And so it begins - Preview

Friday, 7th Aug 2015 22:34 by Clive Whittingham

QPR's latest brave new era begins on Saturday, in South London, at Charlton. The 3,100 travelling support have a bigger role to play than they realise as Chris Ramsey and Les Ferdinand try to turn the club around.

Charlton Athletic v Queens Park Rangers

Here they come, in their hoopless kit, with their half-finished team, sweeping away the drudgery of watching druggies bike up hills and debates on whether we like Andy Murray or not. Queens Park Rangers 2015/16. Thank goodness they're back.

Whether we'll be so happy to see our dearly beloved team in a fortnight remains to be seen. Part much-needed overhaul and change of ethos, part economic austerity exercise, part two inexperienced mates taking a swing at running a professional football club, Rangers are unlikely to hit the ground running.

There have been some excellent signings made this summer. The sort of signings QPR should have been making since Flavio Briatore walked through the door but decided to chuck astonishing money at wasters like Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton and others because they'd seen them on the telly once. Massimo Luongo is a terrific player, strong and technically gifted. Tjaronn Chery an absolute steal, sure to be linked with a move for five times his current price in a year's time. Ben Gladwin is raw, but with a cultured left foot and powerful style. Jamie Mackie a shrewd, valuable addition.

In an ideal world, where football has to conform to the employment rules everybody else is governed by, and the completely illegal and pointless transfer windows didn't exist, this would continue for another few months. Big earner moved on or released, excellent young boy from Swindon or the Netherlands or Southend signed in his place for a fraction of the cost and twice the effect.

Sadly, football is a law unto itself, and that leaves QPR trying to change not only their entire squad around, but also the style of play, the management, the formation, the ethos and everything else in three months. It's not doable. QPR are not ready, and will not be ready by the start of September. Stop gaps have had to be signed – Paul Konchesky has been on the wane for years, Oscar Gobern wasn't good enough to get in a poor Huddersfield team, Grant Hall did not impress at Birmingham or Blackpool on loan. But Rangers need bodies. It's a needs must situation.

The key now is whether Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey have done enough to buy themselves time to finish the job. QPR are short in defence and in attack and they start with two trips to physical sides in Charlton and Wolves while welcoming perennial promotion favourites Cardiff to Shepherd's Bush in between. How long will the board stick with this if it doesn't go well immediately? How tempted would they be to tear it all up and chuck another blank cheque at Sam Allardyce or somebody of that ilk come September? How long before we're packing our team with Matt Jarvis and Kevin Nolan on loan and trying to scramble up by any means possible?

How long will the players stick with it? Modern footballers look for excuses. It's never their fault, always the coach or the manager. Chris Ramsey's idea for a flowing, rotating midfield where they take it in turns to sit and everybody attacks has left the defence badly exposed against the likes of Newport over the summer. If/when the goals against start to flow, will the players muck in and make it work for their boss, or will they throw their hands up and reach for the knives for his back?

None of this we can effect. The bit we can is how we the support base behave and react.

Although the community of website writers, bloggers, podcasters and so on have long jointly held the view that the club needs to take the direction it has apparently now chosen we're by no means in a unanimous majority. A quick glance at the Twitter feeds of Ian Taylor, Tony Fernandes and the club reveals a steady stream of criticism – about the appointment of Ramsey, the failure to sign a striker, the shortage of centre halves.

It's as if people have got used to QPR throwing money around and, despite it not working, want us to continue doing so. I've seen people asking why we weren't in for Jordan Rhodes (£12m), Rudy Gestede (£6m) or more recently Dwight Gayle who will cost a pretty penny even if it's only on loan. I've seen "it's not rocket science" written so many times, as if affordable, talented, injury free centre forwards are queuing up past the Springbok just to get in the doors. I've seen "we'll soon know, we'll know after Wolves how it's going to go," written on our message board – a very generous three league games and one in the cup to pass a final judgement on a long term project and complete turnaround of the club.

There are still QPR supporters who think a big part of the reason we were relegated last year was a failure to strengthen the team in January. Harry Redknapp presided over four transfer windows prior to that, one would have thought that was enough time for him to put his team together, and even if it wasn't what had he shown in any of them to suggest he could turn it around with yet another six new additions six months ago? When he persuaded Tony Fernandes to open the cheque book and save the club from relegation two Januarys before he lumbered the club with Chris Samba and Jermaine Jenas, signed Loic Remy who was good but made little difference in the end and then shafted the club 18 months later, and loaned Andros Townsend who used his decent five months to further his own Spurs career and piss Jamie Mackie off so much he left. And the problem last season was we didn’t let him do it again?

