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Saturday, October 20, 2007

Previewing QPR vs Ipswich

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Ipswich Results this season - Ipswich Playing Squad and QPR Results this season
Corresponding Game Last season (Aigust 25, 2006) - with almost an entirely different QPR team: QPR 1 Ipswich 3. Gallen put QPR ahead before 3 goals by Ipswich - QPR's team: Paul Jones, Rose, Stewart, Rehman, Milanese (Baidoo 77),Gallen, Lomas (Bircham 72), Ward, Cook, Ray Jones, Blackstock. Subs Not Used: Cole, Kanyuka, Oliseh. Match Report

Suffolk and Essex online - Harford wants to add to away-day blues 19 October 2007 - ELVIN KING
Mick Harford may be in only temporary control of football affairs at Queens Park Rangers, but he wants to add to Ipswich Town's away-day blues at Loftus Road tomorrow.
Town have not won away from Portman Road in their last eight Coca-Cola Championship matches, but they will fancy their chances against a bottom-of-the-table London-based side.
Harford, who was assistant manager at Colchester United last season, said: “Ipswich have struggled on their travels and we'd like to make them struggle a bit more. They have been reasonably sound at home and are a decent footballing side.
“Maybe we've turned the corner since our win over Norwich two weeks ago.”
Harford has been in charge at Rangers since John Gregory's departure earlier this month, but former Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin has been heavily linked with the role and has revealed that he has had talks with Flavio Briatore who is to become the new QPR owner.
Harford said: “I had a meeting with the chairman and he just said 'carry on and see where it takes us'. I enjoy working here and the players have responded well. I am getting on with preparing the lads for tomorrow's game, which should be a good one.
“We're still in a predicament - we're still bottom of the league and we need to win our home games. However, if we remain nice and positive and play as we did against Norwich, there's a good chance we can start climbing the table.”
Chris Barker, who played for Colchester last season, is out after a groin operation, but central defender Michael Mancienne played 45 minutes of reserve football on Tuesday and came through unscathed.
He is in the squad but Daniello Nardiello (hamstring) and Marc Nygaard (calf) who are now training may find tomorrow's match too early for them.
Rangers have six players on loan including striker Rowan Vine (Birmingham) who was reported to have been interesting Ipswich. The others are Mancienne, Ben Sahar (both Chelsea), Hogan Ephraim (West Ham), Jason Jarrett (Preston) and Martin Cranie (Portsmouth).
Midfielder Gareth Ainsworth sees six-goal Town striker Alan Lee as the Blues danger man. He said: “Alan's a good target man and a hard worker up front. We're going to have to keep him quiet but, if we can do that, we'll have a good chance of winning. The lads have really been knuckling down under Mick Harford.
“Ipswich don't travel all that well and tomorrow's game is definitely winnable.”
Tomorrow's squads
Queens Park Rangers: Camp, Rowlands, Stewart, Cranie, Ainsworth, Bolder, Leigertwood, Sahar, Ephraim, Vine, Jarrett, Timoska, Moore, Cole, Bignot, Marcienne, Nardiello, Nygaard.
Ipswich Town: Alexander, Wright, Wilnis, De Vos, Harding, Walters, Miller Legwinski, Garvan, Clarke, Lee, Bruce, Counago, Haynes, Supple, Roberts, Peters.
Referee: Mr N Swarbrick (Lancashire) Suffolk and Essex on Line

IPSWICH OFFICIAL SITE RANGERS REPEAT
Jim Magilton is looking for his team to build on the away display at Burnley when Town take on QPR at Loftus Road.
Blues have yet to win away from Portman Road this season but were denied three points at Turf Moor by an incorrect decision to rule out a late Pablo Counago goal.
Speaking to the Club website ahead of the trip to Loftus Road, Jim said: ""It was a decent performance from us at Burnley and will give the players a little more belief on our travels.
"We had a good shape in that game and we now need to build on that performance and starting picking up points away from home.
"QPR was our first away win last season and it would be nice to repeat that again on Saturday. Certainly the display we put in after we got level was excellent.
"I was very pleased with the football we played that night and like I say, a repeat of that would be very welcome."
Mick Harford will be in caretaker charge of Rangers after the dismissal of John Gregory and with takeover plans in the air with F1 giants Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore reported to be ready to buy the club, it's an uncertain time at Loftus Road.
"It must be difficult for Mick at the moment but he's a top bloke and he will have his players fully prepared," adds Jim.
"I met him last season on several occasions, with him being assistant to George at Colchester. I enjoyed his company and I'm sure he would like the opportunity to take on the QPR job.
"I'm not sure what is going on behind the scenes there but if he beats us on Saturday, it will give his chances of getting the job a boost.
"QPR played well to beat Norwich in their last home game and that will give them confidence and they have matchwinners in their side but then so do we."
Town's only injury concern is Jason De Vos, who has a sore knee and has missed training this week.
Jim is confident he will be okay though and adds: "We will have a look at him but he's a big, tough centre-half and it takes a lot for him to miss out.
"Shane Supple has had a shoulder problem but has trained this week and he will be fine."
Rangers have Michael Mancienne back after he has recovered from back and hamstring problems but Chris Barker, Marc Nygaard and Danny Nardiello are struggling.
Kick-off at Loftus Road is 3.00pm with commentary available on Ipswich World. Town will be in all black. Ipswich

