Football News: Queens Park Rangers v Nottingham Forest 27 April 2019

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Just the one change in the line up in yesterday's Nottingham Forest v Queens Park Rangers (QPR) game, with the introduction of Byram in the right wingback position and a shuffle around in midfield with Cash appearing to have a more central role and the basic formation very much a case of as you where from the dismantling of Middlesbrough.

The game started brightly enough without shaping up to be a classic but a least both teams appeared to want to play football and not , as often is the case, let their minds wander to foreign climes .

For me Forest were clearly on top pretty well from the off without, to be fair, looking like they would be likely to tearing into QPR as witnessed last week but that said I never really felt that we looked in danger of conceding a goal.

Carvalho drifted in and out of the game and was not given the time and space he had last time up but was at times still involved in some good interplay and produced some real quality balls when he found that bit of extra time and space.

The surprise package of the first half to me was Ansarifard who was full of intelligent selfless running and found himself good positions on several occasions but looks very much like a player who needs the ball to his feet and is not to me the type of striker who is likely to win much in the air but I do not mean this as a criticism more of my own objective view.

His persistence paid off from a classy ball from Lolley, who to me had one of his better games than recently, and he wes only denied a goal courtesy of a wonderful save and then the woodwork which would have sent us in at half time one up however when the whistle came it was all square.

The general feeling was one of that it would only be a matter of time if we continued in the same vein with a relaxed air amongst the travelling support that has not been the case for far too long.

Things carried on pretty well as the first half had finished and 10 minutes in the breakthrough came via Ansarifard who made no mistake following a clever through ball from Carvalho and the feeling was that it was pretty much job done as QPR had shown little in the wasy of attacking intent up to that point.

Almost immediately however the first real threat from Rangers saw Pantilimon called on to make what would be one of several fine stops as the momentum shifted , albeit slightly, towards a more open game with them clearly stepping up if not a full gear then certainly half of one and the final 20 minutes or so were much more of an open contest with both sides having opportunities and both goalkeepers making a number of good saves.

The award of a penalty in the 89th minute was greeted with the usual derision but live at 100 yards away I clearly had no real view but having watched the highlights it appeared a fair decision and but for another excellent save from the goalkeeper the points would have been shared and his reception at full time it is to be hoped can only improve his confidence.

Pantilimon is a giant of a man with in the main first class shot stopping ability but IF he begins to come for crosses , take command of HIS area and his kicking and distribution can somehow be improved he would be one heck of a goalkeeper as his clean sheet tally gives some clue to but he thoroughly deserved the plaudits yesterday.

So the result brings to an end a dreadful away record and sees us winning back to back at last and quite honestly it was to me a fair result.
It could possibly be argued that QPR were worth a point on the second half performance but to me had the penalty been scored I would have felt a little short changed as though they did have opportunity to score then so did we and talking to a number of QPR fans on the tube that was their fair and honest assessment too.

This was far from a great game but for me was eminently watchable and one that to my mind was the kind of solid away performance that we could and should have been seeing much more of in recent times under several tenureships.

Perhaps the use of Cash in a more central midfield role didn't work that well but that really is about the only negative I can find which after our recent travels is almost a miracle in itself.

So the last game of the season is soon to be upon us against what may well be Bolton schoolboys but all will no doubt be revealed later and until then

As always

COYR

Written by creepy1 April 28 2019 16:17:10