Just when you thought it couldn`t get any worse, we turned in one of the worst Reading performances in a decade at Loftus Road. Both sides ended the game with ten men and a late consolation from Brian Howard could do little to raise the spirits of the travelling fans.
Brendan Rodgers stuck to his word and went ‘back to basics` with a 4-4-2 formation, with two wingers and two out and out strikers. To be fair we started ok, despite the game stopping every five seconds for the ref to pull someone up for foul. Whilst QPR had the better of an exciting opening, Kalifa Cisse and Jimmy Kebe saw efforts go over the bar and Job McAnuff went close with a shot from a tight angle.
However that was as good as it got, and QPR took the lead in bizarre circumstances just after the half hour, after the ref awarded yet another free kick 25 yards out. Ben Watson went to take it quickly but had obviously been told to wait for the whistle and was given a second yellow card! However the Royals didn`t have an advantage for long as from the re take Akos Buzsaky scored, finding the bottom corner with a fine effort.
You couldn`t tell who had ten men though and it was no surprise when QPR scored a second before the break. Wayne Routledge put over a great cross from the right and Jay Simpson was in the middle to tap into the net from close range.
At the break, Rodgers opted to revert to a 3-5-2 formation bringing on Gylfi Sigurdsson and Brian Howard but just seconds into the half, Ivar Ingimarsson pulled down Simpson and earned himself a second yellow and he was off as well. The half time team talk was down the pan and we spent the whole of the second half chasing the ball as Rangers ripped our makeshift defence to pieces.
They could have had three or four goals before sub Rowan Vine eventually scored the third goal of the game with a low effort that beat Federici at his near post. Then another sub, Patrick Agyemang, raced clear of the defence, rounded the Australian keeper and tapped into an empty net.
In stoppage time, sub Hal Robson Kanu found Brian Howard in space in the 6 yard box and he converted past Radek Cerny do at least deny QPR the honour of a clean sheet! By the end, sections of the travelling support had turned on Rodgers in frustration at another heavy defeat.
A very honest report there – we’ve been given very little credit from all opposition recently. It seems that everyone turns in their worst display against us! Thank you for the kind words, and I hope you guys can turn it around.
Was really impressed with QPR performance last night, the way you attacked on the counter was impressive. Looks like you have got your best players firing all at the same time – we were awful though!
I think we’ve really hit a purple patch, and it’s our best team for a very long time. I don’t think some of our players like Taarabt and Watson were at the top of their game, but others stepped up. We need to be consistent though, and hopefully once we get into those playoffs we won’t let them go!
that really is an ouch result.