Town’s Boxing Day home game with QPR ended in a drab 0-0 draw. Neither side created many chances throughout the 90 minutes, while the Blues had a good case for a penalty in the final minute when Joe Garner’s header was handled by Jack Robinson, shortly after the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Josh Scowen was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Teddy Bishop was handed his first start of the season as Mick McCarthy made five changes from the team which lost 1-0 at Wolves on Saturday.

Jonas Knudsen, who missed out at Molineux as he was ill, David McGoldrick, Dominic Iorfa and Freddie Sears also returned to the XI with Bersant Celina, Grant Ward, Jordan Spence and Myles Kenlock dropping to the bench and Kevin Bru, who was at a funeral, out of the 18.

With Cole Skuse still sidelined with his ankle injury, Bishop, whose only other start in 2017 was at Rotherham in April, joined Callum Connolly in one of the deeper lying midfield roles with Sears and McGoldrick either side of Martyn Waghorn behind lone out and out striker Joe Garner.

For the visitors, who had gone 18 games and 50 years since last winning away on Boxing Day, Jordan Cousins came into the midfield for Bright Osayi-Samuel, who was among the subs.

Former Blues loanee Massimo Luongo also started, while Jamie Mackie missed out due to a glute injury despite having returned from a suspension.

Town dominated the early exchanges with Garner shooting over from a Waghorn knockdown in the third minute.

A minute later, McGoldrick was fed on the right of the area by Waghorn and struck a goal-bound effort which QPR keeper Alex Smithies saved down to his left.

From Waghorn’s corner, skipper Luke Chambers bundled a bouncing ball wide of the near post from six yards.

QPR began to see more of the ball but without creating a chance as the game moved past the 10-minute mark.

On 14 Luke Freeman played in Cousins inside the box after the former Arsenal youngster had found himself in space midway inside the Town half, but Chambers slid in to block as the former Charlton man shot.

Four minutes later, Bishop took himself past two defenders on halfway with a brilliant turn before being upended by Luongo. Scowen was shown his first yellow card of the afternoon for kicking the ball away.

Knudsen joined him in the book in the 24th minute for hauling back a breaking Cousins. From the freekick, Freeman floated the ball to the far post from where Jake Bidwell volleyed from a tight angle and Bartosz Bialkowski palmed over. From the resultant corner., Alex Baptiste headed into the Town keeper’s arms.

QPR were by now in control having most of the ball with the Blues struggling to break into the Hoops’ half.

But as the game moved past the half hour mark Town began to regain the ascendency and on 33 McGoldrick curled a shot not too far beyond Smithies’s right post from just outside the box.

Idrissa Sylla volleyed over for QPR on 40 before Bishop, who had looked lively and had made headway running at the opposition, was replaced by Ward having picked up another injury. The 21-year-old made his way to the tunnel, clearly frustrated at having been forced off by another fitness problem.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, a Waghorn corner from the right ran loose inside the six-yard box at the near post but no Town player was able to get in a decisive touch.

In two minutes of injury time, with Town ending the half strongly, Garner cleverly backheeled towards Sears on the right of the box but the ball was intercepted, then Connolly hit a powerful shot from 25 yards which Smithies saved down to his left. The loose ball ran to the Blues right and Iorfa who teed-up Garner, who shot over.

Referee Andy Davies’s whistle ended a half of few chances at both ends. The Blues had started brightly, McGoldrick forcing Smithies into the game’s first save, but they subsequently allowed the visitors to get on top and Bidwell’s chance which Bialkowski turned over was the best opportunity of the period.

Town took charge again towards the break and were putting the Hoops under pressure in the minutes before the whistle.

The half’s big negative was Bishop being forced off, the midfielder, who underwent groin surgery in August, having spent so much of the last two and a half years on the sidelines.

QPR had the better of the opening minutes of the second half, Cousins sending over a dangerous ball from the right, which flew just beyond Sylla nine minutes after the restart.

Moments later, Waghorn looked to have been fouled by Luongo five yards outside the area on the right but referee Davies waved play on and the Australian brought the ball into the area before hitting a shot which was blocked by one of a number of Town players who dived across its path.

In the 63rd minute Pawel Wszolek caught Knudsen in possession on halfway but Webster did well to get back to take the ball from him on the right of the box. At the other end, Garner played McGoldrick in on goal but the Irish international was flagged offside.

Chances if anything were rarer in a dull second half than they had been in the first but on 74 Knudsen crossed from the left and Sears flicked a header well wide. Garner tried to get the ball back in from the right but the danger was cleared.

QPR replaced Sylla with Matt Smith on 80 with Town fans starting to call for introduction of Celina, who had been warming up on the touchline for some time already changed into his shirt.

