Neil Warnock has praised the spirit of his team after their second half rally against Spurs on Sunday. Elsewhere Anton Ferdinand has issued a statement at the conclusion of the FA evidence gathering into the John Terry race row.
Warnock told the club’s official website: "It would have been easy us for us to lay down our tools but we didn't. I thought we had to be positive in the second half and we made two substitutions at half-time. I felt a little bit sorry for Danny Gabbidon because he had to come on so early. He hasn't done any training in five weeks. Anton Ferdinand, for me, was man of the match and I don't think that Danny was far behind. All of the back five did well and Joey and Ale in midfield were super in the second half. We caused them problems everywhere, which was much better than the first half.
"I thought we were a little bit off it in the first half but you've got to give them credit. When you look at their team sheet and their bench, they're one of the top sides. Bale's second was a magnificent goal. At 2-1 it looked quite close but that's the difference. With the quality that they've got, if they get chances, they're going to finish like that. I don't think Harry was too comfortable when we pulled a goal back but that's all we could do - make a game of it. That's why we went like we did at half-time. We did ever so well in the second half. The fans will go home happy because they know we've put everything in and didn't give in - you can't expect any more than that."
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp told reporters after the game that the QPR dressing room had sounded like a heated place at half time and he knew Rangers would rally after the break. Redknapp said: “There was arguing and all sorts going on in their dressing room. It was all kicking off. I thought, ‘they’re going to have a go in the second half for sure’. They changed how they played, got it forward and played with more intensity in the second half but Gareth finished them off with a great goal. Suddenly they got a lifeline at 2-1 and it changes games so that third goal was important. I said at half-time we shouldn't relax in the second half but, to be fair to them, they came out and raised their game. Overall we were outstanding today."
Man of the match Scott Parker added: “I think they came out in the second half and put us under a bit of pressure but overall we fully deserved the win. We played some good football. I'm enjoying it immensely and playing alongside players like Gareth and winning games is nice as well. We can go places this year if we believe in ourselves and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
A first return to White Hart Lane for Adel Taarabt turned out to be a disaster as he performed poorly in the first half and was then removed at half time. On Friday Warnock told the Fulham Chronicle the senior players had brought in a system of fines to prevent further storm outs from Taarabt and misdemeanours from other players, although The People reported at the weekend that Taarabt had complained to Warnock that the likes of Joey Barton were picking on him.
Warnock said: “There used to be no code of conduct until this season. Everything of that sort was done on a willy-nilly basis. But the senior players went away, drew up their own list, and if they want to fine Adel, they can. Players would never fine each other as much as a manager, so I’ve added a bit more here and there. But as regards him wanting away, Adel can go. He knows that. And personally, I’ve no got no problem with him showing he’s unhappy. But if he ever gesticulates in a manner that would not sit favourably with fans, players or management – then he’s in for it.”
The Mirror reports an unnamed source shedding light on the after match situation at Loftus Road last Sunday. The tabloid claims that Ferdinand was unaware of any racist abuse until after the match when Terry summoned him to the away dressing room to discuss the incident. Ferdinand is angry that Terry has stated publicly that the incident was a misunderstanding and the QPR centre back understands.
The Daily Mail reports that The FA has taken extensive video footage of the incident from Sky Sports while Chelsea have enlisted the defensive skills of QC James Sturman, who QPR fans will recall from the infamous Gianni Paladini shooting trial at Blackfriars Court.
In other news Lee Cook says he is looking for regular first team football elsewhere, but he remains cautious about what sort of club he wants to join after a potential deal with Nottingham Forest fell through following the sacking of Steve McLaren.
Cook told Sky Sports: "I can't really see me coming back to QPR and playing regularly again to be honest because I'm training back there now, but I can't play any first-team games as I'm not in the 25-man squad. If I go back there in January on the back of a good loan spell in the Championship then you never know and they might have to sit up and take notice, but all I need to do is look after my career. My contract is up next June, so it is important for me to go out on loan and show people what I can do.I have missed playing regular football, but I need to be patient and wait for the right move because I've had options to go certain places. "People often tell me that I should go out and get some football under my belt, but at the same time I want the right move for me and a club like Forest is one that falls into that category. It was great to get up there for that week and get a change of scenery and a different training schedule under my belt. For the past six months I haven't really been looked at by QPR in terms of playing in the first team, so to go up there and be a part of everything and be involved was great. It was just a shame for me that McClaren walked because it looked like it was going to happen, but I'll just have to go up there and impress all over again, which is my main target."
Another injury prone Rangers midfielder is facing another trip to the surgeon. Akos Buzsaky will undergo surgery in December to remove a cyst from his knee. Buzsaky told Sky Sports: “I've been suffering with my knee for a long time. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's worse but recently a cyst has been found in it. First I got frightened, I didn't know what would happen. It's interesting that I was able to play with it and it looked like that I could go under the knife only at the end of the season. But now it seems that I have to do it sooner. It wasn't a pleasure to hear what the doctors said but I accepted it and decided to do it quickly and then find my old self as fast as I can. I went to lots of consultations and I was told that I should go for the surgery as soon as I can. I'll go under the knife in the following break, at the beginning or in the middle of November."
