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Barton costs QPR in crucial match yet again - Report
Sunday, 22nd Feb 2015 23:19 by Clive Whittingham

QPR slipped to a 2-1 defeat against relegation rivals Hull City on Saturday after captain Joey Barton was dismissed for another act of stupidity in a vital match.

New manager, new philosophy, same penchant for self-destruction.

There’s a lot to like about Chris Ramsey and what he’s trying to do to restore pride and identity to a club that has achieved little through spending hundreds of millions of pounds other than alienating people and losing any sense of what it used to be.

The manager never fails to talk up Queens Park Rangers, the “prestigious” job he’s been given, and the privileged position the players are in pulling on the hooped shirt each week. He encourages them to play on the front foot, and press for victories, rather than talking about how hard everything is and surrendering away matches as mere bonus games. His team comes with a plan and his substitutes make positive impacts. He doesn’t make excuses when injuries strike and on Saturday at Hull he gave a Premier League debut to Paul Furlong’s son Darnell at right back rather than fielding a senior player there out of position. That decision was vindicated by a decent performance from the youngster, which in turn seemed to unite a large away support behind the team where other road matches this season have been punctuated with ugly scenes in the QPR end.

What he hasn’t been able to do is quench the club’s thirst for self-immolation. Here, despite all the positives - and there were plenty of those - QPR contrived to lose the game by being reduced to ten men in the first half and gifting two defensively shambolic goals either side of that flashpoint, one of them in the very final minute for the fourth time this season. Consequently, a relegation rival that showed little invention or idea of how to win the game of their own accord was handed a victory on a silver platter - the fourth, fifth and sixth points Hull City have taken from QPR this season when it could easily have been a draw and a Rangers win from the two games played.

Centre half Steven Caulker won’t need telling about his part in the first goal after a quarter of an hour. The former Spurs junior has full England caps and decent pedigree and knows you don’t head routine deliveries to the back post down into the traffic in the centre of the penalty area. Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic could scarcely believe his luck and duly dispatched a routine volley into the corner of Robert Green’s net.

That was a fair outcome from 16 minutes of football. Furlong had already shown good strength to beat Jelavic in the air in the penalty box and Hull’s other striker Dame N’Doye had a shot blocked immediately afterwards. A short time later Jelavic headed over and then, after giving his side the lead, looked set to nod in a second until Caulker intervened, and redeemed himself slightly, with a flicked clearance. The Tigers had started the stronger, and Caulker in particular was having a nightmare.

The game looked to be up completely after half an hour when Joey Barton yet again — yet a-bloody-gain — allowed his temper to get the better of him at a crucial point of a vital QPR match.

A foul by Furlong on Jelavic provoked exactly the sort of reaction you expect from a modern day Premier League team — particularly one managed by Steve Bruce and Mike Phelan, two of the stalwarts of Alex Ferguson’s two decades of referee baiting and influencing. The Hull players rushed to crowd around referee Anthony Taylor, trying to convince him to send off a teenager on his first ever professional appearance. Classy stuff. Tom Huddlestone and Alex Bruce were particularly brave and forthright and whatever the pair of them said, it provoked a reaction from Barton who spun around and punched Huddlestone straight in his gentleman’s area less than four feet away from the official who immediately produced a red card. He was never going to send Furlong off anyway — the youngster was booked. Steve Bruce later said he thought it was a good tackle.

Barton attempted to use the captain’s armband he continues to wear for a club he has consistently let down and disrespected since arriving three and a half years ago as an excuse, saying it was his job to “protect” Furlong from the gathering vultures. Some protection. His mindless actions condemned Furlong to play for an hour of his Premier League debut on a team a man short. I bet he was delighted.

What QPR needed on Saturday was an actual captain. Somebody to drag the team through a difficult start, grab hold of the midfield and start dictating the direction and tempo of play, fight and scrap for every ball, lead by example and things like that. Barton can do that if he chooses to. He did it brilliantly at Sunderland in the previous away game and at home to Southampton the match before that. That’s the Barton Furlong needed here, that’s the Barton QPR needed. Instead they got the Barton they’ve so often got, and paid through the nose for, before: the short tempered, impulsive thug.

It should have come as no surprise. Three times Barton has been sent off in the first half in his QPR career and on all three occasions — Norwich at home 2011/12, Man City away 2011/12 and now this match — they were games Rangers desperately needed results from to stave off relegation. None of those red cards have been issued for bad or mistimed tackles, they were all for violent responses to niggly provocation. The bigger the game, the more likely Joey Barton is to let QPR down.