On 81 Chambers superbly blocked a Wszolek cross from the right, then seconds later the Polish international chipped over.

Celina was finally introduced for Sears in the 84th minute, then two minutes later the visitors were reduced to 10 men.

Ward threaded a clever pass in for Waghorn, who took the ball on before returning to the sub, who was felled as he broke towards the area by Scowen, who was showed his second yellow and then a red card, referee Davies’s first since Boxing Day last year. Celina took the freekick and curled it just over the bar.

Rain was falling heavily as the game moved into its final few minutes. There was controversy in the 88th minute when Celina crossed from the right, Garner powered a header goalwards and Robinson blocked.

The Town striker claimed the Rangers defender had used a hand and photographic evidence suggested he had a very strong case but referee Davies waved the appeals away.

In injury time Rangers also had a penalty appeal of their own when Iorfa chested the ball away on the edge of the box under pressure, but it was difficult to argue that the on-loan Wolves man had handled deliberately even if the ball had struck his hand, which wasn't clear.

The visitors who had the better chances in the closing moments, sub Smith shooting straight at Bialkowski, then in the final seconds another sub, Bright Osayi-Samuel, hit an effort over.

Boos greeted the final whistle after a disappointing display from the Blues, their poorest at Portman Road for some weeks.

Despite having spells on top they never really put the visitors under sustained spells of pressure and Smithies was forced into only a couple of saves all match.

Celina made an impact having come on and it was a surprise that the Kosovan international wasn’t brought on earlier with the Blues having made little headway for much of the second half.

QPR will feel they had opportunities to turn their point into three, even after being reduced to 10 men, although like Smithies Bialkowski was hardly overworked.

Drawing at home against a side in 18th place with a poor away record must be considered two points dropped by the Blues, who remain 10th but now five points off the top six ahead of Saturday’s home game against Derby.

Town: Bialkowski, Iorfa, Chambers (c), Webster, Knudsen, Connolly, Bishop (Ward 42), McGoldrick, Waghorn, Sears (Celina 84), Garner. Unused: M Crowe, T Smith, Spence, Kenlock, McDonnell.

QPR: Smithies, Baptiste, Onuoha (c), Robinson, Wszolek, Cousins (Osayi-Samuel 82), Luongo, Scowen, Bidwell, Freeman, Sylla (M Smith 80). Unused: Lumley, Furlong, Hall, Washington, Chair, Osayi-Samuel. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Att: 18,696 (QPR: 703).

Photo: TWTD

Sam added 06:21 - Dec 27 Oh, and Mcgoldrick was a good change.
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martin587 added 09:06 - Dec 27 What a waste of time that was.We should have buried QPR,instead MM let his mate off with a point. Strange team selection and late substitutions once again lost us three points.The fans came back and once again Mick you kicked us all in the teeth. That's all I can say other than I'm very very disappointed in my two young Grandsons all the way from Southend to watch a boring game. Happy New Year to all the Posters on here.🍸🥂🍺

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Orraman added 09:50 - Dec 27 Normal service resumed from MM. it is impossible to make 5 changes and retain fluency. Players allegedly 'running out of gas' having to plat Sat/tue. NEver heard of that from Sir Bobby. Bristol City flying high in league only changed their GK for midweek tie v Man U, beat them and went on to win again today. Consistency breeds success. Spence has been improving game on game yet gets dropped for Iauwful Iorfa whilst previous posts say it all regarding Sears and McGoldrick. Just another kick in the b*lls from McCarthy to the fans. Typical of him to keep Celina waiting because the fans were calling for him to come on. Can't have us ignorant mugs telling the great God Mcarthy what to do. Managers getting sacked right, left and centre yet still he remains and to be honest I fear Evans taking up his option to keep him - after all he is a nailed on certainty to keep us mid table safe.

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Seasider added 09:55 - Dec 27 Back to the future. Long balls to the diminutive front players,because no midfield.Keeping Bersant on bench for majority of game,and playing Freddie Sears out of position;meant that this was a Boxing Day game that will not live long in the memory. Nor will it attract ANY of the extra fans who came along to do so again;at least not while Boring Billy is in charge.
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Steelmonkey added 10:03 - Dec 27 So just what were your tactics that you set the team to play? Oh lets eek out a draw and me old mate Hollowhead will talk me up as being a proper bloke and how lucky those twits on the terraces are to have me here. What a way to spend the afternoon. Just where do they get these match officials from, majority are not fit to referee a game or run the lines.
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budgieplucker added 10:58 - Dec 27 Unfortunately both Garner and Waghorn were poor, Garner hardly won a header all afternoon and both players first touch was very poor. Given the impact that both players have had this season then they are entitled to an off day now and again, but it is up to the manager to see this and make the appropriate changes. The 4 2 3 1 formation has served us well, but given that Didz and Freddie seem very limited in this formation then we had four players yesterday that were really struggling. Thought Chambo and Webster did really well but both fullbacks also proved lacking at times. Agree until his injury Teddy looked a breath of fresh air. We had in my book six players who scored 5 out of 10, and three with 6 out of 10. Changes in players and formation should have been made at the 65 minute mark and MM's stubborness in keeping Celina on the touchline in his shorts for that length of time is grossly unprofessional it was obvious he was making a point to the crowd.

