FIRST TEAM

 
QPRnet.com
 

Have your say on our message board
 

Upload your QPR pictures to our photo gallery
 

Read a range of opinions on our regular blogs
 

Check your team's progress in Fantasy Rangers
 

Stay in touch on the move with QPRnet Mobile
 
 
 

THE FINAL TRIP OF THE SEASON
Friday 25th April 2008
by Ron Norris & Simon Skinner

As has been the case in the last few weeks, Rangers go into a game with nothing to play for against a side that are desperate for a point to secure Championship football next season and avoid a desperate last day shoot out. A trip to Norwich City on a sunny Saturday afternoon sounds like a pretty good way to spend the last away day of the season.
 

Norwich City v Queens Park Rangers
The Championship
 Saturday 26th April 2008
Kick Off 15:00

 
TEAM NEWS

De Canio will take a late check on the fitness of Fitz Hall after his groin went ping once again against Charlton. To be honest I see little point in involving him with nothing to go for, let him sit the last couple out. If he doesn’t make it Mancienne will slot in at right back with Connolly partnering Stewart in the middle. Agyemang is a doubt with his hamstring strain so Balanta and Blackstock should continue their partnership up top. Buzsaky should be in line for a recall after getting forty minutes off the bench against Charlton following his ankle injury, if he is still a bit ring rusty then veteran warhorse Ainsworth will continue to plough up and down the right flank. 

Sarsons’ Playmate of the Month Glenn Roeder will be hoping to involve Luke Chadwick after he made a long awaited return from a shoulder injury against The Baggies. On loan Chelsea left back Ryan Bertrand is injured so former Burnley man Mo Camara will deputise in the continued absence of Adam Drury. Skipper Mark Fotheringham and ex-Stoke whinge bag Darel Russell should both return for this one. There will be much dabbing away of tears on the terraces as Carrow Road bids farewell to Dion Dublin and Darren Huckerby as the former retires at the end of the season and the latter is off to pastures new. Dublin should be guaranteed a good hand from both sets of fans as he is one of those players that everyone seems to have time for, I will always fondly remember him sticking the nut on Robbie Savage!

RON & SIMON'S
SELECT XI		          
Blackstock Agyemang
Ephraim Mahon Rowlands Buzsaky
  Delaney   Stewart   Connolly   Mancienne  
        Camp        
A QUICK GUIDE TO OUR OPPONENTS
 
NORWICH IN BRIEF: Back in at the start of October Norwich came to Loftus Road to play out one of the worst games of professional football Sky TV has ever had the misfortune to witness. Bottom played second bottom and the R’s got their maiden victory thanks to a Rowlands penalty. Peter Grant didn’t last the week out after that and vinegar addict Glenn Roeder came in to replace him. After taking a time to find his feet they embarked on a remarkable unbeaten run that should have propelled them to safety. Although they now have 52 points they still need something from one of their last two games to guarantee safety.
 

LAST FIVE GAMES
Date Versus Venue F A
19/04/08 West Brom Home 1 2
13/04/08 Ipswich Away 1 2
05/04/08 Burnley Home 2 0
29/03/08 Bristol C Away 1 2
22/03/08 Colchester Home 5 1

TOP SCORERS
Name League Cups Total
J. Cureton 12 2 14
D. Dublin 7 2 9
C. Evans 9 0 9
D. Russell 3 1 4
D. Huckerby 4 0 4
 

CLASH OF THE DAY: Dion Dublin v. Matthew Connolly. The old against the young; the veteran against the rookie; the wily old campaigner against the wet behind the ears upstart. Dublin always seems to bag a goal against Rangers and despite being thirty nine and two games from retirement he will cause all sorts of problems for Connolly. The young centre back was tremendous against big men in Gray and Iwelumo last weekend so he will need to carry that form into this one.
 
RANGERS VERSUS .....
 

LAST TIME OUT: “Vine seized on a bouncing ball in the box and nudged it away from Norwich sub Ian Murray. As he did so Murray had a swing at the ball, missed it, and proceeded to kick Vine straight in the chest. Having seen the ref miss two other pens he made sure with this one and went to ground and Walton gave it.” Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Norwich City, Monday 8th October 2007.
 
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Played QPR Norwich Draws
110 38 40 32
At Norwich
Played QPR Norwich Draws
55 8 30 17
 

OTHER MEETINGS: This will be the 106th league meeting between the two sides and Norwich have a slim advantage over all that time. They have won forty games against thirty five Rangers wins; there have been another thirty draws. You have to look all the way back to March 1994 for the last Rangers win at Carrow Road. Goals from Simon Barker, Darren Peacock, Gary le Penrice and Bruno himself, Devon White, secured a memorable 4-3 win.

 

LEAGUE STANDINGS
Pos Team P GD Pts
14th QPR 44 -1 58
18th Norwich 44 -10 52
 
GENERAL INFORMATION

THE REFEREE

Phil Joslin is on the whistle for this one. Last time the man from Nottinghamshire took a Rangers game; me and my travelling buddies rocked up at almost half time at Cardiff City and saw the late Ray Jones bag an injury time winner. So far this season he has done thirty four games and booked 109 with six red cards. He hasn’t managed a game this season without a card of some description so don’t expect a booking free afternoon.
THE REF RECORD
Season Games Yellows Reds
2007-08 34 109 6
2006-07 35 134 6
2005-06 40 115 3
2004-05 39 91 3
2003-04 36 88 6
 

 
   

OPPONENTS LINKS
Official Website canaries.co.uk
Fans Website Citizens2Canaries
Message Board The Pink 'Un
Travel Info Football Ground Guide

MATCH DAY ODDS
Bookie Norwich Draw QPR
21/20 11/5 21/10
evens 11/5 11/5
evens 9/4 9/4
   
 

SIX DEGREES OF SEP-R-ATION: Darren Huckerby to Rowan Vine. Huckerby first came to national prominence when he had a successful three year spell at Coventry City. His final game for Cob was a 1-0 home defeat by Southampton. In that game he was replaced by John Aloisi. Aloisi played for the Socceroos in a game against Denmark at Loftus Road. Liverpool defender Daniel Agger played in that game, his last appearance this season came way back in September in a goalless draw with Pompey. Peter Crouch started that game (needless to say he didn’t finish it) but previous to his time at Liverpool he had a successful spell at Pompey. He had another former R as a team mate at Fratton Park in Nigel Quashie. Quashie was replaced in a 2-1 defeat at Rotherham by Rowan Vine.
 
RON AND SIMON'S PREDICT-OFF
SIMON: There will be something of a nostalgic atmosphere at Carrow Road with the Norwich fans saying goodbye to Dublin and Huckerby. Some sort of placard mural is planned I am told, so that will be something to be seen I am sure… Hopefully such shenanigans will make The Canaries take their eye off the ball slightly and if they do then Rangers have the tools to win it. As it is with them needing a point to be safe and us needing a hand carrying the holiday brochures I think they might just steal all three. 2-1 to Norwich.

RON: Norwich need a point to survive for another season and I think they'll get it. Carrow Road can chuck up a cracking atmosphere and I'm sure it'll be packed to the rafters for this one. Dion Dublin plays his last home game before retiring, what odds he scores the goal that helps keep Norwich in The Championship? 1-1 draw.


Current score: Ron 19 Simon 21