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Post by fraserinbc on Aug 9, 2012 2:47:24 GMT
Perhaps we should start a thread for QPR Season Predictions form outside of the messageboard.
Here is Bleacher Reports assessment of the close season and what's coming up:
Transfers In Transfers Out
Junior Hoilett Rowan Vine
Park Ji-Sung Fitz Hall
Fabio (Loan) Patrick Kenny
Samba Diakite Heidar Helguson
Andrew Johnson
Robert Green
Ryan Nelsen
Transfers Out
Rowan Vine
Fitz Hall
Patrick Kenny
Heidar Helguson
Key Arrivals
Junior Hoilett
Hoilett is a talented 22-year-old, who will put constant pressure on opposing defenses. He was one of the few bright spots on a Bolton team that was relegated.
He had seven goals and five assists this past season and proved capable of scoring on the wing or while playing in the center behind the strikers. Hoilett was an excellent addition to the team and will be a productive attacker.
Park Ji-Sung
Park had a long and successful career at Manchester United, but the 31-year-old had been getting into fewer and fewer matches with the Red Devils, and his move to London will be allow him to regularly see the pitch.
The South Korean is a versatile player, who can play just about any midfield position effectively. He will be a leader with championship experience and a valuable presence in the clubhouse.
Key Departures
Patrick Kenny
The first choice goalkeeper from a year ago has been replaced after QPR allowed the fourth-most goals of any Premier League side. The Irishman was not all that impressive, and the club wisely went in a different direction.
The team brought in Robert Green after West Ham decided not to retain the English keeper's services. Green has certainly had his share of high profile mistakes, but he still gives the Rangers an upgrade in the net.
Heidar Helgusson
The 34-year-old Icelander made 16 appearances and recorded eight goals and two assists in Premiership matches. These are impressive statistics, and QPR could have used a reliable goal scorer off the bench for this season.
Still, the team has attacking depth, and Helguson was a luxury. While Mark Hughes certainly would have liked to keep him, he will not lay awake at night wishing that he was still on the squad.
Key Matches
The full QPR schedule can be found via the team's website. Here are the must-see matches.
vs. Chelsea, Saturday, September 15
London derbies are always entertaining to watch, and this one will be no different. It also presents an early opportunity for the Rangers to knock down one of the Premiership's biggest clubs.
Chelsea certainly have a sizable talent advantage in this match, but both teams have new players and neither of them will have settled in at this point in the season. This will make the contest more unpredictable than the matchup suggests.
The motivation to be kings of the capital for a day will help QPR, and they just may be able to earn points in this rivalry match.
at Manchester United, Saturday, November 24
This match may not be of paramount importance to the entire squad, but two Rangers players who will likely feature in the first-11 on a regular basis moved to London after spending several seasons at Old Trafford.
It will be an emotional return to Manchester for Park Ji-Sung and Fabio. Park spent seven seasons with the English giants while Fabio has spent all four of his seasons in England with United, although he is only with QPR temporarily.
Still, these players will be extremely motivated to play well against Man U, and this could help their new side earn a surprising result.
vs. Fulham, Saturday, December 15
This is the London derby that will be truly exciting, as the teams are more evenly matched.
The contest will be further intensified by the presence of Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson, both whom recently transferred from Fulham. If these two are in Mark Hughes' lineup, they will be desperately trying to get a goal against their former team.
Winning a match against a crosstown rival is always positive, and a decisive victory here would give QPR momentum heading into the second half of the season.
Key Players
Joey Barton, Midfielder
Barton's charisma earned him the captain's armband for QPR, but the dark side of his personality was on display during a mix-up with several Manchester City players in the final game of last season. The incident earned him a 12-match ban.
When he is done serving his suspension, he must keep himself on the field, as he plays a vital role for the Rangers. He is an excellent passer and fiercely committed to defense.
His presence in the center of the pitch makes life significantly easier for both the attackers and the back line. The team will receive a significant boost when he returns.
Djibril Cisse, Striker
Heidar Helguson was the team's leading goal scorer last season, and he is no longer with the club. But Cisse put in six goals during just eight appearances and has the potential be QPR's top attacker.
The 30-year-old was in spectacular goal-scoring form last season, but he also behaved erratically. Cisse had two red cards during his brief time in London.
He too must remain focused and avoid outbursts, as his goal-scoring talents will be an integral component to his side's success.
Adel Taarabt, Midfielder
The 23-year-old Moroccan had a remarkable 2010-11 season in the championship, but his success did not translate to the Premiership.
Taarabt notched 19 goals and 16 assists two years ago, but the outside midfielder managed just two goals and three assists in 27 appearances this past season.
He is still young and certainly capable of making his mark against England's top teams. If he can play up to his potential, he can form a dangerous tandem on the wings with Junior Hoilett.
Strengths
Attacking Versatility
The Rangers have several veteran players capable of filling the traditional striking role. Djibril Cisse, Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson will all see time in a position that they know extremely well.
Surrounding the strikers, Junior Hoilett and Park Ji-Sung's versatility will greatly benefit the team. Both players can play on the wing or sit in behind the strikers and pressure the opposing team's centre-backs.
