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RANGERS WELCOME SHEFFIELD UNITED
Friday 22nd February 2008
by Ron Norris & Simon Skinner

Having had a long break due Barnsley’s involvement in the FA Cup and having got a bit of sun on their backs in Portugal, Rangers return to action with a massive game against Sheffield United complete with new manager Kevin Blackwell.
 

Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United
The Championship
 Saturday 23rd February 2008
Kick Off 15:00

 
TEAM NEWS

De Canio has something of a midfield headache with Buzsaky suspended for this one. He won’t really want to move the returning Rowlands to the flank so Lee may start if fit. If not then there is a case for playing Vine and Ephraim on the flanks with Blackstock alongside Agyemang after the Leigertwood/Mahon combo failed to shine against Burnley. Fitz Hall is fit to return after a few weeks out with a groin problem so he will be favourite to partner Stewart at the heart of the defence. Other than that, a toss up between Mancienne and Connolly at right back is the only other poser. 

Kevin Blackwell is picking his first league XI since taking over from rent-a-failure Bryan Robson last week. He has some problems though with Billy Sharp, Derek Geary and Lee Martin all doubts. He will be able to bring back the influential Gary Speed after the veteran Welshman missed the cup yawn-a-thon against Middlesbrough. Lee Hendrie may come back into the match day squad whilst Rob Hulse, David Carney and Chris Armstrong have all thrown their flat caps in the ring for a starting spot.
RON & SIMON'S
SELECT XI		          
Blackstock Agyemang
Ephraim Mahon Rowlands Vine
  Delaney   Stewart   Hall   Connolly  
        Camp        
A QUICK GUIDE TO OUR OPPONENTS
 
BLADES IN BRIEF: After The Blades were relegated from The Premiership last season many considered them to be automatic promotion certainties. Then Bryan Robson was appointed and their sights were fixed firmly on the other end of the table. The so called Captain Marvel is a shambles as a manager and he had to be jettisoned before he saw another team down. The fans protested, Robbo had a chip at the fans, McCabe offered him a shit job and that’s all she wrote. Blackwell returns following a stint as Warnock’s assistant so he knows the fans and knows the expectancy that always seems to weigh heavy around the clubs neck.
 

LAST FIVE GAMES
Date Versus Venue F A
17/02/08 Middlesbrough Home 0 0
12/02/08 West Brom Away 0 0
09/02/08 Scunthorpe Home 0 0
02/02/08 Colchester Away 2 2
29/02/08 Watford Home 1 1

TOP SCORERS
Name League Cups Total
J. Beattie 13 0 13
J. Stead 2 3 5
D. Webber 3 1 4
L. Shelton 1 3 4
C. Armstrong 3 0 3
 

CLASH OF THE DAY: Fitz Hall v. James Beattie. Hall should return from injury and he will be facing Beattie who is only just back from a few weeks out himself. Beattie never looks fit but at this level he is top class and can score from anywhere thirty yards and in. Hall will need to keep a tight leash on the former England striker if Rangers are to triumph.
 
RANGERS VERSUS .....
 

LAST TIME OUT: “Billy Sharp’s cross was met by the sliding duo of Connolly and Hendrie, with the ball trapped under Connolly, Camp came out of his goal just in time for the ball to pop out from under the former Arsenal man and roll to Hendrie’s feet giving him the perfect angle to bury it.” Sheffield United 2-1 Queens Park Rangers Saturday 12th January 2008
 
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Played QPR Sheff Utd Draws
41 15 12 14
At QPR
Played QPR Sheff Utd Draws
20 11 6 3
 

OTHER MEETINGS: Rangers have the slight edge when it comes to the league head to head with The Blades. Fourteen wins plays eleven with a further fourteen draws to add into the mix. Last time United came to Loftus Road the game ended in a 2-1 win to Rangers with Bircham and Moore scoring the goals and Paladini allegedly having a Beretta shoved up his bugle!

 

LEAGUE STANDINGS
Pos Team P GD Pts
16th Sheffield United 32 -2 39
17th QPR 32 -7 39
 
GENERAL INFORMATION

THE REFEREE

Steve Bennett you say? Well isn’t that just great! If ever there was a referee that does it by the book then it is the Skeletor look-a-like from Kent. Not afraid to wave cards at people in the first minute, be sure that the slightest infringement will be dealt with severely. His last R’s game was the play off semi first leg against Oldham when he sent Langley off for two non bookable offences which caused him to miss the final. A final that I believe we would have won with him. Yes, I am still pissed off about it thanks for asking!

THE REF RECORD
Season Games Yellows Reds
2007-08 35 102 8
2006-07 45 151 14
2005-06 41 141 12
2004-05 42 169 10
2003-04 35 103 12
 

 
   

OPPONENTS LINKS
Official Website SUFC.co.uk
Fans Website Red & White Wizards
Fans Website Sheff-Utd.co.uk
Message Board Blades Mad

MATCH DAY ODDS
Bookie QPR Draw Sheff Utd
evens 11/5 11/5
11/10 11/5 2/1
evens 9/4 9/4
   
 

SIX DEGREES OF SEP-R-ATION: Martin Rowlands to David Carney. Rowly’s QPR debut came in a 5-0 home win over Blackpool in 2003 when he came on as a 75th minute substitute for Gareth Ainsworth. Wild Thing started his league career at Preston and enjoyed three spells at North End, finally playing his last game for them in 2002, a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest in which Richard Creswell scored the winning goal. Creswell is now at Stoke who he joined in the summer from Leeds, he made his Potters debut in August in a 1-0 win over Cardiff with Ryan Shawcross scoring the goal. Shawcross was signed by Tony Pulis from Premier League champions Manchester United, the club most associated with Bryan Robson, who signed David Carney for Sheffield United this past summer.

 
RON AND SIMON'S PREDICT-OFF
SIMON: Rangers have to win this game, end of story. Whilst I think we only need four wins to secure Championship football for next season it would make things a lot easier if we could knock off the teams around us in the process. The Blades are separated from us by five goals so they are precisely the type of team we need to beat. Hopefully the rest will have gingered the players up after the shattering collapse against Burnley and new manager syndrome won’t come into play for the away side. I will take Rangers to squeeze home in this one. 2-1 to QPR.

RON: Sheffield United have only won once in the last seven league games away from home and they've drawn the last five matches in all competitions with three successive nil nils, suggesting points should be on offer here. That said I expect a much smarter, better organised side with Kevin Blackwell in charge than we would have got had Captain Marvel still been at the helm. If we can play at half the tempo we did for the first half hour against Burnley but over the whole game then we should win and win well. 3-1 to Rangers.


Current score: Ron 17 Simon 14