![]() Wednesday, 6th Feb 2013 19:23 by Clive Whittingham If QPR are to get a much needed win at Swansea City this Saturday it will be their first success in that part of the world since the 1980/81 season. Recent MeetingsQPR 0 Swansea 5, Saturday August 18, 2012, Premier League A summer of optimism around QPR was blown apart in an opening day massacre at the hands of Swansea City back in August. Few Rangers fans expected the season of toil and trouble that has since developed but they were given a rude awakening in Michael Laudrup's first game as the Swans boss. Rangers conceded early when summer signing Michu scored his first goal for the Welsh outfit with a long range strike that Robert Green really should have saved. QPR went close to an equaliser a couple of times before the break, Jamie Mackie saw a shot cleared off the line at one point, but the visitors cut loose after half time with Michu adding a beautifully taken second and Nathan Dyer waltzing through the defence to make it three and kill the game off just after the hour. In searing heat and playing a team that loves teams to come out and chase them, QPR were lambs to the slaughter thereafter and conceded further goals to Dyer and Scott Sinclair prior to his pointless big money move to Manchester City. QPR: Green 2, Onuoha 3, Ferdinand 3, Hill 3 (Wright-Phillips 64, 5), Fabio 3, Diakite 5 (Derry 86, -), Park 6, Taarabt 5, Mackie 4, Hoilett 6, Cisse 4 (Johnson 77, 5) Subs: Murphy, Nelsen, Dyer, Zamora Bookings: Diakite 55 (foul) Fabio 58 (foul) Swansea: Vorm 6, Rangel 7, Chico 8, Williams 7, Taylor 6, Britton 7 , Dyer 8 (Sinclair 77, 7), Routledge 8, de Guzman 8 (Agustien 70, 7), Michu 9 (Gower 84, -), Graham 7 Subs: Tremmel, Tate, Moore, Richards Goals: Michu 8 (unassisted), 53 (assisted Routledge), Dyer 63 (assisted Routledge), 71 (assisted Agustien), Sinclair 81 (assisted Michu) Bookings: De Guzman 41 (foul), Rangel 62 (handball) QPR 3 Swansea 0, Wednesday April 11, 2012, Premier League Rangers kept up their formidable recent record against the Swans with a crucial 3-0 home victory back in April. Desperate for maximum point hauls to keep them in with a shout of survival, QPR overcame a nervous beginning in which Swansea , predictably, dominated the possession to seize control of the game on the stroke of half time. In a minute of time added on at the end of the first half Swansea full back Neil Taylor climbed on Bobby Zamora to try and head a ball he was never likely to win fairly and conceded a soft free kick in a wide area. A low delivery from the set piece from Adel Taarabt was only half cleared and the ball eventually fell to Joey Barton at the back post who drilled in a crisp volley from 15 yards out. Swansea , in poor form at the time, allowed their heads to drop and Rangers ran away with the game in the second half. First Jamie Mackie, looking suspiciously offside, collected the ball on the edge of the Swansea area and fired in a deflected second, then Akos Buzsaky let rip with a screamer from 25 yards that rocketed into Michel Vorm’s top corner. QPR: Kenny 6, Onuoha 6, Ferdinand 7, Hill 8, Taiwo 7, Barton 8, Diakite 8, Buzsaky 7, Taarabt 6 (Smith 88, -), Mackie 7 (Wright-Phillips 77, 6), Zamora 6 (Bothroyd 78, 5) Subs Not Used: Cerny, Gabbidon, Campbell, Young Booked: Taiwo (tackling a man