![]() Monday, 5th Dec 2011 23:39 by Clive Whittingham Neil Warnock was fuming with the assistant referee who disallowed Shaun Wright-Phillips’ goal against West Brom on Saturday. Jamie Mackie meanwhile was delighted that the FA Cup draw pitted the R’s against one of his former clubs. NewsWarnock confronted the officials at half time and again at the final whistle after the incorrect decision to disallow Wright-Phillips first half strike, that would have made the score 2-0, cost Rangers two points. He also had stern words for Alejandro Faurlin on the pitch after the game but played down that confrontation in the after match press conference. He told the club’s official website: "At 1-0 up we had a really good goal disallowed and that's why we're so gutted tonight. You expect the linesman to get that kind of decision right when he's in line with the play, but we still should have won the game handsomely. We had loads of clear-cut opportunities, but we just couldn't get the second goal and then they broke away and scored a goal we could have prevented. That's how it goes in the Premier League though. It's a point, but we've come into the dressing room thinking we've lost the game - it's gutting. The front lads were good too and we defended well. It was a good team performance, which is why we're so gutted we've left with just a point to show for our efforts." Warnock seemed to be angry with faurlin for not taking the opportunity to foul James Morrison in the build up to West Brom’s equaliser. He told West London Sport: “We all make mistakes. We’ve just got to learn from them and move on. I’ve said about Ale Faurlin since I came to the club that he’d blossom in the Premier League. I wouldn’t swap him or Joey Barton for anyone. Ale’s getting better all the time. He’s got things still to learn and I’m sure will take things on board.” Heidar Helguson’s goal against the Baggies equalled Les Ferdinand’s QPR Premiership record for goals in four consecutive home games – he needs one more to equal Gary Bannister’s First Division record, but has someway to go to match Brian Bedford’s overall club record of nine. Neil Warnock told the Fulham Chronicle: ““I was speaking to the chairman in Malaysia, and I’ve told him what my thoughts are,” said Warnock. “You give me £5m to buy a striker, and I don’t think I could get much better than Helguson. So I think you’ve got to be careful – sometimes January is not the right time. I need players in areas that I’ll try to get. But it’s made to measure for Heidar in the Premiership. He can rest Mondays and Tuesdays, and build up to a game on Saturday. If we’re in the Championship, then it’s three games a week and it’s hard work. I see him playing 15-20 games a season, and it’s easier at the level we’re at than the Championship where it’s whacky races – if you can remember that programme.” The other big news from the weekend was the FA Cup Third Round draw which mercifully spared us a visit to Coventry City, but did however set up our first ever meeting with MK Dons at Stadium MK on Saturday, January 7 (subject to television selection). The Dons are currently fourth in League One and reached this round of the competition with a 3-1 win at League Two side Barnet on Saturday. Angelo Balanta is currently on a season long loan with Karl Robinson’s men. Jamie Mackie, who played as part of the Wimbledon/MK Dons youth set up during the controversial move in 2004, told the club’s official website: “It’s a quality draw. I haven't been back there since I left the club. I haven't even seen the new stadium, so I am looking forward to going there. It will be nice to exorcise the ghost of last season's competition. “I want to play in every game - that's what got me in trouble last time, but I still want to be involved in every match. I haven't learnt my lesson I guess. I feel more like that than ever because I missed so many games last season through the injury. It will be up to the Manager to try and stop me. Our priority is obviously the league but we want to do well in this competition - it's the FA Cup! When it comes around, I am sure we will do our best to progress. Their chairman Pete Wikelman is a great bloke, really enthusiastic and a really nice man. It will be quality to see him because I have got some great memories from my time there. It will be a great occasion." In other news Shaun Derry told the Talksport breakfast show he wants to see Rangers leave Loftus Road in order to progress. Derry said: “I’m 100% for moving. Loftus Road is a fantastic ground to play at, it really is.Those that have played there know about the atmosphere, the fans are really on top of you and give you the support that you need. But to progress as a football club I think we have to find another venue.” Finally the amount of money paid by clubs to agents over the past 12 months has been released by the Premier League. QPR’s £2.5m payment is in the lower half of a table topped by Arsenal who made £4.6m of payments. Loan WatchA big week for Crystal Palace finished on Friday night with a 11-1 home draw against Derby that leaves them twelfth in the Championship table. Peter Ramage completed 90 minutes at right back for the Eagles against