QPR v Derby County - A Fans Perspective

Article by Jeff Mayakovsky

For the Harrow Crew it was a meet up at Wards - an Irish pub just behind the station. The Guinness was flowing, well at least for me, others were consuming the ubiquitous Fosters lager. The rain seemed to have abated, we were in a good mood, the Metropolitan line train was packed with Rangers fans as we made the short journey to Wembley park.

How was the day going to turn out? Rangers fans were strangely optimistic, despite a season when we experienced a staggering run of form, which saw our chances of automatic promotion disappear and a play off with Wigan and then Derby that took one hell of an effort from the players to overcome.

 





But it was that enigma Bobby Zamora whose shot on goal in the 90th minute hit the back of the net that sent the R 's fans into delirium, we could hardly believe what had happened. Gary O'Neil had been sent off for a cynical foul on Johnny Russell and left the Hoops with 10 men to battle the remainder of the match with Derby.

 

Storm clouds ahead, but for whom?

Richard Dunne was solid in central defence and Robert Green was outstanding between the sticks, as Derby created attack after attack on the Rangers goal, but we held on. Most of us were expecting that it might go to penalties but a cross from Hoillet on the right in the 90th minute was miscued by Richard Keogh and the ball was slotted into the back of the net by Zamora.

 

Football is an unpredictable game, for all Derby's effort and control of the game it was Rangers with just one shot on target that clinched victory and insured that the fans would party into the night down the Uxbridge road.

 

Waiting for kick off

What does the future hold, are we going to see another season of QPR struggling to avoid relegation or have we learnt the lessons of the recent past? Yesterday's victory has ensured that Redknapp will very likely stay on for another season and he has the advantage of building his own team from the start of the season instead of inheriting a bunch of expensive misfits that never gelled as a team.

We will need to bring in some forwards to support Charlie Austin upfront his 20 goals were critical in the R's finishing in 4th place. We have Matt Phillips and Ali Faulin returning from long term injury and both can play an important part in the team next season. Undoubtedly we are going to have to bring in a few new faces to bolster an ageing side, it should be an interesting summer.

As for Steve Mclaren's Derby County it was a cruel blow to their young side, it will take some time to get over, but they will start next season as one of the favourites to go up. They were inspired to a great run of form once Mclaren took charge after leaving QPR's coaching team after a short but successful time helping the team organise tactically and give us a good start at the beginning of the campaign.



Celebration as we come to terms with our surprising victory

We have had our share of bad luck in recent years and last year in the Premiership was particularly torrid as we beaten on a regular basis, watching players who seemed only there to pick up their inflated wages. That has changed and there can be some hope that the club have learnt from past mistakes.

Who knows what next season will bring?

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