QPR v. West Brom (4 May: Match 46) & Championship Finale [R]

[QPR Kevin H]

It's all ending so suddenly! QPR wrapping up what is perhaps the most interesting and optimistic mid-table season of all time :)

West Brom are up (essentially), but can they win the League with a point or three? Loftus Road is sold out and the weather forecast looks nice - should be a fun day out.

Here is some of the build-up...

Table (R's 14th, WBA 1st)
http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/tables?league=eng.2&cc=5901

Fixtures
All 14:00 UK Kick-offs

Blackpool v Watford
Bristol City v Preston NE
C.Palace v Burnley
Cardiff City v Barnsley
Charlton v Coventry
Ipswich v Hull City
QPR v West Brom
Scunthorpe v Colchester
Sheff Weds v Norwich
Southampton v Sheff Utd
Stoke City v Leicester
Wolves v Plymouth

Form Guide (R's 9th, WBA 3rd)
http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D1/oform.html
- Only one loss in the last 6 for West Brom and 4 wins

Thoughts & Previews

QPR Official Site (http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Preview/0,,10373~1301344,00.html)

TALKING WOUNDED

As the R's get ready for the final match of the season against title-chasing West Bromwich Albion this weekend, Head Physio Paul Hunter has delivered mixed news from the Treatment Room.

Patrick Agyemang, Fitz Hall and Akos Buzsaky all missed last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Norwich City, and unfortunately Hungarian Buzsaky won't be able to shake off his niggling injury problem in time for the visit of the Baggies.

THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: BAGGIES

While it's not yet mathematically certain, West Bromwich Albion Football Club are within touching distance of a glorious return to the top-flight of English Football.

Chris Brunt's late equaliser against Southampton on Monday night as good as guaranteed the Baggies promotion back to the Premiership, after Adam Lallana had given Saints a shock lead.

The 1-1 draw left Tony Mowbray's men three points clear of third placed Hull City and the buoyant Baggies have a vastly superior goal difference.

Sky Sports (http://www.skysports.com/experts/expert_story/0,19793,12086_3510169,00.html)

Judgement Day

We've never seen a day like this in the history of the Football League.

There are 12 Championship games taking place simultaneously on Sunday and 10 of them mean something; never has there been one division where so much has been at stake on the final day.

There's going to be a lot of tension in stadiums up and down the country. Everybody will have their radios and mobile phones on and I'm sure there will be people sat at home watching Sky Sports News and passing information on to people in the grounds.

There's no way that players will be able to avoid the scores from other grounds. Fans will start singing if rival teams go behind and it won't be hard for the players to work out what's going on.

Sporting Life (http://www.sportinglife.com/football/nationwide1/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/05/02/SOCCER_West_Brom_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=nationwide1)

MOWBRAY EYES TITLE GLORY

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray insists he will do everything in his power to win the Championship title on Sunday - but has no designs on ever lifting it again.

Leaders Albion will head to QPR on Sunday safe in the knowledge it will take an extraordinary sequence of results to deny them their place in the Premier League.

They are level on points with Stoke and three points clear of third-placed Hull with a vastly superior goal difference over both sides.

The sums are simple for Mowbray's men. Win at Loftus Road and the championship is theirs, which would make it third time lucky after finishing second in 2002 and 2004.

The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/apr/29/westbrom.championship)

What goes up won't come down, hopes Tony Mowbray

Those expecting West Bromwich Albion to be gripped with a sense of foreboding at the start of next season have not spent enough time in the company of Tony Mowbray and his players. While the negativity surrounding Albion's inevitable promotion from the Championship is all too predictable, as bookmakers forecast relegation and pundits talk about the club "sinking without a trace", such pessimism has no place at The Hawthorns where Mowbray has grand plans for the future.

Loft for Words (http://www.clubfanzine.com/QPR/showNews.php?id=10640&loc=1)

Memories and Connections - QPR v West Brom

QPR face West Brom on the final day of the season at Loftus Road, Ash Rose looks back at some memories and player connections between the two sides.

[doolittledog2]

Great write-up, Kevin.

My sadness with season coming to a close will soon be replaced with hopefull optimism for the coming season. URRR's!!!

[Atouk]

I just logged on to listen (finally seen to have my home computer problems fixed) and... I forgot the game is tomorrow! :eek: :)

[QPR Kevin H]

I just logged on to listen (finally seen to have my home computer problems fixed) and... I forgot the game is tomorrow! :eek: :)
HA! Nice one :)

Too much going on in the division to even mention - just listening to Talksport for all the goals and table movement.

