Cycles

Reading 0 Queens Park Rangers 0

Queens Park Rangers 0 Arsenal 1

Queens Park Rangers 1 Newcastle 2

Liverpool 1 Queens Park Rangers 0

I used to believe that life happened in cycles of three years. The thinking is that after three years of good fortune and happiness, things couldn't possibly continue in to a fourth year, so one deserved three years of bad luck and misery after that. After this period one would once again deserve happier times. It was a theory that an old flat mate of mine believed in and told me about. Both of us had not had the happiest of childhoods and had been through all a whole mill of complicated situations. And when we started our working lives in London, starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder and contributing most of our salary to the rent of our shared apartment life really did feel a little like a roller coaster - we weren't quite sure when we were going to get off or when things would just be like a simple carousel or a slow-moving Ferris wheel.

After what has to be the worst season I have ever experienced as a QPR fan, I couldn't help but wonder whether QPR had finally come to the end of its own cycle of good fortune. I remember saying when I had to move to Manila to take care of my dying mum in 2003, that if QPR had got promoted to the Championship from League 1, I would be celebrating so much you may find me paralytic on a pavement outside some pub after drinking copious amounts of alcohol in happiness. Only a year later we managed to get promoted and I didn't end up lying on the roadside as I had predicted (a fine one for words I am). However, it is hard to believe that  was nearly ten years ago and I could never have imagined what next happened to our club. Our trials and tribulations of that period are well documented. We even have a famous movie that tells the story of how we got back in to the Premier League - in this one, a cycle of four and not three years is epitomised.

And despite all that we have been through before, this season has truly been the most torturous. For most QPR fans it wasn't about the end result: the fact that we were relegated. For most QPR fans it was the manner in which we did get relegated that hurt so much. Where at the end of last season we could at least boast of a fine home form, this season it was a painful series of loss after loss after loss and many of us had to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and experience it all again the following week. Not only did we have to contend with poor play, but we had to contend with personality issues within the team - egos, splits and factions. All of this while the club continued to 'market' itself to a group of people who would only support the club so long as Park Ji Sung remained in it. What also saddened me about the last few months has been the way that QPR fans have been arguing and fighting amongst themselves (myself included). But, in fairness it is a natural reaction to a situation where we are all trying to understand why we are in such a mess, and where we need to find someone or something to blame.

When I started writing the blog, we were in a very different place. We weren't in a position that is much different to where we ended up -  in the lower dregs of the Premier League -  but I was much more full of hope and faith. I still liked Joey Barton and thought some of his views on things like homophobia in football, for example, would make him a wonderful ambassador for QPR. I felt that Fernandes was a great owner and that we were in good hands. But the last few transfer windows have made me extremely worried about the club's attitude, and in Harry Redknapp I am starting to see more marketing tactics (one week players lack motivation  the next they are of a low quality). I feel that we are still seeing, even after relegation, signs of a club that is trying to act bigger and cooler than it really is. The fact is, our biggest problem these past two seasons has simply been our bloated squad and the fact that we cannot make a bunch of supposedly great players function together as a decent unit. How to solve that problem however is perhaps not quite so simple, given that we have owners with such lofty ambitions that involve not just the game of football itself.

All in all, having Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun's money at QPR is probably still a good thing. And having Redknapp as a manager is probably our best chance of not being relegated again (yes, that's just how hopeful I am about next season). But much as we'd like to think we are kept informed of what's going on at QPR either by Fernandes and his tweets, Harry and his penchant for a bit of publicity and the club's supporters meetings, we haven't got a damn clue what's really going on in the background and we never will. We'd like to think it's our club to influence - and sometimes we will when it comes to easy things like club shirts for next season, or whether we get names on our seats. And I have to say I am getting a little bit fed up of fans feeling grateful because Fernandes has decided to buy one person a season ticket on a whim, or because season ticket prices are lowered to the level they should be. Admittedly, there is nothing wrong with these actions, but I do think we need to start to be a bit more savvy about our club's PR and marketing if we really believe we can influence it more.

