QPR v. Reading (5 Mar: Championship - Match 35) [R]

[Atouk]

QPR - 12th, 34 GP, -2 GD, 48 Points
v.
Reading - 7th, 35 GP, +7 GD, 53 Points
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5 March 2005 15:00
Loftus Road
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Rangers News:

Lee Cook is back in training and should be available. Generoso Rossi should be available for the bench after a good game in the reserve match this week. Matthew Rose trained in one-on-one sessions with the fitness coaches on Thursday and it's unclear whether he'll be able to play due to the ankle injury picked up in the win against Ipswich. If not, and since the Davies move seems off, it looks like Santos will have to partner Shittu, so Adam Miller may get a start in midfield, unless Olly wants to move Rowlands to the center and start Cook and Ainsworth on the outside. Or Gallen could move to midfield and Olly could start either now-fit Thorpe (who scored two goals in the reserve match) or former Reading man Cureton.

The Opponent:

Reading has gone cold of late and the fake hoops have fallen out of the play-off spots; they're currently in 7th. They have no League wins since Boxing Day, a string of ten straight without a win (6 draws, 4 losses). In FA Cup action during that string, they drew with Swansea, beat Swansea, then lost to Leicester.

Defender and club captain Graeme Murty pulled out of training on Thursday with an ankle problem, so could miss the match. Martin Keown is out through injury. American 'keeper Marcus Hahnemann has had a hip problem, but will probably play.

The Reading official site (http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/PreMatchAnalysisDetail/0,,10306~634853,00.html) says their manager could make changes to his starting lineup and Les Ferdinand and Bobby Convey are among those who could figure. Their manager Steve Coppell mentioned that (http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10306~635206,00.html) the fact that Sir Les has played for QPR could figure in his selections.

Last six (most recent first):
H Leicester D, 0-0
A Crewe D, 1-1
H Coventry L, 1-2
A Leeds L, 1-3
H Plymouth D, 0-0
H Leicester L, 1-2 (FA Cup)

The First Meeting:

On December 18th, Reading snuck a 1-0 win on a 64th minute free-kick goal by Shorey that may have been a pass, but found the net. All reports said the R's were in good form that day and should have come away with at least a point. Former Royal Jamie Cureton got sent off with about 20 minutes left, damaging QPR's chances.

Our thread on the match (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=157258)

Official site's match report (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/MatchReport/0,,10373~27112,00.html)

The Series:

Reading leads 33-14-24. The teams first met in the FA Cup in 1907/08.

The Referee:

Tony Leake has been assigned. He's issued 72 yellows and 5 reds in 28 matches this season. He worked our 2-1 loss at Plymouth earlier this season in which two players, Santos and Plymouth's Coughlan, were sent off and five yellows were issued. Last season, he worked our crucial 1-0 loss in April at Bristol City in which Furlong, Gnohere, and Rowlands were booked (along with one player for Bristol City). The last match he worked at Loftus Road was a 2-0 win over Notts County in '02-'03.

[Atouk]

QPR Site: Stat Pack (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/PreMatchAnalysisDetail/0,,10373~602121,00.html)

QPR Site: Sell-Outs Expected for Reading and Watford (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10373~634055,00.html)

BBC Match Preview (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/4300333.stm)

Reading Evening Post: Promotion play-off place still within reach says Royals ace (http://www.getreading.co.uk/story.asp?intid=11536)

QPRnet Match Preview (http://www.qprnet.com/previews/0405/readingh.shtml)

QPR Mad Match Preview (http://www.qpr-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=PREV&id=209214)

[Northside Rovers]

This is a big game - we can pick up some big points against a team directly in competition for a playoff spot.

[Atouk]

Rose is starting! For Reading, Les Ferdinand starts, as does Marcus Hahnemann. Bobby Convey is on the bench for Reading.

QPR XI: Royce; Bignot, Shittu, Rose, Edghill; Rowlands, Bircham, Santos, Cook; Gallen, Furlong.

Bench: Rossi, Ainsworth, Thorpe, Cureton, Padula.

UUUURRRRR's!

We're underway.

[doolittledog2]

QPR needs to score early and often...I can only listen to the first half...then we are off to a birthday party.

[Atouk]

Ferdinand had a shot just off target within a minute or two of the start. Royce had it covered.

Just a minute later, Royce was forced to make a nice save when our defenders were calling for offside on Ferdinand as Paul Brooker broke through one-on-one with Royce.

[Atouk]

Odd play where the referee let a Ferdinand handball go, but after some time passed and the ball came down to the other side of the field, he stopped play, brought it way back, and made the call.

Rose lost the ball after the free kick, Kitson got it, but instantly shot well wide.

Reading with more possession in the opening 11 minutes.

Furlong just broke into the box for QPR, Cook sent it into him, our first serious attack, but the Reading defense took it off Furs and they cleared the danger.

