the man who knew too much – QPR’s Home Draw Against Sheffield United

the man who knew too much – QPR’s Home Draw Against Sheffield United – Reports and Comments

February 24th, 2008 · No Comments

the man who knew too much – -
QPR 1 Sheffield United 1
QPR are 16th with 40 points with 13 games remaining: 6 points off a relegation space (and 12 points from playoff spot) -
Blackpool 34 42
Sheff Utd 33 40
QPR 33 40
Barnsley 33 40
Coventry 32 39
Southamptn 34 39
Leicester 34 37
Sheff Wed 32 35
Preston 33 34
Colchester 33 32
Scunthorpe 34 32 League Table

SPORTING LIFE – MANAGERIAL COMMENTS
BLACKWELL IN DARK OVER FUTURE
Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell said he was still in the dark about his long-term future following the 1-1 draw at QPR.
Blackwell was recently placed in charge for the rest of the season and was scheduled to hold talks with club chairman Terry Robinson at the Blades’ London hotel ahead of the match at Loftus Road.
However, the former Leeds and Luton boss revealed the meeting had not gone ahead.
“He (Robinson) was late so it did not happen,” Blackwell said.
“We will have a chat during the week but I want to concentrate on our FA Cup replay with Middlesbrough on Wednesday first.
“That is a winner-take-all game and we have a massive incentive to win.”
QPR took a 19th-minute lead when Martin Rowlands fed Hogan Ephraim on the right and he bamboozled Derek Geary before firing in a low cross that Angelo Balanta tapped in from close range.
But Blackwell got his reward for throwing men forward after the break when centre-back Chris Morgan’s sliced shot found the bottom corner of the net with 12 minutes left.
“I thought we thoroughly deserved the equaliser and we should have gone on to win,” said Blackwell.
“QPR knew how to play the pitch and the windy conditions and, once we worked it out in the second half, we improved a lot.
“We definitely had more chances after the break and I brought two strikers and a wide-man on to try to win the game – we have to go for it like that if we are to have any chance of making the play-offs.
“For our goal, Chris hit his shot from 15 yards and it bounced four times. He is saying it was from 25 yards and it went in like a rocket but he can dress it up how he likes.”
QPR boss Luigi De Canio felt a draw was a fair result from a scrappy match.
“The game was fairly even and I’m not altogether disappointed with a point,” the Italian said.
“Both teams were very aggressive and conceded very little space. We did not get the chance to express our true potential and neither did Sheffield United.
“We never got the ball down on the ground and passed it and, once we conceded, the game was more or less set as a 1-1 draw.”
De Canio was pleased for Colombian-born teenager Balanta, who scored his first goal for Rangers in only his second senior start.
“Angelo was defi
Source: the man who knew too much – QPR’s Home Draw Against Sheffield United – Reports and Comments