“As one of the tallest trees, you catch the most wind,” Barton said afterwards. "I won’t shy away from it. It would have been easy for me to put my head down and say I’m not speaking but I’m a man of substance and a man of principle.” Pseudointellectual nonsense.

A man of substance who has been sent off in three absolutely vital games for this football club for head-butting an opponent, punching an opponent and hitting an opponent in the testicles. Clint Hill on the bench was seen on Match of the Day rolling his eyes and uttering “for fuck’s sake”. Charlie Austin said afterwards “there’s only so many times you can say sorry.”

I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again — Joey Barton isn’t fit to captain a pedalo.

The frustration with Barton’s moronic idiocy only grew as the afternoon wore on. QPR subsequently played the better football, created more chances and dominated the game for long periods. Hull struggled to threaten as their early momentum and confidence drained away. The home crowd, buoyed by Jelavic’s goal, quietened down, then grew audibly frustrated with their team, and eventually shut up altogether. The thrust was from the visiting team, the noise from the travelling 2,000 from West London, and Ramsey’s side equalised before half time despite their numerical disadvantage.

They’d fired a warning shot prior to Austin’s goal. Matt Phillips skinned Hull left winger Robbie Brady and was deliberately hauled to the ground. It should have been a yellow card, and indeed when N’Doye went past Phillips in the second half and was hauled back in identical circumstances, referee Taylor didn’t hesitate to issue a caution, but on this occasion a free kick was deemed sufficient punishment. Phillips whipped it in with menace, but neither Bobby Zamora nor Charlie Austin had positioned themselves correctly to profit.

That was unlike Austin, and he didn’t need asking twice. When Phillips delivered again ten minutes before half time the former Burnley man, who would have been a Hull player 18 months ago but for a failed medical, climbed highest and planted a firm header past goalkeeper Allan McGregor. It was a beautiful goal you could see coming from the moment it left Phillips’ boot — old fashioned wing and centre forward play executed to perfection. Game on.

The second half was always going to be tough for Rangers with ten men, and Ramsey was required to use his substitutions wisely. Bobby Zamora and his bad hip was an obvious choice for the first withdrawal, particularly after Taylor had carded the veteran centre forward for repetitive fouling after three offences. Again, QPR could point to inconsistencies with the decision — Huddlestone had stormed round the midfield like a human wrecking ball, committing three separate fouls in the game himself without so much as a word.

On the ball Huddlestone was influential, drilling a shot wide with Green well beaten before the change of ends, but he was a lone beacon in a Hull midfield that completely failed to take advantage of the situation. Jake Livermore alongside him, £8m worth of midfielder allegedly, contributed nothing other than a wild shot over the cross bar.

Ramsey sent on Michael Doughty after his impressive cameo at Sunderland. He and Karl Henry delivered exactly the sort of performance Rangers needed from Barton in the middle of midfield — disciplined, tireless, and effective. Proper captain’s knocks while the actual captain was in the dressing room sorting his hair out and composing his latest bile for the good people of Twitter.

Phillips looked to be struggling but had to play a full 90 because Charlie Austin’s foot injury saw him withdrawn and later Niko Kranjcar pulled up with cramp. Positive changes were made — Mauro Zarate was introduced but booked for his first foul of the game after ten seconds when he actually looked to have been sinned against. Huddlestone continued to escape punishment. The away end asked “where’s your yellow gone?” at volume and cheered as if they’d scored when a rare free kick was awarded in their favour by an official who, like the majority of his colleagues on the elite list, is having a dreadful season.

There was a growing belief that, as they had done at Wembley in May, QPR may force a winning goal despite having a man sent off. Had Phillips crossed low to the near post, rather than high to the far, two minutes from time then Zarate may have had a tap in having sneaked in front of his man.

But there was heartbreak to come. For the fourth time this season, Rangers were destined to concede in the last minute.

They thought they’d got away with it when Robert Green produced an astonishing save at full stretch when N’Doye headed what looked like a certain goal having stolen in unmarked for a cross. But the warning wasn’t heeded. The Senegalese striker, recently signed from Dynamo Moscow, was still unmarked when the ball was returned to the area from the opposite flank and Green, with adrenalin still pumping, foolishly ran out behind him to catch a cross that was never his. N’Doye headed into the unguarded net.

There was still time for a handball appeal in the Hull penalty box that looked blatant from the stand but hasn’t been mentioned since and wasn’t appealed for by the players at the time. A trick of the angle presumably.

