Rangers crashed to their second successive home league defeat as Sheffield United instigated a smash and grab raid at Loftus Road. The good work achieved on Friday at Gillingham was undone in a lacklustre opening period in which the Rangers rearguard surrendered the softest of goals.

Holloway had changes forced on him when I am sure he would have liked to have retained the same side as Friday. Day remained in goal behind a back four of Bignot, Edghill, Santos and Padula. This was our sixth consecutive different centre back pairing! The midfield four was Rowlands, Johnson, Bean and Cook. Cureton partnered Gallen in attack in the absence of Paul Furlong, missing for family reasons.

Sheffield United took the lead with the first real chance of the game. Things had been tight for the opening quarter of an hour until Alan Quinn slung a ball to the far post that was brilliantly hooked back by Jon Harley. Edghill’s challenge was a weak one and Andy Gray arrived to power a bullet header past Day. It was not the first time that The Blades had taken advantage of Reg and he was a weak link in the back line for much of the game.

Rangers missed three excellent chances within a few minutes of each other. Firstly, Jamie Cureton sent in a stinging volley that skimmed the top of Kenny’s bar. Moments later a corner routine worked for once and Marcus Bean found himself stealing in at the far post to meet a Padula in swinger. He was unmarked but he couldn’t direct his header onto the target. Then, the worst miss of them all came. Rowlands blasted in a fierce cross and Cookie got up well to send the ball into the path of Cureton. It seemed a formality for the former Reading hitman but he sent his volley well over the bar.

It was Georges Santos to the rescue again shortly after when he turned acrobatically to hook a cross from Quinn away from the danger area. Santos was on fire again following his supreme showing at Gillingham and seems to making a real name for himself at the heart of the defence. As the half drew to a close the crossbar denied Rangers a deserved equaliser when a Cook shot was deflected up an over Kenny. It just didn’t dip enough and United were a goal up at the break.

Many in the crowd were willing Olly to make changes immediately but he kept faith with his starting eleven as the second half got under way. Harley had the first sight of goal, smashing a shot high into the School End and with twenty stagnant minutes gone the changes finally came.

The invisible Johnson, the shaky Edghill and the impressive Bean were all withdrawn, the latter to boos of disapproval from the LR faithful, and were replaced by Bircham, Rose and McLeod. Macca went into attack with Curo moving to the right wing alongside the new central pair of Rowlands and Bircham. Things picked up immediately with the pace of McLeod causing all sorts of problems.

McLeod found himself momentarily on the right wing and after beating his full back he delivered an inch perfect ball into the path of the rampaging Santos. Just as it seemed Georges was set to grab his first for the club he and Gallen collided and the chance went begging. It was about as close as Gallen came to having an effect in front of goal as he delivered one of the poorest displays I have ever seen him produce.

Bircham came within a whisker of scoring a spectacular equaliser when he found space on the right and screamed the ball across goal. It was just out of McLeod’s reach and missed the far post by millimetres. There was no doubt that things were a lot brighter now but you just had the impression that Sheffield United were not for cracking.

It was like the Alamo now with Rangers pouring forward in waves only to see Sheffield United defend with everything they had. Santos was now practically playing as an auxiliary striker as balls were launched into the box from everywhere. Unfortunately they often lacked the real quality that was needed to create anything more than the odd half chance.

At the final whistle it was hard not to applaud the efforts of the players. I think we would have had enough to beat most sides but Colin has a resolute bunch at Sheffield United and they clung on for the win. It was a display reminiscent of their win at Preston earlier in the season, when again; they went a goal up early on and defended like Trojans.

The break for the international weekend will give the squad a chance to get back to something resembling full strength. As I mentioned earlier, we have not played the same two centre backs in any of the last six games and this doesn’t help anyone. Without Furs we looked lightweight in attack and Gallen is simply not cutting the mustard at the moment. Now that he is skipper he is difficult to leave out but the time must surely be coming when it is midfield or bust for Kev. We need Ainsworth back to give us some drive, we need Dan back to give us some physical presence, and we need a fully fit Bircham so that we can think about putting Jonno out to seed.

In short, this was a good display from the very last of our squad that was available. When we have a fully fit squad then I think we will be in a far better position to judge our standard compared to the rest of the division. If we then find that we are coming up short then it will be time to start being critical from the top down, at the moment, I think it is just to hard to tell how we will stand come May.

simon@qprnet.com

Georges Santos - Once again the giant Frenchman was imperious at the back. He also tried to drive his team forward in the second half and was unlucky not to score.