Despite the season being so horrific, the past 9 months has brought much in the way of blossoming friendships. As life goes on and you get older, you don't always expect to meet new people that you click with so well. Let's be frank, one rarely gets to meet a QPR supporter, never mind someone you actually get on really well with. In my mind I am already piecing together this wonderful mosaic of people and places I've visited and smiling to myself at how lucky we are to be able to experience new things all the time through supporting this club. And I am talking not just about great people like Gemma, Annie and Ali, but people like that Addison Lee taxi driver who took me home safely after a business trip abroad, and the train manager on the 915 from Euston to Liverpool that moved all the QPR fans in to the first class carriage. This has been the most delightful thing for me this year and the irony is that I can blame QPR for all of it.

Before I wrote this blog, I asked my brother who has absolutely no interest in football at all (but more than a passing interest in QPR because of his relation to me), what I should write about given it's been such an awful season. He said 'why don't you write about the fact that it's just like life? Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and sometimes it's just really really bad.' He couldn't be more right. Nowadays, I don't think that life is about those three year cycles. I don't even think it's about Four Year Plans. Life, like QPR, just is what it is - and there are parts we can control and parts which we cannot.  But what I do think is that sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's really really bad, but you can also make it really really good if you try.

Superheroes

Queens Park Rangers 0 Stoke 2

I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to book Reading tickets with @gemcricketmad. I suppose it was more about spending a day with a friend than the possibility of watching some good football.

Relegation is all but confirmed for us, and yet I actually checked for Wigan's remaining fixtures. Foolish I know.

As per last week's blog, it is far from my intention to write a match report. Instead, I look ahead to next season inspired by a recent QPR podcast game of 's***, marry, push' in which I review the members of the current QPR squad as currently listed on the back of our programmes. In this blog, I will take a look at each player, provide my view on their contribution to this horrific season and compare them with a 'super hero' where possible, if not I've made something else up just for them (aren't I nice?). Not to say that our players have been superheroes, but they make an amusing point of comparison...

So, without further delay...

1. Robert Green, also known as Green Arrow (just cuz his name is Green and he wears green A LOT)

from www.superherodb.com

Rating: 7/10

Sadly, Rob has had a rough ride this season. We should never have bought Julio and frankly if I compare the two side by side Green has been the better keeper and Julio has been less than reliable.

Verdict: Keep

2. Samba Diakite, also known as the Nappy Man (for wearing his shorts in that strange nappy style)

Rating: not possible

I am not sure what happened to Samba this season but I think we've missed him a lot. He was my favourite buy from last season so it's disappointing that we haven't seen more of him for whatever rason.

Verdict: Keep if he is going to play....

3. Armand Traore, AKA Almond Tray (that's just what his name sounds like)

Rating: 5/10

There's a reason why Arsenal didn't want him. Sigh.

Verdict: Get Rid

4. Shaun Derry, AKA My Lord

Rating 7/10

We haven't seen a lot of Shaun either, as we're meant to have players that are better than him on paper. But when he has played for us he is been pretty solid.

Verdict: Keep for one more year

5. Christopher Samba, AKA the Incredible Hulk

Rating 5/10

Considering he's QPR record signing he has not performed to that level and had a few appalling games. We need to sell him and make some money back.

Verdict: Get rid

6. Clint Hill, also known as Butt-head (from Beavis and Butt-head)

from mtv.com

Rating 5/10

Our 2011/2012 player of the season has under performed as much as anyone else.  A deserved captain for his passion and effort and boy does he take a head butt those balls! But while I'd give him an A for effort, it's a C for ability.

Verdict: Get rid (sadly)

7. Ji-Sung Park AKA Meltdown

Meltdown from www.superherodb.com

Rating: 6/10

Blighted by what appears to be a lack in confidence and injury this season Ji-Sung Park appears to have gone in to official meltdown mode. Enjoying the comforts of London as opposed to Manchester appears to have distracted him somewhat. But I think he's still got a bit of class. He simply needs to get back down to earth. He'll be a decent championship player.

Verdict: Keep

10. Adel Taarabt AKA Stardust (something about being made of cosmic particle and energy...)

Rating 6/10

It was hard to compare Adel to a superhero as he means so much to so many QPR fans for what he has contributed to our championship years. It's safe to say this season he hasn't become that superhero. Whenever he plays the team has to form itself around him as opposed to the other way around. Frustrating to say the least but I do hope he stays. He's a magical player when he is at his best.

