This was meticulous preparation meets moodily pathetic. A well-oiled machine against a broken down banger. Schoolboys versus men.
It’s been the sad story of a disastrous season.
With that in mind, this was perhaps a fitting way for Queens Park Rangers to be all-but relegated.
As the hardy souls in the away-end at full-time tried to get their head around another lifeless display and deal with the thought of Tuesday nights at Barnsley and Brentford, not a single QPR player took the time to show their appreciation of the die-hard following. How grimly predictable.
Mathematically they can still survive - with five straight wins - but mentally and physically the players know their fate. It was clear from the minute Darron Gibson’s deflected drive wrong-footed Julio Cesar.
Two goals down, following Victor Anichebe’s second, and with 30 minutes to save their season – QPR, bar Loic Remy and a far underused Adel Taarabt, went into their shells and more a less accepted the situation. If this is how the final five games are going to transpire - with this level of commitment on show - Loftus Road may struggle to fill 10,000+ at this rate.
For the last 45 minutes here it seemed the majority of the playing staff were thinking about at which club they will be plying their trade at next season.
Rumours of Julio Cesar being on the phone to Kia Joorabchian for every Everton set-piece have not been confirmed but would be foolish to rule-out. It would explain his disappearance act as Everton peppered the Rangers goalmouth with the dead-ball prowess of Leighton Baines and an immensely powerful aerial threat. Of course, on paper, QPR should be well set-up to deal with such obvious aerial bombardment: they forked out £12million for such occasions. But only modern-day QPR could manage to spend that amount of money to bring in centre-half Christopher Samba who, since leaving Russia, doesn’t do winning headers in important areas of the football pitch. Anichebe (yes Victor Anichebe) and Marouane Fellaini made mincemeat of him and Clint Hill for 90 minutes.
Everton’s tactics were not rocket science. They pushed high and pushed hard, played in the right areas, and then once gaining territorial advantage, kept the pressure on the QPR backline with well thought out and accurate set-pieces. This is how both goals materialized. QPR’s disorganized nature from dead-ball situations and inability to win the first, second, third, and at times fourth, ball in the penalty box was unforgiveable for a side in their position.
Perhaps, QPR also could have expected to be a threat from set-pieces themselves with Samba in the side. He bagged 19 goals in a succesfull career at Blackburn and was always one of their main goal threats.
When Rangers tried to mirror Everton’s direct philosophy, the result was laughable. In fairness the classy Loic Remy and his front duo of Andros Townsend and Junior Hoilett did OK to force the platform to build some pressure from set-pieces. But what transpired next was frustratingly predictable. Every chance for Rangers to deliver a set-piece was wasted. Esteben Granero, a man who was signed for a reported club-record-fee in the summer, has made hitting the first man an art form this season whilst other opportunities were equally wasted by various others. If QPR are going to throw the ball into the box, then why don’t they have a plan? Mix it up maybe? What are they doing on the training field?
Rangers made three changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Wigan Athletic six days earlier. Ji-Sung Park replaced the suspended Bobby Zamora whilst Nedum Onouha and Esteban Granero took the places of Armand Traore and Stephen Mbia, who omission has yet to be explained. Adel Taarabt and Jay Bothroyd, despite the must-win nature of the game, were only required for the bench.
It was clear from the outset that the plan early on for Rangers was to sit deep, soak up pressure when needed, then break quickly through Hoilett, Townsend and Remy. For a must-win game such as this my eyes did roll at this tactic employed by Redknapp, but for the first 5-10 minutes QPR looked a threat on the counter. Two attacks were instigated by Townsend, who started where he left off against Wigan. His first Speedy Gonzalez impression, where he flew past four Everton players fizzled out, but he repeated the trick minutes later, driving fully 50 yards before setting up Hoilett, who cut inside but could only curl a 20-yard effort wide.
Townsend isn’t the finished article just yet though. His defensive flaws were shown up by Baines on plenty of occasions here. None more so when a clever one-two between the England full-back and Steven Pienaar opened Rangers up down the left on 10 minutes. Baines’ cross was a peach but Anichebe completely mistimed his driving header as the ball flew across the box. Samba, (reportedly munching on a Quarter-Pounder) was stood fully three yards away from the unmarked Anichebe and breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Back came QPR and some good hold-up play from Remy forced a corner. His hard work was subsequently wasted by Granero. His scuffed corner sent Everton away on the counter. Minutes later Baines then showed QPR just how important set-pieces can be in a side’s make-up by forcing Cesar to come and flap at a brilliant delivery. There was plenty more to come.
As the game progressed it was clear Everton were keen on targeting the midfield trio of Park, Jermaine Jenas and Granero in possession. Not until Samba Diakité entered the fray when the game was up did Rangers have any urgency or ability to control or dictate the game. The trio buzzed around without actually having any impact on the game whatsoever due to the pressure put on them by their opposite numbers. Granero especially looks bewildered by the fact opposition players are allowed to hassle him when trying to pick a pass. By restricting the supply line to Townsend and Remy, Everton had shut down QPR as an attacking threat.
Saying that, Everton weren’t creating much. Bar set-pieces, QPR seemed to be quelling the threat they provided and nearly nicked an unlikely lead on 27 minutes. Remy dropped deep and worked the ball with Townsend, and Park, who showed at Southampton he can produce quality from the by-line when asked, drove into the area and squared a clever ball back into Remy. The Frenchman adjusted his body like the top-class finisher he is but his brilliant first-time strike was tipped away by Howard.
That should have been the catalyst for Rangers to get Everton hot under collar. Push them in. Keep the pressure on. Make them defend. Get the crowd on their back. Unfortunately, QPR corners render a pointless exercise. Two came into the danger area. Granero hit the first man. Then Townsend took one short, made the angle for delivery impossible and it was cleared.