QPR had lost, and it wasn’t Anthony Taylor’s fault. It’s hard to believe, having watched them play so well with ten men, that Rangers could possibly have lost this with 11. The blame lays squarely at the feet of one man. Hull fans outside the ground could be heard singing Joey Barton’s name as they made their way home.

Links >>> Photo Gallery >>> Ratings and Reports >>> Message Board Match Thread

Hull: McGregor 6; McShane 5, Dawson 6, Bruce 5 (Ramirez 55, 6), Emohamady 6; Meyler 6 (Aluko 82, -), Livermore 5 (Hernandez 67, 5), Huddlestone 6, Brady 6; Jelavic 7, N’Doye 7

Subs not used: Davies, Harper, Robertson, Quinn

Scorers: Jelavic 16 (unassisted), N’Doye 89 (assisted Brady)

QPR: Green 6; Furlong 6, Ferdinand 6, Caulker 4, Yun 6; Phillips 6, Barton 3, Henry 7, Kranjcar 5 (Traore 78, 6); Austin 6 (Zarate 75, 6), Zamora 5 (Doughty 64, 7)

Subs not used: Hill, McCarthy, Wright-Phillips, Vargas

Scorer: Austin 38 (assisted Phillips)

Sent off: Barton 31 (violent conduct)

Bookings: Furlong 31 (foul), Zamora 57 (repetitive fouling), Zarate 74 (foul), Phillips 79 (foul)

QPR Star Man — Karl Henry 7 In a central midfield a man light, I thought Henry’s work rate and effectiveness stood out. Ably assisted by Doughty when he came on from the bench.

Referee — Anthony Taylor (Cheshire) 4 Got the sending off right, which was the big decision in the game, but was horribly inconsistent otherwise. QPR players — specifically Phillips and Zamora — were shown yellow cards for offences that Hull players — specifically Brady and Huddlestone — were let away with. In Phillips case he pulled N’Doye back, just as Brady had done to him in the first half with no card. Zamora was booked for repetitive fouling after three, Huddlestone committed three without being cautioned. Overall, another dreadful weekend of Premier League refereeing. The elite officials in this country are approaching a state of crisis — not a single one of them is in any kind of form and the shambolic decisions and individual performances are piling up. Mind you, when you put Mike Riley in charge, this is rather inevitable.

Attendance 24,466 (2,200 QPR approx) A large, noisy travelling contingent, and a noticeable difference in the mood. This was a positive, united and well behaved away support, as opposed to what we’ve seen at Southampton, Stoke, Charlton and several other places over the past 18 months. Chris Ramsey’s attitude seems to be having effect on and off the field.

The Twitter @loftforwords

Pictures — Action Images

Photo: Action Images



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AussieRs added 00:32 - Feb 23
Thanks Clive. Fully agree re Captain Millstone. An appalling expression of wild free will from an avowed Nietzschean - http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/five-best-friedrich-nietzsche-quotes

He could perhaps have added this, as a sixth personal favourite:
"The desire for 'freedom of will' in the superlative, metaphysical sense, such as still holds sway, unfortunately, in the minds of the half-educated..."

Got him in one Freddy. Nice work.
COYRs!
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062259 added 00:34 - Feb 23
Some observations:
1. Barton should crawl back to the gutter he emerged from and stay there. To label him a thug is an insult to thugs.
2. Hull's 6 points against QPR this season (it should have been two each, at worst) could be the single most significant contributor to relegation.
3. Furlong was really excellent, and I enjoyed the "there's only two furlongs" chant a lot
4. I didn't like Austin's mocking limp after his goal. Always comes back to bite you. Might have been ok if he'd also equalized with the penalty against Hull on the first day of the season....
5. I know Martin Samuel has it in for QPR but his piece linked here does ring a little more true than perhaps we would like care to admit....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2964304/Chris-Ramsey-s-job-sav
6. Unless there are unexpected points gained against Arsenal and Spurs at home, then it will be one win and four defeats heading into the away game at Palace....lose that game and I wonder if Fernandes will be singing Ramsey's praises quite as much as has been this last week.
7. Not looking good.
-1

isawqpratwcity added 04:40 - Feb 23
1. WE HAVE GOT TO STOP BEING SUCKER-BEATEN IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES!!!