Verdict: Keep

11. Shaun Wright-Phillips, AKA Pheeeleeeeeeeps (from that commentary of the win at Stamford Bridge)

Rating 4/10

I have given SWP an additional point for scoring that goal against Chelsea. Other than that, I still can't quite forgive him for telling fans he didn't really care about QPR.

Verdict: Get Rid

12. Jamie Mackie AKA Wonder Man (since he walked in the winter wonderland...)

Wonder Man from www.superherodb.com

Rating 5/10

Mackie is one of our most over-rated players, but last year he is responsible for our turning point in that 3-2 win against Liverpool. I love his passion and loyalty but I just 'wonder' what he's going to do for us next season?

Verdict: Keep (just)

13. Yun Suk-Young AKA the Invisible Man

Rating:   /

Who?

Verdict: Hello? Anybody there?

14. Esteban Granero AKA Steve Barn (that's his name translated in to English).

Rating 3/10

Having come from Real Madrid Loftus Road must have been a shocker for Steve. First couple of games were promising, but other than that he has been a disastrous signing. He truly has been a less than glamorous signing.

Verdict: Get rid

15. Nedum Onuoha  AKA City Reject

Rating: 6/10

Having lost his mother this year, I feel a little sorry for him. He's fairly reliable and I suspect could be useful in the Championship.

Verdict: Keep

16. Jermaine Jenas AKA the Other one from Tottenham

Rating 6/10

Ironically, we were more excited about his arrival than we were of Andros Townsend. He has been somewhat useful...though I question his commitment to the club.

Verdict: Keep

18. Loic Remy AKA Champagne

Rating 7/10

I would have rated him an 8, but for the penalty he missed against Fulham. That was just so painful to watch. Sigh.

Verdict: Get rid. he's too good for the championship (we need prosecco not champagne)

19. Jose Bonsingwa AKA The Enemy

Rating 2/10

Sorry, I still don't like him. OK he has been better these last few games, but it's not like we've won.

Verdict: Get rid

20. Fabio da Silva AKA The Crap Twin

Rating 4/10

Looks like we picked the wrong Da Silva twin. Some promising starts, but he's inconsistent.

Verdict: Send him back.

21: Tal Ben Haim
Rating 5/10

We haven't had the chance to see him play much so frankly I can't even rate him fairly. He wasn't bad last week against Stoke but then again, we lost against Stoke. Sigh (again).

Verdict: Get rid

23. Junior Hoilett AKA His name is DAVID

Rating 5/10

He had an awful game last week but I suspect he has underperformed due to a lack of confidence and team tactics. I still like him though, he won me a bet early in the season when he scored against Reading in the Capital One Cup.

Verdict: Keep

25. Bobby Zamora AKA Murmur

Murmur from www.comicvine.com

Rating 7/10

Unexpectedly one of our better players this season. And I have to say I admire him for playing several games while in extreme pain. He was a warrior, and this feeling was magnified by the bandage he would wear wrapped around his head... but he's getting on a bit and I wonder whether he will want to play for a Championship team?

Verdict: Keep

26. Brian Murphy AKA The Other Other goalkeeper

Rating - unfair to rate

We'll need him next season as Julio will go.

Verdict: Keep

30: Frankie Sutherland AKA Frankie, do you remember me?


Rating: unfair to rate

Do I know much about him? Not really...but he is from our youth team apparently, and I'm all for home grown talent.

Verdict: Keep

33. Julio Cesar AKA Buzz Lightyear

Buzz Lightyear from www.dan-dare.org

Rating 6/10


My love affair with Julio is over. Wearing that Chelsea shirt this week changed everything.

Verdict: Get rid and sell for a pretty fortune hopefully

37. Jay Bothroyd AKA Weird Love Gun Tattoo Thing

Rating 6/10

He hasn't exactly been a star player, but he hasn't been bad either. There hasn't been a lot of room for him, but perhaps he'll be good for us in the Championship.

Verdict: Keep

40. Stephane Mbia AKA King of Stagecoach

Rating: 8/10

He has provided us with much entertainment with his amateur dramatics but he has probably done the most for us this season of all the players. An exciting player to watch he can also be a liability though. I wish we could keep him but I don't know if he would stay.

