QPR (H) - Sat 2 May, 3pm

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

My recent record for starting match threads is woeful so going with the law of averages here.

 

QPR are s***. So are we.

 

I'd put all of the squad names into a hat & pick them out for the starting XI - Phil aside.

 

First one out is in nets....

[Earl Hafler]

Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno ( if fit. If not try one of the youngsters there )

-------------------Can-----------------

------Henderson-----Coutinho

Markovic------Sterling-------- Ibe

[Conrad]

Lallana for Markovic and I'd go with that team, though Allen doesn't deserve dropping Id like to see Can in CM until end of the season.

[Cam]

I'd put all of the squad names into a hat & pick them out for the starting XI - Phil aside.

 

First one out is in nets....

Just done that (a pen pot replacing the hat). It's gonna be...

 

Can

Moreno Ibe Borini Gerrard

Lovren Jones Toure

Coutinho (non-pen pot choice)

Henderson Sterling

 

I'd be happy with that, tbh.

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

 

YNWA takes a look back at some memorable past top-flight visits from Queens Park Rangers as we welcome them for the 22nd time in the League on Sunday. Our record is outstanding, so far reading eighteen wins, two draws and just one defeat.

 

Most recently

Luis Suárez headed the only goal in December 2011, shortly after the break. Rangers’ most recent visit to Anfield prior to last season resulted in another reds victory with Neil Ruddock bagging the only goal in August 1995.

 

Clinching the title

We secured our eighteenth and most recent League title in April 1990, beating the Hoops 2-1 thanks to an Ian Rush strike and a John Barnes penalty. Recent reserves keeper Paul Harrison was our mascot that day!

 

Two ton Rushie

Ian Rush bagged his 200th and 201st reds goals as we won 2-1 in March 1987, with ex-red Sammy Lee in the visitors’ side.

 

Off the mark

Steve Harkness made his reds debut on his twentieth birthday in our 1-0 victory, when Dean Saunders struck his first reds goal.

 

Other reds debutants

Jimmy Case made his reds bow in our 3-1 win in April 1975, when John Toshack netted a brace to add to a Kevin Keegan penalty, with Gerry Francis on target for the visitors. This was our final game of the season, as we ended up in second place behind Derby County.

 

In August 1978, Kenny Dalglish opened the scoring before Paul McGee scored one of only four opposition goals in the League at Anfield that season, although we still won the game 2-1, with Steve Heighway netting late on. Left-back Alan Kennedy made his reds bow while Emlyn Hughes and Ray Clemence had paraded the European Cup prior to kick off, with Bob Paisley being presented with his Manager of the Month award for the previous April.

 

Aldo again

John Aldridge scored in his tenth consecutive League game, including one from the previous season, netting from the spot as we won 4-0. Craig Johnston had a goal chalked off but also scored, while John Barnes bagged a brace. This goalscoring run remains a joint top-flight record, for any club, and took him to twelve goals already that season. Ex-red Ian Rush was watching in the crowd.

 

Later that day, Kenny Dalglish, Peter Robinson and Chairman John Smith met with Ray Houghton and his wife at a Southport restaurant to agree to his £825,000 transfer from Oxford United, which was finalised two days later.

 

Double dismissal

The visitors had both Simon Barker and Les Ferdinand sent off in our 3-2 win in December 1993. John Barnes and Ian Rush added to Jan Mølby’s penalty. Ferdinand had netted one of his six goals against the reds, with Barker also on target for the visitors.

 

Double failure

Mike Marsh had a penalty saved by Tony Roberts before Ian Rush headed in the only goal. John Barnes then struck a second spot-kick wide.

 

Beaten

We lost for the only time in this fixture in March 1991, under the temporary charge of Ronnie Moran, with Les Ferdinand heading in his seventh goal in as many games to put them in front, the first of his six goals past us. Roy Wegerle pounced on a slack Steve Staunton back-pass to double their half-time lead. Jan Mølby converted a spot-kick before Peter Beardsley struck a post, but substitute Clive Wilson scored with his first touch to make the final score 3-1.

 

Ton up for Peter

Midfielder Peter Cormack played his hundredth reds game as we won 2-1 in April 1974 thanks to an Alec Lindsay penalty and an own goal from Terry Mancini.

