QPR Left Singing the Blues...

Birmingham 1-0 QPR

Birmingham moved to the top of the Championship after a narrow 1-0 win over QPR, in what was a disappointing display from Iain Dowie's men in front of the Sky Sports cameras.



As mentioned, with the game being the lunchtime Sky offering, it meant an early start for myself and PK for what is a relatively easy away trip. Not so easy however, for the Henley mob who, after leaving their directions at home, had to follow us into Birmingham from Warwick Services. We arrived in plenty of time and after meeting up with the Leeds three, decided on a pre match at the local Subway after having discount vouchers literally thrown at us as we got out of the car and also, seeing as pubs are a bit of a no no around Birmingham.

Moving onto the game and it came as a bit of a surprise with all the defence of the 4-5-1 from Dowie, that he had selected a 4-4-2 formation in a game that was probably crying out for the 4-5-1. The brief match report from the BBC probably sums the game up perfectly, it reads...

Kevin Phillips grabbed his fourth goal of the season as Birmingham beat QPR to move top of the Championship.

The first half had lacked any serious goal threat until Phillips prodded in from close range just before the break.

QPR failed to muster any signs of being able to get an equaliser as the Blues defence comfortably held them at bay.

Birmingham were not at their best but the lack of ideas and urgency from QPR rarely troubled them as they secured a seventh win in 10 league games.

Not a bad summary, but I was actually pretty pleased with the R's first half performance and we certainly didn't deserve to be behind. Just before the break, Garry O'Connor latched on to the ball, evaded a somewhat half hearted tackle from Fitz Hall and put in a low cross which Phillips converted from close range.

Onto the second half and after containing Birmingham so well in the first, being behind would surely enforce the R's to come out and adopt a more attacking style and go for it - but it just did not materialise as Birmingham defended their slender advantage.

QPR: Cerny, Delaney, Stewart, Mahon (Buzsaky 68), Hall, Leigertwood, Blackstock, Agyemang, Rowlands (Ledesma 80), Ramage (Connolly 87), Cook. Subs: Camp, Parejo

Lofty's Man of the Match - Lee Cook - involved with everything that was good about QPR today and almost single handedly tried to breath some life into QPR this afternoon.



We now have an International break and have no game for 2 weeks. I can honestly say in all the years I have been watching football, that I am actually looking forward to having a week off next week. We return on the 18th October with a home game against bottom club, Nottingham Forest, who have yet to win away this year...

oh dear...

See you all then!!