I think this season is going to start badly, because it's a new team bedding in and it's short in key areas. I worry how the support base will take that. I worry that we've become spoilt.

Seb Polter is yet to play a senior professional game for QPR, but you'll already find plenty of supporters who will tell you he's crap. Supporters of Union Berlin, who watched him for a full season, like him a lot. He's moved to a new country, playing outside Germany for the first time, and he's working up to full fitness but none of this matters – poor at Newport, industrious but clumsy against Atalanta in friendlies and therefore shit. Write off.

We have a responsibility this season. I sense that Chris Ramsey burned off a lot of his support with his decisions and results at the end of last season – bringing Wright-Phillips on at Man City, starting with him at Palace, playing so negatively in that must win game against West Ham. But we've backed him now, we're on the horse, we'll achieve nothing by doing anything other than supporting him as much as we can. We have three years of parachute payments and this process should be measured against that.

It surely hasn't escaped anybody's notice that QPR have done little other than lose every week for the last four years. If we continue to do so, at least initially in the short term, isn't it better to be losing while developing a young team, signing promising players, spending in a sustainable way, running the club properly and so on? Would you rather lose while scouting players like Chery and Luongo and at least trying to do things right, or while Joey Barton becomes a multi-millionaire at our expense?

It's vital this goes right. It doesn't really bear thinking about what will happen if it doesn't. Defeats will come, probably very frequently at first, possibly starting tomorrow. We the supporters have a more important role to play than I think we realise in giving it the new-look QPR its best shot of success.

Links >>> A step into the unknown – opposition profile >>> High player turnover breeds intrigue – interview >>> Mick Harford's job interview – history >>> Madley takes charge – referee >>> Great British Bake Off – Podcast >>> The Valley Travel Guide >>> Chery offers goalscorer value - betting

Adam Bolder celebrates his late winner for Mick Harford's QPR side in this fixture in 2007. Bolder's bouncing effort after Marc Nygaard appeared to foul home keeper Nicky Weaver in the build up sealed a deserved 1-0 victory after Martin Rowlands had earlier hit the post with a penalty. Harford, in caretaker charge, didn't get the job permanently despite securing the club's first two wins of the season against Norwich and at The Valley – Flavio Briatore went on to appoint Luigi De Canio instead.

Saturday

The fourth coming of Ale Faurlin looks likely with Massimo Luongo also making his first competitive start in the middle of midfield. Ahead of them Tjarron Chery will play behind a lone striker, likely to be Seb Polter until his inevitable sixtieth minute withdrawal to loud cheers and Charlie Austin's introduction. Matt Phillips will play right and Ben Gladwin left with Jamie Mackie struggling with a groin injury suffered while jumping up and down excitedly on his sofa during a dramatic moment in Celebrity Masterchef.

The big news for Charlton is that goalkeeper Stephen Henderson has had a shoulder op and is out, leaving inexperienced Nick Pope to deputise. Sadly the comedy stylings of Yohann Thuram-Ulien are no longer viewable at The Valley. Igor Vetokele is out as the long running copyright saga with the writers of Count Duckula rumbles on and Franck Moussa is at a mate's stag do.

Elsewhere: Round one of 7,346 in the Gamble Your Family's Money Away Championship and it's a veritable feast of mediocrity. Overpriced failed Premier League players, loan signings and mentally unsound foreign owners clash head on in a confused manner, like drunk hippos on a bouncy castle.

The game of the day is the Champions of Europe at home to Burnley. We know this is the game of the day because it features the Champions of Europe, and every game featuring the Champions of Europe is the game of the day in the second tier. Sky have responded accordingly, televising this and in fact seven of the Champions of Europe's games in the opening few weeks. You'll have seen more of Uwe Rosler's team than your own wife and kids by the end of September, by which time it probably won't be Uwe Rosler's team any more. What's that coming over the hill carrying an axe? It's Massimo Cellino.

Other games are available too, or so it says here. Sky have kindly shifted Nottingham Forest's trip to Brighton to tonight, which is nice of them, and big-spending Middlesbrough go to Preston on Sunday lunchtime. An early start on Saturday too for Cardiff City against Rupert and Tarquin.

