We played pretty well but were helped by a woeful goalkeeping performance. Warnock got his tactics bang on, Priskin out wide was swapping positions with Simpson and Taarabt all game and West Brom had no clue who they should be picking up, it worked very well. The first goal was a bit scrappy after the keeper fumbled it but Taarabt did well to create the chance, the second was a lovely finish by Connolly after a good move. West Brom probably deserved to be level at half time though as they scored one and Ikeme made two very good saves. I thought it was a matter of when rather than if they would equalsie, they do look a good side going forward but Ikeme made a few more good saves in the second half and I felt they ran out of ideas around the hour mark and we took charge again. Buzsaky managed to score a scruffy goal from the halfway line, Carson again made a complete mess of it not once but twice as it hit the post and rolled past him. We were quite comfortable in the end but I think everyone was still nervous even during injury time. Ramage came on to play as a right winger which was strange but apart from that a very promising start for Warnock. The players were defending as a team, getting stuck in and looked dangerous going forward. I thought Faurlin was excellent in midfield and the keeper ran him close for man of the match. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Full Match Report from www.qprnet.com WARNOCK'S WARRIORS BETTER BAGGIES I’m pretty sure I got off at White City station. I’m positive I walked up South Africa Road and I am certain I walked through the turnstiles in to The Loft. I must have something wrong though because what I watched on Saturday afternoon bore no resemblance to the diluted, washed out QPR we have become used to in recent months. At Rangers we have seen more false dawns than a page three photographer but this time something feels different. The turnaround in attitude and performance that Neil Warnock produced this weekend is nothing short of remarkable and the fact he achieved it in the space of a few days is all the more remarkable. In some ways it is incredibly frustrating that having sat through four torrid months of football the same players show exactly how hard they can work, how much fight they have and how determined they can be when the right person gives them a few encouraging words. Loftus Road was a very different place this weekend, gone was the boredom and cynicism of recent weeks and instead of a stinking atmosphere we were sitting in a stadium that reeked of optimism, something the official site will no doubt refer to as “the feel good factor” as soon as the season ticket renewal packs hit the bottom of the postman's sack! Warnock received a rapturous reception from the R’s fans when he was introduced shortly before kick off, the West Brom fans were less generous although many of them did seem to be asking if he fancied a cup of Nescafe. Regardless Warnock applauded all four sides of the ground, three in gratitude and one in sarcasm. You can't help but enjoy his moxy! His first selection saw four changes to the personal on the pitch as well as changes to the way they lined up on it. Carl Ikeme continued in goal with the back four made up from Matt Connolly, Damion Stewart, Kaspars Gorkss and Matt Hill. Alejandro Faurlin and Mikele Leigertwood paired up in central midfield; Hogan Ephraim came in for the bed ridden Lee Cook on the left whilst Adel Taarabt and Tamas Priskin took turns between playing right side and supporting front man Jay Simpson. West Brom included three former R’s loan signings in winger Jerome Thomas as well as two more recent faces in Ben Watson and Steven Reid. Taarabt and Faurlin combined early to test the visitors with the first chance of the game when Adel squared across the box to found Ali but his shot was blocked by Jonas Olsson. A few minutes later though and Taarabt’s crossing would kick start Rangers into the lead. The Moroccan marauder found himself on the right wing and put in a cross that really should have been held by Carson. However the former England ‘keeper spilled it, Ephraim’s follow up was parried only to be intercepted by Simpson who banged home his thirteenth goal of the season. It was a poor piece of goalkeeping but sometimes it takes a bit of luck to get a season going again, maybe this was ours. Five minutes after the opener the lead was doubled courtesy of some smart passing from Faurlin and a cool finish from Connolly. Faurlin’s vision from the centre of the park found Connolly racing into the acres of space in the box the R’s right back calmly slotted the ball under Carson to give Rangers a 2-0 lead. Faurlin was outstanding on the day and pulled all the strings from the centre of the park. We clearly didn’t pay 3.5 million for him but watching him in this form you really wouldn’t have minded if we had. The thirty minute mark saw Albion begin to find their feet in the game and muster up their first real chance of the afternoon when Watson’s near twenty yard volley forced Ikeme into a great reaction save. Ikeme also did well to stop a couple of chances that fell to James Morrison in an encouraging display but found himself beaten ten minutes before the break as Chris Brunt and Jerome Thomas combined to give West Brom a way back in. Thomas floated a deep cross in from the left and Brunt planted a delicate header back across goal, the ball looped over Ikeme and into the back of the net. Ikeme could only stop and watch the ball soar over him and I wonder if the bright sun might have played a part in the goal, particularly as Carson would appear for his second half stint at