Colchester United v. QPR (3 October: Championship Match 8) [R]

[Atouk]

Colchester United -- 20th, 8 GP, +1 GD, 8 points
v.
QPR -- 24th, 7 GP, -11 GD, 3 points
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Layer Road
3 October 2007 19:45
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Rangers News:

Mick Harford takes over the R's on a caretaker basis. Recent loan singings Vine and Jarrett are both available. Timoska has not yet shaken off his illness, so is a doubt. Nardiello (hamstring) and Nygaard (calf) may be available to take part this evening. Leigertwood returns from a one-match suspension.

The Opponent:

According to the BBC, "Colchester are hoping Teddy Sheringham (hamstring) and keeper Aidan Davison (groin) recover in time to play. Defender Bela Balogh is unlikely to be ready for his debut following a hamstring injury and Kevin Watson is still out with an Achilles problem."

The Series:

QPR leads 21-8-12, including a 16-7-11 lead in league play. Last season, the home team won both meetings. Colchester won 2-1 at home in September while the R's won 1-0 at home on New Year's Day on a goal by Ray Jones.

The Championship:

In addition to our game, West Brom hosts Stoke tonight. The rest of the division player yesterday.

Barnsley 3-0 Bristol C
Burnley 2-2 Ipswich
Coventry 3-1 Blackpool
Hull City 1-2 Charlton
Leicester 0-0 Wolves
Norwich 0-0 Scunthorpe
Plymouth 1-0 C Palace
Preston 5-1 Southampton
Sheff Utd 3-3 Cardiff
Watford 2-1 Sheff Wed

So, entering today's games, here's the Championship table:

Pos Team P GD PTS

1 Watford 9 4 20
2 Charlton 9 6 18
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3 West Brom 8 11 16
4 Barnsley 9 2 15
5 Coventry 9 1 15
6 Bristol City 9 2 14
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7 Scunthorpe 9 1 14
8 Burnley 8 2 13
9 Plymouth 9 2 13
10 Stoke 8 2 13
11 Wolverhampton 9 1 12
12 Hull 9 0 11
13 Blackpool 9 -1 11
14 Ipswich 8 -1 11
15 Cardiff 9 0 10
16 Southampton 9 -5 10
17 Crystal Palace 9 0 9
18 Sheff Utd 9 -1 9
19 Preston 9 -2 9
20 Colchester 8 1 8
21 Leicester 8 0 8
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22 Norwich 9 -5 8
23 Sheff Wed 9 -9 6
24 QPR 7 -11 3

[QPR Kevin H]

Thanks Atouk!

Come on youuuuuuuuuuu Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrssss

[QPR Kevin H]

BBC London's sports show should be getting around to the Rs preview and discussion of the manager situation in the next few minutes - after the Ch**sea preview.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/sport/

[QPR Kevin H]

Team sheets are out...

Colchester vs QPR

Colchester: Gerken, Duguid, Baldwin, Virgo, Elokobi, Yeates, Izzet, Jackson, Granville, Lisbie, Platt

Subs: Cousins, Guy, Guttridge, Connolly, Elito

QPR: Camp, Rowlands, Leigertwood, Cullip, Barker, Ainsworth, Jarrett, Bolder, Ephraim, Blackstock, Vine

Subs: Cole, Sahar, Bignot, Moore, Stewart

[QPR Kevin H]

Leigertwood in defense... interesting (that's from the commo on BBC London at the match). I guess we're looking at 3-5-2 with a midfielder in central defense (!?!):

Camp
Barker-Leigertwood-Cullip
Ainsworth-Jarrett-Bolder-Rowlands-Ephraim
Blackstock-Vine

[Atouk]

Team sheets are out...

Colchester vs QPR

Colchester: Gerken, Duguid, Baldwin, Virgo, Elokobi, Yeates, Izzet, Jackson, Granville, Lisbie, Platt

Subs: Cousins, Guy, Guttridge, Connolly, Elito

QPR: Camp, Rowlands, Leigertwood, Cullip, Barker, Ainsworth, Jarrett, Bolder, Ephraim, Blackstock, Vine

Subs: Cole, Sahar, Bignot, Moore, StewartI wish Mancienne's back would get better!