Verdict: Keep

Cuddles

Queens Park Rangers 1 Wigan Athletic 1

Everton 2 Queens Park Rangers 0

Most people know I gave up a long time ago. It is not the reason why I've been a little more sporadic with my blog writing. I can blame that on a hectic lifestyle. If you are reading this blog, however, and think you are getting two match reports, look elsewhere. I've given up on talking about the team and how poorly we've performed. I'm in relegation party mode, and I'm going to write about a few fun things us QPR fans have been dreaming up and getting involved in as the season comes to an end and we await for the R to be printed next to our club name.

Here are top 5 QPR fan moments, ideas and thoughts for the past 2 weeks:

1. Pre-Wigan match some of the #qprtwitfam met at the Springbok. We got on to the subject of that guy who was arrested at the Everton v City match at Goodison park for warming up in a City kit on the pitch. We wondered whether we could do the same at QPR and whether anyone would notice two ladies in full QPR gear warming up with the lads? @annieqpr suggested even better - 'How about we ask if we can be mascots?' Forget the kids, perhaps we can ask Ian Taylor for a special request. Forgive me lads, the first thing I thought of was whether I could hold Julio Cesar's hand as the team entered....I know, it'll look ridiculous, but hey...if the two above are not options, how about giving us the chance to stretch/warm up on the side lines? Annie and I have been practising our knee bends, lunges and hamstring stretches. I reckon we would look 'well professional' (we've practised) . At the rate the Rangers are playing, maybe they could even get us on the pitch to score a few goals...

2. Listen to this week's QPR Podcast. My good friend @gemcricketmad made a special appearance by virtue of being an avid beer drinker (and a QPR fan of course). She appears to be one of the few people who has managed to make Paul Finney reduce swearing significantly. I'm very pleased that the podcast is inviting female QPR fans more regularly...there are plenty of us around, and we've got plenty of decent stuff to say (although I can't say the same for their hubbies who are, coincidentally, all Arsenal fans). I was extremely impressed that she made 'no comment' during the game of 'cuddles, marry, push of cliff/rid, when Cesar was mentioned. I know what I would have said (wink).

3. So, this year I will not be on holiday as the season closes and have booked myself on a train to Liverpool and bought a ticket to watch the boys play. Who was it who told me on twitter that Bosingwa would be the one to score the winning goal at Anfield that would save us from relegation? I haven't yet had to eat my hat this season. So instead, I'm planning to dye my hair blue with @gemcricketmad and @mrs_ajams. Anyone else care to join us? Or the campaign to get @paulfinney1969 to do it too - please hashtag #bluehairfinney? What's the point in wallowing? Might as well have our own fun even if the Rangers aren't.

4.  This season has been wonderful for one thing. And that's the people that I've met, and the people I've been lucky enough to get to know better. The actual matches themselves have not been the delight we hoped they would be - even at the end of last season we at least had a WLWLWLWL type of record - something to bring us up, after a downer. Now it's just down down down. Apart from beers before and after the match, with lots of lovely people. Favourite memories include: meeting @rafafernandez82 and the Springbok post-match disco. Will YOU be there tomorrow?

5. And on the subject of beer, it has been recommended by esteemed fan @gemcricketmad that we respond to @officialqpr's 'film your own match day video' tweet with a 6 second, 6 pint video. As we are banned from filming inside the ground fans are, shall we say, limited in their options. Really? Any more novel ideas for a 6 second video, tweet me. I'm still keen to try our own Harlem Shake, but perhaps we can cut it down from 30 to 6 seconds?


Shallow this blog post may be, but tired I am. And who wants to read another moaning blog about QPR? That would seriously make us all zzzzzzzzzzzzz. On that note, please could I ask everyone to tweet me any fun things they are doing as part of the #qprelegationparty. I may want to write about it in my next blog which will probably be after another loss.

For now, I sign off and dream of cuddles with Mr C.

