Post by Macmoish on Aug 12, 2010 6:48:56 GMT
Edit...Bump - And at the start of the season not expected!
On This Day 24 Years Ago: The 2000/2001 Relegation/Going Into-Administration/Proposed Merger With Wimbledon/Holloway Coming/Langley-Carlisle Injury/ Season Began with a 0-0 draw against Birmingham at Loftus Road
Peter Crouch made his QPR debut. Furlong was set to join on loan. Gallen had just left (see below)
Harper Heinola Darlington Carlisle Ready Morrow Wardley Rowland Langley Crouch Kiwomya + Miklosko Connolly Jeanne Greeves Kulcsar
QPR Official Site - August 12, 2000
RANGERS HELD IN OPENER
QPR and Birmingham City drew 0-0 at Loftus Road on the opening day of the 2000/2001 season.
Rangers dominated possession but could not test Ian Bennett in the Birmingham goal in this interesting opening day test for both sides.
The pressure on Birimngham boss Trevor Francis is to win promotion, while Gerry Francis' side's form last season means that a play-off challenge is expected in West London. And on this evidence both sides are still short of ideas, especially in attack, and will have to improve in the months to come.
Rangers too often failed to resist the temptation to aim for big striker Peter Crouch, picked up for a song from Tottenham. They found plenty of room down the flanks, as Birmingham's tactical achilles heel against teams that play wing-backs looked evident again in the first-half.
Ian Baraclough down the left and Jermaine Darlington on the right were finding too much space, yet their crosses were always magnetised towards Bennett and David Holdsworth rather than the totem Crouch.
It was Baraclough who squandered the first of three chances made by the evergreen Gavin Peacock in the opening fifteen minutes - the Hoops' best period. His 14th minute effort fizzed wide from 20 yards as his contribution caught the eye.
Clarke Carlisle was another debutant and his performance in the R's defence must have had the Loftus Road fans drooling of the season to come. Carlisle, a £250,000 buy from Blackpool, looked a snip as he won headers, tackles, loose balls and found passes to team-mates.
In the hot sun Birmingham record buy Geoff Horsfield was making little headway against Carlisle and Karl Ready. Horsfield was later booked and was lucky not to be sent off for an assault on the blond former Welsh international, and this strong bustling striker certainly has the aggressive streak that Birmingham's attack has missed in the last few years.
In the second half the game picked up. with Birmingham looking the quickest out of the blocks. Four minutes in a Martin Grainger's whipped in right-wing corner found the unlikely figure of Peter Ndlovu whose glancing flick at the near post unluckily found Gavin Peacock on the line headed clear.
Two minutes later Danny Sonner, on his debut, fired a great effort from 25 yards low to Harper's left as it seemed that Birmingham would take command.
But then Rangers seized the initiaive, Crouch finally attracting a Darlington cross to nod just over before Michael Johnson had to time his tackle on Chris Kiwomya from six yards in the 65th minute.
It was the transfer-listed Ndlovu, who nearly went to Nottingham Forest last week, that was the greatest threat in the Blues defence. he turned Darlington inside out before firing a great cross that just evaded Horsfield, who seems to lack a yard of pace in these early days.
Harper pawed away a great Grainger long-range free-kick, as the midfielder The second half was much better than the lacklustre first period, and stuyart wardley found a well-tiomed run to rach a Kiwomya pass but could not control the ball.
Harper was the busier glovesman and had to save from Sonner with fifteen minutes left, and instantly the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder nearly gifted Richard Langley a goal with a poor defensive header but the shot was straight at Bennett. That summed up a poor afternoon's fare.
BBC
QPR and Birmingham had to make do with a point apiece after an uninspiring goalless draw at Loftus Road.
Birmingham's poor away form last season cost them promotion.
And at the start of the 2000/01 season, they seem to have similar problems.
The visitors had the best chances to break the deadlock but could not make it pay.
QPR, who had not beaten Birmingham at home since 1985, had the better start.
It looked a clear penalty to me. Chris Kiwomya was just tripped in the box and if it had been anywhere else on the pitch it would have been given without a problem
QPR boss Gerry Francis
They came out all guns blazing in the blistering heat and had most of the possession.
But they lacked the killer instinct in the penalty area and allowed Birmingham to get into the game.
Birmingham's Peter Ndlovu had a great chance when he weaved his way around the Rangers defence on the half-hour but his shot was way off target.
Then Rangers new boy Peter Crouch caused City a few problems with his height up front.
Striker partner Chris Kiwomya had a shout for a penalty after Wardley's pass had put him away in the box but it was turned down.
Satisfaction
At the start of the second half, Birmingham thought they broken the deadlock but Ndlovu's shot was cleared off the line by Gavin Peacock.
City's Martin Grainger hit a brilliant left foot free kick but it was easily saved as time ticked by.
QPR boss Gerry Francis could take some satisfaction by the excellent performance of debut man Clarke Carlisle.
Carlisle, a £250,000 summer signing from Blackpool, was calm and assured in the centre of defence.
Teams:
QPR: Harper, Baraclough, Darlington, Ready, Morrow, Carlisle, Langley, Wardley, Peacock, Crouch, Kiwomya. Subs: Miklosko, Perry, Connolly, Graham, Koejoe.
Birmingham: Bennett, Eaden, M. Johnson, Purse, Holdsworth, Hughes, Sonner, Grainger, Lazaridis, Ndlovu, Horsfield. Subs: Poole, Robinson, Williams, Marcelo, Gill.