Out of the wing, the team will be looking to Adel Taarabt to have a strong season, and to Jamie Mackie to turn in quality performances.
Mark Hughes has several talented attackers, who excel at exposing different parts of team's defense. This will give the ability to tailor his lineups for each opponent, and he will always have a substitute ready to make an impact.
Tackling
The entire QPR team enjoys getting stuck and making tackles. The team dispossessed its opponents over 20.1 times each game, which was fourth-best in the Premiership.
Alejandro Faurlin led the EPL with 4.5 tackles per game and Luke Young finished fifth by chipping in 3.5 tackles each match.
The team did struggle to possess the ball at times, forcing these players to make copious amounts of tackles, but tackling is still a valuable skill, and many Rangers players showed an affinity for it.
If the team can improve its possession and continue to tackle well, they will once again be safe from relegation.
Weaknesses
Possession
QPR managed to control the ball just 44.7 percent of the time in their Premiership matches, which was the fifth-worst mark in the league. The team also completed 298 short passes per game, which was the fourth-lowest total in the EPL.
The team does not play the hoof-ball tactic and used long passes an average amount of time. It simply struggled to hold on to the ball.
Keeping possession with short passes allows a team's defense to rest and recover. The Rangers' lack of control significantly hurt the back line, whose 66 goals allowed was tied with Norwich for the fourth-highest in the league.
The team must receive stronger play from the central midfielders, get the ball to the wingers and allow them to take possession in to the attacking third of the field. If the team passes as poorly as it did last season, the team will once again be hovering around the bottom three spots.
Note: statistics courtesy of Whoscored.com.
Discipline
Joey Barton and Djibril Cisse's transgressions have been mentioned, but they are not the only problem on this team.
QPR finished the season with nine red cards, when the next highest total for any team was five. This is an unacceptable number of ejections, and Mark Hughes must make this perfectly clear to his players.
There is a line between playing physically and just being stupid, and Rangers players crossed it repeatedly last season.
This will have to change as every point counts for teams in the QPR's position, and a costly red card at the wrong point in the season could lead to relegation.
Prediction for 2012-13
Wins: 12
Draws: eight
Losses: 18
Points: 44
Place: 14th
The Queens Park Rangers have made several shrewd additions, and that will lead to a few more victories than they recorded last season.
Mark Hughes has a stable of talented attackers at his disposal, and he should be able to keep his players under control better than he did last season.
The Rangers have a quality side and should regularly beat teams in the bottom half of the table. They may even turn in a few surprising results against the EPL giants.
The team will not make a giant leap up the table, but they will avoid relegation.
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Post by londonranger on Aug 9, 2012 23:53:22 GMT
Well, Mr Bleacher Report talks tras though he has seen the future and it is his.
Remarkable individual.
Let him register and become a member of QPR Report, and list his predictions, like the rest of us mere
mortals will be evaluated after the match and the season.
I have no use for these "Crystal ball" types. But then others may believe otherwise.
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Post by fraserinbc on Aug 10, 2012 0:53:19 GMT
Personally, I like seeing how others outside of the club predict our chances in the upcoming season. Whilst everyone has biases, those on here are slightly more bias than most when it comes to QPR ;-)
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Sabas
Dave Sexton
Posts: 2,349
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Post by Sabas on Aug 10, 2012 5:36:29 GMT
The key 'arrival' is Diakite. And Kenny cannot be regarded as a key departure since Green got that covered.
The seasons Park and Hoilett are going to have is unpredictable.
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Post by RoryTheRanger on Aug 10, 2012 8:26:59 GMT
It lists Barton as an important player, the writer is an idiot.
Hate it when they don't do their research before writing stuff like this.
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Post by Lonegunmen on Aug 10, 2012 9:35:13 GMT
Hoilett from Bolton eh? Sounds like the sort of comment one would expect from a former ITK.