You RRRRRRssssss

So close

Aston Villa 3 Queens Park Rangers 2

Fulham 3 Queens Park Rangers 2

After a few weeks off, I write this in a strangest of moods. I'm in a sort of half relieved, half angry mood. The last couple of weeks has taken me across the pond for work, and while club football closed down for the internationals I felt a little sad to be far away from home and yet happy to just forget the loss at Villa Park.

Villa Park was a great day out for me in some ways. I was honoured with my dear father @tonydedude's presence, and it was a chance to bond with the man responsible for my addiction to QPR. Not usually his style, he even wore the famous red and black QPR top for me (thanks Dad). We did all the things that you do when you are out with your Dad - nearly miss the train, forget to get a spoon or fork for our take away meal, forget to bring a paper from home for the train journey etc. etc..  Well, as far as I was concerned it was all the better for being able to partake in rare conversation.

The match, on the other hand was fantastic for the neutral, but painful for us. And since it was so long ago now and the we've since experienced another away match of the same score line and the same level of disappointment perhaps I need not delve in to the detail of the whys and wherefores of the poor performance  and our inability to play well for more than 40 minutes.

What I'd like to do instead is share with you a few songs that have passed through my mind these past weeks as we have seen QPR come so close and yet still remain so far from our hope of Premier League survival. This, all in my own hope, of making a few people smile and perhaps shed a few bitter-sweet tears as we near the final chapter of this season and suffer from one of the bleakest, longest and coldest winters I can remember.

Enjoy everyone!!

Running by Jessie Ware

A love song that spells out my obsession with QPR. 'I'm ready to lose it all...' she sings. 'Never give up...never give up.'  My track of the last 12 months. Amazing.

With or Without you by U2

I had this on repeat on my iPod after the Sunderland game at home. It was a great feeling to have such a big win, but, like the song's perfect orchestration I was full of that bitter-sweet feeling of 'hurray, but how long will this last?'

So far away by Kaskade & Seamus Haji ft. Haley

One of my top dance tunes from the last couple of years, there's something about the lyrics 'Live for the night, suffer the day, run from the light, so far away' that reminds me of wanting to close my eyes whenever we're about to attempt to score from a penalty.

Twisted by Ultra Nate

Known more for that bobby 90s track 'Free', this is a masterpiece of a song- one that I always imagine performing with a fabulous jazz band to back me up. Again, a reminder of how twisted our love for QPR can make us.

So Close - by Daryl Hall and John Oats: 

One of Hall and Oats's later tracks released in 1990. A love song that still resonates when I think of QPR. Lyrics like: 'So close, yet so far away, we believe in tomorrow, maybe more than today, we're so close, yet so far away' encapsulates in a nutshell the crap we have to go through when we watch our beloved team week in and week out. And yet still we many of us manage to pick ourselves up and look to the future in the hope of some wins.

A Letter from Santa's Friend

Queens Park Rangers 3 Sunderland 1

Dearest Emily,

I bet you are surprised to hear from me, the Easter Bunny. I know you didn't write to me. You don't think quite so highly of me, as you do of Santa. But one thing you maybe didn't know is that Santa and I live next door to each other. And when you wrote to him back in December he told me all about your story and the things he had arranged for the Chelsea win. I became fascinated by your story, and I've been following the Rs ever since.

It hasn't all been great for Rangers since then I suppose. A missed penalty against Norwich seemed to be a turning point for the worse. And the 4-1 drubbing at Swansea was like a nail in the coffin in some ways. I know you felt that way anyway, because your blogs were so bloody depressing I was quite close to slitting my chocolate wrists on a couple of occasions. It's a good thing Mrs Bunny had caught me close to the act, and reminded me that life wasn't all about football and your blog and that I had a duty to several children every Easter that required my utmost commitment.

However, as Santa had pointed out to you in his letter to you, you do have this tendency to be extremely pessimistic about things. I realise it isn't as if QPR have been winning regularly, but did you ever expect to get anything out of Swansea away and United at home? I think you were jumping to a quick conclusion without considering the next potential run of winnable matches. In addition to that, I must tell you off for promising people at Yates's bar in Southampton last week that you would write a cheerful blog. You really do have to keep your promises young lady, or was that a promise made under the influence of one pint too many? Dear dear dear.