[MetroAnt]

Anyone able to listen? Commentary doesn't seem to be working.


Nevermind, the coomentary link is working. Rowlands sent off on 37 minutes.

[Atouk]

Finally able to get on and listen! Still 0-0 in the second half in our game.

Other second half scores:

Palace 3-0 Burnley
Blackpool 1-0 Watford
Wolves 0-0 Plymouth
Bristol City 2-0 Preston
Stoke 0-0 Leicester
Sheff Wed 2-1 Norwich (Wednesday just scored the second)

[Atouk]

West Brom 1-0 QPR :(

52nd minute goal. Cross from the byline headed home as West Brom take the lead against the run of play.

[Atouk]

Neil Clement got a yellow in the first half and could have received one just before their goal for obstruction against Ainsworth, so they've used their second sub to get him off the pitch. He's been replaced by Martin Albrechtsen.

The WBA goal was scored by halftime substitute Do-heon Kim.

[Atouk]

Southampton just scored to take a 2-1 lead against Sheff United.

[Atouk]

Watford have scored. Blackpool 1-1 Watford.

Palace is now 4-0 up against Burnley.

[Atouk]

Sheffield United just scored, making it 2-2 against Southampton and putting the Saints back into the relegation zone (if Southampton wins and Leicester continues to draw with Stoke, Leicester would go down instead if Sheff Wed maintains their 2-1 lead against Norwich).

A reminder of the state of the table:

1 West Brom 45 31 78
2 Stoke 45 14 78
------
3 Hull 45 19 75
4 Bristol City 45 -2 71
5 Watford 45 6 69
6 Crystal Palace 45 11 68
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7 Wolverhampton 45 4 67
8 Ipswich 45 8 66
9 Sheff Utd 45 6 66
10 Plymouth 45 11 64
11 Burnley 45 -2 62
12 Charlton 45 2 61
13 Cardiff 45 1 61
14 QPR 45 -4 58
15 Preston 45 -3 56
16 Norwich 45 -7 55
17 Barnsley 45 -10 55
18 Blackpool 45 -5 53
19 Coventry 45 -9 53
20 Sheff Wed 45 -4 52
21 Leicester 45 -3 51
------
22 Southampton 45 -17 51
23 Scunthorpe 45 -23 45
24 Colchester 45 -24 37

[Atouk]

Brunt's shot came off the bar. Kim forced a save from Camp on the rebound.

Southampton just scored, taking a 3-2 lead against Sheffield United. That puts Leicester back into the last relegation spot... at least as long as Sheff Wed keeps their lead against Norwich. :eek:

[Atouk]

Luke Moore entered for WBA. Paul Robinson, on a yellow, was removed.

A few minutes later, Brunt scores into the top corner on a free kick in the 76th. West Brom are likely champs.

WBA 2-0 QPR

[Atouk]

Sheff Wed has scored again. With a 3-1 lead now at Norwich, the Owls appear to be safe. It's probably down to Southampton or Leicester for the final relegation spot.

[Atouk]

Ramone Rose enters for the R's to make his first-team debut. He entered for Hogan Ephraim.

Preston is losing 3-0 at Bristol City and Norwich and Burnley are both losing (and have inferior goal difference to us even if they were to win), so the R's will finish the season in 14th.

[Atouk]

They're both going down, but they're going out with a bang -- after a Scunthorpe goal, it's now Scunthorpe 3 - Colchester 3!

[Atouk]

18,309 at Loftus Road in an announced sell-out.

[Atouk]

Southampton's Stern John, scorer of two of their three goals today, has just been given a red card in the 80th minute for a second bookable offense. 10 minutes plus for the Saints to play a man down while trying to hold onto the lead that will keep them in the Championship.

[Atouk]

Sheffield Wednesday is now 4-1 up against Norwich. They're safe.

[Atouk]

Palace has scored a 5th at home against Burnley.

Coventry is losing 1-3 at Charlton. With Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday winning, a goal by Leicester would send Coventry down (they're tied with Blackpool, but have a 4-goal inferior GD)!!

19 Coventry 45 -9 53
20 Sheff Wed 45 -4 52
21 Leicester 45 -3 51
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22 Southampton 45 -17 51