the Rams and would have finished on the winning side but for Paddy McCarthy’s comical late own goal. Ramage had been an unused sub 48 hours earlier as Palace secured a memorable League Cup quarter final win against Man Utd at Old Trafford. It has to be said the decision by Sky to suddenly schedule some Friday night football, after going weeks without and suspiciously on a night when ESPN showed an FA Cup game, seemed very harsh on Palace who were forced to back up after 120 minutes of exhausting football in Manchester with a home league match two days later. A league lower, Max Ehmer endured a cup near miss at non-league Fleetwood in that ESPN game. The League Two side lead 2-0 until the last couple of minutes when their Conference opponents pulled two goals back. The Glovers probably fancy their chances having now taken The Cod Army back to Huish Park for the replay but since then the draw has been made, and Fleetwood would face near neighbours Blackpool in the Third Round if they make it through so extra incentive there. Lee Cook played a full 90 minutes for Orient as they were dumped out of the Cup 1-0 at home to Gillingham from the league below. Interestingly Hogan Ephraim was not picked for Charlton against Carlisle hinting that QPR still want him available to play in the competition for them this season. In League Two Barnet finally got their long awaited home cup draw, but Gary Borrowdale was an unused sub in their 3-1 defeat against MK Dons who will now face Rangers in the Third Round. Angelo Balanta played a full 90 minutes for the Dons. Michael Doughty played the last four minutes for Crawley as they beat Redbridge 5-0 at home. Former R’sMixed fortunes for three of our former charges in the Sunday evening FA Cup clash between Sutton United and Notts County. The ESPN cameras travelled to deepest South London hoping to find a classic upset story, and they might have been in luck had Leroy Griffiths converted a penalty in first half stoppage time for the Conference South side that would have levelled the scores. He missed and County, managed by Martin Allen and marshalled in midfield by Gavin Mahon went on to win the game 2-0. Griffiths, famed for his pre-season demolition of Marcel Dessaily in 2001, is now aged 34 and on his fourteenth different club. Premiership Shorts- Bad news for Aston Villa who will be without influential goalkeeper Shay Given for the next month. The Irishman injured his hamstring in the 1-0 defeat to Man Utd at the weekend and will now miss the busy Christmas and New Year period with Brad Guzan first in line to replace him. - Even worse news for Newcastle who have built their success this season on an unchanged back four and goalkeeper but will now be without centre back Steven Taylor for the rest of the season. He injured his Achilles in a 3-0 home defeat by Chelsea at the weekend which could have been so different had referee Mike Dean sent off David Luiz in the fourth minute for bringing down Demba Ba when he should have done. The referee has since admitted he made a mistake in only issuing a yellow card. - Speaking of dreadful refereeing decisions, how about our old mate Stuart Attwell at the weekend? While Dean didn’t believe Ba racing through on goal on the edge of the area was a goalscoring opportunity in the Chelsea game Attwell was deciding that Tottenham’s Scott Parker crossing the halfway line was, and sent off Bolton’s Gary Cahill for bringing him down. Trotters chairman Phil Gartside said: "I am not happy about the referee's decision. It's an absolute disgrace. Scott Parker is one of my favourite players but if he is in a goal scoring position near the halfway line then he is a genius." - In other Chelsea news the club has accepted transfer requests from both Nicholas Anelka and Alex who hope to move in the January transfer window after finding first team opportunities difficult to come by this season. Under pressure manager Andre Villas Boas said: “The conversation was fair and direct with the players. The transfer requests were accepted but it doesn't mean it will happen and if it doesn't happen they will return to full training." - Blackburn manager Steve Kean has urged supporters calling for him to be sacked to lay down their protest banners and back the team during the busy Christmas period. Kean got his second win of the season at the weekend with yakubu scoring all four goals in a 4-2 victory against Swansea at Ewood Park. Kean said: “I would like the majority of supporters to be vocal and say to the protesters, give the lads a chance. We've got a lot of young players in the team and it can certainly affect them if there's a little bit of negativity aimed when you're ahead and when you're playing well, so I hope they can bear that in mind.” - New Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill said he was looking forward to starting work after seeing his new team surrender a one goal lead to lose 2-1 at struggling Wolves on Sunday. Seb Larsson missed a penalty with the score at 1-0 to Sunderland, and Wolves equalised 60 seconds later before going on to win. Tweet @loftforwords Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
Blogs 32 bloggersWycombe Wanderers Polls |