And I might as well now copy/paste what I did. A QPR fans views ahead of trip to Elland Road
1:17 pm in Interview with an away fan by TSS
This week, the author of QPR Report joins us for a look ahead to this weekends fixture and to discuss all things QPR.
Ryan â After last weekendâs results, I bet your starting look over your shoulders at Leeds. Are you looking forward to Saturdayâs game?
QPRReport - First let me say thank you very much for inviting me to contribute to your site. I have various memories of Leeds United; not all of them âbad!â
I was probably as gutted as any Leeds fan when Leeds lost to Chelsea in the 1970 FA Cup Final Replay. I was urging Leeds on throughout the two games. And Leeds were ROBBED! And I was disappointed when Leeds failed to win the Treble in 1971. Instead Arsenal won The Double! And Don Revie did almost takeover at QPR back in 1984/85.I should note that while Iâm a truly obsessed QPR fan for over 40 years, and a consistent (obsessive) messageboard poster; I to put it mildly, donât get to too many games.
Now specifically to the upcoming game: Am I looking forward to it? Well I look forward to every game QPR play. But do I look forward with confidence to Saturday? Not at all. We could win. We might lose. Or the drawâŚ
Ryan - You lost your first game of the season last Friday night against Watford. Could it be the start of a rough patch for QPR or do you think youâll pick your form back up on Saturday?
QPRReport - I think we already had a slump a few weeks ago, when we were drawing a lot. Iâve no doubt weâll play a lot better against Leeds. Whether that will be enough, time will tell. So QPR will be much better. But will be good enough? Not sure. Weâre not a great team. Weâre a good team, well organized, playing with confidence and with a very solid manager. And the owners â FINALLY â are staying out of the way.
Ryan - We had Shaun Derry a few years back at Leeds and he turned up looking like Jesus. He looking a bit more like Phillip Schofield now though with his Grey hair! What do you make of him as a player? Do you think heâd be able to hack it in the Premiership if you were to get promoted?
QPRReport - I think Derry can probably make his contribution to a QPR in the Premiership! Heâs our de facto captain even though Adel Taarabt officially has the title of Captain.
Ryan - We know all about Derry, and we had Rob Hulse at Leeds aswell a few years back, but who else should we be looking out for in your team?
QPRReport - Obviously Taarabt. We have a strong defense. Well organized. But our true star is Neil Warnock. We donât exactly have deadly strikers though. Mackie was on a streak. He hasnât scored for like a dozen games, which of course meansâŚWatch out Leeds!
Ryan - You are one of The Championshipâs richest clubs but it we all know it can go horribly wrong once teams start spending big. What do you make of it all? Do you trust the new owners?
QPRReport - Now you got me started: On my blog and messageboard (and on other messageboards), I have focused considerably (some would say inordinately) on our owners, past present. Trust? President Ronald Reagan used to cite the Russian phrase âdoveryai, no proveryaiâ ( âTrust But Verifyâ). That certainly applies at Loftus Road. One wonders at what they do. One wonders why theyâre involved. Of course Leeds have Ken Bates and had Peter Ridsdale, so I guess you donât have to love your owner!
First although weâve lost a ton of money quite a bit of it on bad transfers and expensive wages on long contracts, NeiL Warnock really hasnât spent much money in converting a relegation-headed team into a promotion team. Our owners obviously have the money. But theyâre not exactly showering it on QPR! But obviously the tag of âMoney Bagsâ QPR does us no favour. All the disadvantages without the advantages. Compare to what other clubs are spending, itâs really not that much. Look back at what Warnock spent over the summer.
Ryan â Do you have any particular memories of games between the 2 of us? My personal favourite would have to be when Brian Deane scored 5 for us in a 6-1 win at Elland Road!
QPRReport - I wasnât at the game, but beating Leeds at Elland Road during the Brian Clough Era. Weâve had several narrow losses. I remember the Champions to be Leeds beating QPR in 1968 and 1973 when the Leeds team celebrated their second Championship (Goodbye Don Revie!). But the most significant game for QPR, was the 1975/76 final game of the season when QPR beat Leeds at Loftus Road. And for Ten Days, QPR were Champions of England (Gerry Fancis, Stan Bowles, Dave Thomas etc) Before Liverpool stole it at Birmingham. Leeds obviously had many narrow missing out over the years. But at least you have won the Championship.
Ryan - Which 3 teams do you think will get promoted and which 3 do you think will get relegated this season?
QPRReport - Promoted: QPR, Burnley and Leicester
Relegated: Preston, Sc**thorpe and Doncaster
Ryan - If you could sign one current Leeds player for QPR, who would it be?
QPRReport - If youâd asked me last year, Iâd have said Jermaine Beckford. I think weâve been linked in the tabloids with Becchio. (Our past player exchanges besides Hulse and Derry include Tony Currie and Mark Hately â Quite a contrast!)
Ryan - Finally, whatâs your prediction for the game? Iâm going for a 1-1 draw.
QPRReport - Leeds 3 QPR 1
Ryan - Thanks for taking part, enjoy the game!
QPRReport - Thank you again for inviting me. Good luck.
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