After around four days of licking our wounds, last night was as everyone agreed about bouncing back, showing a reaction, ideally getting the win but at least stopping any rot. At this stage of the season nobody can be sure about what ‘back on track’ looks like. West Ham took just two points from their first three games, including a famous defeat, yet before last night’s games sat at the top of the league. We aren’t sure whether to focus on three wins and just one defeat in five or one point from two away games and our own bubble being burst. A win and we could find ourselves back in first place, second at worst (given some not playing); a draw and it’s still a decent start; defeat and we’re getting gloomy again. What was not in doubt was that we would need a very good performance to beat a QPR side enjoying their own good start.
We got a decent performance and a hard-earned point. For the second time in three games we were up against a side hell-bent on keeping the ball – and to that extent QPR, like West Brom, succeeded, enjoying 70%-plus possession. That kept us pinned back in our own half, kept our forward-looking players focused on defending and running around trying to close down their opposite number. But, also like West Brom, who did actually score a goal against us, QPR largely failed to turn dominant possession into goalscoring opportunities. For that they may point to injuries of their own, but one curled shot just wide, two dangerous low balls across our box, and a one-on-one resulting from our mistake is not much return.
We defended very well, even towards the end when a number were not surprisingly flagging, and might even have won but for a debatable offside, a penalty not awarded, and a blatant pull back not even punished by a free-kick (and yellow card). But truth be told we struggled through the game to keep and make use of the ball and were down to the bare bones in terms of available players, limiting our ability to freshen things up, especially once Leaburn did not return for the second half. And at the end I’d guess both teams and managers were, if not ecstatic, reasonably satisfied with the draw.
The team would again be about whether one or two more might be available and, if not, how to manage/shuffle a squad of 25 (with Burke not on the final list submitted to the EFL) reduced to in effect 17 with seven injured and another (McNamara) unavailable. While the team for Stoke included a large element of resting players (and we paid the price), two home games surely meant best available starting if they could walk. Jones opted for just two actual changes, really three in practise as McNamara would have been right-back but for his suspension, so Mesik continued in that spot, Jones, Bindon and Bell the other three. Coventry returned to partner Skipp as the defensive midfield pairing, Ouma back among the subs, and Carey starting again in the central position of the more forward three, Rankin-Costello dropping to the bench. On the bench there would be no place for Apter, with Laqeretabua and Nkeng preferred.
As at Stoke we started the game brightly. From an early corner Leaburn managed to get his head to the ball but under pressure put it wide, Campbell had a shot blocked having been played in by Leaburn. But as QPR settled into their game the balance shifted in their favour as we saw less and less of the ball, especially in their half. They were to win nine corners in the first half and from one of them a curler from the edge of our area went only just wide with Okonkwu probably beaten. But in terms of near misses that was about it, QPR’s cause not helped by their dangerous winger going off injured. And the pendulum did shift back at the end of the half.
On 38 minutes, with QPR pressing forward Skipp wrongfooted them and slide through a perfectly weighted pass for TC to spring onto. He didn’t need to take a touch before planting it beyond their keeper and into the net, only for the offside flag to cut short our celebrations. It was to say the least very tight, have to see yet more replays before any definitive answer is possible, but he may have been onside. And there was still time for the ref to not award us a penalty. We were applying late pressure, the ball bouncing around their box, and Mesik chased one down. The QPR defender slipped/fell/was pushed and went to ground and in doing so brought Mesik down with him. If no foul had been given against Mesik it was surely a penalty, however unintended. But we are not exactly getting the breaks from the officials at the moment.
So at half-time, although the stats looked poor, we felt a goal was possible and that would change the game. But a few minutes before the break there was a confusing episode as Rankin-Costello appeared stripped off and ready to come on. The assumption was it would be for Carey, but why make such a move so close to half-time, with such a change then surely likely to seriously damage his confidence. Rankin-Costello sat down again and the mystery was resolved when he came on at the start of the second half but for Leaburn, who had obviously picked up a knock.
Rather than opting for his only replacement, Mbick, Jones the Boss chose to change the formation, switching to a back three/five with Rankin-Costello and Mesik wing-backs, while Grant and Campbell would operate up front. The change really didn’t work (at West Brom switching to that set-up did help to get us a point). We looked vulnerable on their left side and did come under the cosh. On 55 minutes the first of two dangerous low crosses flashed across our box, only needing a touch, and on 61 minutes Bindon lost the ball and they played their guy in for a run in on Okonkwo. Fortunately he stood tall and managed to get a leg in the way of the eventual effort.
On 63 minutes we abandoned the formation change as Mbick replaced Carey. And back out left TC began to cause them problems. As they tired we had more joy on the break but were stopped by cynical fouls. Grant intercepted the ball but was held back. Amid all this QPR were still controlling possession but we covered well. They brought on three subs on 77 minutes to fresh things up, which did not bode well for the run-in as we were tiring too.
On 83 minutes the second of their dangerous crosses was drilled in, from the right, again nobody getting the vital touch. Muamba came on for Skipp and on 87 minutes on another day we might have had another penalty as a QPR defender’s upper arm blocked a shot, but it was from close range. Would have been very soft. Ali replaced an exhausted Campbell and in the first of three stoppage time minutes we might have won the game, only for the ref to bottle it again. Mbick broke well with the ball and played it through for Grant. He was obviously held back and couldn’t reach the ball, the ref doing nothing. The final act of the game was a corner for us, but it came to nothing and it would be a point apiece.
The injuries, fixture list, and officials’ decisions are doing us no favours at present. We will go again at home to Portsmouth on Saturday, hoping that Leaburn’s withdrawal was precautionary (Mbick is a great prospect but still returning from his lengthy injury) and that perhaps some of the other injured will be available. If not some of our number will end Saturday thinking they might be extras from ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They?’.
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