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liam88 added 11:04 - Dec 27 More possession yet more boring. No goals fewer chances. He can't win. What's the point? Mistakes made by MM in too many changes tad too late for Celina's introduction. If it where a win would there be as many comments? Seems like fans thrive on us losing. Not good. How long would the optimism last if a new manager's in charge? First defeat I stake. Monk no thanks, Clement no, unheard of German definitely not. Cowley's maybe but maybe a risk too much for MEG. Shame it's got to this stage, and that I dare leave an opinion without being negatively shot down.

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BlueArrow added 11:17 - Dec 27 After reading the above posts only two words spring to mind :- Christmas Puddings
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liam88 added 11:23 - Dec 27 Thanks for the insult
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midastouch added 12:10 - Dec 27 We're doing better overall than I expected this season so I don't want to be too critical. Nonetheless, I'm going to try and be constructive as possible as this quote from Joe Royle often springs to mind: "I would never tell a plumber, a lawyer or a journalist how to his [or her] job, but they all know better than me every Saturday." So I'm not pretending I've got all the answers. Some calls I've made on this site I think have been correct, some I certainly have not been. It's just opinion at the end of the day. But one thing beyond doubt is that the gates are dropping. Therefore, on the key bumper fixtures (i.e. Boxing Day, Norwich and other games when they come around like Newcastle and West Ham) you really want to do your best to entertain the fans in hope some of the will get the bug back again and return to PR more regularly or permanently again. Boxing Day is the exact fixture this should be of paramount importance. That would mean starting the likes of Celina or at least getting him on a lot earlier. When Ipswich played Newcastle last season Mick got it right and I'm sure some people who went that day caught the bug again. But anybody who hadn't been for a while yesterday would of likely went away thinking they didn't get good value for money and might not be in a hurry to return any time soon. I listened to it on the radio and it sounded pretty damn boring. So I think it was a big opportunity missed to put on a show and try and win back more fans but yesterday unfortunately think Mick fell short. However, some times this season he's over delivered, no argument there. But I'd much prefer he pulled out all the stops to over deliver on a big game like Boxing Day rather than on a cold Tue night when less people are in attendance. It's just a concern that the gates are dropping and we won't win back fans by rotating the squad on a key fixture like Boxing Day. Nobody would complain too much about 5 or more changes against Sheff Utd, but not on Boxing Day please Mick.

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dirtydingusmagee added 12:45 - Dec 27 well I'm really surprised there are not three positive posters ,talking up the point,and defending the woeful day at Portman road ,urging us moaning non supporters to go elsewhere !, nope no sign of them , must be burying their heads in the sand or playing with their toys [ can you still get blow football ] . On a day when some fans make it a family event, treat the kids to a match [not a cheap day out] a few could have been swayed to return or take to supporting ITFC, I would doubt very much either will happen after that .More disappointments coming in transfer window I fear.

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Steelmonkey added 15:17 - Dec 27 tractorlegend - Skuse dictating the tempo Ha, Ha, Ha. That's a better joke than anything that came out of our crackers.
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Steelmonkey added 15:28 - Dec 27 Whilst having a drink at halftime I overheard guy talking to a lad of around ten years old "are you enjoying the game" he said "no" said the youngster. And that's what you are doing to the future of this club MM.
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Sam added 07:01 - Dec 28 liam88, why not Cowley, he's a young manager who can really put teams to shame. ( Town, but I won't go on about that). I wouldn't mind Cowley.
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Arnie added 12:35 - Dec 28 I would have put my strongest team out against weaker opposition, i.e. QPR and tried to get 3 points. Instead Mick's tactics cost us 2 points, not for the first time he made 4/5 changes for a match, it doesn't work! Take each game as it comes, a win would breed confidence for the next game. Now we go into a tough fixture against Derby where a point would be welcome and acceptable, we may even lose. QPR was winnable and why give Celina only 8 minutes of football, again poor tactics with a manager who lacks any confidence in his team.

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