In May Lewis Jones reported for LFW from the Britannia Stadium as Stoke helped secure QPR’s survival with a draw against Bolton. On Saturday he returned to see if the R’s have made the most of their reprieve.

Cast your minds back. Back to that ‘moment’ at the end of last season when it hit home that QPR had achieved their unlikely survival. We all have our individual memory of when it sunk in.

It could have been on the train back from Manchester, at home watching the game live or many weeks later when the real euphoria of that incredible final day really hit home.

Mine came in quite a unique environment: a deserted gangway at the Britannia Stadium following Bolton’s inability to save themselves from relegation. I was in Stoke, not out of choice (who is?), but for work purposes as I was allocated that game for that week’s schedule.

Behind Enemy Lines – the other side of Sunday’s miracle

The feeling surrounding QPR’s achievement was a warm one, a genuine excitement about what was to come. A summer of positive signs followed; money was invested and the squad improved. Yet as 1500 hardy Rs fans flocked out of the Britannia on Saturday - angry, cold and despondent - not one of them would have agreed that this is what they expected from a second season back in the big-time.

I was up in the main stand again, covering Rangers’ latest away day horror show, and following the game I wandered down the gangway where I had my ‘moment’ back in May, and tried to comprehend how things at this football club have moved so backward, in such a short space of time.

As the man at the helm, Mark Hughes is the fall guy and, to a certain extent, rightly so too. It’s the nature of the football manager beast. This is his team now, and in this results-based day and age, he is the one to carry the can in the current state of affairs. But whilst the world and his wife call for Tony Fernandes to wield the axe, it seems to me that the main reason for our plight has yet to really take the flack it deserves: the playing squad.

Don’t ask me how, or why, the thought came into my head, but the best way to express the way in which I feel about a large majority of our squad and the way in which they treat the football club, can be exemplified through my first sexual encounter. Please, stay with me on this one.

QPR fans, and arguably the coaching staff too, have played the part of the woman and the QPR players the man. We all remember our first time. Much is expected of the man. Away from the bedroom the relationship seems right; there is chemistry there, plenty of quality in the building, etc…. We men have all been there; we talk the talk, promise the world, and pretend to know what we’re doing. Then the moment of truth comes.

We fumble around, without a clue about what goes where, but still pretend we’re the kings of love making. We go out with a whimper. In truth, the end result is pretty appalling, yet we’re not overly bothered. We’re just in it for ourselves. We want to scamper off as quickly as possible and tell the world about our achievement. Whilst this goes on, the woman feels unsatisfied, let-down, and probably quite angry. Yet they still come back for more. And the process is repeated, week after week.

Ring any bells? Jose? Djibril? Bobby? Shaun?

The example is hugely tongue in cheek, and perhaps not a great one, but the basis is there. When the shit hits the fan a large chunk of this QPR team simply don't want to go that extra mile.

For 58 minutes on Saturday, they played like a team and quelled the threat of Stoke brilliantly. The three in midfield dominated the ball, there was creativity in the final third, and, most importantly, Rangers were able to deal with the physicality of the Potters. Remember, Stoke were booed off by their own fans at half-time.

Then, they switched off. Ferdinand lost a header, three men failed to react as quick as Charlie Adam, and bang, we were undeservedly behind. Again.

The shit had firmly hit the fan. QPR now had to fight. To battle. To show some bollocks and be brave. Adel Taarabt apart, the white flag was raised and subsequently covered in faeces.

I'd say the last 25 minutes of the game was one of the lowest moments this club has faced in a very long time on a football pitch. Where was the drive? The urgency? The bravery to go get the ball? The desire to win 50-50 challenges? To push high up the pitch as a team? To lay siege to the Stoke goal? Have they not seen the league table? It’s been 11 games, guys - 11 bloody games.