Stories of note among the 15.00 kick offs: Sheffield Wednesday charging Bristol City £39 for tickets to that thriller; Rachel Riley hosting Ipswich Town as the big maths experiment gets underway at Griffin Park; Derby winning at Bolton in Paul Clement's first game, and every other game for that matter until about March when they collapse into a nervous breakdown mumbling things about Bobby Zamora.

Tigers Tigers Rah Rah Rah are at home to Huddersfield, a welcome back to the Championship game if ever there was one. The Mad Chicken Farmers host Wolves, Birmingham play Reading and Steve Evans' ongoing heart-attack quest this week welcomes newly promoted Franchise FC.

Referee: Occasional Premier League referee Robert Madley is the man in the middle for this one, his first QPR appointment since last season's 1-0 home win against Sunderland almost exactly a year ago. His full Rangers case file, stats and news of appointments elsewhere is available here.

Form

QPR: Although Chris Ramsey's results since taking over in February were very poor overall, he did manage to improve the club's away form. A dozen games played, a dozen games lost and only six goals scored under Harry Redknapp, Rangers went on to win two and draw one of the last seven on the road last season scoring 13 in the process. They did, however, lose the last two road matches of last season by an aggregate score of 11-1. They lost 1-0 on this ground last time they were in the Championship, but started that campaign very strongly with nine wins and two draws from the first 12 matches and a club-record run of eight consecutive clean sheets. Pre-season results have been patchy – a 1-0 defeat to Monaco, 2-1 win against Dundee Utd, 0-0 draw at Newport and 1-1 draw with Atalanta last Sunday.

Betting: Professional odds compiler Owen Goulding returns for the new season with this…

"This is a tough division to get out of and as Wigan found out last season, a tough one to stay in. Rangers' squad as it stands looks mid table to me (ignoring Charlie who will be gone by end of transfer window). It's quite an interesting proposition with the additions of exciting players such as Tjaronn Chery and Jay Emmanuel Thomas, and hard workers such as Ben Gladwin and Massimo Luongo. Hard working players have been few and far between in recent times at Loftus Road so I for one am looking forward to seeing how we fare.

"Charlton have bought in numbers over the summer and will be eyeing a top half finish but this will depend how the new signings gel. Their pre-season has been much more productive than QPR's though and for this reason I expect them to take all three points on Saturday. It will be close but anyone who noticed my message board post last week about the 12/5 that was available on a Charlton victory will have noted you can get no bigger than 2/1 now.

"QPR are marginal favourites which is more indicative of where they have come from than where they are both going. At 2/1 I'd struggle to get interested though, and as people who follow my previews know (hello to both of you) I like to keep my powder dry early doors generally. If looking for a bet, I would suggest a little interest in Chery to score at anytime at 9/2 with Betway. Playing just off the front with excellent set piece ability, its worth an interest."

Recommended bet: Charlton v QPR - Chery to Score at Anytime - 9/2 Betway

Prediction: Congratulations to last season's Prediction League winner ISawQPRatWhiteCity who claimed the £50 top prize and the dubious pleasure of writing this section of 48 match previews this season. Thank you to outgoing champion WestonSuperR for his efforts last season.

"At last, its time to lift the lid on a new season with some new players in a new league. Will we find a 'brilliant footballing force', or a well-flogged dead horse? I am totally crap at predicting the worth of incoming players (making me at least equal to Clueless and Wobblechops) so let's have a look instead at recent opening match history. All of our last six starters have been at home: no help there. No points out of nine in the most recent Premier seasons and seven out of nine in the Championship. With the irresistible force of such featherweight evidence, I will do what didn't win me the Prediction League last season and show some optimism that QPR will win. Besides, I hear the bookies have Charlton down for relegation. As for first goal scorer, its a no-brainer unless we are too piss-weak to risk him taking a knock. Best check the team list prior to kick-off."

Jim's Prediction: Charlton 1-2 QPR First scorer: Charlie Austin

LFW's Predicition: Charlton 1-1 QPR First scorer: Tjarron Chery. Samba Diakite karate chops the referee in the throat after he's refused permission to take the field in the second half wearing a large floppy hat.

The Twitter @loftforwords

Pictures – Action Images

Photo: Action Images

GetMeRangers added 23:09 - Aug 7

At last. The return of season means a return of your great previews and reports.



