Mullet added 20:28 - Jan 2
New year. New team. Town entered 2017 like it was new territory. What more could we ask for? Running out onto Loftus road with he return of Josh Emmanuel for Grant Ward in an otherwise unchanged teamsheet, but a 343 befitting of loftier West Londoners.
Bart had a flat bank of Berra, Webster and Chambers in front of him. Skuse and Bru had young wingbacks Kenlock and Emmanuel on their level. Lawrence occupied a free role in a restricted front three where Pitman and McGoldrick picked and chose how far beyond him they'd play.
QPR countered with a tighter back two lines and Sylla as a target man who gave Mackie support and a their whole final third a stilted feel. Town had the best of the opening 15 minutes. Both teams competed for the ball but it was largely the away side who attacked with real gusto. The R's most dangerous move involved felling Webster deep in our half, long after the ball had gone.
A buoyed away end was swelled with a recent home win, and all eyes fell on the youngsters on either flanks. Both of whom enjoyed the safety of an extra defender to cover their forward thinking and space left by a side with a hesitant handle on McCarthy's unorthodox shape.
The whole Town left seemed involved when Pitman was left sprawling after a nasty boot to the face on halfway. Arms of encouragement from the ref instead of reprimand saw Lawrence advance only to be felled and Smithies given possession by a laughable dropball.
It was part of a five minute spell where the away side looked to be getting ahead of QPR. Bru much like Friday night, opened up everyone and everything by finding Emmanuel deep on the right. One of many athletic runs saw the youth produce step overs, direct movement into space and a lashing drive from an angle when he saw a glimpse of goal.
Skuse was enjoying the lack of space around him but finding it in front of him with several good touches and passes into a front line who were often corralled centrally but. Allowed to exploit the channels. Lawrence and McGoldrick both threatened when given set pieces or defined space but when there was little room neither looked entirely at home.
Defensive bodies blocking, and shrugs and shirks towards goal offered hope for a swaying away following as each block or bounce at the far end felt like it might lead to a Town lead. Smithies denied McGoldrick more than once as the folk-hero struck and strutted but never hit a shot or his stride like we know he can.
Shortly after one typical defensive clear up in our box, Skuse sent him away into theirs again, the slight advantage Town sensed proved to be misleading. From a simple Perch launch into the box, Berra again did all he could to get something on the ball. Much like in the last game, it wasn't enough. Looping up and dropping for Sylla to slam home past a struggling Bialkowski. As the half hour came and half-hearted protestations towards anyone who'd listen from Town fans were drowned out for the first time by the home crowd.
It wasn't long before the scorer was on the receiving end of that sinking feeling. A head injury saw him laid on the turf from a nothing punt forward. A short spell of playing with ten men saw previous Town target Washington replace him with 5 minutes of the half to play. QPR shifted to a more free form attacking shape. Perhaps because Town remained in their unfamiliar and now unworkable formation.
Chambers who had been dominant in the air all game, (sometimes through necessity) nearly levelled just as the half looked lost. Lawrence was again hemmed in, but from a free kick and the loose ball managed to loop a telling switch from the pocket. The armband swung back as the forehead lurched forward and the header deserved better.
Cramped in the deathtrap and piss puddled guts of Loftus Road's away stand, a mix of resignation and reservation hung like a nasty fart amongst the tentative hope that came from airing the 45 mins of unexpected selections, unsuspecting improvements from many individuals and sense we were still in this.
Town resumed in more familiar fashion with Ward replacing Emmanuel. It was clear that an extra man at the back and front was not giving the numerical advantage required as Town trailed and regrouped to a classical 442.
Normal service was resumed, then with a near poetic move in terms of simplicity and prior ennui. On the spin Ward, who again showed that ten yards of grass was his for the taking, controlled the ball on the spin and outside of his boot. A simpler exchange via Dids and Skuse either side of him and that touch put Lawrence in. Lawrence put it in.
Usually strikes of such intent are cited in murder trials. The Welshman whacked a death-touch past Smithies and off the inside of the post from a distance. It was a close call whether it was better than Pitman's winner a few days before.
The game opened up again like the travelling fans. An end to end period saw little in the way of clear cut chances but some cut and thrust. Washington showed why Mick was interested but not at that price. A decent move and average finish saw Bart deny him. While Pitman was a little way offside when nodding down past Smithies from one of two crosses from the right which promised but just weren't the delivery.
Onuoha came on and changed more than just the shape of the hosts. Replacing an anonymous midfielder and switching tactics completely as now Mick's 442 should have easily contained a side with a flat back 3.
Kenlock would make one lasting contribution in a much improved performance. The left wingback had been much more forward thinking with the ball at his feet and powered past the one man who stood between him and the near post. A neat switch of the feet but not play as like his opposite equivalent in the first half, he chose poorly. Forcing a corner from a regulation stop.
Douglas came on for the improved but fading Bru. If you had to pick a man for 90 minutes it's not clear if you'd plump for either. Let alone the young Dozzell who was called for by the end full of Blues. However not many of whom demanded a 4th sub once Kenlock made way for Knudsen a few minutes later.
In the interim Douglas did his usual shift of predominantly shielding runners and presumably his ears. The Irishman fed a nice header into the box for the attackers who failed to wrest control from the defence. When Knudsen released Lawrence for one of two runs that left Pitman and everyone else frustrated you sensed victory was beyond Town. The worst saw the Dane straining to overlap the gliding winger and Pitman just inside screaming for a layoff that never came, as the ball shanked beyond the entire playing staff of both sides.
Between those moments where just one touch would have made the difference to the game, disaster struck. Just as substitutions looked to renew tired legs and dropping heads, Onuoha looked up or at least lumped up. Webster didn't. The breakout talent of the season, again broke concentration and in Bramble-lite fashion allowed a much loved Pole to stab home beyond our own Bialkowski.
It was about that time of the match that Pitman won it in spectacular style for us, in what seemed a year ago. It was not long after a minority reminded Mick what they thought of his football, all toilet talk or gallows humour without the laughs.
Despite three second half changes and those before the game, Town came away from a match where any given period might point to all possible outcomes. A win would not be out of the question, a draw a fair result or the whole outfit falling foul of chance and expectation. But a defeat all too predictable and yet inexplicable if not unjust. QPR needed it more, it's debatable if they wanted it more though.
Two much-loved defenders making at least one indefensible error, again proved to be the subtext to Mick's novel approach and reversion to old ground and known quantities. Ultimately though we again come up short. Of goals, points, or villains to point to and condemn as a lack of execution leaves Town dangling once more. |  |
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