There was no response. Not one ball into the box. No surging runs. No pressure. No bravery. Just a contingent of players, who couldn’t wait to get down that tunnel. I didn’t realise Jose Bosingwa could run 100m in five seconds, did you? His rush back to the dressing room was as quick as he’d moved all day.

Unfortunately, Hughes is not a manager to publicly criticise or single out anyone that isn't pulling their weight. Not once has he mentioned names when bemoaning the week’s latest defensive mishap or lack of desire. Stephane Mbia even received a Sparky handshake in public when his sending off cost us a result at Arsenal.

Footballers, especially at the top level, are an egotistical bunch. They thrive on adulation. But like any sportsman, criticism hurts - anything to knock them off their pedestal, naturally will start a fire deep within. It's this fire that QPR need more than ever at the moment.

All this arrogant talk about not really deserving to be where we are in the league has to stop. The league table rarely lies. Only one Premier League side, namely Blackburn Rovers in the 1996/1997 season, have survived relegation after winning just four points from their first 11 matches. Face up. Get angry. Throw something. We’re in a battle. A scrap. Stand up and be counted.

My big fear is that Hughes, as hinted by Mark Bowen on the brilliant QPR Podcast interview, has already administered a fair few rollickings’ behind the scenes, but in most parts, it has obviously fallen on deaf ears.

Not everyone is guilty, granted. Adel Taarabt is a case in example and Hughes’ decision to publically criticise the Moroccan has worked wonders. Since coming back into the side, Taarabt has played the best football of his career in my opinion. He has a hunger and work-rate that we have never seen before and an angry look in his eyes. Whatever Hughes has said to him, has obviously worked. That's good management, and a sign that Hughes has the ability to light a fire.

Thus far, with the so-called bigger names in the dressing room private criticism hasn't worked, so maybe it's time for Hughes to angry in the public domain. There is a gamble that he could lose the dressing room altogether, which would be just typical of modern day footballers, but, in truth, Hughes has little to lose now.

The club being winless and bottom of the league obviously doesn't stoke the fire enough in their bellies. Neither does the fact that QPR fans pay good money to travel around the country to see them deliver one half arsed performance after another. Perhaps if their egos are lowered a peg or two in public, then they will go and show the world why they have achieved such great things in football pre-QPR.

Rangers are in the shit, and it's going to take some pretty big bollocks to get us out of it.

Light the fire, Mark. Before it’s too late.

Tweet @_LJones_ @loftforwords

Pictures – Action Images 

Photo: Action Images

Cornish_oooRRRR added 00:08 - Nov 13 Great analogy Sad but true "I'd say the last 25 minutes of the game was one of the lowest moments this club has faced in a very long time on a football pitch" It was bad enough on a 4 inch spluttery live feed. Commiserations and much respect to the away fans.
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MelakaRanger added 01:09 - Nov 13 Exactly. This is no bunch of players that play together, fight for each other and never say die. No, with a few exceptions, Hughes' recruits are a bunch of selfish individuals who couldn't give a toss and don't give a damn about QPR, the club, its managements or its fans. Its the players fault we are where we are and 90% of them are here because Hughes bought them. The buck stops at Mark Hughes. Trouble is, if Hughes goes what chance does any other manager have of making these tired/lazy selfish, non performing players change? I cant see anyone making Bosingwa, SWP, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Park, Zamora suddenly become the players they should be. For goodness sake, where is their pride?

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Kaos_Agent added 04:42 - Nov 13 Getting behind in a game never helps, but in a win-less streak it's toxic. The R's simply must score first. I don't know how they are going to do that with the combination of ineptitude, poor decisions and bad luck that's been on display whenever they get near the opposing goal this season, but they have to find a way this week. I do not think a public bollocking from MH will achieve that, but challenging them one on one might go some way. If he's already done that, then I don't know what to suggest. Perhaps a sports psychologist. I am not joking.

