Big win. Many teams around them also won. Anything but 3 points would have seen them back in the bottom three. Crazy league -- 38 points has Stoke in the relegation zone in 22nd, 40 points has you in 16th.
On the bench: 🚨 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨✌️ changes for the R's. pic.twitter.com/JxmkZph4GA— QPR FC (@QPR) March 16, 2024 0-0 at the half.
0-0 at the finish as well. Combined with other results, this keeps them in 20th, only 3 points off 16th. Then again, it keeps them only 1 point ahead of 10th and the final relegation slot. Tighter than a flea's arse at the bottom.
It's still pretty tight down at the bottom, with just 6 points separating 17th and 23rd. What has changed is that QPR have gone on a run of 5 wins and 2 draws in the last 8 games, compared with 3 losses, 3 draws and 2 wins in the 8 games before that. This has lifted them from 22nd and the the final relegation spot to 16th with only 6 games left. Since they're 6 points clear with a superior GD, safety is within touching distance. Unfortunately the sudden uptick has coincided with Reggie being benched for Ireland's Jimmy Dunne, a career CB who's suddenly been transformed into QPR's default CB. Not exactly encouraging.
On the bench: 🚨 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨3️⃣ changes from the weekend. pic.twitter.com/LsZ061eS9N— QPR FC (@QPR) April 9, 2024
And he did not get off the bench in a 1-1 draw. After a few promising games in his first month, his move to QPR is turning into a total mess. He's not playing, and the team climbed out of the relegation zone with him on the bench. Anyway, we will probably learn more in the offseason about how much QPR want Reggie and how much Reggie wants QPR after the season. He turns 26 in June. You don't want to be riding the bench in your prime years.
Turns out that one of QPR's center backs is a pretty good right back. No manager had figured that out before now. Jimmy Dunne's original 3-year QPR contract may expire in June, but there is a one-year club option which they seem sure to exercise. Dunne is 26 now (27 in October). If Dunne gives QPR signs he might extend his deal, that could be it for Cannon. He isn't worth loads, but his transfer value makes him too valuable to sit on QPR's bench. If Dunne says he won't extend, they may be more likely to deal him and keep Cannon, who has longer under contract.
I'd like him back at Dallas if he has learned that a handful of people doesn't equal all of the fans.
Does Cannon need to panic? He earned himself a new contract through mid-2027 that pays him something like $750K-$800K a season, a salary level that only a few fullbacks in MLS earn. He gets to live in London. He's at a team that will actually pay his salary. The concerns would be that he has slipped out of the US national team picture, although the competition these days is rather tough. And if QPR slip out of the Championship, then that likely changes his situation.
He definitely doesn't. In his 4th season season in Europe, he's been an automatic first choice at a mid-table Portugese side and was also first choice at a Championship relegation struggler - where he has a contract until 2027. He has lost his place but if they stay up - and especially if they go down - they'll look to rebuild the squad and the coach, who will have his first pre-season at the club, will have the time to make considered decisions rather than firefight. If Reggie can internalize the coach's instructions better over the summer, there's no reason why he can't regain his place. If not, you can be sure QPR will work extremely hard to find another berth for him. Most important of all, since they signed him on a free, they have no sunk cost to recover. Any respectable offer will be accepted
Cannon did not play and watched from the bench as QPR won 1-0 over Preston, pretty much securing a place in the Championship for next season.
It helped a bunch, though the Sunday result went against us (Sheffield Wednesday defeated Blackburn Rovers, climbing out of the relegation zone), so we're +4 over the relegation zone's top team (now Birmingham), rather than +6 (had Blackburn won), with two games to go. The good news is that four teams would have to pass us -- not likely given their collective form. We face promotion-chasing Leeds at Loftus Road this Friday, then have a road trip to Coventry City on the final day. The Leeds match on Friday will be available on ESPN+ (as was/is yesterday's PNE game).
For the details, that leaves them 7 points clear of third-from-bottom Birmingham, who have just 2 games left. Still tighter than a flea's arse down there: just 6 points separate Danny William's old team, Huddersfield, in 23rd and Geoff Camoeron's long-time stomping-ground Stoke in 18th. Any two from those 6 teams could go down,
I'm fine with Cannon being out of the NT picture at this point. He's playing at a MLS-level and lost his spot. QPR has done better without him, too. Today they play for nothing.
Didn't see it, but Cannon played the whole match and the stat sheet looks pretty good. At RB against Haji's LW, they must have matched up a bunch.