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 13, 2012 6:42:57 GMT
Observer has us finishing 9th www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/11/premier-league-2012-13-club-guideQPR Last season: 17th Title odds: 3,000-1 Going down: 11-2 Summer update Rangers might have stopped playing before the final whistle blew on last season but they cannot wait for the first one this time out. In Park Ji-sung, who was unveiled at a glamour press conference on the 29th floor of London's Millbank Tower, they feel they have signed a "global superstar". Mark Hughes completed a lot of encouraging business early on and his ambitions are high. After promotion in May last year under Neil Warnock, a 17th-placed finish was the target and was achieved, just. Hughes has said that Rangers will no longer be involved in relegation scraps on his watch. Key player Park will be pivotal. Achilles heel Rangers had the worst away record in the division last season. Headline generator Joey Barton's debut after his 12 game ban. What odds on a straight red? Ins Park Ji-sung (Man United, £2m); Ryan Nelsen (Spurs, free); Fábio da Silva (Man United, loan); Samba Diakité (Nancy, £3.5m); Junior Hoilett (Blackburn, tribunal); Andrew Johnson (Fulham, free); Robert Green (W Ham, free). Outs Ten players released. Prediction 9th |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 13, 2012 6:53:19 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 13, 2012 8:13:59 GMT
GUARDIAN Premier League preview No11: Queens Park Rangers Mark Hughes seeks to add vivacity to virtue on the field as owners look to grow the west London club's brand off it Kevin McCarra Guardian writers' predicted position: 11th (NB: this is not necessarily Kevin McCarra's prediction, but the average of our writers' tips) Last season's position: 17th Odds to win the league: 2000-1 Loftus Road is the smallest stadium in the Premier League, with a capacity of just 18,500. The prospects of building a far larger ground in London are always disheartening. Queens Park Rangers, however, are at least undaunted. Philip Beard, the chief executive, contrived to be chirpy when reflecting on the fact that it would take five years at the very least to bring into being a new home with 45,000 seats. "That gives us the time to cultivate the brand and the support of QPR," he declared. In practice, an impressive ground might be the quickest way of all to increase attendances substantially. As Beard appreciates, though, there are no swift or easy means to create large football facilities in London. QPR should at least be encouraged that they are likely to have a modern training centre at Warren Farm next season. A stadium is a much more troubling topic. Even Roman Abramovich must be getting downcast as he ponders the challenge of giving Chelsea a ground with a greater capacity than the current 42,000 at Stamford Bridge. Realism is unavoidable at QPR. Tony Fernandes, the majority shareholder in the club since last year, has business acumen and a sense of caution. "I think it's important not just to throw money at the game," he said. That calmness, all the same, does not mean that he is passive. Neil Warnock took QPR into the Premier League last year. "He's a special guy, we're very happy with him," Fernandes said at the time. The contentment did not last when Warnock went eight games without a win in the league. He was sacked in January. His replacement Mark Hughes did enough to keep QPR in the top flight. There has been a sensible craving for security after the team conceded 66 goals in the Premier League season, with only the relegated clubs doing worse. The goalkeeper Rob Green has joined after leaving West Ham. Ryan Nelsen saw little action after a move from Blackburn Rovers to Tottenham Hotspur in January, but Hughes may feel that the know-how of a 34-year-old has a higher value for QPR. No one at least can accuse the club of delusions. Little cash, for instance, has changed hands so far in the close season. Park Ji-sung has joined from Manchester United with the initial fee reported to be £2m. It is scarcely an eye-catching sum and the midfielder is 31, but his consistency and general ability were appreciated at Old Trafford. Another United player, the full-back Fábio da Silva, has arrived on loan. Although it makes sense to deal in well-known quantities, there is also a need to bring some vivacity to the team and there has been a breadth to Hughes's acquisitions. Junior Hoilett, who left Blackburn Rovers at the end of his contract, has it in him to beat opponents and bring some extra liveliness to QPR's approach. The Canadian was in the Ewood Park youth programme from the age of 13. Hughes, as Blackburn manager, overlapped with Hoilett for a year and would had a sense of the player's potential even if the youngster was out on loan to the German club Paderborn. That sort of familiarity is even more marked in the case of Nelsen, whose long stay at Blackburn included three full seasons under the management of Hughes. There are assets at Loftus Road and Joey Barton could be numbered among them were it not for the fact that his career is being swamped by controversies. The midfielder was sent off at Manchester City at the close of last season with mayhem breaking out once he had been shown the red card. That did not merely help the hosts take the title. His misconduct led to a 12-match ban and, of late, he has made pre-season appearances for Fleetwood Town to recover match fitness. His omission from QPR's's pre-season tour to Malaysia could well be interpreted as a form of exclusion, but it would hardly have made practical sense for the club to involve a player who could not be considered for selection once the real season is in progress. There had been briefly been talk of the club cancelling his contract although that did not appear feasible in reality. The club, after all, did value a footballer who had come to them after four years with Newcastle United. Barton started 31 of QPR's league matches last season. It is obvious that there will be a reluctance even to try and rehabilitate him but professional sport normally deals in practicalities. The 29-year-old may yet re-emerge. www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/aug/13/premier-league-previews-qpr?newsfeed=true |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 13, 2012 8:54:18 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 13, 2012 13:24:44 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 14, 2012 15:03:37 GMT