 

Another big win

We secured another big victory when we beat Rangers 4-1 in March 1986 three days after they had knocked us out of the Milk Cup at the Semi-final stage at Anfield, despite Leroy Rosenior giving the visitors the lead after just seven minutes. Player/Manager Kenny Dalglish returned to the side and was instrumental in our win as Steve McMahon bagged a brace with Ian Rush and John Wark also on target, as ex-red Michael Robinson featured for the Hoops, with Bruce Grobbelaar playing his 200th League game for us.

[The_Adder]

Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno ( if fit. If not try one of the youngsters there )

-------------------Can-----------------

------Henderson-----Coutinho

Markovic------Sterling-------- Ibe

 

All aboard with that, despite no GK and a shocking defence, maybe Manquillo in for Johnson.

 

Would like to see Ibe as the central attacker with Sterling wide.

[Will]

Double Agents

 

As we prepare for our second meeting of the season on Saturday, YNWA looks at the careers of some of those who have represented both the Hoops and the mighty reds.

 

Current double agents

Winger Raheem Sterling signed from Rangers for £0.5m in February 2010, and has so far notched 23 times in 126 first-team appearances, becoming a key player for both club and country. Mike Sheron joined QPR from Stoke City for £2.75m in July 1997, moving on to Barnsley for £1.5m in January 1999 after fourteen goals in 64 outings. He is now Under-13’s Coach at Melwood.

 

Left-back Jack Robinson left Anfield for West London last August after eleven senior games, but immediately moved on to Huddersfield Town on loan. He became the reds’ youngest ever player in May 2010 at Hull City, aged sixteen years and 250 days, although this record has since been broken by Jerome Sinclair.

 

Other recent striking stars

Peter Crouch joined his boyhood heroes Queens Park Rangers from Tottenham Hotspur for £60,000 in July 2000. He struck twelve times in 47 games for the west London outfit before joining Portsmouth for £1.25m a year later. He arrived at Anfield for £7m in July 2005 after a successful season with Southampton, when he had bagged sixteen goals in 33 games as the Saints were relegated. He struck 42 times in 134 reds games, despite not notching in his first nineteen outings, helping us to claim the FA Cup and FA Community Shield, but was sold to Portsmouth for a fee of up to £11m in July 2008.

 

Djibril Cissé signed from Auxerre in a club record £14m deal in July 2004. His first season was one of tremendous ups and downs, including a horrific leg break and converting a penalty in the Champions League Final. He notched a total of 24 times in 79 reds games, including scoring in the UEFA Super Cup Final and FA Cup Final, but then spent a season on loan at Olympique de Marseille, for whom he signed permanently for £6.3m in July 2007. He joined QPR from S.S. Lazio for £4m on transfer deadline day in January 2012, notching ten times in 29 outings, as well as being dismissed twice before leaving the club by mutual consent in June 2013 after they failed to beat the drop.

 

Paul Walsh signed from Luton Town for £700,000 in May 1984 and struck 37 times in 112 reds games, winning a League title and the Screen Sport Super Cup before joining Tottenham Hotspur for £500,000 in February 1988. He joined the Hoops on loan in September 1991, but played only twice before returning to north London.

 

Joe Fagan brought the Irish international Michael Robinson to Anfield in August 1983 from Brighton & Hove Albion for £250,000. In his first season at the club he won the League title and European Cup, bagging a total of thirteen goals in 52 games during his Anfield career. He was sold to Queens Park Rangers for £100,000 in December 1984, netting five times in 48 League games and helping them to reach the League Cup Final in 1986. He moved to Spain in January 1987 to sign for Club Atlético Osasuna and is now a much respected football pundit and commentator for Spanish television.

 

In the middle

Sammy Lee had a fine career in the reds midfield, bagging nineteen goals in 295 games, helping us to two European Cups, four League titles, four League Cups and the FA Charity Shield. He left the reds to join QPR in August 1986, playing thirty League games before joining Michael Robinson at Club Atlético Osasuna a year later. He returned to Anfield as a coach in 1992, initially being put in charge of the reserves. He left the backroom staff in the summer of 2004 for a full-time post with England, before joining Bolton Wanderers, but returned to Anfield in May 2008 as Assistant Manager, remaining in that role for three years.

 

Nigel Spackman was sold to Queens Park Rangers for £500,000 in February 1989 after losing his place to Ronnie Whelan. He had made 63 first-team appearances without scoring, winning a League title medal in his one full season at Anfield. He only stayed at Loftus Road for nine months before joining Rangers in Scotland for the same fee, netting twice in 33 outings while in west London. Yossi Benayoun joined Rangers in December 2013 for the rest of that season, having been released by Chelsea. He scored three goals in seventeen games, as well as being sent off once. He returned to Maccabi Haifa last June, where he is due to become Sporting Director after retiring from playing. He arrived at Anfield in July 2007 from West Ham United for £5m. He bagged 29 goals in 134 reds games, including hat-tricks against Beşiktaş JK, Havant & Waterlooville and Burnley, leaving for Chelsea for the same fee in July 2010.