with his face), Diakite (hacking a man’s leg off) Goals: Barton 45 (assisted Taarabt), Mackie 55 (assisted Ferdinand), Buzsaky 67 (assisted Taarabt) Swansea : Vorm 5, Rangel 5, Caulker 6, Williams 5, Taylor 5 (Tate 46, 5), Sigurdsson 7, Britton 6 ( Moore 62, 5), Allen 6, Routledge 5 (Dyer 46, 6), Graham 7, Sinclair 6 Subs Not Used: Tremmel, Monk, McEachran, Gower Swansea 1 QPR 1, Tuesday December 27, 2011, Premiership QPR were good value for a point at the Liberty Stadium when these sides met at Christmas, and possibly could have had more had they shown more ambition to push for a winner in the closing stages. Things started poorly for Neil Warnock’s men when Danny Graham was allowed to bring the ball down with the palm of his hand by referee Lee Probert and then stroke in a well taken opening goal. But the R’s roared back in the second half and Jamie Mackie got a well deserved equaliser when the home defence misjudged a long clearance from goalkeeper Paddy Kenny and Mackie stole in to nutmeg Vorm and score. Swansea: Vorm 7, Rangel 7 (Moore 57, 4), Williams 7, Caulker 6, Richards 6, Sinclair 6, Britton 6, Agustien 7, Allen 6, Routledge 7 (Dyer 56, 6), Graham 7 Subs Not Used: Tremmel, Dobbie, Monk, Lita, Gower Booked: Richards (foul) Goals: Graham 14 (assisted Routledge) QPR: Kenny 6, Young 7, Hill 7, Hall 7, Traore 6, Mackie 7, Barton 6, Derry 6, Faurlin 7, Taarabt 7, Helguson 6 Subs Not Used: Cerny, Orr, Gabbidon, Bothroyd, Connolly, Smith, Wright-Phillips Booked: Hill (foul), Barton (foul), Taarabt (kicking ball away) Goals: Mackie 58 (assisted Kenny) QPR 4 Swansea 0, Sunday December 26, 2010, Championship In the 2010/11 fight for promotion from the Championship QPR were helped on their way by four point hauls from both clubs in South Wales who were competing with them at the top of the table. The pick of the results came on Boxing Day as Rangers - top of the league but hotly pursued by the Swans, Cardiff and others - took their visitors apart in emphatic fashion. Rangers had gone 19 matches unbeaten at the start of the season but faltered heading into the Christmas period with quick fire defeats against Watford at Loftus Road and at Leeds so Swansea fancied their chances in W12 but Jamie Mackie planted a firm shot beyond Dorus De Vries for the opening goal. The game then took a dramatic turn when Alan Tate hacked down Kyle Walker as he raced through on goal and then went to headbutt Clint Hill in the ensuing melee. Tate was rightly sent off, but Hill followed him in a strange decision from referee Phil Crossley that was later overturned by the authorities. QPR coped much better with ten men and romped away to victory inspired by Adel Taarabt. The Moroccan won an obvious penalty from Ashley Williams, who was lucky not to be sent off himself, after half time and allowed Heidar Helguson to convert it. Taarabt smashed in a third on the volley, with De Vries at fault for allowing it to squeeze through him, and then added a fourth with an outrageous goal of the season candidate from 25 yards after two back flicks and an outrageous nutmeg through Joe Allen. QPR: Kenny 7, Walker 9, Connolly 7, Gorkss 7, Hill 6, Derry 7, Faurlin 6, Mackie 7, Taarabt 9 (Rowlands 83, -), Smith 6 (Orr 21, 6), Helguson 8 (Hulse 86, -) Subs Not Used: Cerny, Clarke, Agyemang, Ephraim Sent