Queens Park Rangers welcome Bristol City to Loftus Road for a bank holiday battle, with both teams searching for fresh momentum. It’s fair to say the Robins and the R’s have been hit and miss for the past five games or so and could both do with some consistency.
Keith Millen had a shaky start to life as manager of the Robins with his side languishing among the relegation places for the most part but some important wins over Cardiff City, Swansea and Leicester City have seemingly secured his job for now.
Neil Warnock knows the home support of Loftus Road could prove to be the difference between two tired sides that have endured a gruelling winter programme. Hopefully Loftus Road will be rocking and everyone will once again get behind the lads. The defeat at Norwich would certainly be softened if the R’s were to be victorious against Bristol City.
Last Fixture
Norwich City 1 (Martin 10)
QPR 0
Team: Paddy Kenny, Kyle Walker, Kaspars Gorkss, Matt Connolly (Sent Off 51), Clint Hill (Bradley Orr 46), Alejandro Damián Faurlín, Shaun Derry, Jamie Mackie, Adel Taarabt (Giorgios Tofas 62), Leon Clarke, Heidar Helguson (Patrick Agyemang 46).
Bristol City 3 (Pitman 3, Johnson 39, Campbell-Ryce 55)
Cardiff City 0
Team: David James, Lewin Nyatanga, Steven Caulker, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Marvin Elliott, Cole Skuse (Christian Ribeiro 52), Lee Johnson, Kalifa Cisse, Albert Adomah (Ivan Sproule 77), Jon Stead (David Clarkson 88), Brett Pitman
QPR Team News:
Matthew Connolly is suspended after being sent off against Norwich City. Fitz Hall is the most likely candidate to replace him if he can shake off an injury but Clint Hall is another option.
New signing Petter Vaagen Moen could make his debut providing his international clearance is sorted in time. No-one really knows about Tommy Smith`s availability (no matter how good you are at maths) as the official website has left us somewhat in the dark over his eligibility.
Peter Ramage and Lee Cook are out. Akos Buzsaky is a doubt.
Possible line up:
Walker – Hall – Gorkss – Hill
Faurlín – Derry
Mackie – Taarabt (c) – Ephraim
Hulse
Player to watch: Adel Taarabt
The Moroccan international has proved his worth in the recent months since signing permanently, and will be a key player once again this weekend.
The R’s top scorer has seen his performances blighted by inconsistency of late, but there is little doubt that there are few better than Adel when he hits his straps.
His performance will be one of the key features of Rangers’ performance on Monday and should he get it right, Rangers may bounce straight back from defeat at Norwich.
Bristol City Team News:
Jamie McAllister misses out with a calf injury. Cole Skuse is also out after limping off against Coventry City.
Liam Fontaine remains sidelined with an ankle injury but Captain Louis Carey is fit to return having recovered from injury and illness. Nicky Maynard is a long term absentee.
Possible line-up:
Ribeiro – Carey -Caulker – Nyatanga
Campbell-Ryce – Elliot – Cisse – Haynes
Stead – Pitman
Player to watch: Brett Pitman
Bristol City centre forward Brett Pitman has been outlined by danielqpr as the One to Watch ahead of Monday’s game.
The former AFC Bournemouth man has hit a fine run of form of late and comes to Loftus Road brimming with confidence.
To read his comprehensive review of the striker Click Here >>>
The Stat Attack
LAST FIVE
Queens Park Rangers: LLWWL
Bristol City: WLLDW
HEAD 2 HEAD
Queens Park Rangers: 31
Bristol City: 25
Draw: 23
LAST TIME OUT
Coca Cola Championship – 22/10/10
Bristol City 1 (Stead 16)
QPR 1 (Agyemang 84)
Team: Paddy Kenny, Clint Hill, Matt Connolly, Kaspars Gorkss, Kyle Walker, Shaun Derry, Hogan Ephraim (Tommy Smith 57), Adel Taarabt (Patrick Agyemang 78), Alejandro Damián Faurlín, Jamie Mackie, Heidar Helguson (Rob Hulse 64)
Attendance: 14,552
Ref Watch:
Referee: Mr F Graham
Assistants: Mr G Russell & Mr A Slaughter
Fourth Official: Mr R Whitton
Fred Graham is the match official for Monday’s game against Bristol City and has officiated 17 games this season. His most recent game was the match between Barnet and Aldershot.
Last season Graham issued 78 yellow cards and seven red cards in 31 games.
To read more see: Ref Watch >>>
Match Prediction:
Bristol City possess some very capable attacking options in their ranks. Jon Stead stands out as the obvious danger-man purely for his record against QPR (four in his last four).
Summer signing Brett Pitman has now settled at this level and looks a decent prospect scoring seven goals in the Championship so far. The Robins have a very handy centre midfielder in Marvin Elliot and former England number one David James is sure to pull off a class save or two.
I’m fully expecting a tired performance from both teams. I’d obviously be disappointed with a draw considering we’re at home and our seven-point cushion was cut down to four but at the end of the day it wouldn’t be a disaster as Bristol City are a decent side with numerous attacking threats.
If we can quash their counter-attacks then I think we can wear them down with a controlled performance. However having suffered defeat against Norwich confidence could’ve been knocked, affecting our passing game so I think a draw is on the cards.
1-1
Next Up
Who: BLACKBURN ROVERS
Where: Ewood Park
When: 08/01/11 – 15.00