| Coca Cola Championship | |
| Sunday December 28th | |
|
Queens
Park Rangers 0
|
Watford 0 |
Rangers final game of 2008 proved to
be pretty dull in all honesty as we missed the chance to close the
gap on the top six. Watford came into the game with one
of the worst defensive records in the division and after beating
us 3-0 last month it was a great chance for some revenge and to
try and improve the goal difference. Rangers though did neither
though in a QOPR which ITV must have been delighted to have selected
as the feature game on the Championship. Sousa made six changes again as he tried to keep the squad fresh for the busy Christmas period. Damien Stewart and Damien Delaney returned to replace Gorkss and Connolly whilst Ephraim and Mahon came into the midfield. It was all change up front as well with Helguson and Agyemang starting and top scorer Dexter Blackstock again dropped to the bench. The game started at a slow pace with Rangers sloppy on the ball and giving Watford far too much time and space. This was Rangers biggest home crowd of the season but it was Watford fans making all the noise most of it aimed at Lee Cook who they still don't like for leaving them four years ago. Cook looked determined to shove the taunts down their throat but he rarely got a chance on the ball and an early corner was curled straight at the keeper. Rangers were looking to build from the back but were not too confident on the ball leading to some poor passes and some nervous balls back to Cerny who was having to go long far too often. Watford were having the better of it and a good run by Smith saw him play Harley in behind Ramage and the former Chelsea man put in a low cross that just missed Williamson who slid in at the near post. Williamson looked Watford's best player and he should have scored on twenty minutes but with time and space in the box Cerny was quick off his line to deny him. Rangers had very little as an attacking unit with Agyemang failing to control the ball and Ephraim was almost invisible as touched the ball so rarely. Our best chance came midway through the half when a Cook free kick was curled to the far post and Helguson ran into space with plenty of time and made a real mess of his header as he scuffed it over the bar. He had so much time I'm not sure why he didn't bring it down and have a shot. Cook was our only attacking threat and another dangerous cross just evaded Agyemang at the far post. At the other end Williamson curled an effort wide but the highlight of the half was probably the half time whistle so we could get a drink. Even that was a nightmare with the mad decision in the lower loft to put up a tv screen by the food kiosk meaning total gridlock as some stand and watch the scores come in, others queue for food and everyone else is either trying to get to the bar or the toilet. So after a short break we were back
for the second half and it was pretty much the same. Sousa made
a half time substitution with Blackstock replacing Cook which seemed
strange to me as he was the only one offering any kind of width
and creativity. Rangers continued to huff and puff and improved in the second half but chances were few and far between. With very little creativity in midfield Rangers best hope was from a set piece and twice Stewart went close after a bit of chaos in the Watford defence. Blackstock went close to this third goal in three goals when he headed just over from an Ephraim corner. Helguson almost scored with another chance from a set piece as Stewart caused confusion and Helguson's shot was well saved. That was our only real chance of scoring though through a set piece as we created nothing from open play and the decision to leave the creative Ledesma on the bench seemed a strange one. Leigterwood replaced Mahon but had little effect on a game that had 0-0 written all over it. Both sides had late chances to win it and went very close to all three points. Williamson curled a great free kick from out wide past Cerny and onto the post. Cerny looked to have got a hand on it and a good job too as the shot was going it. At the other end Rowlands caught a ball on the volley from 25 yards out which flew just over the bar. In the end though a 0-0 draw was pretty fair with neither side creating too much. The boos were pretty harsh from some of the QPR fans but this was certainly a case of two points dropped and a performances which was well below the standard that Sousa has set. Rangers now have a 2 week break from
the league with the FA Cup next week and a chance for Sousa to work
on the players in training and hopefully add a few new players.
The loan players also return next week so Cerny will face some completion
again from Camp whilst Zesh Rehmann will return from his spell at
Blackpool.
Players Ratings: Cerny 6, Ramage 5, Hall 6, Stewart 6, Delaney 5, Mahon 6 (LEigterwood 6), Rowlands 6, Ephraim 5, Cook 6 (Blackstock 6), Helguson 6, Agyemang 6 |
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