To be fair, though. I think I can understand where you are coming from. From what I've observed over the last couple of months, supporting a football team like QPR is a little like an illicit love affair: it's lots of ups, but plenty of downs, with passionate fights as well as big fat snogs, it's sometimes good for you..but very often it's terribly bad for you...you can't live with it, yet you can't live without it. I had no idea that it was quite so charged. And amazingly, the QPR fans keep coming back for more. Over 3,000 fans went to Southampton last week off the back of two lacklustre performances by their team. Just what were they hoping for? Well, I suppose it is all about the magic of football. The very thought that anything could happen and the mere possibility of a win keeps people coming back.

So I was shooting hoops last night with Santa (as you can imagine, I have a bit of a 'hopping' advantage', but hey, he gets to ride a sleigh in the sky every year). And he reminded me that the boys were playing Sunderland today. I rang up Mythical Character Satellite TV company to find out whether the game was on. Would you believe, they were going to charge me a special fee to get it on my TV, even after I had delivered several bespoke chocolate Easter eggs to their office last year? Once I had stern words with the CEO they finally acceded to sorting it out for me FOC. As I settled in to my settee I must say I did think QPR had a fantastic chance of winning, but I didn't think it would be with 3 goals, two of which could be contenders for goal of the month! (Wasn't Townsend fab?). And much as it pains me to say it, perhaps the Arctic training camp that Santa sent Bosingwa on has turned him a little. He's actually playing quite well now, but I admit once in a while we still get the sulks from him - a sort of languid stomping motion which I saw a couple of times at Loftus Road today (don't worry, he is not getting any chocolates this Easter). He really does have this odd manner about him, but I think that's also the case off the pitch. I saw the photos of him 'hanging out' by the pool in Dubai and he was looking extremely out of place wrapped in a towel both by the bar and his sun lounger. And who was that blond girl standing opposite him, surely she should have been standing closer to some of the more 'ripped' looking players who had their swimmers and no top on...As you people on twitter say #fail.

Anyway, you must be pleased with such a comprehensive win today? And I heard that QPR, for the second week in a row, will be making it on to Match of the Day first. Surely, you might start to believe that now it might just be possible for QPR to survive? I really do feel for you though, as on this current form and what with the battles around you, it really looks set to be another tumultuous end of season. It certainly isn't going to be settled early, either way. However, thank God you have got back to back wins, and a couple of away wins under Harry. It's such a unique little run for you. Looking back on Hughes, he really was awful wasn't he? What a complete mess he made of the team.

On another note before I sign off I'd like to remind you of what makes supporting QPR so great. Today you met @rafafernande82 (who flew all the way from the USA) and @julieqpr as well as @g_a_zz at the Springbok before the match, along with many other amazing friends you have made at QPR through that twitter world. Admittedly, there are several weirdos on it, and there are several people you'd rather not follow due to the plethora of swear words as well as the abuse they hurl at other QPR fans (not to mention a few idiots intent on bashing Koreans for 'taking their seats' in language that is purely racist). But for the most part, when you meet many of them it must remind you of what is special about being a Rangers fan: that sense of family, togetherness and a welcoming nature.

My one wish for you regardless of whether the Rangers stay up or not, is that the owners never lose sight of this and make sure they nurture it as much as possible. Looking around at all the other Premier League clubs this makes QPR truly unique.

And I wish you, and all the QPR fans an enjoyable last 9 games, whatever happens.

With much love,

The Easter Bunny

Encl. Blue and white hooped Easter eggs

Emily, Gary, Rafae, Sandy

Laura, Emily, Gemma

Julie, Emily, Gary, Sandy

The Fickle Finger of Fortune

Southampton 1 Queens Park Rangers 2

As I drank my pint of Doombar at Yates's of Above Bar Street, Southampton, I promised myself that this blog would be a cheerful one - win lose or draw. It was hard not to feel cheerful as I met with a few pals and absorbed the extremely inebriated atmosphere at said bar. There must have been a good thousand of us packed over two floors of the place, and I was impressed by the lack of anger at the press that had come out overnight about QPR players apparently enjoying gin-soaked nights in Dubai. It was almost as if, being deliriously happy and drunken that day, was probably about the only way us fans could face another potential away loss, this time at St Mary's. As far as many of us were concerned, fate was going to deal us another big blow.