Off: Hill 19 (fighting) Goals: Mackie 16 (assisted Taarabt), Helguson 62 (penalty won Taarabt), Taarabt 70 (assisted Helguson), 80 (unassisted) Swansea: De Vries 3, Rangel 6, Tate 4, Monk 4, Williams 6, Agustien 6 (Dobbie 71, 5), Allen 6, Pratley 6, Dyer 5 (Taylor 20, 5), Sinclair 6, Beattie 6 (Easter 71, 5) Subs Not Used: Ma-Kalambay, Orlandi, Serran, Gower Sent Off: Tate 19 (fighting) Booked: Williams (foul) Swansea 0 QPR 0, Tuesday October 19, 2010, Championship QPR were indebted to goalkeeper Paddy Kenny when these sides met at the Liberty Stadium earlier that season, but Jamie Mackie should have made the goalkeeper’s first half penalty save all the more crucial by snatching a winner. Kenny dived low to save David Cotterill’s easily telegraphed spot kick five minutes before half time after Darren Pratley was bundled over in the QPR penalty area. Before that Mackie had volleyed into the side netting from close range with the goal gaping after the ball dropped to him from a corner, then in the second half he took too many touches in a one on one situation and allowed Dorus De Vries to race from his goal line and save. Adel Taarabt was substituted late on, although he was lucky not to be sent off just prior to the change with the Swansea players successfully winding him up and tempting a reckless challenge while he was on a yellow card. Swansea: De Vries 7, Williams 7, Tate 8, Monk 7, Rangel 7, Cotterill 6 (Allen 46, 8), Pratley 7, Orlandi 7 (Beattie 85, -), Dyer 5, Sinclair 6, Dobbie 7 (Nouble 65, 4) Subs Not Used: Taylor , Serran, Ma-Kalambay, Emnes Booked: Monk (foul), Tate (foul), Pratley (foul), Rangel (dissent) QPR: Kenny 8, Walker 7, Gorkss 7, Connolly 8, Hill 6, Derry 7, Faurlin 7, Ephraim 5 (Clarke 88, -), Taarabt 7 (Smith 80, 7),Helguson 6 (Agyemang 80, 6), Mackie 6 Subs Not Used: Orr, Cerny, Hall, Mahon Booked: Gorkss (kicking ball away), Faurlin (foul), Taarabt (foul) Previous ResultsHead to Head >>> Swansea wins 11 >>> Draws 12 >>> QPR wins 182012/13 QPR 0 Swansea 5 2011/12 QPR 3 Swansea 0 (Barton, Mackie, Buzsaky) 2011/12 Swansea 1 QPR 1 (Mackie) 2010/11 QPR 4 Swansea 0 (Taarabt 2, Mackie, Helguson) 2010/11 Swansea 0 QPR 0 2009/10 QPR 1 Swansea 1 (German) 2009/10 Swansea 2 QPR 0 2008/09 QPR 1 Swansea 0 (Leigertwood) 2008/09 Swansea 0 QPR 0 2004/05 QPR 3 Swansea 0** (Cureton, Rowlands, Gallen) 2001/02 Swansea 4 QPR 0* 1980/81 Swansea 1 QPR 2 (Langley, King) 1980/81 QPR 0 Swansea 0 1979/80 QPR 3 Swansea 2 (Goddard 2, C Allen) 1979/80 Swansea 1 QPR 2 (Burke, Stephenson og) 1978/79 QPR 2 Swansea 0 (McGee, Eastoe) 1966/67 Swansea 1 QPR 3 (Lazarus 3) 1966/67 Swansea 1 QPR 2** (Hazell, Keen) 1966/67 QPR 4 Swansea 2 (L Allen 2, Marsh, Sanderson) 1965/66 QPR 6 Swansea 2 (R Morgan 3, Colins 2, Lazarus) 1965/66 Swansea 4 QPR 2 (Collins, L Allen) 1962/63 Swansea 2 QPR 0* 1951/52 Swansea 2 QPR 3 (Gilberg, Hill, Addinall 1951/52 QPR 1 Swansea 1 (Smith) 1950/51 Swansea 1 QPR 0 1950/51 QPR 1 Swansea 1 (Addinall) 1949/50 Swansea 0 QPR 1 ( Hudson ) 1949/50 QPR 0 Swansea 0 1947/48 QPR 0 Swansea 0 1947/48 Swansea 3 QPR 1 (Durrant) 1924/25 Swansea 2 QPR 0 1924/25 QPR 0 Swansea 0 1923/24 QPR 2 Swansea 2 (Davis, Marsden) 1923/24 Swansea 2 QPR 0 1922/23 Swansea 3 QPR 0 1922/23 QPR 2 Swansea 1 (Davis, Chandler ) 1921/22 Swansea 1 QPR 0 1921/22 QPR 1 Swansea 0 (Birch) 