QPR 0-1 Saints - Match Thread

[millsy]

11 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Wasn't that Dodd's first start for us?

I needed to double check, but you're right; it was. He had a cracking home debut against Liverpool the following week, with a great cross for Rideout to score.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

55 minutes ago, millsy said:

I needed to double check, but you're right; it was. He had a cracking home debut against Liverpool the following week, with a great cross for Rideout to score.

Absolutely. Was at the Liverpool game. We seemed to beat them at The Dell regularly in the 80's/90's

[Noodles34]

1 hour ago, millsy said:

I needed to double check, but you're right; it was. He had a cracking home debut against Liverpool the following week, with a great cross for Rideout to score.

Pretty sure it was the other way round. 

[SNSUN]

14 hours ago, spyinthesky said:

Last time I went to Loftus Road Terry Curran got sent off.

I also watched France & Uruguay draw 0-0 in a 1966 World |Cup Group Stage at the old White City Stadium where QPR decamped for a while

 

12 hours ago, SaintBobby said:

My first ever Saints game was a 4-0 defeat at QPR. About 1984, I think.

Never forgiven them. Still have the "scar tissue".

 

3 hours ago, eurosaint said:

Last time I went there I was in the home end behind the goal when Jason Dodd equalised with a screamer in the last minute (I think it ended 2-2) !

I jumped up as everyone else stayed silent and a steward politely asked me to leave (for my own safety) which I did as there was only a minute or so left !

Hoping for better on Saturday !!

 

 

2 hours ago, millsy said:

Last time I went to Loftus Road was 89. Hopefully same result this Saturday when I go back.

4-1 away win with goals from Shearer, Wallace (2) and Le Tissier. We then beat Liverpool 4-1 at home the next week. 

What a team that was.

Flowers, Dodd, Benali, Osman, Ruddock, Case, Cockerill, Le Tissier, Rideout, Shearer, Wallace

 

comments

Last time I went to Loftus Road was when I left Car Giant with my mum, went the wrong way and ended up sailing through Shepherd's Bush and past the ground. We only needed to join the A40 and we'd have sailed home but NOOOOOO, she knew better. Pah.

[millsy]

45 minutes ago, Noodles34 said:

Pretty sure it was the other way round. 

You might be right. It was a long time ago....

[Midfield_General]

3 hours ago, millsy said:

We then beat Liverpool 4-1 at home the next week. 

What a team that was.

Flowers, Dodd, Benali, Osman, Ruddock, Case, Cockerill, Le Tissier, Rideout, Shearer, Wallace

I got Kick Off for my Amiga 500 that year and used the kit and player names editor to create my all-conquering Saints team, which I named as that exact team.

Chris Nicholl's 4-2-4 balls out insanity. It didn't always work by any means, but when it did - like smashing that Liverpool side with Grobbelaar, Hansen, Barnes, Beardsley and Rush in it, who had done the double a few years earlier - it was incredible. It was an amazing time to be a 14-year old Saints fan. 

[wild-saint]

2 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I got Kick Off for my Amiga 500 that year and used the kit and player names editor to create my all-conquering Saints team, which I named as that exact team.

Chris Nicholl's 4-2-4 balls out insanity. It didn't always work by any means, but when it did - like smashing that Liverpool side with Grobbelaar, Hansen, Barnes, Beardsley and Rush in it, who had done the double a few years earlier - it was incredible. It was an amazing time to be a 14-year old Saints fan. 

Kick Off on the Amiga 500, what a game that was.

[Turkish]

4 hours ago, The Cat said:

It was 2015 when we were last in the same league. We won 1-0 there, Mane scored right at the end.

Cheers, forgot about that one. Only 8 years then, seems a lot longer than that.

[Master Bates]

Stephens starting tonight.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

And he's given the ball away in the first minute and they've scored. Hopefully RM was watching!

[Nolan]

Since sacking Ainsworth and appointing Cifuentes QPR have had a resurgence. 

Ainsworth only won two in his 14 games in charge. Cifuentes has won 3, drawn 3, and lost 2 

 

Cifuentes has had as many Clean sheats in his 8 games as we've had all season (4)

 

 

 

[mikec]

21 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Pretty sure it was the other way round. 

No, the 4-1 win at Lotus Road was the week before the 4-1 win against Liverpool at the Dell.  I was at both games.  I think these 2 matches were among the high points of Chris Nicholl's time in charge.

[david in sweden]

14 games unbeaten speaks something about a consistency against allcomers, but recalling the fiasco

finishes in the Huddersfield and Rotherham matches, it shows that we must never underestimate the efforts

of those bottom-end sides who are desperately fighting to stay clear of the drop zone. 

