QPR v Millwall – Preview

Table-toppers QPR welcome London rivals Millwall to Loftus Road tonight in what will be a feisty affair. The Londoners haven’t met in the league since 2006 so the decibel levels at Loftus Road will be much louder than usual with both fans in good song.

Millwall made a bright start to life in the Championship but since the international break they have had an abject September having failed to win this month.

Kenny Jackett has built a strong side at The Den and providing key players Steve Morison, Paul Robinson and Darren Carter stay fit they should do well this year, despite their poor form of late.

QPR’s solid display against Doncaster was efficient more than it was enterprising and even though the R’s rode their luck at times overall they were the better team defensively and the more clinical in the final third.

Last Fixture

QPR 3 (Gorkss 2, Taarabt pen)
Doncaster Rovers 0

Team: Paddy Kenny, Kyle Walker, Kaspars Gorkss, Matthew Connolly, Clint Hill, Sean Derry (Leigertwood), Akos Buzsaky, Adel Taarabt, Hogan Ephraim, Jamie Mackie (Tommy Smith), Heider Helguson.

Cardiff City 2
Millwall 1 (Barron)

Team: David Forde, Paul Robinson, Tamika Mkandawire, Tony Craig, Scott Barron, Darren Ward, Alan Dunne, Liam Trotter (sent off 40), Nadjim Abdou, Kevin Lisbie (Schofield, 69 ),Steve Morison.

QPR Team News:

Alejandro Faurlin is once again sidelined due to the groin injury he suffered against Ipswich. Bradley Orr is also out so Kyle Walker should continue in his place.

Otherwise it’s as you were for QPR and Neil Warnock should name the same team that faced Doncaster.

Possible line up:

Player to watch: Shaun Derry

The 32 year old midfielder has been a revelation since his arrival in the summer. His crunching tackles and tireless work ethic has hugely impressed many of the R’s faithful.
Derry’s inclusion to the squad has added a sense of leadership and steel to the side and even though Adel Taarabt has been given the captaincy temporarily, you can see that Derry is a natural leader on and off the pitch.

Derry is vastly experienced having played for Nott`s County, Sheffield United, Portsmouth, Crystal Palace, Nottm Forest (loan), and Leeds. Derry has notched up 129 appearances during his second spell at Palace and helped steer the Eagles away from relegation following their well documented ten- point deduction.

Millwall Team News:

The latest team news for Millwall is that Liam Trotter is out owing to suspension after being sent off in the previous fixture against Cardiff.

James Henry is pushing for a start but Darren Carter is out with an ankle injury. Kevin Lisbie is a doubt having picked up an injury against Cardiff.

Possible line-up:

Player to watch: Steve Morison

Steve Morison has been identified by DanielQPR as the player to watch ahead of this week`s match against Millwall.

To get all the detail on the One to Watch Click Here >>>

The Stat Attack

LAST FIVE

Queens Park Rangers: DWWWW
Millwall: DDLLL

HEAD 2 HEAD

Queens Park Rangers: 19
Millwall: 29
Draw: 18

LAST TIME OUT

Coca Cola Championship – 11- 2 -06
Loftus Road

QPR 1 (Nygaard)
Millwall 0

Team: Paul Jones, Bignot, Shittu, Evatt, Milanese, Ainsworth, Bircham (Langley, 88 ) , Lomas, Cook, Furlong, Nygaard (Baidoo, 78 )

Attendance: 12,355

Ref Watch:

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)

Assistants: Peter Kirkup (Northamptonshire) & William Smallwood (Chesire)

Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire)

Premiership ref Lee Probert is the match official for the game tonight and has officiated six games this season. His last game was the North London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal.

Last season Probert issued 119 yellow cards and 7 Red in 33 games.

To read more on see: Ref Watch >>>

Match Prediction:

QPR’s brilliant start has given confidence to even the most pessimistic of fans and with a six point lead at the top the R’s can afford to drop points now without it being a total disaster. Of course that shouldn’t be the mentality of the players and with Warnock in charge it won`t be.

The atmosphere tonight will be electric and with over 2,500 Millwall fans travelling across London for the match the attendance should be our best this season.

QPR have picked up two good victories against Leicester and Doncaster without playing with the same fluidity seen against Ipswich and Middlesbrough. Nonetheless it’s a good sign when you’re still picking up results even though you haven’t been at your best.

Kenny Jackett’s side started the season superbly but since the international break their form has dipped and they are without a win in 5 matches. With confidence low I don’t think Millwall will win but this is a derby and form usually counts for nothing.

Millwall have some quality players in Steve Morison and James Henry complimented by the hard-working Nadjim Abdou and Tamika Mkandawire. Rangers will have to be aware of Morison’s work-rate and willingness to run the channels; he will try and stretch the defence which might hurt us as three of our back four aren’t the quickest.

Providing our star players turn up I think we will dominate Millwall. At times against Doncaster we lost the midfield battle so tonight we will have to sharpen up on winning the second balls. Defensively the pairing of Gorkss and Connolly is improving game by game so we should shut them out aerially.

I think it will be a boisterous match and with Derry, Hill and Gorkss that should suit us. It will be tight but with confidence still high I think the R’s will sneak a victory.

2-1 Rangers Win.

Next Up

Who: Crystal Palace

Where: Selhurst Park

When: 04/10/10 – 15.00