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N12Hoop added 07:48 - Nov 13 I read an article in the summer when Ben Foster was saying he didn't enjoy it at Man U because of the intensity in the dressing room: if they didn't win there was a terrible atmosphere and lots of anger. In other words, here were a bunch of players who wanted to win at all costs. When you look at teams like Man U individually some of their players are not ones you identify as the best players in the division but as a team they're formidable. It's that attitude and spirit that we lack. If our players were playing under Fergie they'd be that never say die attitude that we are missing. Hughes just doesn't seem to be able to motivate them and they don't have enough people on the pitch to drive them on. I feel that we need to get Derry and Mackie on the pitch to kick the arses of those around them, but would arrogant players like Bos and Zamora listen anyway? Do they even care if they don't play? I fear not. And that's the problem.

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SomersetHoops added 08:59 - Nov 13 The whole point about this group of players is that Hughes brought them together. Several were bought on the basis that Hughes has worked with them before. Many times they have been sent out on the pitch and played for over an hour in a formation that anybody could see wasn't working after the first ten minutes. Some players have been picked game after game after previous dire performances. Our best defender isn't even in the squad. Hughes accepts no responsibility for any of this. How can anyone expect players to step up and take responsibility when their manager doesn't.

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DesertBoot added 09:24 - Nov 13 Hughes comes across as arrogant and blase. Not once have I been convinced he is genuinely angry or upset over another defeat. This attitude has seeped into half the squad and the last twenty minutes or so on Saturday summed it up. Still at least Hughes is only "obviously disappointed" each week and gets a good nights sleep. Appalling record since he came here and a managerial myth on what we've seen at QPR thus far.

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derbyhoop added 10:12 - Nov 13 Hughes isn't blameless. The players are, by and large, the ones he bought; the 25 man squad is his choice; a squad without a commanding Centre Back should have been addressed from May onwards; 3 strikers in the squad, while Derry and Ephraim are wasted is Hughes; choice. But, as the article said, the players are more than good enough. If they can be suffciently motivated. Far too many don't seem to be. Throw in the failure to win and you could see the confidence draining away the longer the game went on.

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toboboly added 10:17 - Nov 13 How about dropping the dead weight and playing people who do care? Mackie for example. Bring in some of the youth players, yes they aren't good enough but they will run through a brick wall for the oppurtunity. I'd rather see Harriman running himself into the ground rather than Bosingwa pussying around.
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QPunkR added 12:33 - Nov 13 Too right, we've really gotta blood some of the youth players more in dire/Dyer positions like RB. Far rather see Harriman or Ehmer trying, as said above, than that Monobrow strolling about
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Monkey_Roots added 17:49 - Nov 13 I just had that 'oh shit, this is really it - we're gonna get relegated' thought for the first time... awful feeling.
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Jigsore added 18:57 - Nov 13 That's the problem with a fair few of our players. They're happy to recieve but they aren't giving enough. They don't care enough to go down on Rangers.
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Stumpy456 added 18:58 - Nov 13 Hughes is clueless. Signing two average Fulham strikers and offering Dyer a new contract are certainly not the actions of someone who understands football. Give the youngsters a go as we will need them next season once we have off loaded the over paid loafers we currently have in the first team.
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EssexHoop added 23:21 - Nov 13 Just went to book my sunderland tickets and was greeted on the qpr site with the message enticing me to "Wear their names with pride" (by getting the players name on the back of my shirt) And what players were pictured? none other than zamora, park and cisse! No offence to cisse, who i like, but who dreamt up putting zamora on it!!
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JB007007 added 19:20 - Nov 14 I know we faded towards the end, but I thought our immediate response to going behind wasn't that bad. We had a couple of decent chances. As I said earlier this week, far too many players brought in with different attitudes and ambitions. Mark Hughes is responsible for that. I thought MH's plans and foundations were solid, but it's evident he totally bollocksed up the player recruitment. Tony Fernandes has backed and supported him and he's wasted it in my opinion. Not sure this can go on.

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