We really need to see what our strike force can produce and - welcoming as it was - the Blackburn result

was only the product of  2 late goals - in 10 minutes of added time - against 10 very tired men.

 

Not every team will lay down and roll over to help us preserve our hitherto unbeaten record. 

The next four games (upto and incl. January1st.) should show us if there is a future for the likes of Mara , 

and Alcarez  as "potential frontline strikers" , or if their long-awaited goals were the end of an extended drought

or merely... a drop in the ocean.  Sam Edozie has shown up well in the last few games, and scored valuable goals

but his input in these forthcoming  4 games will be under keen scrutiny and will hopefully be just as rewarding. 

 

With Ché Adams "rumoured" imminent departure on the cards , and our total reliance on Adam Armstrong's goal 

tally to keep the momentum , we must add some muscle to the front line in January whilst waiting for Ross Stewart's 

unpredictable return date. 

 

Edited 21 December, 2023 by david in sweden

[Yorkshire Saint]

1 hour ago, david in sweden said:

14 games unbeaten speaks something about a consistency against allcomers, but recalling the fiasco

finishes in the Huddersfield and Rotherham matches, it shows that we must never underestimate the efforts

of those bottom-end sides who are desperately fighting to stay clear of the drop zone. 

We really need to see what our strike force can produce and - welcoming as it was - the Blackburn result

was only the product of  2 late goals - in 10 minutes of added time - against 10 very tired men.

 

Not every team will lay down and roll over to help us preserve our hitherto unbeaten record. 

The next four games (upto and incl. January1st.) should show us if there is a future for the likes of Mara , 

and Alcarez  as "potential frontline strikers" , or if their long-awaited goals were the end of an extended drought

or merely... a drop in the ocean.  Sam Edozie has shown up well in the last few games, and scored valuable goals

but his input in these forthcoming  4 games will be under keen scrutiny and will hopefully be just as rewarding. 

 

With Ché Adams "rumoured" imminent departure on the cards , and our total reliance on Adam Armstrong's goal 

tally to keep the momentum , we must add some muscle to the front line in January whilst waiting for Ross Stewart's 

unpredictable return date. 

 

Don't know what they are feeding you in Sweden David, but posts like that are far to reasoned, balanced and thought through for this forum. 

[Charlie Wayman]

3 hours ago, david in sweden said:

- the Blackburn result

was only the product of  2 late goals - in 10 minutes of added time - against 10 very tired men.

 

Not every team will lay down and roll over to help us preserve our hitherto unbeaten record. 

The next four games (upto and incl. January1st.) should show us if there is a future for the likes of Mara , 

and Alcarez  as "potential frontline strikers" , or if their long-awaited goals were the end of an extended drought

or merely... a drop in the ocean.  Sam Edozie has shown up well in the last few games, and scored valuable goals

but his input in these forthcoming  4 games will be under keen scrutiny and will hopefully be just as rewarding. 

 

With Ché Adams "rumoured" imminent departure on the cards , and our total reliance on Adam Armstrong's goal 

tally to keep the momentum , we must add some muscle to the front line in January whilst waiting for Ross Stewart's 

unpredictable return date. 

 

I've never bought into the idea that we only ever beat very poor teams. We systematically destroyed Blackburn with superb controlled football that stretched the opposition to breaking point both physically and mentally. The timing of the late goals was irrelevant, we had squandered clear cut chance after chance including a penalty long before that and should have been 5-0 up at 90 minutes.

As for Adams, I doubt many will know or care if he is still around or long gone at the end of January.

Edited 21 December, 2023 by Charlie Wayman

[warsash saint]

Not been to Loftus Road for many a year, what's the parking like near the ground - as far i can see, apart from next to ground & Westfield, there is plenty of free Saturday street parking?  Any advise greatly received

Edited 21 December, 2023 by warsash saint

[The Cat]

2 hours ago, warsash saint said:

Not been to Loftus Road for many a year, what's the parking like near the ground - as far i can see, apart from next to ground & Westfield, there is plenty of free Saturday street parking?  Any advise greatly received

Last time I parked around there was this time last Xmas for a gig at Bush Hall. There is a lot of street parking in the road around that venue but I remember it being pretty pricey. 

[Turkish]

Anyone heard anything about a Santa hat on the seat for us all?

[Noodles34]

42 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Anyone heard anything about a Santa hat on the seat for us all?

Would much prefer a red and white wig myself. 