I appreciate the skepticism, coupled with the fear of the fans turning against CR and Les. However, I genuinely haven't looked forward to a season more, in a long time. We seem to be getting our Rangers back, Inevitably that comes with shock results and the unpredictable, but until proved wrong, I think we are in for a great season of entertaining football



1-3 to the Rs. Austin to open the scoring 0

SimonJames added 23:31 - Aug 7

"Here they come, in their hoopless kit, with their half-finished team, sweeping away the drudgery of watching druggies bike up hills and debates on whether we like Andy Murray or not".



Best opening line since...

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way." 0

TacticalR added 23:36 - Aug 7

Thanks for your preview, you've done well to cover all the unknowns and all the contradictions of our situation. There has been a sense of 'never mind the quality feel the width' about some of the players we've signed this week, but I know so little about them I can't really pass judgement. 1

Burnleyhoop added 23:58 - Aug 7

From what I've seen, we are in better shape now than we were last year, and by some distance. Better balance, more energy, pace and a dead ball technician to boot. Tomorrow we face Charlton who have made similarly dramatic changes to their playing squad. If it was Arsenal I would be worried. It's not and we will have too much for them to cope with.



Might be a slow start, but this squad will come good. 1

QPRinCT added 05:28 - Aug 8

Excellent piece Clive! 0

stneotsbloke added 07:13 - Aug 8

Even better than the start of a new season is reading Clive's continuing superb articles. CR and LF have done exactly what they said they'd do, some of the new guys will work out well and some won't but this is the start of a new era for R's and lets support every one of them. Never forget the time wasters and mercenaries we've been paying fortunes to over the past few years.

This season may well take a while to get going but the future is rosy for the first time in four years. Keep the faith ..................... 0

YorkRanger added 07:48 - Aug 8

As ever a great piece Clive, the QPR roller coaster starts again.... 1

enfieldargh added 07:48 - Aug 8

Poor old Seb Poulter

At the Atalanta game two blokes in front of me started making negative comments about his play 15 minutes into the game.



Yes he looks a bit wooden but as I watched him he did start to grow on me. He didn't stop running whilst on the pitch and never gave up. He showed some neat and swift foot work at times and was ways looking for the ball. He went into challenges in the box bravely and is not scared to put his head in.



I think he'll get goals but is nowhere near a Charlie Austin so the bloke will be a scapegoat if he deesnt score early doors.



Sadly I don't know how many of the 3200 travelling fans today read this or have a true rangers supporting ethos but just expect the mighty rangers to sweep all aside in our quest for supremacy and all our players to be Lionel Messiesque.



Great write up , only 45 more league ones and two cup previews to go Clive





2

Dorse added 07:50 - Aug 8

Cannot wait for the season to get going. I think CR was totally hamstrung by the squad he inherited in both attitude and ability. So much more positive this year! 0

pedrosqpr added 08:23 - Aug 8

Clive you echo my sentiments exactly, against Atalanta I heard comments behind me about Seb Poulter all I can say is remember Charlies first games here.

Roll on 3'o clock 0

pedrosqpr added 08:23 - Aug 8

Clive you echo my sentiments exactly, against Atalanta I heard comments behind me about Seb Poulter all I can say is remember Charlies first games here.

Roll on 3'o clock 0

snanker added 09:39 - Aug 8

And so here we go again hoping for the best but expecting the worse knowing you can never second guess the R's. I'm a little bit on the hopeful side having kept Matty Phillips on board and picked up Luongo/Gladwin along with JM and AF back. A flying Dutchman looks shrewd business and as for our German acquisition only time will tell. We do do look suspect at the back and we need Yun fit asap coz leaking goals has been our specialty ! Hope CA can really put in and contribute some goals before he goes in the next window. Looking forward to your shtick and black comedy reflief as ever CW 0

londonscottish added 09:44 - Aug 8

I was assuming it would be about 10 games before the boo boys started but you're probably right that these days it's probably more like 4.....



0

extratimeR added 14:13 - Aug 8

Thanks Clive



As usual bang on, its mid table and consolidate this season, sort the academy, and avoid the relegation battle from March onwards, danger if you are sub 55 points.



The club needs a period of stability and a team with at least two or three Academy members in the first team, (eventually).



This will not be east season, and the last thing we need is any more changes in Manager or back room staff. 0