QPR V ASTON VILLA

Thank god the international break is over and even better there isn't another one for 4 months!

This season really kicks into gear now, especially with the festive fixtures just around the corner.

We are doing well at home but we should never just expect a win. It will take a very good performance to seal all 3 points and let's not forget we are going into this on the back of a 4-0 drubbing, albeit two weeks ago.

They have only lost 2 of their last 13 games, tough match.

Well optimism is rife in the Prediction Competition, plenty going for a win

I fancy the line up may change from last time out but can't be sure where.

Maybe Mackie will come back in after a few weeks on the bench. Cousins also could start again.

Luongo will probably still start though as he didn't play in the midweek game for Australia. He could always just come off after an hour. He is the stand in captain so can't see him not starting.

Can pat myself on the back here!

Cousins in for Wheeler. Mackie in for Washington. Smith also in ahead of Sylla. That is it for changes. Luongo remains captain and starts.

2-1 defeat.

Poor to lose from being ahead but from 30 minutes onwards Villa were far better. Failure to go in at half time at 1-0 up cost us. Missed Luongo second half.

Home defeat far from ideal.

Just got back from the match and seen all the your comments. Firstly, well predicted northwesthoop - you got the team spot on!

Secondly, a few responses to Single's post:

• No we do not score goals but you are implying that they should be coming from the midfield too. Truth is that the midfield was (again) hard pressed by a well-organised and (more importantly) fast-breaking side. They were rarely in a position to surge forward. For me though, even after Cousins was sacrificed for Washington and Sylla replaced the (largely ineffectual) Mackie chances were still not taken. I said to someone we could have had all 5 strikers on and still not scored.... Balls forward are not being controlled with first touches and chances are not being taken. We need a striker Ollie!!!!!!
• Your comment about training is well-made. In contrast, I watched Villa's attackers practice surging forward and crosses made to be converted into goals. They did this a number of times and it made a lot more sense than QPR's passes from Bircham to the next in line to run onto (and invariably put wide)! Take note Ollie!!
• Yes Ollie does have a lot to sort out, but the priority must be getting a decent equivalent of Charlie Austin. Washington is not it, neither is Sylla or Mackie.

Onto my other thoughts on the match: The goal was fortuitous, with Mackie making the most of the melee, and this should have settled QPR down but this was the 'other' QPR team performance. This was a side that should have performed as they did against Wolves but did not. There was little positive chasing of the ball or probing passes or clever one touch football. Villa missed loads of good chances so they were there for the taking. Instead we punted the ball up to Smithy and he did his best to head on, but where was Mackie? In contrast, Luongo played well and I can only guess he was replaced by Manning at Half Time because he was either injured or tired from travelling back. Cousins was replaced after, once again, QPR succumbed to goals either side of Half Time by an attacker - Washington. It was the right thing to do as Cousins still does not look match-fit and we needed to stretch Villa and get a goal. The trouble is that bringing on Washington and then Sylla made no real difference, and therein lies our problem. You can blame the defence for not coping with fast-breaking players, or our midfield for not providing their share of goals, but the truth is that we have only Smith capable of heading the ball on and no forward with the full set of ball control/energy/skill/physical presence to worry most Championship defences.

Finally, before the match I got talking to two Germans who had flown over from Frankfurt for the day, just to watch QPR play. The were football fans and one had been 15 years before. I hoped they would see a demonstration of what QPR could (and should) provide, but I suspect (like me) they left disappointed.

DISAPPOINTED we had almost 2 weeks off and still look as bad.
We were lucky to have taken the lead.
And I think unlucky with the penalty.

Villa quite clearly did their homework. Baptiste is slow and against a fast tricky player like Adomah he was always going to be exposed. Our central defenders are too lightweight and they were really bullied in the 2nd half by Villa' s frontman. Let's hope that our scouts are out looking for a dominant central defender, a goalscorer and a leader! Someone at the club has to tell Ollie that we dont need anymore midfielders.