[Esher Saint]

On 19/12/2023 at 12:04, Turkish said:

Bloody hell thats a couple of names from the past

Memories of QPR

Obviously the plastic pitch

QPRs Guinness Kit in the mid 80s was one of the best kits i remember as a kid

Losing 4-0 on the plastic pitch there the season we finished second

Peter Hucker was their keeper at the time, thinking it was truly hilarious to say his name really loud as it sounded like Peter Fucker

Terry Fenwick, Simon Stainrod other very good players from that team

I remember them being 4-0 down at home in a game when i was a kid and drawing it 5-5

Us selling Colin Clarke to them for £800k as Clarke had said he wanted to join a bigger club

Having a cup game in the mid 80s that went to a third reply i think, something kids of today would not be able to comprehend

QPRs mob being in the Milton for a night game when i was about 8 or 9.

Clubs like us, QPR, Leicester and Coventry are about as similar as you can get back in those days. 

 

cracking bit of nostalj there....dont leave out terrace fave Mark Dennis leaving us for QPR after his dust up with Chrissy Nicholl.  QPR at home that season all singing 'we want our psycho back.....'

[fanimal]

Well every hand on deck for the next 10 days keep the shape and the faith try and kill a few games off early to save the legs.

Swansea at home sold out St Mary’s rocking!

[Draino76]

Anyone got a spare ticket?

Will pay in cash/bitcoin etc.

[beatlesaint]

The way RM talks about Stephens worries me, it’s like the second coming of the Messiah instead of the return to fitness of an average centre back. I hope he only plays when Bednarek or THB need a break instead of them.

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, beatlesaint said:

The way RM talks about Stephens worries me, it’s like the second coming of the Messiah instead of the return to fitness of an average centre back. I hope he only plays when Bednarek or THB need a break instead of them.

you shouldn't be surprised, he talked about Manning a bit like that until fairly recently

[david in sweden]

On 21/12/2023 at 13:11, Yorkshire Saint said:

Don't know what they are feeding you in Sweden David, but posts like that are far to reasoned, balanced and thought through for this forum. 

not got into the Christmas menu yet, but I've re-hashed parts of the text a few times over the last 60 years - with a few generational name-changes.

[david in sweden]

On 21/12/2023 at 14:37, Charlie Wayman said:

I've never bought into the idea that we only ever beat very poor teams. We systematically destroyed Blackburn with superb controlled football that stretched the opposition to breaking point both physically and mentally. The timing of the late goals was irrelevant, we had squandered clear cut chance after chance including a penalty long before that and should have been 5-0 up at 90 minutes.

As for Adams, I doubt many will know or care if he is still around or long gone at the end of January.

I agree with much of what you'd written, but ....over a long period of time, I've found that we often have the most problem against those lowly-placed

teams who fight like h*ll to survive and often end up stealing points.  Our first half display was a one of the best I've seen in a long while, but

we had to wait until 44th minute to register the first goal.  If we'd gone in 3-0 at HT, it would have been a sign of our superiority. (6 shots and 12 corners)

but we failed to convert our best chances earlier in the game and only the second goal, and their later red card made the result that much safer. 

 

The fact that a very tired Blackburn side were running on empty in the added time and conceded twice more was almost inevitable, but once again we weren't

convincing enough in front of goal in the first hour and, pleasing as it was, we didn't really deserve the over-exaggerated praise that was attached to the final score   

- after missing so many chances in the first 90 minutes.  Unless we start scoring much more in the second part of the season - goal difference maybe our downfall.

 

[Barsiem]

BLC holders can get free tickets for the game here.  Guessing it's home only so be prepared to frown each time we score!

https://bluelighttickets.co.uk/event/5438

[notnowcato]

Expect this to be a tight affair, QPR are playing a very different style under Cifuentes.  We'll win but by the odd goal; 0-1.

COYS!!

[Wade Garrett]

We’ll fucking smash the cunts.

[CB Fry]

5 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

We’ll fucking smash the cunts.

And that's just the first half.

[gio1saints]

4 hours ago, beatlesaint said:

The way RM talks about Stephens worries me, it’s like the second coming of the Messiah instead of the return to fitness of an average centre back. I hope he only plays when Bednarek or THB need a break instead of them.

I get what you are saying but have you ever been in a sports man management position like RM?  
How do you think Stephens would feel if his manager described him like you did? Players love managers who make them feel good. They will run through walls for such managers. His job is to make his players 5% 10% better than they actually are just through motivation and man management skills. JS “ may” be average to you or even objectively true but when he walks out on the pitch I’m one saints fan that wants him to feel like superman. - and do his best to live up to his billing. That’s what RM is up to. 

