The reserves played their counterparts from Crystal Palace in a friendly yesterday as the frankly not fit for purpose reserve league did not offer a competitive game until December. The match gave Fitz Hall a chance to get some game time under his belt after leaving the Sheffield Wednesday game injured in the first half and missing the defeat at Doncaster.
Antonio German also featured after returning from his loan spell at Aldershot. The Eagles won the game 5-3 with QPR’s goals coming from Alessandro Pellicori who got two and youngster Sam Bewick.
Reserve manager Keith Ryan wasn’t too disappointing, pointing to a lack of official linesmen as a potential reason for the heavy defeat that came despite a relatively strong back four starting the game for Rangers. Ryan told the club’s
official website: “It was a very useful exercise for us. The scoreline was not important. Obviously you want to win every match but, with no recognised linesmen, it did make things difficult. The defence were operating a well-organised, high backline and at least three of Palace's goals would never normally have stood. But the game provided a number of first team players the opportunity to get vital match minutes under their belts.”
QPR: Bulmer, Ramage (Bailey 65), Hall ( Harris 65), Stewart (Harriman 65), Borrowdale (Bewick 75), Ephraim (German 75), Ehmer, Alberti, Parker, Agyemang, Pellicori.
Lee Cook didn’t make an appearance in this match but did tell QPR Player that he is close to a return to action as he steps up his recovery from a variety of knee injuries. Cook said: “I started running about ten days ago now and it is going really well. I’ve been working so hard in the gym that to get back out there running, see the boys and get back involved has been a great feeling. During my rehab is probably the best it’s felt, I’ve been in the gym and feeling no pain and the physios have been happy with that and so have I. As each day goes by I’m getting more confident and the physio said the other day it was the best I’ve looked so I’m getting there day by day.
“It’s basically a pre-season for me now. The more ball work I do the better it will be for me. The target we set was round about Christmas time so I’m bang on for that. I’m going to be working over the next two or three weeks to get back as soon as I can but I can’t rush it.”
Steven Reid has been speaking to
Sky Sports about settling into life at Loftus Road. Reid, who is on a one month loan from Blackburn after an injury interrupted three years, said: “I can't explain how great it is to be back playing league football on a Saturday instead of shopping with the missus or watching Soccer Saturday on TV. I've played a couple of games in the Carling Cup for Blackburn, but it's not the same as being out there in the league at the weekend. It did feel a bit weird at first, simply because I've been at Blackburn so long. I know everyone there, all the players, the staff, the people in the office, and so you become a bit like a part of the furniture. The lads here have been brilliant though, and I had the usual initiation on the way up to Doncaster. We were stuck in a bit of traffic and a few of them thought it would be a good time to switch the microphone on and get me up to sing a song.”
Over at Wycombe Gareth Ainsworth’s impact at Wycombe has been immediate. The Chairboys were eight points adrift at the bottom of League One and fresh from a 6-0 drubbing at Huddersfield when Wild Thing moved there on a one month loan last week. Since then Gary Waddock’s men have won at Millwall and at home to Brentford last night lifting themselves off the bottom of the table and closing the gap on fifth bottom Brighton to three points.
Ainsworth told the
Kilburn Times: “The gaffer and John Gorman said they'd like me to go out on loan and play some games as we don't play any of the top teams in the reserves. But they made it clear that the door's definitely not closed. Jim's said from day one that being in the QPR team is on merit and it'd be great for me to get some games - that might open a door. The fact is that I haven't had much first-team football for a while. The squad at QPR is very strong now - it's the strongest I've ever seen - and, after getting over my injury, I've been sat on the bench. This is just for one month and after that we'll see what happens - if QPR want me, great and if Wycombe want me, great.
"Waddo rang me, said Wycombe were interested and could I come along - he was a big factor in my decision to go. He knows what I can give and obviously feels it can help Wycombe as well.”
Another senior QPR player out on loan, Heidar Helguson, was named in the Championship team of the week after scoring twice for the Hornets against Scunthorpe at the weekend. Helguson has five goals in four appearances since returning to Vicarage Road from Rangers and talks are ongoing over a possible extension to his stay there.
Off the pitch Flavio Briatore has been putting forward his appeal against his life ban from motorsport following the ‘Crashgate’ hearings six weeks ago. An appeal was heard in paris on Tuesday and the judgement is expected to be released on January 5.
Briatore’s ban, if upheld, could see him forced to leave QPR under the league’s fit and proper person test. Manager Jim Magilton told the
Daily Mail: “Mr Briatore pays me to do my job which is to look after results on the pitch. What is happening with him at the moment is completely separate and I have been assured it is business as usual whatever happens. My own philosophy is about working with the players. I don't think we have seen the best of them yet so we are still very much a work in progress. I am very happy to do my job here and they let me get on with it. If I think we need strengthening in January, I will go to the board and Mr Briatore, who would generally help with these things.”
The rumour mill has again been alive with stories of QPR starlet Raheem Sterling this week. The 14 year old, who may see first team action from the bench as early as next month when he turns 15, is wanted by a host of Preimership clubs after impressing in QPR’s Under 18s and England’s Under 16 side. The Mirror reported yesterday that the boy had informed QPR he wished to leave to join Manchester City while The Sun today tips Arsenal to win the race for his signature. Further reports across the QPR message boards suggest that Sterling himself has rubbished both reports on his own Facebook profile.
A previous rumour, relating to QPR’s apparent interest in Ipswich’s out of favour midfielder Owen Garvan may surface again shortly after Scunthorpe United manager Nigel Adkins denied he had made an approach for the Irishman. The Iron were believed to be one of QPR’s competitors for his signature.
Elsewhere in the Championship new Peterborough boss Mark Cooper has strengthened his squad by returning to his old club Kettering and signing giant centre half Exodus Geohagen on loan with a view to a permanent move in January. As well as being a formidable defensive presence Geohagen, who Cooper signed from Redditch for Kettering 18 months ago, has a long throw to rival that of Stoke’s Rory Delap.
Meanwhile Ipswich Town have made an approach to Carlisle United with a view to signing experienced former Leeds left back Ian Harte - a former international team mate of Town boss Roy Keane. Cardiff City have survived yet another winding up order in the High Court after HMRC agreed to a delay of 70 days to allow payment.
Finally a reminder that QPR are in the FA Cup Third Round Draw this Sunday, ball number 31.