[Atouk]

After a Hahnemann goal kick, the R's are fouled and get a free kick at midfield. Edghill sent in the kick, but a foul around the edge of the box is called on the R's and Hahnemann takes the free kick.

On the counter, Cook beats his man and sends it in to Furlong. He holds it up, plays it back to Cook. Back into Furs and his volley is just inches wide of the post.

15 minutes in, 0-0.

[Atouk]

Cook and Gallen play a nice bit of stuff on the left and Reading has to clear for a corner. A Rowlands corner came in, Hahnemann missed it, it dropped to Shittu, he sent it over to Rose, Rose took a shot that deflected off a Reading defender and hit the crossbar, going out for another QPR corner. That one was cleared by Reading.

[Atouk]

A Rowlands free kick is cleared out to halfway by Reading where Rose gains possession. The ball is sent back in, but Hahnemann has it easily. Reading tries a quick counter, but it was snuffed out by decent defending and a poor touch by the Reading attacker.

[Atouk]

R's now holding some possession -- Rowlands to Santos to Rowlands to Edghill, a Reading touch sends it out for a QPR throw, Edghill to Gallen but Reading lumps it up to Shittu. We turn it over, but Ferdinand is offside, so stops his run and it's picked up by Royce. Royce up to Cook.

Cook sends a "long, hopeful" ball in. The commentator is surprised that Hahnemann didn't come out and take it, so a Reading defender sent it out for a corner. Rowlands sends it in, but we win another corner. Rowlands' delivery is cleared.

Reading keeps it for just a couple of passes before the R's regain possession. Santos sends a nice ball in, but a Rangers player then sends it out for a goal kick.

A minute later, we have a nice free kick from Rowlands, but Reading held their line high and Furs and a couple of other R's were caught offside. His shot went just wide anyway.

Reading had the first 11 minutes or so, but the R's have had the best of things for the last 15-16 minutes.

[Atouk]

R's still having most of the possession. Cook is doing really well on the left, taking on and generally beating defenders. Cook sent one in to Gallen, but he only got off a weak shot and Hahnemann saves easily.

Just a minute later, a Gallen half volley comes to nothing.

Reading is taking off Les Ferdinand! Wow. He picked up a knock and was off for a couple of minutes and now comes off. Dean Morgan comes on for Reading.

R's earn a free kick just inside the sideline in the Reading half. Rowlands' free kick was grabbed by Hahnemann.

A quick counter is started by Hahnemann, but Edghill made a nice tackle to end the danger.

[Atouk]

A mist has turned into a heavy rain/sleet/snow. They're not sure in the comfort of the press area in the South Africa Road stand, but they think it's snow. 6:30 to go until the break.

[Atouk]

Furlong and Cook causing problem for Reading.

Cook's shot from distance is deflected back by a Reading defender.

Snow/sleet has stopped for the moment.

Furlong went in strong on Shorey, won possession, and earned a corner as it went off Shorey.

Cook sends in the corner, it was deflected, Furlong got to it, but his effort went off a Reading defender for another QPR corner.

Cook's next corner was punched clear by Hahnemann. A quick counter by Reading, but a poor pass was collected by Simon Royce.

[Atouk]

A nice bit of possession by Reading in the Rangers end didn't result in a shot. Rangers clear back to Hahnemann. Reading tries to begin another attack, but Brooker was called for a foul on Rowlands. Rangers ball.

QPR 0-0 Reading
HALF TIME

Cook and Furs have had good a good half. Reading was best early, QPR had the better of it for most of the last half an hour, although Reading seemed to find their feet a bit over the last five minutes.

[doolittledog2]

Well I am outta here. Come on you RRR's. On a side note, does anyone out there know if satelite radio such as XM or Sirius have English Soccer, or for that matter MLS on their programming? Days like today where we are traveling 45 minutes to a birthday party would be nice to listen to a game. Of course our girls letting anything other than the Wiggles play in the car is slim indeed.

[Atouk]

Sun is now shining.

No changes for either team.

We're underway.

[Atouk]

Each team earned a corner in the early minutes of the half.

16,971 in attendance today.

Morgan made a meal of nothing, trying to get a penalty, sort of slipped but waited until he got into the box to fall. The referee waived it off. Bircham had a few words for him.

[Atouk]

"A bit more agression from both sides here" says the commentator. He thought the first half was a "bit too nicey, nicey" like "the ladies final at Wimbledon."

[Atouk]

Good possession from the R's at the moment, Bircham and Furlong and Gallen playing the ball around. Back to Edghill who is fouled. Free kick about 25-30 yards out, "slightly on the angle."

Shittu up from the back; Rowlands and Cook stand over it. Rowlands crosses it, but Furs couldn't get to it, out for a goal kick. Poor kick by Rowlands.