Saturday 5th December 2009
The Coca Cola Championship
Loftus Road Stadium
Referee: P Gibbs (replacement for K Hill)
Attendance: 13,949
Queens Park Rangers 1-5 Middlesbrough
By The Godfather

Queens Park Rangers starting line-up: Cerny, Leigertwood, Hall, Gorkss, Borrowdale, Routledge, Faurlin, Watson, Taraabt, Buzsaky, Simpson.

Middlesbrough starting line-up: Jones, Williams, St Ledger, Wheater, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Arca, Yeates, Osbourne, Kitson, Lita.

Oh dear. On Saturday afternoon, Queens Park Rangers produced a truly inept defensive performance. As a consequence, Middlesbrough, with the talented (and irritating) Leroy Lita in attack, exploited this to their advantage. Although the Rs created a few opportunities, this turned out to be an absolute thrashing.

I did feel that Magilton got his tactics wrong on Saturday. We have all enjoyed the attractive, flowing football that QPR have produced so far this season. However, one must remember that Middlesbrough played against expansive passing teams that are far, far better than the Rs in the Premiership last season. Therefore, I can't help thinking that the manager should have aimed for a more restrictive performance, encouraging his players to keep it tight in midfield and to get 'stuck in'. Perhaps, then, things might have turned out differently.

For me, this match also highlighted the importance of having a proven goalscorer in one's side. The striking partnership of Lita and Kitson was a very effective one. Magilton was right when he said that "they punished us" in his press conference. "Punishing" teams is something that QPR repeatedly fail to do. Rangers MUST sign a proven striker in the January transfer window - and, please, not another loanee!

Magilton made one change from the side that drew with Coventry last weekend, with Kaspars Gorkss replacing Matthew Connolly. Rowan Vine made a surprise return from injury to be handed a place on the substitutes' bench.

Queens Park Rangers started the match strongly in what was to be a very lively first half. With only 4 minutes on the clock, a neat one-two between Taraabt and Routledge allowed the former to find space in the penalty area. Unfortunately, the Moroccan could only blast his shot well over the bar.

Then, in the 12th minute, Ben Watson's corner found the unmarked Mikele Leigertwood at the near post. To my despair, the former Palace man headed over the bar. He really should have done better.

Three minutes later, Middlesbrough carved out their first opportunity. Leroy Lita, an unpopular figure with QPR fans, cut inside and unleashed a decent shot from the edge of the box. Fortunately, Cerny saved comfortably.

At this point, Middlesbrough started to take control of the game, capitalising upon sloppy distribution and exploiting the gaps in the vulnerable QPR defence. And, in the 21st minute, they almost took the lead. The impressive Mark Yeates picked up the ball from 35 yards out and, under no pressure whatsoever, sent a long shot crashing against the crossbar. A lucky escape for Magilton's men.

I was starting to see why many are viewing Middlesbrough as promotion favourites. Arca and Osbourne were running the show in central midfield and Yeates was moving past Buzsaky and Leigertwood on the left flank with great ease.

In the 27th minute, the away side carved out another golden opportunity when Kitson threaded the ball through to Lita. Hall did well on this occasion, putting the former Reading striker under pressure and forcing him into firing straight at Cerny, who saved comfortably. However, the Rs wouldn't be so fortunate three minutes later.

In my Coventry match report, I expressed my disgust at the fact that Rangers conceded from two set-pieces. Clearly they haven't been working on this in training. After Hall was booked for a foul on Yeates inside QPR's half, O'Neil curled in the resulting free-kick beautifully. Kitson, who was completely unmarked, tapped the ball into the top corner of the net.

It could have been even worse for the Super Hoops in the 40th minute. Again it was O'Neil at the centre of the action, producing a curling shot from the edge of the box that forced Cerny into a dramatic save.

Bookings: Hall (36 minutes).

Half-time score: Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Middlesbrough

The second half couldn't have started worse for Magilton's men. Again it was a set-piece causing the problems, with QPR failing to clear a corner. With the ball bobbling around the penalty area, it appeared to hit the hand of Ben Watson. Mr Gibbs pointed to the spot, giving Leroy Lita the chance to open his goalscoring account for the afternoon. To the delight of the travelling fans behind the goal, he smashed it into the roof of the net. Lita's pathetic celebration (gesturing towards the Paddocks and South Africa Road Stand) earned him a yellow card.

At this point, part of me did feel that it was "game over". Queens Park Rangers did not look like troubling Middlesbrough's resilient defence. However, the introduction of substitutes, Rowan Vine and Patrick Agyemang, at the expense of Akos Buzsaky and Jay Simpson, did make a difference, albeit temporarily.

Suddenly QPR seemed more threatening in attack. And, in the 52nd minute, they got themselves back into the match. Vine found space on the left flank and managed to progress into the penalty area. He then crossed for Agyemang, who tapped the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Just as it seemed as though QPR would find an equaliser, Middlesbrough netted a third goal thanks to more Sunday League standard defending. In the 59th minute, an excellent counter-attack involving Yeates and Arca led to Lita picking up the ball on left-hand side. After leaving Fitz Hall on his backside with a combination of pace and skill, he slotted into the bottom corner of the net.

Once again, I felt that this was the killer blow. However, QPR could have pulled a goal back seven minutes later. Gorkss produced a deep cross from the left wing, finding Wayne Routledge at the far post. With the goalkeeper stranded, the diminutive winger somehow dragged his shot wide of the target.

That was the last opportunity for the Rs. The final fifteen minutes of the match saw the away side add two more goals to the scoreline. First, in the 74th minute, more dreadful defending allowed Lita to run at the Super Hoops' defence. After his shot smashed against the post, the rebound fell to O'Neil, who tapped the ball into the net. Game over.

Middlesbrough substitution: Digard on for O'Neil (78 minutes).

Then, after Pellicori had replaced Routledge, Boro' netted the fifth. In the 86th minute, Yeates, who had been superb all afternoon, ran at his defender and fired the ball into the bottom corner. Embarrassing stuff.

After four minutes of stoppage time, Mr Gibbs blew the full-time whistle, signalling the end to what had been a horrible afternoon for Queens Park Rangers supporters.

Bookings: Lita (50), Osbourne (58).

Full-time: Queens Park Rangers 1-5 Middlesbrough

Conclusion

I have to say, although things were made very easy for them, Middlesbrough looked excellent on Saturday. Unlike QPR, they had two strikers who posed a constant threat and were clinical in front of goal. They were also solid in defence, preventing the likes of Taraabt and Routledge having any influence on proceedings.

I don't often single players out for bad performances in my reports, but I have to say that Fitz Hall and Mikele Leigertwood had absolute shockers on Saturday. Gorkss wasn't much better. Some supporters will be wondering why Damion Stewart wasn't selected in the starting line-up.

In truth, I could spend hours and hours and hours going through all the faults with this performance. Defensively, it was absolutely abysmal. I just hope and pray that the Rs improve on Monday night, in what is a crucial fixture against Watford.

Man of the match: Rowan Vine - caused problems for the 40 minutes or so he was on the pitch. Created Agyemang's goal and kept going even after Boro' had scored their fifth goal. I wouldn't be surprised to see him start on Monday night (if fully fit). Borrowdale and Routledge also played quite well.