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - THE BELIEF IS BACK
Mick Harford believes the belief is back in the QPR camp after our maiden victory of the season against Norwich City last time out.
Fellow East Anglian outfit Ipswich Town visit Loftus Road in the Championship tomorrow (Saturday) and the R's Caretaker Manager is in buoyant mood.
"There is a real belief now that we can turn a corner and get a few wins under our belt," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"It seems a long time since we played Norwich and in a way it would have been nice to have the Ipswich fixture sooner, but the break has given the lads who were carrying knocks a bit of time to recover. But now I am glad the game is upon us."
Harford has earmarked another clean sheet as the key to victory ahead of the visit of the Tractor Boys, although he is honest enough to admit it won't be easy against an Ipswich side riding high in the top half of the Championship table.
"The key to the win over Norwich was the clean sheet. It was our first clean sheet of the season and the base for a good result," said Harford.
"I thought we defended very well in that match, and going forward we looked dangerous. We created a lot of chances, which was pleasing."
Harford added: "Jim Magilton likes his sides to get the ball down and move it around quickly, and Ipswich are a good footballing team.
"We've worked hard with the players today on Ipswich's strengths and weaknesses."
Rangers could welcome key defender Michael Mancienne back to the fold against Ipswich. The Chelsea loanee, who has been sidelined for six weeks with a back / hamstring injury, completed 45 minutes for the Reserves on Tuesday afternoon and is pushing for a first team recall.
Fellow defender Chris Barker could also start, after returning to full training following a hernia operation, but Danny Nardiello (hamstring) and Marc Nygaard (calf) remain doubts.
Dexter Blackstock has joined long term injury victims Pat Kanyuka (thigh) and Simon Walton (fractured fibula) on the sidelines, as the R's goal-getter works his way back from a knee operation.
Despite Blackstock's absence, Harford is tipping another front-man, Birmingham City loanee Rowan Vine, to shine on Saturday afternoon, commenting: "Rowan adds another dimension to us in attack, and I've been happy with the number of chances we've been creating.
"We could have scored a few more goals against Norwich and I'm confident we'll create a similar number of chances again on Saturday."
Ipswich have injury concerns of their own. Blues skipper Jason De Vos will have a late fitness test on a knee injury and if he misses out, either Alex Bruce or Chris Casement are likely to deputise.
However, Richard Naylor could return after recovering from a foot tendon injury. QPR

QPR Official Site THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: TRACTOR BOYS
With a fortnight's break since their last Coca Cola Championship outing, Tractor Boys boss Jim Magilton would have spent plenty of time pondering his sides' failure to perform on the road.
At Portman Road, Magilton's men - who currently occupy tenth place in the table - have an exemplary record, with four wins from their four Championship fixtures to date.
Indeed, a 4-1 demolition job over an in-form Coventry City last month suggests Town are more than capable of turning the screw against the very best on their day.
However, on their travels, Ipswich have been less than impressive.
Six away games without a win in all competitions tells it own story and it's that damning statistic that continues to prevent the Suffolk outfit from making the desired step up to the next level.
Undeterred, Magilton, who took over the Portman Road hot-seat at the start of last season, has made a smooth transition from player to management.
With limited funds available, the Ipswich boss has had to scour the market for deals, and has brought in a host of free transfers. Most recently, Pablo Counago, Neil Alexander and Tommy Miller have been added to the Tractor Boys ranks.
Yet while Magilton and co have made an impressive start to the new campaign, the Tractor Boys boss is only too aware of the need to progress in the forthcoming months.
"You are always just a couple of defeats away from looking over your shoulder," he said.
"We had a poor February last season when we lost five games and it (my position) may have been mentioned by the board behind closed doors but it was not brought to my attention.
"We are always in a precarious position because we are in the business of getting results and if we don't get them then ultimately it will cost your job."
Despite their poor away form, Magilton is in bullish mood of the trip to W12, commenting: "I dream about us being in the top six. I wouldn't be happy if my players were dreaming about it, but I allow myself to.
"I believe we can push into the top six and more importantly the players believe we can get there."
Whether Magilton's dreams become a reality might just have something to do with their form on the road, starting on Saturday against the R's. QPR

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