So, Vine and Jarrett both go straight into the starting 11 with one day of training. Leigertwood has only been with the club a few weeks. That's a group that won't be too familiar with one another, that's for sure.

Umm... are there enough defenders there? :) Has Rowlands been moved to right back and Leigertwood to center back? Looks like it, with an Ainsworth/Jarrett/Bolder/Ephraim midfield. Wow. Interesting.

[Atouk]

Leigertwood in defense... interesting (that's from the commo on BBC London at the match). I guess we're looking at 3-5-2 with a midfielder in central defense (!?!):

Camp
Barker-Leigertwood-Cullip
Ainsworth-Jarrett-Bolder-Rowlands-Ephraim
Blackstock-Vine

Seeing that XI, I'd have figured a 4-4-2 with Rowlands at right back, but I guess we'll see in a few minutes!

[QPR Kevin H]

Seeing that XI, I'd have figured a 4-4-2 with Rowlands at right back, but I guess we'll see in a few minutes!
Ahh! That makes a lot more sense :)

Haven't seen that in a few years

---------------Camp-----------------
Rowlands--Cullip--Leigertwood--Barker
Ainsworth--Jarrett--Bolder---Ephraim
----------Blackstock--Vine-----------

[Atouk]

with a midfielder in central defense (!?!)When we signed Leigertwood, they said he played both midfield and defense. Isn't he 6'2 or 6'3? Shouldn't be out of place as a central defender, from what I've seen of him.

[QPR Kevin H]

When we signed Leigertwood, they said he played both midfield and defense. Isn't he 6'2 or 6'3? Shouldn't be out of place as a central defender, from what I've seen of him.
True - but it's not hard to see how Harford feels about Stewart

[Atouk]

Ahh! That makes a lot more sense :)

Haven't seen that in a few yearsIt's been awhile, but he's solid there. If we're really going with Leigertwood and Rowlands in defense, that should be a team that can attack out of the back pretty well. I don't know if we're likely to be any more exposed with them back there than Bignot/Curtis/Rehman at right back and Stewart at center back and we should be better going forward.

With all these wide midfield options (Ephraim, Jarrett, Ainsworth, Rowlands), it makes sense that one gets pushed to right back to keep the talent on the field.

[QPR Kevin H]

Colchester note: Kevin McLeod failed to make the bench for the Us

[Atouk]

True - but it's not hard to see how Harford feels about Stewart
He's been hot and cold with more cold than hot lately, so I don't mind the change. I wonder what happens when Mancienne gets back. Rowlands is too good to sit, Ainsworth brings a spark, but I doubt both Jarrett and Ephraim go to the bench.

We're just too good to have 3 points from 7. The defense is a weakness and this sounds like an interesting thing to try to get more of our best XI football players on the field at once.

[Atouk]

Colchester note: Kevin McLeod failed to make the bench for the Us

From the Colchester Evening star, courtesy of QPR Report's blog: "'This match will come too soon for Teddy (Sheringham), and Kevin (McLeod) is also struggling with flu,' revealed manager Williams last night."

[QPR Kevin H]

We're just too good to have 3 points from 7. The defense is a weakness and this sounds like an interesting thing to try to get more of our best XI football players on the field at once.
Totally agree - and I like what Harford is doing in theory - let's see how it works in practice.

[QPR Kevin H]

We're off

UUURRRRRRRRs!

[doolittledog2]

And I can read your pbp for about the 1st half...then I am out of the office.

[QPR Kevin H]

And I can read your pbp for about the 1st half...then I am out of the office.
Part-timer ;)

[QPR Kevin H]

Ohhhh! Vine apparently had an open goal but a Col U defender makes a desperate clearance

[Atouk]

Blackstock and Vine had 'em 2-on-1 but Vine couldn't convert what should have been an easy goal. :mad: