If QPR lose and Reading win, surely QPR are down. They have been playing much worse than everyone in the division, and now would have to actually catch teams.
Has anyone ever been top of a division after 16 games and been relegated before? It seems almost impossible to do.
It really must be a Reading v QPR showdown for the last relegation spot now.
Reading have been playing better, with draws against Burnley and Luton, but have Coventry away next. QPR travel to Burnley, so I could see it being as you were after 44 games.
Reading and Huddersfield play each other last day too. It will be interesting if they are drawing and news filters through that they both just need a point...
I'm sure someone else has already noted the significance of QPR's final day fixture, but I hope Mehmeti isn't the one to score the goal that sends QPR down...
Ainsworth getting hammered on twitter mainly because he keeps picking Martin and doesnt seem to fancy fan favourite Willock. Can see things getting very ugly if they go down 6 weeks and most of their fans have had enough already.
In fairness though you’d back him to get QPR back up at the first attempt with his own squad as long as they didn’t get silly and bin him. You don’t build a squad in 6 weeks, especially an already demoralised one.
That’s what every ‘big’ Championship club thinks when they come down into League 1. We know far too well that it isn’t that simple. I think Gaz is in big trouble.
Some comments amused me about making substitutions being made too late. They clearly don't know about the gypsy curse that prevents GA from making subs before 70 minutes
I now think sadly QPR are going down. Ainsworth can be a miracle worker once he gets the right players in. What he has now is the anthesis to what he can get the best out of. Reading's players are probably fired up about the potential to stay up in spite of the points deduction, whereas the hoops seem to have thrown the towel in.
The only game I see QPR picking up points in is the Bristol City game. They could certainly go down and the QPR rabble will be all out to get GA kicked out as they hate the style of football.
@Commoner It'll be pretty miraculous if a team that have picked up 7 points in the last 3 months can turn it around to muster 7 points in the next 3 games!
The problem with GA's success in League One...is that it is two play-off finals and one promotion in his years in charge. If they stay up he will consolidate them up there I think...but it's no guarantee he's going to get them up if they do come down...even if they give him the chance.
Exactly this. I know desperation comes in to play at the end of the season, but I struggle to see how this dreadful QPR team is supposed to suddenly start winning. They seem more like the Championship Forest Green to me.
The Gareth Dobbo team strength seemed to be them identifying not only players, but good strong characters, to build a team with a clear vision however criticised that vision might be. Not sure you can come in and impose that on a disparate bunch you've had nowt to do with, however better quality they are as players. The pity was they were just getting to the point where they were finally getting a better quality of player coming in to Adams Park. I hope they can keep QPR up for their own sakes...but also because I don't want them managing one of our rivals next term!
If QPR do stay up, it will also be interesting to see if GA gets more credit for keeping them up, or criticism for almost getting them relegated from a relatively strong position (10 point gap).
@Shev@Blue_since_1990 I don't necessarily disagree but football and Gaz in particular are funny old things.
The 2-2 draw at West Brom, 1-1 with Norwich and holding Cov to 1-0 for 86 mins with some excellent saves from WIlson in 2nd half are just chutes of rejuvanation.
It's just my gut feeling that they've turned the corner and the results will turn for last three games.
I'm probably completely and utterly wrong and they'll get spanked by Burnley!
My view is that they keep getting little false dawns, but are too poor to turn any of them into an actual real day. So the fans get their hopes up slightly only to get them dashed.
Kompany v GA at Turf Moor does not exactly sound hopeful.
Comments
If QPR lose and Reading win, surely QPR are down. They have been playing much worse than everyone in the division, and now would have to actually catch teams.
Has anyone ever been top of a division after 16 games and been relegated before? It seems almost impossible to do.
Luton just saved their bacon for another matchday. Another goal there would really help GA.
Rotherham look well placed to finally stay up. It would be funny if they stayed up and Paul Warne fails to take Derby up!
Luton v Reading is a game where you really just want both teams to lose.
It really must be a Reading v QPR showdown for the last relegation spot now.
Reading have been playing better, with draws against Burnley and Luton, but have Coventry away next. QPR travel to Burnley, so I could see it being as you were after 44 games.
Huddersfield don't have a game this weekend and have their missing game squeezed in on a Thursday.
Could be a good advantage for them knowing what they need.
But Carroll has cost Reading there.
Reading and Huddersfield play each other last day too. It will be interesting if they are drawing and news filters through that they both just need a point...
I'm sure someone else has already noted the significance of QPR's final day fixture, but I hope Mehmeti isn't the one to score the goal that sends QPR down...
What a story that would be.
The odds on that happening are probably not particularly long!
Ainsworth getting hammered on twitter mainly because he keeps picking Martin and doesnt seem to fancy fan favourite Willock. Can see things getting very ugly if they go down 6 weeks and most of their fans have had enough already.
Mehmeti has been sat on the bench for the past three games...
I was at Loftus Road last night, QPR should have won in all honesty, Norwich didn’t turn up until half time.
The crowd were right behind the home team until about ten minutes from time where they started to get on their backs a bit.
Norwich were by far the better team in the second half, QPR couldn't retain possession, as the Canaries stepped up a gear.
In fairness though you’d back him to get QPR back up at the first attempt with his own squad as long as they didn’t get silly and bin him. You don’t build a squad in 6 weeks, especially an already demoralised one.
That’s what every ‘big’ Championship club thinks when they come down into League 1. We know far too well that it isn’t that simple. I think Gaz is in big trouble.
Some comments amused me about making substitutions being made too late. They clearly don't know about the gypsy curse that prevents GA from making subs before 70 minutes
I now think sadly QPR are going down. Ainsworth can be a miracle worker once he gets the right players in. What he has now is the anthesis to what he can get the best out of. Reading's players are probably fired up about the potential to stay up in spite of the points deduction, whereas the hoops seem to have thrown the towel in.
I think they'll stay up with a final day win over City but the fixtures are pretty interesting.
Huddersfield have Cardiff (a), Sheff Utd (h) and Reading (h)
Cardiff have Stoke (h), Rotherham (a), Huddersfield (h) and Burnley (a)
QPR have Burnley (a), Stoke (a) and Bristol City (h)
Reading have Coventry (a), Wigan (h) and Huddersfield (a)
Rotherham have Bristol (a), Cardiff (h), Middlesbrough (h) and Wigan (a)
Lots of teams around them playing each other, so all of them cannot pick up wins.
Looks tough. I reckon they'll get a surprise point at Burnley, a win at Stoke and a nerve wracking win over Bristol
The only game I see QPR picking up points in is the Bristol City game. They could certainly go down and the QPR rabble will be all out to get GA kicked out as they hate the style of football.
@Commoner It'll be pretty miraculous if a team that have picked up 7 points in the last 3 months can turn it around to muster 7 points in the next 3 games!
(Also relevant to our friends at Oxford United)
If QPR get relegated I would say that’s even more reason to stick with Gaz. A proven record of success in league one with a much smaller club.
Probably won’t play out that way though.
The problem with GA's success in League One...is that it is two play-off finals and one promotion in his years in charge. If they stay up he will consolidate them up there I think...but it's no guarantee he's going to get them up if they do come down...even if they give him the chance.
Exactly this. I know desperation comes in to play at the end of the season, but I struggle to see how this dreadful QPR team is supposed to suddenly start winning. They seem more like the Championship Forest Green to me.
The Gareth Dobbo team strength seemed to be them identifying not only players, but good strong characters, to build a team with a clear vision however criticised that vision might be. Not sure you can come in and impose that on a disparate bunch you've had nowt to do with, however better quality they are as players. The pity was they were just getting to the point where they were finally getting a better quality of player coming in to Adams Park. I hope they can keep QPR up for their own sakes...but also because I don't want them managing one of our rivals next term!
If QPR do stay up, it will also be interesting to see if GA gets more credit for keeping them up, or criticism for almost getting them relegated from a relatively strong position (10 point gap).
How about a League 1 play off Wembley final next season between us and QPR!
That would be confusing - which team would know what they are going to get?
@Shev @Blue_since_1990 I don't necessarily disagree but football and Gaz in particular are funny old things.
The 2-2 draw at West Brom, 1-1 with Norwich and holding Cov to 1-0 for 86 mins with some excellent saves from WIlson in 2nd half are just chutes of rejuvanation.
It's just my gut feeling that they've turned the corner and the results will turn for last three games.
I'm probably completely and utterly wrong and they'll get spanked by Burnley!
My view is that they keep getting little false dawns, but are too poor to turn any of them into an actual real day. So the fans get their hopes up slightly only to get them dashed.
Kompany v GA at Turf Moor does not exactly sound hopeful.