Everton were about to show QPR how to pressurize opponents into submission minutes later. From a Baines corner, first Fellaini and then Kevin Mirallas had half chances blocked after Rangers failed to win the first ball. Even when the ball was cleared, Everton worked the ball back into the danger area before Mirallas again struck a chance wide.
Everton kept the pressure high for the next 10 minutes. Jose Bosingwa lazily hauled down Seamus Coleman on the right and was deservedly booked. From the free-kick, Baines showed Everton are more than a one-trick one pony, and pulled the ball back to Gibson on the edge of the box. The former United man struck a cross shot into the goalmouth and somehow Distan and Fellaini, who were both unmarked, poked the ball wide from six yards. QPR defenders mesmerized, awestruck, dumbfounded, by a simple set-piece yet again.
Still Rangers couldn’t get out. Baines’ next delivery forced more mayhem in the QPR box, which in fairness to Hill he did well under pressure to clear. But when the ball was returned out wide to Baines, he pulled the back to edge of the box, Mirallas shot was blocked and the ball squirmed out to Gibson. Should he have shot? Probably not. The ball was coming at him at an awkward angle 25-yard out. In fact, Cesar would have been begging him to have a pop. The shot, as expected, was pretty poor and going to be dealt with by Cesar, but Hill’s knee deflected the ball perfectly into the opposite side of the net where Cesar was covering. Cruel? Yes. Unlucky? Certainly. Undeserved? Hardly.
Whatever stuffing was left in QPR’s fight for survival was clearly knocked out of them by that deflected effort. Out they came second half with the look of a stroppy teenager who had just been grounded. This attitude was quickly seized upon by Everton as they took full advantage in the opening moments of the second half. Another wave of constant pressure was coming, and once again, it would result in a goal.
Anichebe should have doubled the lead six minutes before it eventually came. Mirallas made Bosingwa, now completely in holiday mode, look like a one-eye browed Donkey on the byline before cutting the ball back to Anichebe. Whilst Samba, for the sixth time in the match, looked on in amazement that the limited striker had evaded his clutches again, Hill came flying in with a block. Anichebe shifted the ball to make the Rs captain look desperate but then showed his true limitations by somehow hitting the post from six yards. Bosingwa cleared off the line.
The wave of blue came again. This time forcing a corner on the right. Baines again picked out his man with ease, this time Distan, who rose above Hill to plant a header which Cesar tipped wide of the post.
Within the next three minutes another two set-pieces came in from Baines. Both just about dealt with. With Redknapp fuming on the side at his side’s inability to get hold of the ball, the final nail in QPR’s season was hammered in. The source of the goal was mind-numbingly predictable.
Baines probably delivered his worst set-piece of the match from the right. High into the clouds it went – meat and drink for most Premier League centre-backs you would assume. But Distan, a carbon copy of his chance minutes earlier, rose easily above Hill and planted a header goalwards, which was turned in from two yards by Anichebe. Bosingwa, his marker, was stood two yards away, picking his nose, counting his wages, whatever – not doing his job.
Adel Taarabt was finally thrown into the fray by Redknapp - 61 minutes too late, if you ask me – and Rangers finally had something they had been missing for the majority – a link between the midfield and Remy.
Taarabt wasn’t spectacular in the 29 minutes on the pitch, but he made QPR more of a threat. He’s brave, in terms of possession. He goes looking for the ball in tight situations and he takes pressure off defenders.
Everton, perhaps taking the foot of the gas a little knowing the game was won, were restricted to long shots for the remainder. Mirallas, who looks another great find by David Moyes, fired a speculative 30-yard half volley that Cesar palmed way in spectacular fashion. QPR, with their Premier League survival hanging by a thread, didn’t take advantage of Everton’s drop in tempo though.
Diakité looked bright when he came on for the useless Granero, and went on a marauding run down the left flank that provides QPR with hope for next season. He could be an asset if staying sound.
Taarabt and Remy linked up well at times; with the Frenchman dragging a shot into the midriff of Howard, and Onuoha latched onto a great Taarabt through ball but was also denied by Howard.
But the game rather fizzled out to a bleak conclusion.
This “It’s so unfair!” attitude that a majority of the playing staff showed here is good for no-one and has to change in the next few weeks.
Rangers are relegated, that is pretty clear now, but a similar lackluster attitude in the last five games could prove detrimental to what relationship is left between the players and the club’s loyal supporters.
QPR: Cesar 5, Onuoha 6, Hill 5, Samba 5, Bosingwa 4, Hoilett 6, Jenas 5, Park 5 (Taarabt 61 6), Granero 5 (Diakité 74 6), Townsend 6, Remy 7
Subs Not Used: Green, Ben-Haim, Mackie, Fabio, Bothroyd
Booked: Bosingwa (foul), Townsend (foul) Granero (foul)
Everton: Howard 7, Baines 7, Jagielka 6, Distan 7, Mirallas 8 (Heitinga 90 - ), Osman 6, Gibson 7, Pienaar 6, Anichebe 8 (Jelavic 81 - ), Fellaini 7 (Naismith 86 - ).
Booked: Gibson (foul), Pienaar (foul), Fellaini (foul)
QPR Star Man: Loic Remy 7 The best of a mediocre bunch. Despite being clearly talented, and set for a Premier League move in the summer, he still works to maximum capacity for the cause. Was given no support for 60 minutes until Taarabt entered the fray, but still nearly managed to give QPR the lead in the first half by forcing Howard into a smart save. He will be sorely missed next season.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire) 5 Very quick to get the book out and turned a calm game into a scrappy affair. Didn’t really have to make a big decision, but the way he was going, would have got it wrong.
Attendance: 34,876 (900 away approx)
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Pictures – Action Images