Well, that's that then. The unbeaten home record stretching back for almost eighteen months lost thanks to an inept display from a team that looks out of ideas, lead by a manager that looks out of ideas. We have only played four games but already it looks as though it is going to be a real struggle.

After a promising display at Sunderland I am sure Holloway would have liked to have kept the same side but was not afforded that luxury. Day remained in goal behind a back four of Bignot, Rose, Forbes and Padula. The midfield four was Rowlands, Johnson, Bean and Cook, with Gallen and Furlong in attack. The most bizarre thing though was an announcement from PA man Pete Nutall before the game. He announced that Shittu was on the bench against Prav’s wishes and that he would only be used if all centre halves were injured! What the bloody hell is all that about, what use is a sub that you can’t play. Absolute madness.

Rangers almost made the perfect start when Gallen had the ball in the net in under thirty seconds. Cookie made a burst down the left, cut back and delivered a perfect right footed cross for Gallen. His header flew into the net via the post only for the flag to go up and deny him. Whilst Rangers were still whinging about it Derby broke downfield and Ian Taylor forced Day to tip a shot against the post, the rebound was shanked wide by former Watford hitman Tommy Smith.

Smith made no mistake after eight minutes though when he gave The Rams the lead. Montgomery Burns look-a-like Mike Riley awarded Derby a freekick on the edge of the box after a quite brilliant challenge from Forbes. The fact that he took the ball made no difference to this clown and from the free kick Inigo Idiakez, the best player on the park by a mile, curled a shot goalward. The ball was deflected into the path of Smith who tucked it into the corner. There were appeals for offside but Rose was clinging to the post for dear life so no chance of the flag going up.

Furlong had the ball in the net soon after but was well offside when he scored so there were few complaints. Day then pulled off a great save to turn a delicate effort from Marco Reich over the bar. With just over a quarter of an hour gone Derby scored again, kind of. Derby won a corner and Idiakez swung the ball into the area. Forbes went up for a header with Marcus Tudgay and managed to deflect the ball past the helpless Day. Holloway later bemoaned our lack of prowess in the air, hardly surprising as he had selected one of the smallest Rangers teams I have seen for years.

Derby were looking a real threat every time they came forward with Idiakez in particular prompting things from the middle of the field. It was easy to see why he has spent so many years in La Liga as the ease with which he plays the game is a joy to watch. Lee Camp was having one of the easiest afternoons he has ever had at Loftus Road. Every shot or cross that Rangers could muster seemed to go straight into his hands and I can’t recall him actually having to dive for anything.

Half time couldn’t come too soon for Rangers. Things needed to be changed at the back as there seemed to be little communication or understanding. Rose made way for Santos which was something of a surprise as Forbes had been thus far having a stinker. I can only assume Rose picked up a knock as he did seem to turn an ankle early in the piece. Rangers immediately seemed more assured as Santos won his fair share of headers.

Rangers were trying to get Cook and Rowlands into the game more and both of them set up a chance for their strikers. First Rowlands played Gallen in only for him to shoot straight at Camp, then Cook sent in a great ball and Furlong’s header was once again straight down the Derby stoppers throat. It was becoming clear that we were not going to beat him from open play and that set pieces would be our best for of attack, or they would be if we had any idea how to work one!

Having spent the best part of two months working with Lee Camp I would have thought that somebody would have known his strength in the air. It seems not as every ball that Gino or Gallen put into the box went straight into his hands. If this pair are the best we have at the club then I can safely say that we will not score from a set piece this season. Some serious hours need to be put in on the training ground as they were a shambles today.

Holloway decided that the best way to get back into the game would be to take off the only player we had on the pitch that looked like he might create something. Lee Cook went off to be replaced by Cureton. Moments later Holloway then took off Bignot and brought on McLeod. In short he took off a left winger and brought on a striker, then minutes later takes off a full back to bring on a left winger who is of poorer quality than the one we had on in the first place! Answers on a postcard please.

Cureton went close to scoring with an overhead kick that was straight out of Escape to Victory, only this time the ball hit the towering Tom Huddlestone and went out for a corner. In the final minute Rowlands actually did something when for almost the first time in the game he went past his full back and had a shot that went just wide of Camp’s right hand post.

This was a pitiful display from Rangers against a team that doesn’t normally travel well. We were short of ideas and from the moment the second goal was chalked off we never looked like getting one, let alone the two we needed to get anything from this game. Defensively we were abysmal in the first half; both Rose and Forbes were weak in the air and hesitant on the deck. It confirmed my opinion that Rose needs a big man next to him to function properly, the same could probably be said for Forbes, although he looked like he hadn’t had a proper game in months. Santos certainly shored things up when he came on and I think he should start against Swansea.

In midfield Bean and Johnson allowed Idiakez the freedom to do whatever he wanted with Johnson in particular a passenger to his younger colleague for most of the afternoon. Rowlands was unbelievably quiet and only Cook looked as though he would create a chance which made his substitution seem ridiculous. Up front Gallen once again did nothing and Furlong was neutered by an early booking from clown Riley.

People will moan about Riley and rightfully so, but you cannot blame him for this defeat. He was shit for both teams and it was not him that marked so poorly at the freekick and it was not him that headed the ball past Day. His decisions bemused everybody inside Loftus Road today and as far as I am concerned, The Premiership is welcome to him.

Things have to improve and quickly. We are not doing the things we did last season and even if we were I am not sure that would be enough. I don’t think this multi coach system is working as there seems to be no cohesion between any of the individual units. We need Bircham back, we need Shittu back, and we need last seasons Rowlands and Gallen back! We need to win against Swansea just to give the players some confidence and remind them what it is like to come off the field with a smile on their face rather than trudging off having capitulated once again. They look like the side that got relegated from this division four seasons ago, they are trudging about with the weight of the world on their shoulders and something needs to lift it.

simon@qprnet.com

Lee Cook was the best Rangers player on the pitch by a mile, should never have been taken off as any chance we had went with him.