The LoftforWords travelling party made the short trip from LFW Towers to Underhill on Saturday to take in a farcical encounter between Barnet and Burton which eventually finished 6-3 to the visitors. Gary Borrowdale completed a full 90 minutes but was left cursing his goalkeeper, another former Hoop, Liam O'Brien who was badly at fault for Burton's third goal when he raced out into the left back area where Borrowdale seemed to have the situation covered and whacked the ball straight to the nearest Burton player who returned it into the area for Billy Kee to complete his hat trick. We didn't really miss much letting either player go on this evidence.
Elsewhere in League One Michael Doughty played the final 35 minutes of Crawley's 1-1 home draw with Accrington and almost won the game with a late dipping shot that was turned over the bar by Dunbavin the visiting goalkeeper. Afterwards Crawley manager Steve Evans was highly criticial of Accrington 's negative tactics, saying it would "kill football" if away teams played like that every week. Dagenham lost 2-0 at Bristol Rovers with Troy Hewitt playing another 70 minutes without scoring.
In League One Yeovil remain bottom after a 1-0 home defeat against championship contenders Huddersfield , Max Ehmer was suspended.
In the Championship Crystal Palace drew 0-0 with a Reading team that included Mikele Leigertwood and Kaspars Gorkss, but Peter Ramage was injured and played no part. Millwall seem to be clicking into gear at last – they followed a 3-0 midweek win at Leicester with a 4-1 home victory against Ipswich at the weekend. Jay Simpson scored twice but Patrick Agyemang was an unused substitute.
Mixed fortunes for a clutch of former R's knocking around in League One at the weekend. Daniel Nardiello's hot streak in front of goal continued as he opened the scoring for Exeter at Sheffield United in a match that finished 4-4. Leon Clarke was also back among the goals but once more he couldn't prevent Chesterfield slipping to defeat, they lost 2-1 at Brentford. Incidentally Bees midfielder Sam Saunders is developing quite a knack of scoring extraordinary free kicks this season and did so again at the weekend – watch out for more from him.
But it's at Wycombe where former R's tend to nest these days, and they sunk to the bottom of the table at the weekend with a 2-1 home defeat against high flying Sheffield Wednesday. Martin Rowlands played a full 90 with Scott Donnelly ruled out, Gareth Ainsworth was sent off for two bookings although given that referee Chris Sarginson also booked 15-year-old Jordon Ibe for celebrating his extraordinary first senior goal for the Chairboys by running over to his parents in the stand perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on Wild Thing. Gary Waddock's men are now second bottom of League One after winning promotion from the bottom division last season.
Callum Willock scored a twenty second minute penalty for Ebbsfleet as they drew 2-2 at Kettering in the Conference.
- Nile Ranger's future at Newcastle looks bleak after the striker was arrested and charged with being drunk and disorderly in the early hours of Sunday morning. Ranger has repeatedly been warned about his discipline after a string of brushes with the law and has only just returned to the first team squad after a spell in the reserves. Coming less than 48 hours before tonight's Premiership match at Stoke it's unlikely that Alan Pardew, who has made a habit of shifting on the club's troublemakers recently, will tolerate this latest indiscretion. Newcastle won 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium with a hat trick from one-time Stoke transfer target Demba Ba.
- Steven Gerrard faces a nervous wait to find out the extent of his latest injury. The England midfielder returned to the Liverpool side earlier this month after six months on the sidelines with a groin complaint but was on crutches again at the weekend while his team mates beat West Brom 2-0 at the Hawthorns. The problem this time is an ankle infection and manager Kenny Dalglish said: "He was in our minds for the game, it just flared up. It's nothing to do with any injuries before, it's an infection. I suppose it's like having an abscess on your mouth. We can be more accurate next week than we can be just now." - Injury news too for Man Utd and England with Chris Smalling likely to be out for the next month with a broken toe. Tom Cleverley, who returned to the action in a 1-0 win at Everton on Saturday but was taken off early with another ankle knock is expected to return to training this week.
- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was full of praise for in form striker Robin Van Persie after the Dutchman notched a hat trick in a 5-3 win at Chelsea on Saturday. Wenger said: "Robin is on fire at the moment and his class means he is taking advantage of being in a team that wants to attack a lot and create chances. The intelligence of his movement and the accuracy of his finishing is exceptional." Van Persie, who now has 28 goals in his last 27 Premiership appearances, has denied making a Nazi salute towards supporters while celebrating his second goal.
- Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas has meanwhile said he will not change his attacking philosophy after the defeat which leaves his team nine points behind league leaders Man City who laboured to a 3-1 home win over lowly Wolves at the weekend.
@loftforwords is stuck on 1,201 Twitter followers. As a drunk Delia Smith once slurred: "Where are you? Let's be having you."