The Loft end in a cap. The opening moments of the second half began the same as the closing moments of the first with West Brom continuing to ask questions of the Rangers back line. We were beginning to look a little ragged at this point and I have no doubt that if this match had been played a week earlier heads would have dropped, we would have lost the lead and been beaten. Warnock’s side look a different kettle of fish though, the players dug in through this period and worked their arses off to keep in touch with the game. Brunt continued to look lively though and ten minutes into the period his cross found Simon Cox ten yards out however he will have been disappointed to only hook the ball over the bar. A few minutes later Cox screamed for a penalty after Gorkss’ challenge felled him in the box but the usually trigger happy Stuart Atwell waved away the appeals. Shortly after Warnock would introduce Buzsaky from the bench and it proved to be something of an inspired substation as the popular Hungarian won the game in the most fortuitous of circumstances! Buzsaky instantly caused problems, a speculative chance from thirty yards was held by Carson then a good corner found Stewart who forced Carson in to another save. The two clashed heads in the aftermath which left Carson furiously shaking his noggin to clear the cobwebs whilst Stewart happily trotted back up field. As the clock ticked towards sixty seven minutes West Brom conceded a free kick close to the halfway line and the Paddocks. Buzsaky stepped up, some forty odd yards from goal and floated in his set piece, the ball evaded everyone, bounced up over Carson off the pitch before hitting the right hand post, bouncing down and trickling along the line and spinning into the back of the net. It was another stroke of luck for Rangers but after everything we've sat through I think we deserve a rub of the green or two! A couple of minutes later Warnock shuffled the pack again as he introduced Ramage for Taarabt, I expected Connolly to move in to the centre but instead Ramage stayed in a more advanced role and we moved to something like a 3-5-2. Sometimes it’s the little differences you notice and when Stewart lost position thirty yards from the West Brom goal I half expected the break to end up with us conceding. However Ephraim harried the Albion attack all the way which gave Stewart the chance to chase back seventy yards and put a block in and clear. It was a committed piece of play that typified the steely, determined approach to the game. Rowan Vine came off the bench to replace Priskin with thirteen left to play and Tamas left the field to warm applause. His work rate had been fantastic and he played a key role in a formation that saw him constantly switching with Taarabt in support of Simpson. When you think back to his performances at Peterborough and Coventry which were nothing short of disgraceful it is staggering to think you are watching the same player. I was really impressed with the mardy Hungarian who might just have won himself a second chance for the rest of the season. The minutes were ticking away now and in truth Buzsaky’s goal had knocked some of the stuffing out of West Brom who could only fashion another couple of half chances before the final whistle. Thomas shot wide from inside the box with ten minutes to play whilst Cox forced Ikeme into a near post save before leaving the field on a stretcher after coming off worse in his next clash with the R’s ‘keeper deep into stoppage time. As the whistle finally went, sometime around five o’clock, Loftus Road rose as one to congratulate a fine performance. Warnock ordered the entire team and bench to walk the stands thanking the fans in return. For the first time in what seems like an age fans and players were united and there is only one man to thank. There’s a hell of a long way to go but Warnock and QPR have taken a massive step in the right direction. We still have a relegation battle to win but at least now it looks like we’re all in it together and who would have though that would be the case just a week or so ago? This was a committed, determined performance orchestrated by our new manager who organised the team expertly. Everyone knew their job and they all set about with relish. I have used lots of words like 'determined' and 'steely' and talked about work rate and effort don't let that fool you into thinking we didn't play any decent stuff because we did. With the ball we knocked it around nicely on plenty of occasions, how can you not with the likes of Taarabt and Faurlin in your side. However on the defensive we looked nothing but determined to win possession back - a pretty good combination in my book. There really aren’t too many negatives to draw and Warnock even managed to produce competent performances from Ikeme and Hill, something I thought I’d never see! Faurlin and Priskin particularly impressed for me but Simpson just edges it for my man of the match, he spearheaded our attack in fine style, got himself a goal and never stopped running for the entire game. We can now look forward to facing Plymouth on Tuesday and as it has turned out having that game re-arranged could be a blessing in disguise. It is something of a must-win and a few weeks ago it would have been a will-lose, now we will go into it as heavy favourites. The players will doubtless be tired, they haven’t run this much in the last four months combined but a good result on Tuesday will put us in a positive mindset for a tricky trip to Warnock’s old stomping ground, Bramall Lane, next weekend. I can't wait for either of them.
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