 

The management

Ex-reserves midfielder Jim Magilton was appointed Manager of Queens Park Rangers in June 2009. He only remained in charge for six months before being suspended after an alleged clash with a player after a game at Watford, following which he left by mutual consent. He had only made it to our bench on two occasions, for the FA Charity Shield games in 1988 and 1990. Stuart Webber joined our Academy in 2009 as a Senior National Scout, becoming Director of Recruitment in 2011. He then became Joint Chief Scout for Rangers in August 2012, but has since moved on to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

 

After graduating, Mark Browes became QPR’s Head Physiotherapist. Two years later he was head-hunted to become a first team physio at Melwood. He stayed with the reds for seven seasons, working as the Head Physiotherapist during his last campaign. He now works in private practice in Chester. Wing-half Bobby Campbell struck twice in 25 first-team appearances for the reds after signing on as a professional in May 1954, before joining Portsmouth in 1961. He later had a successful managerial career with Fulham, Portsmouth and Chelsea, also coaching at Loftus Road.

 

Between the sticks

Paul Jones joined Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers in February 2006. He turned out 26 times for the R’s before retiring from the professional game at the end of the following season. He had made two appearances while on loan from Southampton at Anfield in January 2004.

 

Mike Kelly was first-team coach under Roy Hodgson during his unsuccessful spell in L4. The keeper turned professional with the Hoops in 1966, playing 66 League games in four seasons while at Loftus Road before moving to Birmingham City. Dave Underwood signed from Watford for £7,000 in December 1953, playing fifty reds games before returning to Vicarage Road in July 1956. He had spent three seasons with QPR before moving to Watford for the first time.

 

Wartime double agents

Left-half Jimmy McInnes signed from Third Lanark for £5,500 in March 1938. He netted once in 48 outings, playing a further 34 Wartime games for the reds. He also guested with QPR during the war. He became Club Secretary at Anfield in 1955, sadly hanging himself above the Archway Stile, the old turnstile between the Kop and Kemlyn Road stands in May 1965, just four days after we had claimed the FA Cup for the first time. Left-half Joe Dines won Olympic Gold in 1912 before giving up his teaching job and signing for the reds from Ilford later that year. However, he only made one senior reds appearance, and was killed in action in September 1918. He had turned out for QPR before joining Ilford.

 

Other double agents

Neil Ruddock played 152 games for the reds after being signed from Tottenham Hotspur for £2.5 million, bagging twelve goals and helping us to the Coca-Cola Cup in 1995. He joined QPR on loan in March 1998, playing seven times, leaving Anfield for £100,000 to join West Ham United four months later. Winger Jimmy Carter joined Queens Park Rangers from Crystal Palace on a free transfer in September 1985. He did not make the first team at Loftus Road, moving on to Millwall for £15,000 in March 1987. He spent just nine months at Anfield after signing from Millwall for £800,000 in January 1991, making only eight appearances before leaving for Arsenal at a loss of £300,000.

 

Abe Foxall played just one senior reds game, as a forward in our 2-0 home League defeat by Derby County in October 1899 having signed from Gainsborough Trinity earlier that year. He left the reds to return to amateur football with QPR. Defender Bill Cockburn signed from Stockport County in May 1924. He played 67 times without scoring before joining the Hoops in July 1928. Half-back Bill Keech played just six Second Division games in late 1895, having signed from Barnsley St. Peter’s that October, helping us to claim the title that season. He later played as a forward for Leicester Fosse, before returning to the half-back line with Queens Park Rangers’ first professional team in the Southern League.

 

Scottish forward Bobby Colvin only ever made three senior appearances after signing on in November 1897, without finding the net, and then joined Glossop North End the following year with Rangers among his subsequent clubs. Outside-left Hugh McQueen signed from Leith Athletic in October 1892 and made 61 reds appearances, bagging eighteen goals, helping us to the Lancashire League and Second Division titles in successive seasons, before joining Derby County in July 1895, later also playing for QPR.