1920/21 QPR 1 Swansea 1 (Manning) 1920/21 Swansea 1 QPR 3 (Gregory, Birch, Manning) 1913/14 Swansea 1 QPR 2* * - FA Cup ** - League Cup ConnectionsRobbie James >>> Swansea 1973-83 & 1988-90 >>> QPR 1984-87 Swansea born and bred, Robert James graduated from the city’s schoolboy side to play for his hometown club-making his debut in April 1973 aged just 16. Over the next decade, James would go on to play almost 500 times for the Swans and became known as ‘the darling of the North Bank’. He was a pivotal part of the side that rose from the Fourth to First Division in just three seasons in the late 1970s and early 1980s under the management of John Toshack. He helped the club to sixth place in the first season back in the top flight. James’ utility was seen as a vital commodity as he could play as effectively in defence as he could midfield. He earned international recognition with Wales whilst at the Vetch Field and would go on to win 47 caps for his country. In 1983, after ten seasons with Swansea which had sadly ended with their relegation, James looked for a fresh challenge in England and signed for Stoke City. Despite being an ever-present in his season there he moved on a year later to Queens Park Rangers. He made his debut from the subs bench against Arsenal in November 1984 and went on to be an important part of the R’s squad over the next four seasons, memorably scoring in a home win against the Gunners in 1985. Mainly playing as full-back for Rangers, James’ was rather barrel chested by the time he got to Loftus Road but he was enthusiastic and was a key part of the team that went all the way to the League Cup Final in 1986. Sadly he couldn’t prevent Rangers from a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Oxford after beating Chelsea and Liverpool in the quarter and semi finals. A year later James left Loftus Road and signed for Leicester before appearing once again for his beloved Swansea and then winding down his career with Bradford and Cardiff. He had a brief spell in the Welsh Leagues and managed both Merthyr and Llanelli before his untimely death from a heart disease in 1998. Still seen as a true Swansea legend, a bust of James stands proudly by the ticket offices at the Liberty Stadium. Others >>> Wayne Routledge, Swansea 2011-present, QPR (loan) 2011, 2009-2010 >>> Scott Sinclair, Swansea 2010-2012, QPR (loan) 2007 >>> Scott Donnelly, QPR 2004-2007, Swansea 2010-present >>> Paulo Sousa, Swansea (manager) 2009-2010, QPR (manager) 2008-2009 >>> Brian Murphy, Swansea 2003-2006, QPR 2011-present >>> Jordi Lopez, Swansea 2009-2011, QPR 2009 >>> Tommy Williams, QPR (loan) 2002-2003, (loan) 2003, (loan) 2009, Swansea 2006-2007 >>> Leon Knight, QPR (loan) 2001, Swansea 2006-2007 >>> Marcus Bean, QPR 2002-2006, Swansea (loan) 2005 >>> Kenny Jackett, QPR (coach) 2001-2004, Swansea (manager) 2004-2007 >>> Karl Connolly, QPR 2000-2003, Swansea 2003-2004 >>> John Hollins, QPR 1975-1977, QPR (coach) 1995-1998, Swansea (manager) 1998-2001 >>> Robbie James, Swansea 1973-1983, 1988-1990, QPR 1984-1987 >>> Leighton James, QPR 1977-1978, Swansea 1980-1983 >>> Jeremy Charles, Swansea 1976-1983, QPR 1983-1985 Tweet @loftforwords Pictures – Action Images Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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