Referee: G Barber (Tring)
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/875915.stm
On This Day 24 Years Ago: The 2000/2001 Relegation/Going Into-Administration/Proposed Merger With Wimbledon/Holloway Coming/Langley-Carlisle Injury/ Season Began with a 0-0 draw against Birmingham at Loftus Road
Peter Crouch made his QPR debut. Furlong was set to join on loan. Gallen had just left (see below)
Harper Heinola Darlington Carlisle Ready Morrow Wardley Rowland Langley Crouch Kiwomya + Miklosko Connolly Jeanne Greeves Kulcsar
QPR Official Site - August 12, 2000
RANGERS HELD IN OPENER
QPR and Birmingham City drew 0-0 at Loftus Road on the opening day of the 2000/2001 season.
Rangers dominated possession but could not test Ian Bennett in the Birmingham goal in this interesting opening day test for both sides.
The pressure on Birimngham boss Trevor Francis is to win promotion, while Gerry Francis' side's form last season means that a play-off challenge is expected in West London. And on this evidence both sides are still short of ideas, especially in attack, and will have to improve in the months to come.
Rangers too often failed to resist the temptation to aim for big striker Peter Crouch, picked up for a song from Tottenham. They found plenty of room down the flanks, as Birmingham's tactical achilles heel against teams that play wing-backs looked evident again in the first-half.
Ian Baraclough down the left and Jermaine Darlington on the right were finding too much space, yet their crosses were always magnetised towards Bennett and David Holdsworth rather than the totem Crouch.
It was Baraclough who squandered the first of three chances made by the evergreen Gavin Peacock in the opening fifteen minutes - the Hoops' best period. His 14th minute effort fizzed wide from 20 yards as his contribution caught the eye.
Clarke Carlisle was another debutant and his performance in the R's defence must have had the Loftus Road fans drooling of the season to come. Carlisle, a £250,000 buy from Blackpool, looked a snip as he won headers, tackles, loose balls and found passes to team-mates.
In the hot sun Birmingham record buy Geoff Horsfield was making little headway against Carlisle and Karl Ready. Horsfield was later booked and was lucky not to be sent off for an assault on the blond former Welsh international, and this strong bustling striker certainly has the aggressive streak that Birmingham's attack has missed in the last few years.
In the second half the game picked up. with Birmingham looking the quickest out of the blocks. Four minutes in a Martin Grainger's whipped in right-wing corner found the unlikely figure of Peter Ndlovu whose glancing flick at the near post unluckily found Gavin Peacock on the line headed clear.
Two minutes later Danny Sonner, on his debut, fired a great effort from 25 yards low to Harper's left as it seemed that Birmingham would take command.
But then Rangers seized the initiaive, Crouch finally attracting a Darlington cross to nod just over before Michael Johnson had to time his tackle on Chris Kiwomya from six yards in the 65th minute.
It was the transfer-listed Ndlovu, who nearly went to Nottingham Forest last week, that was the greatest threat in the Blues defence. he turned Darlington inside out before firing a great cross that just evaded Horsfield, who seems to lack a yard of pace in these early days.
Harper pawed away a great Grainger long-range free-kick, as the midfielder The second half was much better than the lacklustre first period, and stuyart wardley found a well-tiomed run to rach a Kiwomya pass but could not control the ball.
Harper was the busier glovesman and had to save from Sonner with fifteen minutes left, and instantly the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder nearly gifted Richard Langley a goal with a poor defensive header but the shot was straight at Bennett. That summed up a poor afternoon's fare.
BBC
QPR and Birmingham had to make do with a point apiece after an uninspiring goalless draw at Loftus Road.
Birmingham's poor away form last season cost them promotion.
And at the start of the 2000/01 season, they seem to have similar problems.
The visitors had the best chances to break the deadlock but could not make it pay.
QPR, who had not beaten Birmingham at home since 1985, had the better start.
It looked a clear penalty to me. Chris Kiwomya was just tripped in the box and if it had been anywhere else on the pitch it would have been given without a problem
QPR boss Gerry Francis
They came out all guns blazing in the blistering heat and had most of the possession.
But they lacked the killer instinct in the penalty area and allowed Birmingham to get into the game.
Birmingham's Peter Ndlovu had a great chance when he weaved his way around the Rangers defence on the half-hour but his shot was way off target.
Then Rangers new boy Peter Crouch caused City a few problems with his height up front.
Striker partner Chris Kiwomya had a shout for a penalty after Wardley's pass had put him away in the box but it was turned down.
Satisfaction
At the start of the second half, Birmingham thought they broken the deadlock but Ndlovu's shot was cleared off the line by Gavin Peacock.
City's Martin Grainger hit a brilliant left foot free kick but it was easily saved as time ticked by.
QPR boss Gerry Francis could take some satisfaction by the excellent performance of debut man Clarke Carlisle.
Carlisle, a £250,000 summer signing from Blackpool, was calm and assured in the centre of defence.
Teams:
QPR: Harper, Baraclough, Darlington, Ready, Morrow, Carlisle, Langley, Wardley, Peacock, Crouch, Kiwomya. Subs: Miklosko, Perry, Connolly, Graham, Koejoe.
Birmingham: Bennett, Eaden, M. Johnson, Purse, Holdsworth, Hughes, Sonner, Grainger, Lazaridis, Ndlovu, Horsfield. Subs: Poole, Robinson, Williams, Marcelo, Gill.
Referee: G Barber (Tring)
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/875915.stm