Have to say I don't agree re QPR! Goal.com Premier League Relegation Betting Preview: Why Norwich and QPR should be backed to struggle this season Phil Kitromilides believes Paul Lambert's departure will hurt the Canaries in their fight for survival, while at 6/1 (7.00) the London side are good value to be relegated Aug 14, 2012 2:19:00 PM By Phil Kitromilides Traditionally, sides newly promoted to the Premier League face the greatest battle to maintain their top flight status and the prices on them being relegated are generally reflective of this anticipated struggle. However, last season all three newcomers managed to survive and this will give encouragement to Southampton, Reading and West Ham who have rejoined the elite of English football for the forthcoming season. Don't Miss Diary of a Punter: Antepost picks part two La Liga Betting Preview Over £400 in free bets through Goal.com Life of a Punter: Ante-post picks With fewer resources than their two historically stronger, fellow newcomers it is unsurprising to find Reading as the favourites to go down, with Panbet pricing them at 23/20 (2.15) for the drop. Although the Royals do have the backing of some wealthy owners. Premier League Relegation Odds Odds courtesy of PanBet Reading 23/20 Southampton 13/10 Norwich City 3/2 Wigan Athletic 3/2 Swansea City 19/10 West Ham United 5/2 After two successive promotions Southampton find themselves back in the Premier League for the first time since 2005, and are fractionally behind the Royals in the betting, priced as they are at 13/10 (2.30) to go straight back down. Logically one might expect the third newly promoted side, West Ham, to follow in the betting, yet the Hammers are clearly deemed to have sufficient wherewithal to avoid the ignominy of immediate relegation and are priced at 5/2 (3.50). Norwich City and Wigan Athletic are both offered at 3/2 (2.50) to be relegated and the price on the Canaries looks like holding some value. While the Latics managed to hold onto their highly rated young manager in Roberto Martinez, Norwich saw their boss leave, with Paul Lambert swapping Carrow Road for Villa Park. Lambert's analytical approach was instrumental in Norwich's rise from League One to Premier League in two seasons, and his departure is likely to seriously dent the side's momentum. An injury to either John Ruddy or Grant Holt would have massive repercussions on their small squad, and backing the side from Norfolk to be relegated looks like a shrewd investment. For a value bet, taking Queens Park Rangers to be relegated at 6/1 (7.00) could be an attractive proposition. Despite investment in the transfer market, the Hoops remain a small club, with a limited, if undoubtedly passionate fan base. Last season's inability to make their compact Loftus Road stadium into a fortress saw them struggle, and a failure once more to find some home form could have serious consequences. www.goal.com/en/news/2994/betting/2012/08/14/3304564/- |
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Post by kempton ranger on Aug 14, 2012 15:17:16 GMT
What does Phil Kitromildis do for his day job. How dare he mention us in the same article as those certainties. Clearly he does not appreciate the benefits of having a compact LR . We are close enough to pull there shorts down if someone dare. We get real close to the players ask "Ivanovic" .
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 15, 2012 7:02:39 GMT
BBC Premiership Club-by-Club Preview www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18857152.... QPR QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2011-2012 season Premier League: 17th FA Cup: Fourth round Carling Cup: Second round Players in: Samba Diakite (Nancy) £3.5m*, Park Ji-sung (Manchester United) £2m, Junior Hoilett (Blackburn) Fee yet to be decided, Robert Green (West Ham) Free, Andrew Johnson (Fulham) Free, Ryan Nelsen (Tottenham) Free, Fabio Da Silva (Manchester United) Loan. Players out: Paddy Kenny (Leeds) Undisclosed Fitz Hall (Watford) Free, Heidar Helguson (Cardiff) Free, Paddy Kenny (Leeds) Free, Peter Ramage (Crystal Palace) Free, Danny Shittu (Millwall) Free, Rowan Vine (St Johnstone) Free, Akos Buzsaky (released), Danny Gabbidon (released), Gary Borrowdale (released), Lee Cook (released), Bruno Perone (released). Summer so far: Midfielder Joey Barton is banned for 12 games by the Football Association, fined six weeks' wages by the club and stripped of the captaincy after his clashes during their final-day defeat by Manchester City. A move to Fleetwood falls through as QPR decide not to loan him to a League Two side. QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt signs a new three-year contract, while Kieron Dyer also earns a new contract despite only playing once because of injury in his first season at Loftus Road. Former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves trains with the Loftus Road side after his exit from Manchester City. Key fixtures: A tough end of the season, Arsenal (h), Newcastle (h) and Liverpool (a), means that QPR will hope to have their season sewn up by then. Barton will be back from his 12-game ban for his fracas against Manchester City by the time they host the champions on 29 January. Full QPR fixture list BBC London 94.9's Andrew Rowley: "Having survived by the skin of their teeth in May, QPR have been quick to set about making sure they are not in the same predicament this time around. "Mark Hughes strengthened in the second half of last season with the signings of Bobby Zamora, Djibril Cisse and Nedum Onouha and has brought in more experience with the arrivals of Robert Green, Ryan Nelsen, Park Ji-sung and Andrew Johnson. "Green will be a straight swap for the departing Paddy Kenny while it will be interesting to see what Park can offer. Hughes won the dash to sign Junior Hoilett and the 22-year-old should add a cutting edge that was missing last season. Brazilian full-back Fabio da Silva joins on loan from Manchester United to strengthen a defence that leaked 66 goals last season." "The club could also improve their discipline - six red cards in the last 15 games is a woeful return." |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 15, 2012 7:05:06 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 15, 2012 14:40:26 GMT
Various Premiership Club Fans Pre-Season Assessments (including Mine) done for the Reading Unofficial Fan Site, TheTileHurstEnd www.thetilehurstend.com/2012/8/15/3243376/2012-13-premier-league-previews-in-their-own-words-part-3QPR Report
