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by Ron Norris

Coventry City versus Queens Park Rangers
Coca Cola Football League Championship
Saturday 22nd January 2005
Kick Off 15:00
 
TEAM NEWS

COVENTRY: Not too much in the way of team news from the midlands, the only issue for outgoing caretaker boss Adrian Heath, will be who lines up at right back. Inchy has a choice between former Bristol City man Louis Carey with Andrew Whing and Dean Leacock also pushing for this spot. Left back is not such an issue and Steve Staunton will be asked to drag his creaking bones through the game out wide.

QPR: After last weeks win Olly would no doubt have likes to keep the same side but this may be taken out of his hands. Dan Shittu has a virus and is rated as a doubt for the clash at Highfield Road. And some news that will shock you all, Mathew Rose has hurt his back! Apparently his inclusion last week was in doubt until the last minute and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the bench for this one. Andrew Davies has made a full recovery from his hamstring injury and should keep his place. Bircham and Bignot have both recovered from their illnesses and Martin Rowlands is available again after suspension.
 
LEAGUE STANDINGS
Pos Team P W D L GD Pts
11th Queens Park Rangers 29 12 5 13 -4 40
20th Coventry 29 7 10 12 -11 32
               
LAST TIME OUT
Coventry Last Match QPR Last Match
Against Ipswich Against Stoke
Result Lost Result Won
Score 3-2 Score 1-0
Venue Away Venue Home
       
HEAD TO HEAD
Played QPR Coventry Draws
95 32 38 25
 
LAST MEETING

Queens Park Rangers 4 - 1 Coventry City
Tuesday 29th September 2005
The Championship

from Simon's match report
 "Gallen had a rasping strike held by Steele before Rangers made the breakthrough that sealed the points. Bircham slipped the ball into Paul Furlong who once again set off for the Coventry goal. Instead of shooting though he drew the defender to him before playing Cureton in. The little hitman made no mistake as he beat Steele to claim his first hat-trick for Rangers, the first at Loftus Road since Andy Thomson and the first against Coventry since Clive Allen in the late seventies."
 
THE REF RECORD
Name Games Yellows Reds
Mark Clattenburg 18 37 3
Previous QPR Games
8th May 2004 Sheff Weds 1 - 3 QPR
14th May 2003 QPR 1 - 0 Oldham
4th March 2003 Huddersfield 0 - 3 QPR
20th January 2001 Norwich 1 - 0 QPR
       
THE MANAGER
Mickey Adams impressed as a manager almost immediately, he earned Fulham promotion inside two seasons but was sacked by Chairman Mo as a thanks for his efforts. He moved onto Swansea but left after just two weeks before guiding Brentford to sixth place in the old second division. After leaving Brentford and having a short spell as Dave Bassett's assistant at Nottingham Forest he finally settled at Brighton. After dragging them from the foot of the football league to a decent second division placing he was courted by Leicester where he once again teamed up with Harry Bassett. This was on the proviso that he would be the man to follow Bassett as Leicester manager. After the Foxes Premiership relegation was confirmed Adams took full charge of the side and steered them back into the
top flight at the first attempt Leicester yo yo'd back into the second tier of English football though and after a poor start to the season Adams left the Walkers Stadium in October before being named Coventry manager this week.
 
ONE TO WATCH
Andy Morrell joined Coventry from Wrexham in the summer of 2003. Having been plucked from the non leagues he went on to score a hatful for the Welsh side before joining the Sky Blues. Morrell made good start to life at Highfield Road before a calf injury limited his appearances last term. He returned to fitness late in the campaign, scoring two in the last four games and this season he has already hit seven goals, making him the clubs top scorer.

 
QPR CONNECTIONS

Rangers legend Gerry Francis finished his playing career at Coventry, after returning to Rangers for a short lived, second stint at Loftus Road in 1980. Francis is now retired, and appears occasionally on Sky Sports News.

The genius that was Roy Wegerle moved onto Coventry from Blackburn, who in turn had signed him from Rangers in 1992 for around a million pounds. Roy was last seen trying to break into the pro golf circuit.
Gerry Francis Roy Wegerle
     
RON AND SIMON'S PREDICT-OFF
RON: For a side that has lost four out of the last five home league games, Coventry aren't actually conceding that many at Highfield Road. They've let in sixteen goals all season on their home turf, that's the same as Rangers and much less than, say, Derby who ninth. Trouble is they don't score many either, they've hit the back of the net just 17 times in the 14 home games this season. Of course Rangers don't have any problem conceding goals either and scoring them hasn't been easy of late! With a new manager to impress, the Coventry players will doubtless be out to impress Mickey Adams Rangers look likely to have enforced changes in the side, meaning once again we will be without a settled line up but I think we should just do enough to break the losing run away from Loftus Road and get a point. 0-0

SIMON: After finally breaking the losing streak against Stoke last week it is time to turn their attentions to our appalling run of away form. With eight defeats on the bounce any sort of vaguely positive result would be welcomed. Confidence will be high, in truth our performances on the road have not been all bad, and we may even get a bit of luck at some point. I think things have improved sufficiently for us not to get turned over. 1-1


Current score: Ron 10 Simon 9
 
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