and the majority just made for the exits without any anger being vented at them at all… sadly I suppose that’s a sign of how far we have fallen. It did surprise me though.

The day didn’t end any better for me either. The ferry I was due to catch was postponed, and it left me waiting for over an hour at the port… Another one of THOSE days!

Player Ratings –

Hill – He had an absolute shocker. After an encouraging start with us, little did I know that he would have me pining for Borrowdale… He was dodgy in defence and wasteful in possession. A hazard waiting to happen. Couldn’t believe he had something to smile about at the end, I clearly missed something.

Buzsaky – His abysmal form continues. I thought he may have started to turn the corner against Ipswich where he looked fairly decent. But aside from his good freekick in the first half, he again offered very little. His delivery from corners (apart from 1) was terrible. I hate to say it regarding a player of his class, but we may as well have 10 men on the pitch when he plays like this. I would love nothing more than to see the Buzsaky of two years ago back on that pitch, but you can’t help but wonder whether that player still exists!!

Connolly – How I wish that we would just give him a position to make his own. Left back, right back, centre back and now centre midfield. I can’t believe that this is aiding his development as a footballer. In truth, he actually had a reasonable game in the middle, and aside from being caught out on a couple of occasions he did look reasonably comfortable. But why Harford felt the need to start moving arguably your best and most consistent player into an alien position baffles me.

Simpson – I know there is a strong case for not loading a starting eleven with loan players, but he doesn’t look like/play one to me. He was fighting, running, holding up possession… pretty much everything. I wondered how Simpson would handle being in a scrap at the bottom, but to me it has brought even more positive qualities to the fore-front. Top performance from him, I would ask no more.

Priskin – Quite what Harford was thinking in starting this useless piece of waste I don’t know? When you are down the bottom, the least thing you want is a player not putting in 100%, and to me it looks as if he isn’t even giving us 60%! He refuses to chase anyone down, his movement is so static it’s unreal, and he just looks completely dis-interested. We may as well have my great grandma on the pitch… and she’s dead. There is a reason Keane decided to offload him, he’s not a fighter. He might be OK in a side right at the top of the table, and one providing chances on a plate for him… but as our current form show’s – that isn’t us.

Substitutes –

German – Felt sorry for him yesterday. We were doing nothing going forward, fans were getting more and more frustrated, we are away from home against a big and powerful Coventry City side… And Harford decides to chuck on a boy that has just turned 18 years of age in the hope he might do something?! If you want to try something different, why not use a more experienced player like Hogan… even Balanta?! Talk about throwing him in at the deep end. He nearly set up the goal at the end in fairness, but it was the wrong time to bring him on IMO.

Taarabt – Judging by his performance on Tuesday, I thought he merited a place in the starting line-up. I can’t think what sitting on the bench (yet again) would have done for his confidence… and it was no shock that he didn’t really make an impact when he did come on. To be honest I’m surprised he is still here. He deserves better than to make way for people like Buzsaky & Priskin. Terrible management.

Harford – If we lose again on Tuesday he will without doubt get the sack IMO. For me personally, I’ve had enough of his bizarre selection decisions. The team lacks fight, the confidence is completely shot to pieces – and I think he is way out of his depth. To take a solitary point from Blackpool, Forest, Peterborough, Scunny, Ipswich and now Coventry just isn’t acceptable. He doesn’t inspire me with any confidence in his interviews and I think his time as QPR boss is now right on the brink.

In previous games I have wrote about the ‘buzz’ going from QPR, and recent performances haven’t given me many positives to take… It’s now reached a stage where it’s just heart-breaking to see. I don’t know if the problem is a lack of effort or just a squad that are so extremely low on confidence, and while I take no satisfaction in saying it… I really do feel we are headed for the drop unless something changes RIGHT NOW!

Sorry for all the doom and gloom, but I just can’t put any spin or draw anything from that at all.

Let’s hope for better on Tuesday.