 

Scottish right-half Jock McNab signed from Bellshill Athletic in November 1919 and helped us to two League titles in the 1920’s, netting six times in 222 reds games before moving to Queens Park Rangers in June 1928. Forward Jimmy Collins signed from Walsall in January 1936, but failed to score in seven reds games before joining Cardiff City the following May, for whom he bagged forty goals in 75 League outings. Rangers had been one of his first clubs. Inside-forward Tom Green signed from New Brighton in September 1901, netting once in seven games before moving to Swindon Town in April 1903. He later played as an amateur with QPR. Centre-half Norman James signed from Braby’s Athletic in April 1929, making eight senior appearances before moving on to Bradford City in May 1933. He joined the Hoops from the Bantams in October 1936, netting once in 78 outings.

 

Inside-left Bill White scored within two minutes of his debut at home to Everton in September 1901. This was his only strike in six senior games, and he moved on to Dundee in July 1902. He had joined Rangers from West Calder Swifts in November 1899, netting eight times in 39 games, returning to West Calder Swifts in August 1900. Inside-right John Tosswill left QPR for Anfield in June 1912, scoring once in eleven outings before joining Southend United in August 1913. He had joined Rangers from Maidstone United in March 1912, scoring once in three games.

[Hassony]

Lallana for Markovic and I'd go with that team, though Allen doesn't deserve dropping Id like to see Can in CM until end of the season.

 

If Markovic performed like Lallana did against Hull you would have slated him

[Conrad]

Yeah I would. Lallana was poor against Hull

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

no he wasn't

 

 

he was piss poor

[Red Yoda]

--------------Mignolet

 

---------Can Skrtel Lovren

 

Markovic Henderson Allen Moreno

 

--------Ibe Sterling Coutinho

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Mignolet

 

Can Skrtel Lovren

 

Ibe Allen Henderson Sterling

 

Coutinho

 

Borini Balotelli

[tonyrwalker]

It speaks volumes about morale with the fans that the day before a home match there are 11 replies to the match thread. I hope whoever plays realises they owe the fans a performance.

[Cunny]

it is going be a great atmosphere tomorrow

[Stevie H]

Mignolet

 

Can Skrtel Lovren

 

Ibe Allen Henderson Sterling

 

Coutinho

 

Borini Balotelli

 

that looks more fun than any of the ones mentioned above. and at least looks like we might actually score a goal from somewhere.

[Cobs]

 

that looks more fun than any of the ones mentioned above. and at least looks like we might actually score a goal from somewhere.

Apart from the strikers

[Stevie H]

Apart from the strikers

 

can't really call them two 'strikers'. 'distractions' maybe.

[matty]

Play some kids, give them a run out. Get them excited for next season (may it be long in coming).

[ali]

Press Conf

 

Sturridge back in US, our staff found some underlying problems and liasing with medics in the US. Asked if mental problems as well, skirted round that one. Doing everything we can to get him on the training field.

 

Steven fit for weekend

 

What about future forwards, looking to strengthen, short on goals from the collective, areas analysed and want to improve

 

Flanno big miss, important player, need to get him back fit and playing

 

Players gave everything in game the other night, lack wee bit of belief and confidence

 

Players will give everything to the end of the season, will fight to the end

 

How bigger a blow is missing out on CL, it would be a disappointment, look to put on a better performance next season, all though it's not over yet and work to the very end.

 

Affects on signing players, hasn't thought about that yet

 

Working together with TC to put on a better challenge next season

 

Asked why the sparkle has gone recently, fell short in some of the bigger games, confidence and belief level dropped in those games, need to look to the next game

 

Looked a very strong unit, need to look to get back to that.

 

About not creating the chances we were, that's a worry, had 9 shots on target the other night would expect to score wioth an away team having that number of shots

 

About QPR going hell for leather tomorrow, going to be a very tough game, very organised, press the ball high up field. Need to focus on ourselves

 

Lucas available

Sakho no

Mario no

Moreno we'll see

[Stevie H]

balotelli out according to james pearce. foot injury.

[Boca]

 

 

 

Working together with TC to put on a better challenge next season

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who or what is TC?

Edited May 1, 2015 by Boca

[Alonso]

Transfer committee?

[scoose]

 

 

Affects on signing players, hasn't thought about that yet

 

That's either a lie or clueless

[Conrad]

good to see they've analysed the lack of goals

[Hus]

 

 

Affects on signing players, hasn't thought about that yet

 

That's either a lie or clueless

 

 

He has already said on record (in different interviews) that it will effect purchases and it wont

 

ha