Mike from QPR Report - qprreportHow would you sum up last season? Eventful and Stressful. But ultimately, all's well that end's well! And we freed ourselves of Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone! (And Gianni Paladini) How has the summer gone so far? Good. Very good. Obviously we want more! But certainly thus far, our owners have indeed "Walked the Walk"when it comes to signing new players Who's your key player next season? Cisse, Taarabt, Diakite, Park - and hopefully there won't be too many mistakes by our new goalie, Rob Green. One younger player who might burst on to the scene? In the near-term: Not so sure any of them will. We have three youngsters on tour, but strongly, strongly doubt any of them will be first team starters - short of crippling injuries or suspensions. Where do you think you'll finish? Around 11th. Maybe even slightly higher. What do you make of Reading and where they may end up? Didn't expect you to go up. Congratulations on doing so. Probably helped by having QPR players. I wouldnt have thought that Swansea and Norwich would stay up last year, so who's to say. Certainly Southampton seem to have been spending - and spending well. If you can keep the team spirit and not devastate it with new signings, have a good chance. Who are you tipping to make the top four and the bottom three? Top Four (Sadly): Man Ut, Man City, Arsenal & Chelsea Relegated Trio: Swansea, Wigan, (and just for you!) WBA! |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 15, 2012 14:41:01 GMT
There's also one I did for ZOO, but I believe that's only available in the magazine
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 16, 2012 7:40:41 GMT
This one thinks we'll struggle but just survive. (Just don't us having a struggle) ESPN/Soccernet Fighting for survival August 13, 2012 By James Tyler Previewing all 20 English Premier League teams is a labor of love, mainly because some of these teams make it so hard to love them. Where some clubs perennially frustrate rabid fan bases with baffling underachievement (here's looking at you, Liverpool), others can't possibly think about playing tiki-taka, given that their top-flight lives hang in the balance every weekend. And so it's here we begin this journey through the murky, moneyed Prem: the quintet of teams fighting not to finish in the bottom three.... Queens Park Rangers Last Season: 17th (37 points) Key Signings: MF Junior Hoilett (Blackburn Rovers), MF Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United), DF Fabio (Manchester United, loan), MF Samba Diakite (AS Nancy), FW Andrew Johnson (Fulham), GK Robert Green (West Ham United), DF Ryan Nelsen (Tottenham Hotspur) Key Departures: FW Heidar Helguson (Cardiff City), DF Fitz Hall (Watford), GK Paddy Kenny (Leeds United) Can Mark Hughes get Park Ji-Sung back to his Old Trafford best? Core Story: Rangers' first Prem season since the mid-1990s was a confused medley of new faces, new ideas and new owners. Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone sold their majority stake to Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes before the end of last August, prompting a minor spending spree for tortured, talented off-cuts such as Joey Barton, Luke Young, Armand Traore, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Anton Ferdinand (who would later be the recipient of the John Terry storm). Not that the outlay helped the club fit into its new surroundings; just four wins before New Year's Day resulted in the sacking of Neil Warnock and the hiring of Mark Hughes. And yes, more spending on more misfits -- such as Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora -- occurred with hours left in the January transfer window. Yet all the expenditure and excitement translated into a relegation dogfight, which didn't end until Bolton failed to beat Stoke on the final day of the season to seal QPR's berth for another year. That Barton & Co. nearly denied Hughes' former club, Manchester City, the Prem title that day is but a footnote in a difficult return to England's top flight. Fans will be happy that: QPR is still in the Prem, as many pundits felt it was ultimately a lucky escape. Fans will be sad that: The transfer market continues to be such a puzzle. Hughes did bring some semblance of form (five wins in the last 10 games, including success against Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs) to the job, but until there is some cohesion and stability in the squad -- seven new signings already this summer as surplus veterans such as Hall and Kenny are shipped out -- this will continue to be a work in progress. Star to savor: Junior Hoilett was beloved for his effort at Blackburn, as his pace and eye for goal made him a bright spot in a miserable season. Hoops fans will soon grow to love him. Intangibles: The combative Hughes is a headstrong manager who got a raw deal at Manchester City and clearly still wears that bitterness several years on. But now that he has gotten his sea legs in London, what can he do with yet another hodgepodge of a squad? Can he get Park Ji-Sung back to his Old Trafford best? Can he help loanee Fabio develop into a competent defender? Who from Jay Bothroyd, DJ Campbell, Cisse, Zamora, Andy Johnson and even Hoilett can be trusted to regularly lead the line? And what of Adel Taarabt, the tempestuous midfielder who struggled to convert his lower-league dominance to the EPL last season? Prediction: Survival. But only just. soccernet.espn.go.com/feature/_/id/1132370?cc=5901 |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 16, 2012 8:21:24 GMT
Bleacher Report ranks all 20 Premiership Goalies (I presume from best to worst. Didn't look at all) Anyway Rob Green #18 English Premier League Preview: Ranking All 20 Starting Keepers for 2012-13 By Karl Matchett (Featured Columnist) on August 15, 2012 18. QPR, Rob Green Former West Ham United goalkeeper Rob Green made the move to QPR this summer and will be the first choice under Mark Hughes, replacing Leeds United-bound Paddy Kenny. Green has bags of experience having played for England in major tournaments at international level as well as been West Ham's first choice for a number of years. He remains, however, a great to average goalkeeper in any given game. Capable of fine flying saves or moments of bizarre decision making, Green will save QPR points this season—but is also likely to cost them some. bleacherreport.com/articles/1298316-english-premier-league-preview-ranking-all-20-starting-keepers-for-2012-13/page/4 |
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Post by blueeyedcptcook on Aug 16, 2012 12:25:45 GMT
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Post by fraserinbc on Aug 16, 2012 17:49:41 GMT
Ladbrokes has this little nugget of information:
QPR are 4/1 to be relegated this season and optimism will be that they will finish nearer the top half than relegation after a successful summer in the transfer market.