2. I'm giving up defending Joey Barton. If he can't stop the red mist rising he's no use. Make the most of your next few games, Joey, you're playing in the shop window.
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Kaos_Agent added 07:52 - Feb 23
It's a shame that Our Joey has attracted so much attention in a negative way. The positive story for me is ten men playing as well as they did for most of the game, the successful inclusion of a pair of youngsters, and the traveling support in rare good spirits. What a contrast to 'Arry. Glass is still half full under Ramsey, so on we go.
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Marshy added 08:20 - Feb 23
Barton's form has been wildly inconsistent ever since he first played for us. He will now miss 3 games, which arguably is actually a good thing. As a professional footballer the man is a disgrace. Chris Ramsey now needs to be brave, and give the captain's armband to someone else. Clearly this needs to be someone who is likely to be in the team for the remainder of this season, and next, regardless of what division we will be playing in. Someone influential, solid and not too injury prone. Someone who is consistent, and has played consistently well this season. I can't think of anyone better than Carl Henry!
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HastingsRanger added 10:12 - Feb 23
Horrible deja-vous from last time round, with this ill timed and unnecessary sending off.

The picture could have been so different if we had taken point/s from this game. And we really did need something. I cannot see how we can survive now, with some seriously difficult fixtures.

But there are positives in my view. I might be mistaken but the absence of appointing a very pricey Tim Sherwood will turn out to be a very good thing. Whether we are relegated or not, I do not believe he could do any better than Ramsey.

So far, I am liking Ramsey. He is able to communicate well, not afraid of making his own team selection (except for SWP, which is plain myopic) , preparing for games and creating an exciting and competitive team. At least we might put up a good fight, which is all most people are asking for. It may not save us now but surely is the right direction for the future.

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adhoc_qpr added 11:11 - Feb 23
Gutting not to get a point after putting in such a decent effort.

There is nothing more to be said regarding Barton - i'd rather play Doughty or Sandro (if ever fit) than hope for one of Barton's rare good performances.

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Loft1979 added 11:14 - Feb 23
Thanks Clive. Superb analysis as always. Alot of angry and disappointed being expressed in the forum and rightly so. But your analysis has presented (in my view) a very restrained yet critical review.

-You address very well the issue of JB and his temper, but add the element of baiting very well. I like Huddlestone. I read his prematch comments about Ramsey and thought he'd be nice to have in the Ranger's midfield. As of today I hope he never sets foot at Loftus either as a visiting player or visitor.

-I disagree on the love fest with Karl Henry though. He is a player who is always around the play. But, in my view i see him too often 2 yards short and not getting that timely challenge in. Picky, yes. Karl is not a midfield 'destroyer'. Hence our continual wooing of the likes of Diarra and M'Villa.
-Broadly speaking, this issue is costing us. Players seem to not close down the opposing ball carrier allowing him time and space to shoot or pick out an open man.
Hopefully Sandro can come in and make that impact. Hopefully Doughty steps up into that vacated role in front of the defense. Caulker, Rio and Green would love to see pressure relieved.
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probbo added 13:36 - Feb 23
Thanks as always Clive. Gutting to lose again in such circumstances and especially after Rob Green's superb initial save. Just a lack of concentration and poor marking again by the defenders. As for Barton - out of contract at the end of the season so I'd imagine he'll be on his way.

I'm with you HastingsRanger - Ramsey had very good coaching credentials and I'd also back him would have the opportunity to flush out all the dead wood and help bring about this vision on developing youth. I'm just glad Redknapp's gone to be honest.
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spudoodles added 14:02 - Feb 23
Furlong has to get a 7
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extratimeR added 14:50 - Feb 23
Thanks Clive

Great report as usual, the ugly two footed lunge on Karl Henry sticks in the memory, Yellow Card? Ho ho!

Pleased with Phillips, some very good crosses, and he put himself about to protect Furlong, who was very calm and disciplined.
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dermyqpr added 15:04 - Feb 23
I could be wrong but did Joey not get his testicles yanked first. Thought I saw a sneaky hand from Livermore reach round. Not trying to excuse JB but I did think it was more "playful" than aggressive.

He's such a tunt.
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pedrosqpr added 16:16 - Feb 23
I was looking forward to the trip to Hull a city I've never been to, driving across the Humber bridge I thought of the match on the opening day when Charlie missed the penalty and now a chance to collect a point or 3 .
Well JB you spoilt my day for being so petty and grabbing Tom Huddlestones gonads .
I thought Karl Henry and also Rio had decent games along with debutent Darnell Furlong long may Chris Ramsey continue his revolution of playing from the first minute.
I also appreciated the 2 original songs 2 furlongs and winaway but enough of the cliche songs of the library and state of the ground etc, unoriginal !!
Just one gripe about the geezer in front of me defending Joey Barton, Hello he cost us 3 points mate . urss
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smegma added 16:22 - Feb 23
"As one of the tallest trees, you catch the most wind" ??

