HOT off the heels of a set of poor displays both sides will be looking to rectify the situation under the guidance of different management.
Alan Pardew paid the price for a string of poor results culminating in the weekend`s 5-2 crushing at the hands of Sheffield United, as former Hull City and Colchester United boss Phil Parkinson takes charge of the Addicks tonight.
Queens Park Rangers will have Paulo Sousa in the dugout for the first time this campaign as he takes the reigns from Gareth Ainsworth who oversaw the side`s capitulation against Watford on Saturday.
The result at the weekend saw the Addicks drop into the relegation zone, prompting the departure of the aforementioned Pardew and former boss Alan Curbishley`s name is being bounded about as a potential successor. No doubt he could have been a sure-fire success at Rangers who have opted to go down the unproven route.
Nevertheless Sousa is destined to preside his debut game in the Championship at the lowest crowd in W12 this season, cue some unfathomable spin about “unprecidented demand”, as Charlton Athletic visit W12.
Vital Quotes:
Rangers boss Paulo Sousa believed the referee to have played the part in Rangers obliteration at the hands of Watford:
‘I thought the referee could have been more sweet!” Sousa told QPR.co.uk
‘We were 3-0 down and the game was over, but he should have protected our player more.
‘It’s disappointing, because we’ll lose Fitz now and we’re also without some of our main players who are out injured at the moment.’
The referee also came under the spotlight with a decision to hand the Hornets a suspicious spot kick in the early stages of the fixture:
‘I saw the same thing going on in the Watford box, on both Dexter and Patrick.
‘But that’s football isn’t it and sometimes you get the decisions and other times you don’t.’
While the referee had a poor performance, the performance of the Rangers players also caused concern for the Portuguese boss:
‘It was a bad performance, but I’ve been here for just two days,
‘I watched from the stands today and it put some ideas in my head and I know I must change things.
‘It’s not easy to work on change when you’ve got two games a week, because you need to rest. But I believe in my own ability to make these changes and I’m confident we will make them.’
Ex-Charlton manager Alan Pardew was somewhat of a Msytic Meg in fearing his sacking:
‘Of course I’m going to fear for my position” Pardew told theBBC
“When results have been poor and the goals we’ve conceded have made it so difficult.
‘My ego isn’t that big but I still believe in what I can do.
‘My record until coming here was very good. This club was on the slide and I haven’t been able to stop that.’
QPR Team News:
Paulo Sousa could be set to ring the changes following what can only be described as sheer capitulation at the weekend.
Following Fitz Hall`s pitiful tackle against Watford earning him a red card, Paulo Sousa could be set to hand Kaspars Gorkss a sensational return to the starting line-up.
It was revealed on Vital QPR that Kaspars` agent had been in talks with other clubs, but a turn of events has seen the Latvian return to the first team set-up.
Standing in his way are either Matthew Connolly, who could be set to return following injury, or the likes of Peter Ramage and Damien Delaney who are both adept in the central defensive role.
Hall will therefore be suspensed for three fixtures, with Argentinean winger Emmanuel Ledesma suspended for the Charlton fixture due to his impetuousness in picking up a fifth yellow card.
Rangers haven`t seen ‘Heid` nor hair of loan signing Heidar Helguson from Bolton Wanderers, and rumours are rife suggesting that the deal has not in fact been completed, and he is indeed set to play for this evening`s opposition in a stunning coup.
Dexter Blackstock, Samuel Di Carmine and Patrick Agyemang will have to settle the old mathematical problem that three doesn`t go into two, and one will have to sit it out on the periphery for the Charlton match.
Damiano Tommasi could be handed a start in the heart of midfield, while Lee Cook and Martin Rowlands remain doubtful.
Player to watch: Patrick Agyemang
Following a good return to form in recent games, the former Preston North End forward looks set to start against Charlton this evening.
Purposeful running combined with pace and power has seen Patrick cause a constant threat to opposition defenders. His performance at the weekend stood out well above anything that the R`s had to offer, and more performances of this ilk may see him add to his one goal this season against a defence bereft of confidence.
Patrick signed for the R`s in January this year, a move that the majority of Rangers fans found perplexing considering his place on the periphery of the squad at Preston North End, combined with the heightening expectations at Rangers following the notable cash injection.
However the Ghanaian international confounded his critics to go on an unbelievable scoring streak to score eight goals in six games including doubles against Bristol City and Southampton.
The well travelled forward has played for five clubs including Wimbledon, Brentford Gillingham and Preston North End.
Charlton Athletic Team News:
Phil Parkinson has bolstered his squad by signing Keith Gillespie on loan from Sheffield United. The fiery winger formerly of Manchester United has made 86 international appearances for Northern Ireland and leaves Bramall Lane after a fall-out with boss Kevin Blackwell.
Other than that the former Colchester United and Hull City boss has a decision to make with regards to the side that capitulated at home to the Blades on Saturday.
Charlton may hand a start to loan forward Martyn Waghorn after another ineffectual display by favoured forwards. Andy Gray and Svetoslav Todorov have looked increasingly off the pace and lacking strength according to Vital Charlton, and the young Sunderland forward may well get the nod in W12.
The game will come too soon for Jonathan Fortune and Therry Racon, who continue the rehabilitation process from injury. Chinese international, Zheng Zhi also remains sidelined with injury.
The side from SE7 look to keep faith with Nicky Weaver despite some recent goalkeeping error, but former Rangers defender Martin Crainie could be set to start on his return to Loftus Road.
Player to watch: Hameur Bouazza
Algerian international Hameur Bouazza is Vital QPR`s One to Watch against Charlton Athletic tonight.
To view all the detail regarding the One to Watch Click Here >>>
Match Facts & Stats
QPR: Last 5 Games: W L W L L
Charlton Athletic: Last 5 Games: D L D L L
Back to back defeats against Burnley and Watford have moved Rangers further away from play-off contention. Rangers once again failed to hit the back of the net at the weekend, meaning it`s only two goals on the road all season and a mere 16 goals from 18 games.
The sacking of Alan Pardew also comes off the back of two successive defeats, but more importantly conceding 14 goals in the last five games, including five against Sheffield United and three against Birmingham and Barnsley.
HEAD 2 HEAD
QPR: 20
Charlton Athletic: 22
Draw 20
Last time out
Tuesday 19th April 2008 – Loftus Road
Coca Cola Championship
QPR 1 (Dexter Blackstock 15)
Charlton Athletic 0
Rangers Team: Lee Camp, Matthew Connolly, Damion Stewart, Fitz Hall (Michael Mancienne 34), Damien Delaney, Gareth Ainsworth (Akos Buzsaky 51), Martin Rowlands, Hogan Ephraim (Mikele Leigertwood 79), Dexter Blackstock, Angelo Balanta.
See also: One Day In History – Charlton Athletic 1979-80.
Ref Watch:
Referee– Mr K Stroud
Assistants – Mr S Child & Mr M Bull
Fourth official – Mr G Hegley
Keith Stroud from Hampshire will officiate the R`s clash with Charlton Athletic this evening
To get all the stats concerning the official Click Here >>>.
Match Prediction:
Rangers simply must bounce back in style against a Charlton side bereft of ideas and confidence. Although for some players it will be like looking in a mirror the R`s must step up in W12 and take the game; Which is why I predict:
Boxer`s Prediction: 2-0 Rangers
Next Fixtures:
Who– Crystal Palace
Where– Selhurst Park, London
When– Saturday November 28 – 3:00pm