England goalkeeper Rob Green, exciting Blackburn forward Junior Hoilett and experienced Manchester United campaigner Park Ji-Sung are among the new arrivals at Loftus Road.
However, the fact they finished 17th in the final standings last season threatens to be a hindrance to their chances this time around.
The last three clubs to have survived the relegation places by a single place have gone down in the following campaign, which does not bode well for QPR.
A myth that some punters may consider as another reason for a probable QPR relegation is that of second season Premier League relegation syndrome.
But only four teams in the last 11 seasons have survived on their Premier League return, only to be relegated in their second campaign.
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 17, 2012 6:42:09 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 17, 2012 14:52:06 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 17, 2012 16:08:27 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 18, 2012 8:29:05 GMT
Expect a good season, QPR boss tells fans West London Sport 18/08/2012 by David McIntyre Confident QPR manager Mark Hughes has boldly declared that Rangers fans should expect a good season. Hughes’ side begin their Premier League campaign with a home match against Swansea this weekend and the Welshman is convinced they will comfortably avoid a relegation scrap this time around. Rangers stayed up on the final day of last term by the narrowest of margins – and Hughes immediately pledged that they would never again be in a similar situation while he is in charge. And, speaking on the eve of the big kick-off, he said: “Maybe I’ll come to regret that statement, but I don’t think so. I stand by that statement. Hughes happy with signings “I’ve always been of the view that you have to keep peoples’ expectations high. They don’t want to be told that it’s going to be a struggle again. “Some managers tend to do that [play down expectations] knowing full well that their team has the ability to be much higher than that. “I’d never underplay the opportunity that we have here. I fully expect us to have a good season. “I don’t want to underplay it so that I then look good by overachieving. I don’t think that’s correct. “The fans want to hear that their team’s going to have a good season – and that’s what I fully expect us to have.” Hughes will name QPR’s new captain shortly before the game at Loftus Road and is hoping Bobby Zamora comes through a late fitness test on a knee problem. Armand Traore has failed to shake off an ankle injury and is unavailable. www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/expect-a-good-season5-qpr-boss-tells31-fans |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 18, 2012 9:03:39 GMT
The Star
Premier League preview: Survival crucial as QPR continue Fernandes's slow revolution
Star Loftus Road correspondent says the Rs have bought wisely but must battle again to stay in the top flightSaturday 18 August 2012 by Lewis Jones Printable Email Football comment: Things could have been very different at QPR this season. In the midst of Manchester City's euphoria at landing the title, QPR, despite conceding two late goals against the champions-elect, survived relegation by the skin of their teeth. This writer could have been penning a column that was about Championship concern than Premier predictions. Bolton's failure to beat Stoke at the Britannia Stadium, in the end, was QPR¹s saving grace. The Trotters were relegated by a single point. A goal here, a missed chance there fine margins, indeed. QPR boss Mark Hughes's main message at the final whistle in Manchester was one where relegation would not be an issue for the club next season. Chairman Tony Fernandes has echoed his words over the summer, and in true Fernandes style, his big talk has been backed up with actions. The Rs have arguably been the most proactive side in the transfer market in pre-season, with seven new faces, all who possess proven Premier League experience, coming through the door in W12. England international Rob Green has been brought in to replace Paddy Kenny, whose magnificent form from QPR's promotion campaign deserted him last season. He has moved to re-join former QPR boss Neil Warnock at Leeds United. Centre-back Ryan Nelsen along with former Fulham forward Andy Johnson, like Green, bring more steel to a side that lost 14 games away from home last year the worst record away in the league. Fabio Da Silva, on loan, and Ji Sung Park have been snapped up rather shrewdly from Manchester United while midfield general Samba Diakite's move from Nancy has been made permanent after he impressed during a loan spell at the back end of last season. But perhaps QPR¹s most exciting bit of business was in persuading free-agent Junior Hoilett to turn down offers from top clubs in Germany and sign a four-year-deal with the Hoops. Hoilett, 22, played 92 times and scored 14 goals for Blackburn Rovers after joining the club as a youngster under Hughes. He was a shining light in an otherwise miserable season for Rovers, who were relegated with a whimper. Hoilett, whose contract expired at Rovers, will bring some much needed width to a rather narrow QPR side and unlike their other signings he definitely has potential for the club to make a profit on their investment. Evaluating how well a side has fared in the summer transfer window can only be proven around Christmas, but it's hard to argue at this stage that QPR haven't significantly improved their squad with the influx of new players. It is of paramount importance however that expectations around the club do not rocket too far ahead of themselves. QPR turned Loftus Road into a fortress towards the end of last season, winning their last five games, including against Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham. It can be an intimidating place for visiting players to perform, but on the flip side, when things aren¹t going to plan, home players can, because of the close proximity to the terraces, feel the tension and pressure from the home faithful. The fans stuck with the side brilliantly last year but they must remember QPR are still a club in progression. Fernandes has a vision for Rangers to grow into a worldwide footballing force but these things, as proven before, can't be rushed. Anything above 17th will be seen as a success by him and, although he won¹t admit it, Hughes as well. www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/content/view/full/122846
