Saad Noor at Loftus Road
QPR played out an enthralling 2-2 draw with Championship strugglers Bristol City yesterday after Spurs loanee Steven Caulker headed in powerfully from a corner at the death to gain his side a valuable point.
The 19-year-old defender was desperate to make an impression to the watching Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp who was amongst the 15,000 plus in attendance at Loftus Road.
However, despite his best efforts, the star of the show was not Caulker but indeed another former loanee of Harry Redknapp’s side, Moroccan Adel Taarabt.
With Spurs being strongly linked with a back-up winger after David Bentley’s constant injuries and Niko Krancjar’s discontent at his bit-part role, David Beckham has been mooted as a possible candidate.
But after his dazzling performance yesterday and his regular goals and assists throughout the duration of the season so far, Taarabt at just 21 would have been the perfect solution to Redknapp’s conundrum and had he been more patient with the wayward winger, his tolerance would have paid off. The tricky wide-man has now either scored or assisted 23 goals for QPR in the Championship this season.
But Spurs’ loss is most definitely QPR’s gain and thanks to Taarabt they are enjoying their most prolific form in 15 years as they look to regain a place in the top flight of English football.
The West-Londoners have had to look over at neighbours and fierce rivals Chelsea’s recent success in envy and should they gain promotion, their billionaire owners may decide to delve deep into their pockets to mix it up with the big boys.
Along with a resurgent Taarabt, the Super Hoops have also breathed a new sense of life into veteran manager Neil Warnock who is enjoying his time at Loftus Road immensely.
His thoughts after the match echoed this, despite being frustrated with the way his side threw away two points, he’s thriving on the team’s ethos of attacking football.
He said: “You can’t disguise that the goals we conceded were a bloody disgrace,” said Warnock, who nevertheless professed to be unconcerned by the fact that victories are not coming to his team as readily as they did earlier in the campaign.
“Overall that’s probably as good as I’ve seen us play for a few months – we were absolutely superb. I’m frustrated by the result but generally I’ve never been in charge of a team that plays like this and I’m just really excited.”
Similar to Manchester United at the summit of the Premier League, Queens Park Rangers frittered away an extravagant number of chances here and then conceded a late equaliser, yet still they extended their lead at the top of the league to five points.
Rangers lorded if over the 17th-placed side from kick-off but the most telling trend emerged in the 10th minute, when Rob Hulse headed over from eight yards after a fine cross from the left by Tommy Smith. This would be the story of Hulse’s afternoon.
David James kept goal really well for the visitors, making a string of first-half saves to ensure the Robins went into the interval level. And they did.
Hulse carried on in similar vein trying to break the deadlock but rarely found the target as the home side continually spurned opportunities forged through otherwise fine play. He did call former England goalkeeper David James into action once again with a header after another inviting delivery from Smith (who has incidentally signed a permanent contract with the Hoops) but James reacted well to turn the header away from his goal.
Like he has for the majority of QPR’s games this season it was Adel Taarabt who was at the centre of the home side’s attacking play; constantly creating on either flank and occasionally drifting into midfield to fire the occasional shot at David James.
Bristol City striker Brett Pitman was not as wasteful as Hulse as he pounced on a half-chance proving his predatory instinct by volleying neatly past Paddy Kenny to claim his eighth goal in as many games.
The goal was the wake-up call the R’s needed as they took only three minutes to equalise and, inevitably, Taarabt was the inspiration, dancing past Marvin Elliott on the byline before pulling the ball back for Alejandro Faurlin to produce the sort of finish that had eluded his team mates.
Courageous last-ditch defending by Bristol City as well as another series of careless misses, including two more from serial offender Hulse, preserved parity until Elliott was harshly adjudged to have held down Hulse and Taarabt converted the ensuing penalty.
The showboating began from Taarabt and company. The odd flick here and there, the rare nutmeg and constant step-overs brought the crowd onto their feet. “Taarabt’s too good for you,” was the consequential chant from the stands.
However, they would live to regret their tika-taka style as Bristol City threatened from counter-attacks through the pace of Jamal Campbell-Ryce.
To the annoyance of Neil Warnock, and the credit of the visitors, City came back to salvage a point. After Kenny pushed a delicious Campbell-Ryce shot behind, Steven Caulker was left unmarked from the corner and headed powerfully into the net.
“You’re not singing anymore,” the away end replied.
Smith could still have secured a victory for Rangers but blazed over from close range in stoppage time. Had that chance fell to Taarabt who was now watching from the bench, Rangers fans may have been celebrating another match-winner from the miraculous Moroccan.
There have been reports linking Warnock away from QPR to relegation-threatened West Ham and on the pitch, star man Taarabt has been targeted by Newcastle United. Lose these two key men and QPR may have to wait a bit longer before being reinstated to the Premier League.
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