As one of the biggest c-nts that's ever played for us, go and do one.
1

Antti_Heinola added 17:16 - Feb 23
If Barton is offered a new contract, even on a tenner a week, I'll be furious. Good bloody riddance in a few weeks' time. Hopefully this latest crap will put an end to his fanboys bleating on about how he doesn't get enough credit. Laughable.
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terryb added 17:41 - Feb 23
I am encouraged by the performances of our younger players - Furlong, Doughty, Yun & Phillips. I thought Doughty in particular looked very good when he came on (although my stream wasn't of the highest quality!).

On the pitch we have some hope for the future. Hopefully, off the pitch they will see our improvement & cut the cloth accordingly.
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timcocking added 02:25 - Feb 24
“As one of the tallest trees, you catch the most wind,” Barton said afterwards. "I won’t shy away from it. It would have been easy for me to put my head down and say I’m not speaking but I’m a man of substance and a man of principle.”

What a fcuking joke. He's so stupid he doesn't even realise how stupid he is.

And if he's insists on repeatedly getting sent off for hitting people, at least hit somebody hard for once.
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smegma added 16:41 - Feb 24
Competition Time !!! Can you name the team who committed the MOST fouls in the Premier League at the weekend ??? We committed the second most although some of them were dubious.
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JohnMacQPR added 20:37 - Feb 24
Should we blame Ramsey for Barton's sending off? His teams are playing our men in their correct positions on the field ..... and it seems Joey Barton's "best" position is with a red card in his face!

I'd like to hear Paul Furlong's views on how Joey was "protecting" his son - especially thinking about the provocation that Paul himself largely ignored when he was playing.
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TacticalR added 20:55 - Feb 24
Thanks for your report.

I think you pointed out when we signed Barton that he always loses it when he is retaliating for something someone has done to him. It's therefore a big temptation for the oppo to get a shove in on Barton the way Alex Bruce did. The sending off reminded me of that awful period under Hughes when players like Barton, Cissé and Mbia kept on getting sent off. I also wonder if the loss of Dunne has affected Barton, as I had the feeling that he relied on Dunne on a personal level.

Given that we had ten men for sixty minutes we handled the situation pretty well. My main concern was that without Fer we lacked a creative spark in midfield, although at least we showed we could get a goal through Phillips and Austin.
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Patrick added 23:41 - Feb 24
Martin Samuel has obviously arrived at the point a few of us may have a while ago - beware the well-meaning chairman who says all the right things, usually 5 minutes too late. But I did on this occasion think Fernandes's comments about Chris Ramsey were deliberately drawing a contrast with the previous incumbent, with his constant moaning about 5am starts and apparently greater interest in spending the day making calls to the likes of Samuel than on the training field, let alone noticing the youth team. Ramsey deserves our support for picking up the poisoned chalice and putting some belief into the team, whatever the situation at season's end.
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dixiedean added 11:44 - Feb 25
oh how naive I was to think Barton had turned the corner after no red cards before Hull ( albet tons of yellows) and some sterling performances of late , esp v Soton & S'land. However, he has reverted to type and then has the temerity/arrogance to think he's doing us a favour with his admission of guilt, although one tainted by his quote about being a big tree. F off mate on a 1-way ticket out of here and take your shit to some other poor club. I never wanted him in the 1st place ( any more than I wanted Vinnie Jones, another stain on our history ) and I certainly didn't want him back after the Etihad nonsense. The only surprising thing is he didn't get sent off at Wembley, where I thought his short fuse was guaranteed to blow, because he can't handle pressure. Of course other players will provoke him, but because they know they'll get a reaction.The man's a grade 1 pratt who thinks he's some kind of pseudo-intellectual ( like Russell Brand, another prick ) and personally I hope he has played his last game for us. I'm glad Austin spoke out against Barton, esp as I thought they were buddies .He should certainly not walk back in the team even if Sandro gets suspended for his lunacy. Please let's sign players in the future who have at least half a brain and sound characters. No more Mbia, Sandro, Barton types. AS for people who actually matter .... apart from the obvious reason of keeping us up, I hope Ramsey does well as he seems to be such a breath of fresh air after Arry that he deserves some success. Hearing Phillips say he has had proper coaching on crossing is so blindingly obvious, but staggeringly absent under HR's regime. Clive has often spoken about this lack of coaching and it shows what a difference it can make. Under HR we'd have played Henry at RB and had 2 keepers on the bench to show how short we are, whereas Ramsey showed faith in the youth and they have done well, if not potential world-beaters. All power to him. Let's hope he has the balls to stand up to Barton. Most of us will be right behind whatever he does.
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