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 18, 2012 9:39:14 GMT
CNN/Sports Illustrated Georgina Turner>INSIDE SOCCER Premier League preview: Breaking down every club's outlook by tier Manchester City and Manchester United are the clear Premier League frontrunners Arsenal is lurking just outside the top tier; Tottenham could face challenging start A larger number of teams that usual could be in for a battle to stave off relegation 0 inShare The return of Carlos Tevez bolsters an already strong first-choice XI for Manchester City. David Rogers/Getty Images The new Premier League season is about to begin, which means it's time to dig out the Magic 8 ball, give it a shake and ask: How will things go this year? In recent seasons, teams have been separated into four groupings: top four, the chasing few, the bottom five and the rest. That doesn't seem like such a good breakdown in 2012, as only a few clubs stand a probable chance at winning the title. A far greater number approach the season with at least a tang of apprehension as the rest of the table is concerned. This article is broken down into three tiers: title contenders, the chasing pack and everyone else. The teams are not mentioned in the order I expect them to finish, so, please, no angry emails from QPR fans. You won't be able to get through for all the Reading supporters, anyway. Tier 1: The title contenders Clubs: Manchester City, Manchester United It is difficult to look beyond Manchester City and Manchester United as the favorites for the Premier League trophy. That has a fair bit to do with the fact that they both finished far, far ahead of the competition last season (they were level on 89 points while Arsenal, which came in third, had only 70), and that neither side looks the slightest bit weaker. Both have primarily offloaded players who rarely, if ever, featured in the league, with United's Park Ji-sung serving as the exception. City's acquisition of Jack Rodwell is hardly going to revolutionize things, but the return of Carlos Tevez adds luster to what was already last season's strongest first-choice XI. United, for its part, quickly addressed an area of need by signing Shinji Kagawa, and Sir Alex Ferguson is now spoiled by a front six buoyed by the addition of the former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie. There was scorn when Paul Scholes came out of retirement to marshal United's midfield last season, but the evidence is that Tom Cleverley, now fit, is more than ready to assume a pivotal role. You can never write Manchester United off. If the title is to be decided by a blinking contest between Ferguson and Roberto Mancini, experience favors United. Tier 2: The chasing pack Clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur In explaining why he wanted to leave Arsenal, van Persie said that his "goal has been to win trophies." That's the captain of the third-place club prefacing a move to the second-place club; the gulf between the Manchester sides and the rest of the league is large. This summer seems to have only widened the gap. Arsenal has become a selling club, but it has changed tack in this transfer window. In the summer of 2011, when Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri left, a handful of players arrived to Arsenal the final moments. It was only once they did that Arsene Wenger's side secured a first league victory. This time around, Wenger has acted early, signing forwards Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski in anticipation of van Persie's departure, plus another attacking midfielder in Santi Cazorla. Question marks remain (Is Giroud even that good?) but Arsenal will likely finish in the top four, as it has every year since 1997. Unless we are talking about the Champions League, however, it now makes more sense to consider that there are perhaps five or six clubs jostling for position beneath the title contenders. It has become second nature to couple Chelsea with Arsenal, but it will take time to see how Roberto di Matteo's team gets along without Didier Drogba, and how Eden Hazard, Oscar and Marko Marin slot into an outfit that hasn't always made instant hits out of new signings. (It has been interesting to see Fernando Torres' thoughts on his first season at Chelsea, even if he can be considered an extreme case. He told The Sun that it was the backing of the fans rather than his teammates that enabled him to come off the bench and play a part. "Whatever I do from now on will be for the fans," he said.) The fixture list presents Chelsea with the opportunity to get a good start, however, with Wigan, Reading and QPR among the first five opponents. Ranking somewhere in with these two London clubs -- though quite possibly a little behind them -- comes Tottenham Hotspur. There's a sense that Spurs will be all right in the end (traditionally making the most of the final few of weeks of the transfer window), but the start of the season looks like another patch-up job. Only one striker, Jermain Defoe, is on the books and the engine room is left unmanned while Scott Parker recovers from surgery on an Achilles injury. Demba Ba scored 16 goals in 32 starts for Newcastle United last season. Alex Livesey/Getty Images The first game of the season, kicking off this weekend, takes Tottenham to Newcastle United, where the manager Alan Pardew has managed to keep together the squad that lifted United to fifth last season. Pardew has Demba Ba (16 goals in 32 starts) and Papiss Cisse -- who averaged a goal every start after signing in January -- up front, as well as one of the stingiest home defenses in its favor. Newcastle faces a challenging start, with a midweek Europa League match in Greece sandwiched between the opener against Spurs and a trip to Stamford Bridge. Matches against Manchester United and Liverpool loom on the horizon. And so to Merseyside, where Liverpool and Everton make up the cluster of clubs chasing European soccer. Predictions on Everton's season have swayed with the departure of Rodwell and Tim Cahill, though the return of Steven Pienaar restores some drive to David Moyes' midfield. The signing of Steven Naismith from Rangers means Nikica Jelavic -- last season's enviably low-cost, high-return signing -- has his former strike partner alongside him once again. It is difficult to make predictions about a Liverpool side that never quite