[Dellyears]

57 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

I get what you are saying but have you ever been in a sports man management position like RM?  
How do you think Stephens would feel if his manager described him like you did? Players love managers who make them feel good. They will run through walls for such managers. His job is to make his players 5% 10% better than they actually are just through motivation and man management skills. JS “ may” be average to you or even objectively true but when he walks out on the pitch I’m one saints fan that wants him to feel like superman. - and do his best to live up to his billing. That’s what RM is up to. 

 

Quite right! And one more thing--its a long time since we'ver seen JS play, he's  had a load of Premier experience since then, I am happy we now have three centre backs of quality and a fourth in the bacckground

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

I get what you are saying but have you ever been in a sports man management position like RM?  
How do you think Stephens would feel if his manager described him like you did? Players love managers who make them feel good. They will run through walls for such managers. His job is to make his players 5% 10% better than they actually are just through motivation and man management skills. JS “ may” be average to you or even objectively true but when he walks out on the pitch I’m one saints fan that wants him to feel like superman. - and do his best to live up to his billing. That’s what RM is up to. 

He should absolutely not be starting ahead of TBH. Although I fear this may happen. 

[Pamplemousse]

I don't think we'll see him again until the Walsall game personally.

[Galway saint]

2 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

He should absolutely not be starting ahead of TBH. Although I fear this may happen. 

don’t see it personally - we have finally got some resilience at the back so would be daft to tinker with it out of loyalty to the captain 

[Turkish]

2 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

He should absolutely not be starting ahead of TBH. Although I fear this may happen. 

 No chance. TBH is a class act and going to play at a very high level. Stephens is a good club man but there is a reason why he’s never had an offer from another club. Decent lad, decent at this level but if he’s coming in for anyone it’ll be Janny B, which would be deserved just for his nickname 

Edited 22 December, 2023 by Turkish

[Maggie May]

I don’t know anything about QPR but I think they will win today.

[Harry_SFC]

Martin would be a complete fool to change our centre back pairing now. I just can't see it. 

[austsaint]

30 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Martin would be a complete fool to change our centre back pairing now. I just can't see it. 

Relax, I don't think he will.   RM must know what a gem he has in THB and Bednarek has completely earned his starting spot this season.

[StrangelyBrown]

1 hour ago, Harry_SFC said:

Martin would be a complete fool to change our centre back pairing now. I just can't see it. 

He brought Manning back in when Bree had clearly shored up the left back position...

[Convict Colony]

3-1 to us, i'm rising from my deathbed to watch this as spent most of my time with my head in the COT, Circle of Toiletbowl.

 

[austsaint]

7 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

3-1 to us, i'm rising from my deathbed to watch this as spent most of my time with my head in the COT, Circle of Toiletbowl.

 

All the best for a quick recovery.     Pre-Xmas overkill; Covid??

[Totton Saint]

Give us an Xmas present today Saints please.

[Convict Colony]

4 minutes ago, austsaint said:

All the best for a quick recovery.     Pre-Xmas overkill; Covid??

tonsilitis

[beatlesaint]

16 hours ago, gio1saints said:

I get what you are saying but have you ever been in a sports man management position like RM?  
How do you think Stephens would feel if his manager described him like you did? Players love managers who make them feel good. They will run through walls for such managers. His job is to make his players 5% 10% better than they actually are just through motivation and man management skills. JS “ may” be average to you or even objectively true but when he walks out on the pitch I’m one saints fan that wants him to feel like superman. - and do his best to live up to his billing. That’s what RM is up to. 

Well I get what you are saying and obviuosly he's not going to describe him how I have, however we dont need to go all misty eyed in press conferences, surely his tactics for doing that are behind the scenes? And while you are bigging up his man management style lets not forget he can be quick to call out players for errors, so how does that make them feel ? 

[ChristopheVAFC]

I hope you have a great game, and go, Saints!

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, StrangelyBrown said:

He brought Manning back in when Bree had clearly shored up the left back position...

That's true 🫠

[Saint Marky]

3 hours ago, Maggie May said:

I don’t know anything about QPR but I think they will win today.

I don’t know anything about God, don’t believe in him, but will probably have a change of direction on my deathbed. 3/1 to the mighty Saints.

[Saint Marky]

3 hours ago, Maggie May said:

I don’t know anything about QPR but I think they will win today.

I don't know much
But I know I love you
And that may be all I need to know

[macca155]

Pretty sure it will be unchanged today, although Mara might get a run out.

Stephens is important to us. I know some don't rate him but I think he is very underrated. A capable flexible  defender and a decent leader in my opinion.

Whilst clearly our number 3 CB atm, he could be called upon at any time.

Defenders are more at risk from injuries and suspension due to the nature of their role. Martin is right to keep him fit and ready to go. If all goes well it would be good to see him on the pitch for a decent cameo.