R's Go on Strike at Vicarage Road...

Watford 0-0 QPR

QPR completed their miserable Christmas period after being held to a goalless draw with Watford, in what overall, was a disappointing game at Vicarage Road...

With this being a local game, it was decided by a few to ditch the cars etc and have a Christmas drink, so myself, Jenson and PK descended on the Oddfellows pub pre match. We were later joined by Lee, Jess, Clive, James, Luke, Mick and Nick as the team news filtered through. Unfortunately Sam couldn't make it today. We were all highly hoping Charlie Austin would be fit again as our lack of strikers was certainly exposed on Boxing Day. But it wasn't the case and the further surprise was that we were lining up with no recognised strikers at all.  I was predicting it would be Yossi Benayoun that would lead the front line, but got that totally wrong and it was in fact Niko Kranjcar up front.

The Pie Experts among us grabbed a quick Chicken Balti each before taking our seats bang on kick off. Onto the game and Rangers were actually quite dominant in the first half - Kranjcar saw 2 efforts go wide, Matty Phillips also dragged a shot just wide after a brilliant turn of the defender and a Tom Carroll cross caused mayhem in the Watford box. The home side had 2 chances of note from McGugan and Deeney forced a comfortable save from Green. Both overall, both keepers were relatively untroubled...

Unfortunately, it was much a case of very much the same in the second half and I think if either side would have really 'gone for it' such to speak, they would have won it. Watford had their best chance midway through when Green saved well from Fabbrini following a neat one-two with Deeney. Matty Phillips stung the hands of Almunia but despite plenty of possession and Andy Johnson on the field for the final 20 minutes, Rangers failed to find any sort of cutting edge.

Queens Park Rangers

• 01 Green
• 02 Simpson
• 39 Assou-Ekotto
• 17 Barton
• 15 Onuoha
• 05 Dunne
• 35 Benayoun (O'Neil - 73' )
• 10 Carroll (Johnson - 71' )
• 19 Kranjcar
• 07 Phillips
• 23 Hoilett (Traore - 79' )

Substitutes

• 03 Traore
• 08 Johnson
• 20 Henry
• 25 Zamora
• 26 Murphy
• 36 O'Neil
• 37 Sendles-White

Man of the Match -

A straight 2 way split, with Lee and Jess picking out Niko Kranjcar, but with votes from myself, Jenson, PK, Clive, James and Luke via Twitter, today's award goes to Joey Barton who was very much missed against Forest.

Away Day Pie Rating

Just myself , Lee and Jenson sampling the Chicken Balti's - very flaky pastry of which if you looked at the floor, you would certainly know where I had been standing and the feeling was that the their was plenty of filling but overall, quite dry - a 7 each from myself and Jenson and a 5 from Lee, which in fairness, was probably the more accurate as after a good few pints, anything would have tasted good..

Giving the Watford pies a rating of 6.33/10

After we said our goodbyes, myself, PK and Jenson went into the High Street to continue the festivities.. We landed in the Moon Under Water Pub for what was supposed to be a few beers then on for a curry...  We were joined by Watford fans Toby, Adam, Steph and Kieron before Jo , Danny and several more as the evening went on and some great and must say, good natured banter went on throughout the evening.. But we should have known better really, as drinking with Jenson will mean that some point in the evening, Jagermeister will be involved..

The curry never happened..

Lee will return on Wednesday for the visit of Doncaster to Loftus Road but until then, on behalf of myself and everyone involved in and around of Lofty Heights, may I wish you all a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Come on you R'ssssssssssss!!!