Doncaster Rovers v QPR РWe got what we Deserved…Nothing!

Team: Green, Simpson, Dunne, Hill, Assou-Ekotto, O’Neil (Johnson), Jenas, Barton, Kranjcar (Hoilett), Phillips, Austin

Subs Not Used: Murphy, Onyewu, Traore, Carroll, Henry

Attendance: 8,854 (including 1,623 R’s fans)

We got what we deservednothing, an accident waiting to happen. Possession alone has now been proved, but it will NOT get us promoted. Yet we are a side that consistently pass the ball to death. Almost any side can keep possession in their own half.

We never took the game to a side that were more than happy to get a draw, yet they managed and deserved to get the win, Christmas came early. Other than Joey Barton who ran his socks off, the middle was woeful. Are the players brainwashed or inept?

Two substitutions, too late, and the worst two players stayed on the pitch for the full 90 minutes. I don’t blame the players, the buck stops with the manager.

A good trip, good company but spoilt by a performance and attitude that was pxxx poor to say the least!

Jimmy

Harry has gone on record recently saying ‘even Arsenal play one upfront’ and as I said then ‘so what?’ We don’t have a ¬£42m midfielder to provide for our lone striker so we are evidently struggling in the goals or winning column away from home.

On Saturday we played a right-sided midfielder who probably had more of the ball than he’s had all season yet failed to deliver a decent cross in the whole 90 minutes. In fact EVERY time he got the ball, he stopped, looked up, turned round then played the ball to right-back Danny Simpson.

As soon as Andy Johnson came on, he found himself on the right touchline, looked up, saw Austin’s run and put the ball on a sixpence, but Austin’s shot was blocked by the defender and it more or less fell at the keeper’s feet. I really believe that with Johnson and Austin upfront we could cause some damage to opposition defences, but for some reason Harry thinks otherwise. Well the stats say the three times that they have started together, all away as well (Huddersfield/Bolton/Leeds), we won twice and drew once.

The last five away games we have played some really poor sides (Burnley aside) and haven’t won any of them. We could’ve won all of them if (a) we had two upfront or (b) even with Austin on his own we actually PROVIDED chances for him. But what do I know, or those who have been to those away games, as on Saturday at half-time, EVERYONE was saying exactly what I’ve just said, so we can’t all be wrong surely?

ChrisPTenner

The Queen’s Park Rangers assistant manager Kevin Bond handed the credit to Doncaster after the promotion favourites stumbled to an unexpected 2-1 defeat.

Rangers were the better side in the first-half and snatched the lead just before the interval when the home keeper Ross Turnbull allowed a shot from Charlie Austin to slip from his grasp. But Doncaster battled back in fine style in the second-half with a 48th minute equaliser from Theo Robinson before the full-back Paul Quinn snatched the winner in the closing stages.

Bond said: “We weren’t happy with the way we played in the second-half, but you can’t take anything away from Doncaster. We were satisfied with our position at the end of the first period. Although we hadn’t played particularly well, we were in front and in control of the game. We expected a reaction from Rovers after the interval, but we thought that if we weathered the storm the game would open up to our advantage. I don’t think we did well enough to prevent the equaliser and, in fairness, Doncaster were the better side after that.”

“They had a spring in their step and we were never able to wrestle control of the game away from them. We can be critical of our second-half performance, but that would detract from how well the home side played.”

Rangers have won all but one of their home games, but have now gone five without an away win. However, Bond denied their away form was a cause for concern. “We’ve only lost twice away. A lot is expected from us, and rightly so, but we didn’t defend as well as we needed today.”

The Rovers manager Paul Dickov was delighted with his side’s display after they had produced a poor performance when losing at Charlton during the week. He said: “I asked for a reaction and I got it. We let the fans down at Charlton and this performance was for them.”

“I’m proud of the way we played considering the injury problems we have at present, and that was a terrific display against probably the best team in the division. Tactically I thought we got it right and pressed them when we didn’t have the ball. We were a bit aggrieved to go in behind at the interval. It was an uncharacteristic mistake by Ross Turnbull, but I told him he didn’t have to apologise because he’s dug us out of the mire a number of times this season.”

The Observer (extract)

Over 60% possession and nearly all in our own half, one shot on target and very fortunate with the goal. All we really had in midfield was Joey Barton. How come Matt Phillips only put one ball into the box in the second-half? Time and time again he would just knock the ball back.

Is Andy Johnson a 90 minute player? Well, he certainly livens things up when he comes on and he soon put in a great ball to the far post for Charlie Austin. It’s okay pinging the ball around and passing it to death when you’re two-nil up, but our luck had to eventually run out.

I was getting more than disappointed that the game seemed to be heading for a draw. The Doncaster keeper was actually blatantly time-wasting and they still bloody won!!!

The Rangers turnout included Michael Whelan’s son Luke who was our mascot.

Steve Russell