Beating the drop
‘QPR will never be in a relegation dog fight as long as I am in charge’. The famous words from Mark Hughes.
Well it’s into the last few months of the season and that’s just where Queens Park Rangers find themselves.
Harry Redknapp took over the reins at QPR and has still seen only two wins in the Barclays Premier League. QPR found themselves unbeaten in 2013 until the drubbing at Swansea a fortnight ago .
It is not rocket science that results need to improve for Rangers to stand any chance of staying up. With the fixture of Manchester United looming, it couldn’t come at a worse time to be playing the nineteen times Premier League champions. Perhaps we can be the party spoilers again. The dramatic finish to last year’s Premier League campaign saw Manchester United losing the title to their fierce rivals Manchester City and with Manchester City twelve points behind United City will be hoping for us to do them a favour Saturday by taking all three points.
Twelve games remain in the Premier League campaign and I believe Rangers need at least 20 more points to stay up. This means if we reach this target we will finish on 37 points, looking at the table with all the teams around us in form, it may have to take a second thought as to whether 37 points will be enough.
QPR have some tough fixtures coming up but have to play all of the relegation candidates as well which is where we need to be picking up maximum points. We have home fixtures against Wigan, Sunderland and Newcastle, all three of these games we need to take maximum points. This is very achievable. Although as all teams struggle to score goals, so probably 0-0 written over these fixtures (slaps wrist and tells himself not be so negative). With Zamora back and Remy “hopefully” back I can’t see a problem scoring goals. I am going with two home wins here.
The three away fixtures against the fellow relegation candidates are against Reading, Southampton and Aston Villa. If you would like to add Fulham into the mix, a trip to Craven Cottage is also on the cards. QPR have only taken one win against these teams, which came as our first win of the season against fellow West Londoners Fulham. A draw at home to Villa saw Harry pick up his first point. Rangers drew under Hughes at home to Reading and the dismal performance against Southampton saw QPR come away from Loftus Road with zero points. These are all tough games and I can only see a couple of points being picked up here, possibly a win at Villa and at Fulham but losses to Reading and Southampton. So another two wins here.
QPR have two trips to Merseyside still to play travelling to Liverpool on the last game of the season which by then our fate could have already been decided. Depending on the nature of the game I can see us picking up maximum points here regardless of the need to win the game. QPR like to upset the apple cart. Everton away is winnable having seen Rangers win there last season under Neil Warnock which saw a very strange line up announced with Patrick Agyemang starting up front. Even Clint Hill still had a smile on his face before the game and believed we would pick up three points and we did. All it takes is that little bit of belief. QPR will pick up a point here.
So that leaves two fixtures left; home to Arsenal and Stoke, both again are winnable, but we have been saying that all season... this is a must win game, blah blah blah. QPR won both these fixtures last season and need to win them again. Arsenal look more dangerous than last season so another performance of a lifetime will be needed. Stoke who will just come at us and kick us from pillar to post will come for the draw and never really play to win. Rangers will sneak this fixture 1-0 and possibly pick up a draw against Arsenal.
I will leave it up to you on how many points we will get, I think we will just get enough.. Just..
Believe in the R’s... everyone wrote us off last season, but this season is of a different magnitude. Let’s do it and COYRRRRRRRRRRRS!
Blogged by @Moiststrawberry