| PILLOCK WILLOCK BLOWS IT
AGAINST NINE MAN HATTERS
You can add this
one onto the list of shambolic displays over recent weeks. QPR are
close to their lowest ebb following their failure to break down a
nine man Luton Town side. Lack of passion, lack of ideas, lack of
leadership, lack of ability or a worrying combination off all four.
Royce was free to return in goal for
his penultimate game for Rangers. The back four consisted of Forbes,
Carlisle, Shittu and Williams. A midfield of Burgess, Bircham and
Palmer was supported by Willock in a floating role on the left.
Thomson and new man Brett Angell started in attack. Gallen and
Furlong both took their places on the bench following injury
alongside Oli, Padula and Culkin.
The opening few minutes saw some
bright football from both side and both keepers were forced into
good saves. Luton stopper Cedric Berthelin turned away a rare free
kick on target from Tommy Williams and Royce dived high to his right
to deny Coyne.
Mr Wolstenholme suddenly grabbed the
game by the scruff of the neck and effectively ruined it as
spectacle for all inside the increasingly more dilapidated
Kenilworth Road. Having already booked Forbes for what seemed a
slightly mistimed challenge he witnessed Steve Howard clean Carlisle
out with a crude two-footed lunge. He brandished the red card
quickly and he had left himself little option following his earlier
needless booking of Forbes.
This should have been the signal for
Rangers to push on and start dominating the game but as we all know
this is something this current side have little idea of how to do.
The main problems were occurring in the centre of midfield or the
lack of support from those areas. Brett Angell was proving to be a
good target man and on several occasions balls played into his feet
were controlled and passed with the minimum of fuss. This was OK if
he was looking to wide areas but any time a central ball was needed
there was no option. Bircham was doing all he could to get forward
and support but playing alongside the dead weight of Steve Palmer
was proving a massive hinderance. This man has no place in the
centre of midfield for a pub side let alone an alleged challenger
for the division 2 title.
Wolstenholme was at it again minutes
later with yellow cards shown to Angell and Luton's Nicholls
following a scuffle. Burgess had clashed heads with Davis and the
Luton players, not for the first time, took umbrage with this.
Nicholls' card was to prove costly later in the game.
Thommo sent a header wide from a
Williams cross and Williams also managed to slam two efforts into
the crowd whilst glory hunting rather than thinking about the team.
Luton were still a threat and Thorpe was denied a penalty following
a tussle with Forbes. Thorpe is the sort of clever player we lack at
Rangers. He knows how to manipulate a referee and as a result is
always a danger, luckily this was one of the only decisions
Wolstenholme got right all day.
Just before the break Thorpe was
booked for a lunge at Williams that nearly put the makeweight wide
man in the conservatory like executive boxes that line the pitch.
This it seems was all too much for Joe Kinnear and as the half time
whistle went he burst from his bench like no twenty-five stone man
should.
He shoved Holloway in the chest,
seemingly upset at Holloway trying to get his player booked and sent
off. Funny, I thought they were making a pretty good fist of that
themselves. Rent-a-thug Mick Harford soon joined in and Furlong had
to intervene as the warring factions made there way toward the
tunnel. It is no wonder the Luton team was so ill disciplined if
this is the example set by the manager. He seems to have brought the
crazy gang spirit with him, including the dirty tricks and thuggery
it carries with it.
Rangers were handed an even bigger
incentive to grab all three points five minutes into the second half
as Luton skipper Kevin Nicholls received his marching orders. Having
been booked earlier in his confrontation with Angell he angered the
ref again as he clipped the heels of a goalward bound Burgess.
Nicholls was clearly incensed at the decision and seemingly wanted
to get at the Rangers fans as he passed them on his way to the
tunnel. Indeed two stewards had to manhandle him away from further
trouble. A real captains example I think you'll agree.
Holloway felt the need for a change
and brought on first choice strike pair Gallen and Furlong for
Angell and Thomson. Immediately Gallen showed what we have missed
with a couple of great touches and one terrific cross field ball to
pick out Williams. His involvement was to only last fifteen minutes
as he was forced off yet again. He was on the end of a stray Luton
boot and gashed his head quite badly. Dennis Oli took his place. It
was also sad to see the Luton fans seemingly spit at fitness coach
Scott Rushton as he appeared from the tunnel after helping Gallen
round the pitch. There had been some banter following the red cards
but this was uncalled for. The lack of reaction from the Luton
stewards was even more amazing.
Berthelin saved sharply from Furlong
and also held a Burgess volley from the edge of the box. Rangers'
two best chances of the game fell to Calum Willock but the on-loan
Fulham man was having an absolute 'mare. The first came when
Berthelin failed to deal with a Williams cross. The ball dropped to
Willock in acres of space but instead of controlling and slotting
home he sent a wild effort into the Rangers fans.
As the game drew to a close he again
found himself in space with plenty of time and his finish was
equally pitiful. With a whole goal to aim at he dragged his effort
wide to howls of derision from the beleaguered Rangers faithful.
Willock is poor and no better than anything else we have. I really
think Olly has dropped a bollock on this one.
Luton almost snatched the points in
the closing moments of the game. Matthew Spring sent sub Andrew
Fotiades away and only a terrific save from Royce saved some of our
blushes. At the whistle the players were booed from the field yet
again following yet another abject performance. I am told Shittu was
in tears. Shame! Suck it up Dan.
Serious questions are starting to be
asked regarding Holloway's ability to motivate and manage this side.
Some of his team selections are perplexing whilst some of them are
just downright awful. Palmer in midfield will never work. Williams
in any position in this side will not work as he plays for himself.
Willock should be packed off back to Fulham at the earliest
opportunity.
We face a classic banana skin against
Vauxhall on Tuesday night and if we don't win I don't think it will
be too long before David Davies call Olly into his office for a
frank and open exchange of views regarding the team. People will say
we are still sixth and we are still in the cup. I would say somehow,
but not for long and only just. Unless this disturbing slide in form
and more importantly lack of goals is arrested soon then we will be
out of the promotion picture by the end of January.
simon@qprnet.com |