settled in to a rhythm under Kenny Dalglish, and one that is now being re-sculpted by Brendan Rodgers. He, unsurprisingly, has signed his former Swansea midfielder Joe Allen, who was coveted at Anfield even before Rodgers took over. Liverpool hosts both Manchester clubs and Arsenal in the season's opening weeks, upping the ante in the bonding of the new forward partnership between Fabio Borini, newly arrived from Roma, and Luis Suarez -- still with some points to prove himself. Tier 3: The restClubs: Aston Villa, Fulham, Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers, Reading, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham, Wigan Let's start with the bottom and see where it takes us. It is getting harder to name just three or four teams that might end up in trouble, and towards the end of last season, fear seemed to stalk right up towards the middle of the pack. Only clubs such as Fulham looked serene in ninth place (That will be harder to do without Danny Murphy, Pavel Pogrebnyak and possibly Clint Dempsey, still being linked with a move to Merseyside. Still, Martin Jol looks to be assembling a scout's dream of exciting young players). Widespread anxiety is probably inevitable when a couple of teams dominate and the rest duke it out for the scraps. As a consequence, supporters of a host of middling clubs may be nervous about their chances of staying as such -- there has even been talk of Stoke City ending up in trouble. Tony Pulis' fifth season in the top flight may not be entirely comfortable, but Stoke's play has been much the same since 2008, and still away sides struggle at the Britannia. If any previously middling side is going to be pulled into the mire it could be Sunderland, which relied heavily on Stephane Sessegnon in spells last season and has signed only Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar over the summer. It takes a sturdy constitution, however, to predict doom for a Martin O'Neill side. As usual, the promoted clubs feature heavily in many people's predictions for the drop. Despite coming up as Championship champion, Reading's Premier League challenge has convinced fewer than Southampton, which finished second after having been promoted from the third tier only the year before, and West Ham, which was promoted via the playoffs. There is just something a bit green about Reading, which has predominantly cherry-picked from the clubs that finished further down the table, even though the Hammers have a great deal of experience and manager Sam Allardyce has a good record at this level with this sort of team. In Southampton's case, simple momentum seems to be the persuasive element, though Nigel Adkins' side is likely to be right in the thick of it for much of the season. It starts with Manchester City and United either side of the visit of Wigan. After several last-ditch escapes, it becomes almost tempting to think that Roberto Martinez's side will stay away from the relegation battle. Almost. But realistically, Wigan will feel the loss of Mohamed Diame (signed for West Ham) and even the erratic Hugo Rodallega (off to Fulham). It looks as though Victor Moses could end up staying, mind you, and he was often Wigan's best attacking player last season. The fact that Martinez himself is still in place after talks with Liverpool and Aston Villa is also a considerable fillip. West Bromwich Albion lost manager Roy Hodgson to the England vacancy at the end of last season, with former Liverpool No. 2 Steve Clarke taking over. And while relegation seems a strange prospect for a relatively solid side -- a permanent deal for Ben Foster is a terrific bit of business as, potentially, is the loan-signing of Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku -- Clarke will have to find his feet quickly and keep running. Also on the wrong end of a few people's table predictions are the clubs promoted at the start of last season -- it is not all too often that all three survive their first term in the top flight, and the dreaded phrase "second-season syndrome" is being bandied about. In the case of Swansea, there are understandable fears that last season's 11th-place finish would in any case have been difficult to replicate, but that's even more so now that Rodgers has gone to Liverpool and Allen has gone with him. Gylfi Sigurdsson was only around for half of last season, but his decision to move to Tottenham was also a stinger. The club has one of the best players Barcelona has ever had -- Michael Laudrup -- in charge now, and a long-standing commitment to the kind of soccer that won everybody over last time out. A harder season awaits Swansea, but it should have enough quality to tell. Norwich City has also lost the manager that put the club where it is, with Paul Lambert moving to revive Aston Villa (this will be a season of low expectations but a lot of hope at Villa Park) and the former Newcastle and Birmingham City manager Chris Hughton taking his place. Despite the reputation Hughton earned while in the north east at St James' Park, there are fears in some quarters that the switch could take the wind out of Norwich's sails; without the points plucked from losing positions last season, which seemed to rely as much on sheer willpower as anything else, the Canaries would not have been nearly so comfortable. Hughton has managed to hold onto key players including Grant Holt, however, and if he can find the right position for Robert Snodgrass (who has played just behind Holt in preseason but was most dangerous on the right for former club Leeds United), there are certainly goals in the team. The scale of the changes at Queens Park Rangers give it all a bit of a hotchpotch look, but Mark Hughes has made several very good signings -- numerous players have been shifted out for little or no fee, and though their replacements have often cost just as little, they are, for the most part, upgrades in important positions. Most notable is Blackburn's Junior Hoilett, who should be capable of giving the side the penetration that it often lacked last season. sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/georgina_turner/08/17/premier-league-preview/index.html#ixzz23tBB7Gox |
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Post by Macmoish on Aug 18, 2012 13:48:13 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Nov 21, 2012 15:35:07 GMT
Bump! How long ago that seems  |
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