I, however...couldn't quite feel the love of the pub, until Remy had scored the first goal. Plonked in the back yet again, in row LL I had a group of fans behind me who decided it would be fun to shout abuse at each other in that 'oh so manly' way for absolutely no reason. Words like 'you wanna take this somewhere else,' 'don't you dare talk to me that way,'  yada yada yada. So boring. I couldn't help it and had to to tell them to shut up and watch the football. I must say, I do believe that part of this 'tension' was brought about by the fact that we were playing pretty badly. Southampton had all the possession, and I just couldn't see how we could nick it. I mean, it was Southampton after all - I could understand 30% possession if it were a team of a larger stature. However, as a friend had pointed out to me, this is the type of football we are going to see whoever we play from now until the end of the season. Ugly, defensive football where we hope to make a break with a couple of decent strikers up-front.

Thoughts on the match - for the most part, I thought we were pretty abysmal. Yes we played with the above-mentioned tactics, but we barely strung a couple of passes together. Players seemed to be falling about and struggling with Southampton's very physical style of player. It was scary - especially for the last 6 minutes. And this is what we have to experience for the next few games no doubt. Mbia was lucky not to get sent off, Park was not great apart from his fabulous run against the odds and subsequent assist later in the game. People are saying that they saw passion for the first time, but I am not sure I did. I thought our forwards were very casual for the most part, and lacked a sense of urgency. Credit to Park though, last twenty minutes he showed some fight which I didn't expect, and perhaps that rubbed off on the others. One big positive though - not relying for once on Taraabt or Mackie. So while our win may have much to do with the hands of fortune - not picking those two was a revelation and perhaps changed our fate as much as anything else that day.

After the match, we heard Redknapp dispute some of the claims somewhat, although it is my understanding that the club has not yet made an official announcement or rebuttal about the article on Dubai shenanigans. I am one of those that was pretty quick to believe it - mainly because there are direct quotes, and let's be honest, it's hardly rocket-science to suggest that footballers = partying, booze and women! So most fans were in a pretty cheerful mood about the news and Redknapp's own rebuttal. As for me, I am still worried about the dressing room split. I suppose most big clubs with players from around the world will have their cliques, just like any office or work place. However, in my heart of hearts I wish that we had a Rangers team that really was just that - a team, that bonded and partied and got drunk together. The fractious dressing room is not new news. And this is supported by a fan who saw and met the team whilst on holiday in Dubai. Click here for more info: WATRB. But it's a shame that it's splayed over the Mirror and it makes all of us fans fight and doubt each other. One minute we're freaking out on twitter about it, the next we've just won and all is forgiven...

Oh no...I'm starting to notice that this blog isn't cheerful. Perhaps it is because it's a Monday and we've still got almost a whole week to go before we are back at Loftus Road. Please don't vilify me for making a few more negative observations about the match and the management of the club. As you know from my piece in Indy Rs last week I still have very strong reservations about the way that the club is marketing itself and managing it's external comms, particularly in the space of social media. And to confirm Adam Hulme contacted me very politely today letting me know that the tweet he put out for bloggers to cover social launches was not related to QPR specifically. Hence he has now set up a new Adam Hulme QPR account to make it clear what his tweets are about. Thanks Adam for the email and I really do appreciate it.

I do still feel sorry for those boys though. Poor little lambs, I really think they need some proper marketing help. I am shocked that Fernandes has not planted one of his marketing managers to help given that in Asia the social strategies for his businesses are highly regarded.

People are going to absolutely kill me for not making this blog a happy one, but I can only write what comes from the heart. And while I am so pleased that the Rangers won over the weekend, I am worried that a win will simply mask the other deeper problems we have.

But hey, read me next week after a potential win at home against Sunderland and I'll probably be back to usual form, such is the fickle life and feelings of a fan. And since Santa has well and truly hibernated, I believe that we owe the Easter Bunny a potential letter?

Ideas on a postcard...

You RRRRSssssss

Where did it go wrong for QPR, a Marketing Person's Perspective

Queens Park Rangers 0 Manchester Utd 2

This week's blog post can be found on Independent Rs Review website.

Thanks to the team there for asking me to write the feature.