QPR Vs Luton

Post Luton Stats

QPR made it 3 wins in a row against Luton to move up to 7th position. We are level on points with 4th place but we have a low goal difference of just +1 despite our fine start to the season. We are only 1 point from 2nd place and 3 points from the top.

We have yet to keep a clean sheet in all competitions this season.

Our 11 goals conceded is the most in the top 15 in the table. Only 3 teams have conceded more. Conversely, only 2 teams have scored more than our 12 goals this season.

We won 3 league games in a row twice last season so have matched that feat. We haven't won 4 in a row since 2013/14 in our play off promotion season when we managed 4 league wins in a row twice (August-September 2013 and January 2014) and we have a chance to equal that against Millwall next week.

That could be easier said than done... it is coming up for 30 years since our last away win Vs Millwall (6 visits). On 24 February 1990 we won 2-1. Prior to that you have to go back to 1973. We haven't won at The New Den.



Dominic Ball has made 3 starts and won 3 games for QPR since coming in to the side.

Toni Leistner also has a 100% win record so far from his 4 appearances.

Arguably the best 2 players on the pitch against Stoke on the opening day (Osayi-Samuel and Cameron) have seen the side win 3 in a row in their absense. Osayi-Samuel failed to even make the match day squad yesterday which shows how strong the squad looks this season.

Sounds as if I was not the only one at the game yesterday but, for what it is worth, here are my thoughts! All three of our goals came from great interplay and were well-taken. The supporters had endured a noisy start from the School End, but as we averaged a goal every ten minutes they went from noisy to stunned to moans; whereas the QPR supporters found their voices and were very appreciative of the passing game that unfolded. However, as the crowd started to shout 'Ole!' on a particularly uninterrupted long spell of passing forward-back-forward, I did start to get this gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach... After all, we are QPR and surely it cannot possibly become 8-0 or suchlike? Nope, bang on time Lumley made a major cluster-f*ck in passing out and on 36 mins it became 3-1! (Still averaging a goal every ten mins mind...)

Out they come for the second half and we were all wondering what Luton had in mind to offset the QPR possession and inevitable grinding down of their defence. Well it was nothing magical; rather a question of more pressing at the front, more physicality (Manning, Eze & Wells), and greater effort. It paid off, because the Rs, at 3-1 ahead, seemed to get nervy with over-hit forward balls and Lumley doing far more long balls out. They went from the offensive to the defensive, from a marvellous first half hour that was a true delight to watch onto a scrappy affair. We deserved to win but, in typical QPR fashion, we had to do it the hard way!

I always try to see the warm-up so I can see how successful the attackers are in getting shots on target. It often seems to be a good indicator for the actual games... Anyway, Hugill would have got 4-5 goals if they had relocated the goal into the top of the Lower Loft, and this he continued to do throughout the game. He was trying too hard I feel. If the two shots that hit the post or Hugill's attempts at space launches had gone in then we would have been comfortably into 6-1. Instead we saw poor defending from Barbet that resulted in the score becoming 3-2, and that is where it stayed.

Nothing much else to say about the attacking, so onto the midfield and defence. In midfield we work very hard to pass the ball (using only one-touch football wherever possible) and, despite a few missed passes, Dominic Ball did well at the back. Eze and Chair came back to assist and got stuck in, and Hugill was also back helping out. The resulting movement of the ball allowed QPR to play a Back Three with the two WBs slightly ahead of them, and our advance play looked good. At the back it was a different story... Leistner and Hall did well, marking out their players and anticipating play; whereas with Barbet, Manning & Kane it was a little 'hit and miss'. Luton, like so many others, targeted Manning but overall he stood up to the onslaught; but both the WBs seem more keen on staying between the attacker and the goal, rather than blocking the cross or actually tackling. Perhaps this is what is being drummed into them, but I always feel that a cross not made or a pass blocked to a player in a more dangerous position is the priority.

Mlakar came on for Wells (who had returned from international duty); Amos for Kane (which was an interesting gamble); and Pugh for Chair. None really made much difference, but why was Rangel not on the bench and why was Cameron not brought on to steady the ship alongside Ball? Talking of changes, this is now a second goal that Lumley has gifted the opposition, so will we see the ascendancy of Kelly now?

Other than to say I spent 90 minutes on the train from London Charing Cross chatting to John in his QPR shirt. Turns out he lives close to me!

It worries me that Millwall will onslaught us with crosses and long balls and I don’t think they have a player under 7 foot (lol)
Fulham battered them with quick passing football and I hope we can do the same

Lot of discussion about Lumley and the defence but but it's Hugill who has the alarm bells ringing for me. Take a look at the three almost identical attempts he had in the second half!!! 6 attempts during the game 0 on target.

As of now he hasn't cost us any points (although our goal difference could be much better) and he has 5 goals so it looks like he's doing well, BUT he has had 26 attempts to make those 5 goals.

We won't always be able to provide him with 5 goal scoring opportunities...he is for me the difference between QPR in mid-table and promotion (said the guy who had us relegated )

If he'd scored even once in his six attempts yesterday we'd barely be talking about Lumley and could have enjoyed the second half instead of chewing our fingers to the bone as per usual!

Overall I think we are both singing from the same hymn sheet in regards to Saturday's game. One other observation that I made during the second half was how we struggled to cope with Luton's formation change. As a result they seemed get control of the midfield and Warburton didn't seem to react and change the way we were playing to counter act what Luton were doing.

I might be doing Warburton a disservice because if Hugill had taken his chances then the game would have been over and I might have some nails left. 

Can't levy that against him since he joined QPR, he has changed formation within 7 games and made some excellent subs in games to change things.

He perhaps got the subs wrong on Saturday but generally he appears to have plenty of plans up his sleeve.