The lowdown on QPR 3 Watford 1 – Rangers see off play-off chasers to start New Year with a bang

THE LINE-UPS

QPR: Nardi, Ashby, Dunne, Fox (Clarke-Salter 63), Paal, Field (Colback 90), Varane, Morgan Madsen 76), Smyth, Frey (Kolli 63), Chair (Saito 76). Subs not used: Walsh, Dixon-Bonner, Bennie, Lloyd.

Watford: Bachmann, Ngakia, Porteous, Sierralta, Pollock, Larouci (Ebosele 66), Sissoko (Vata 66), Chakvetadze, Baah, Ince (Kayembe 66), Bayo. Subs not used: Bond, Dwomoh, Jebbison, Ogbonna, Morris, Andrews.

SNAPSHOT OF THE GAME

Rangers got their first win of the festive period by seeing off Watford at Loftus Road. Following a comprehensive defeat at Swansea on Boxing Day and a draw at Norwich three days later, Marti Cifuentes’ side looked delighted to be back on home turf and started impressively against a Watford side that started the day seventh in the Championship. It took just five minutes for Michael Frey to put them ahead following a well-worked free-kick, and they continued to have the better of the first-half, up until Jimmy Dunne headed in his fourth goal of the season with the interval approaching. The visitors pulled a goal back against the run of play through a deflected Kwadwo Baah effort early in the second half, but Sam Field restored the two-goal lead just 92 seconds later by getting on the end of a Paul Smyth cross. QPR have lost just one of their last 10 Championship matches.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Although Rangers picked up just a single point from the first two games that captain Steve Cook has missed since getting injured before Christmas, Cifuentes has not been tempted to change his system to make up for the centre-back’s presence in defence.

An attempt to play two left-footed central defenders at Swansea ended up contributing to one of QPR’s worst performances of the season, so the decision to move Dunne inside from right back was taken at Norwich and stuck with against Tom Cleverley’s side. That decision helped Rangers get the upper hand in both penalty areas, with Dunne particularly formidable in the air.

Cifuentes made just two alterations to the side that drew at Carrow Road, with Jonathan Varane brought into midfield as Lucas Andersen missed out having picked up a muscular injury. Varane played his part in QPR getting the upper hand for the most part, as Watford’s experienced central pairing of Moussa Sissoko and Tom Ince struggled to get to grips with Varane, Field and Kieran Morgan.

The other significant change saw Frey brought in up front to start his first game since October 19. The big forward was one of QPR’s best performers during their disappointing start to the campaign, and his physicality in attack has been missed. He started brilliantly against Watford, knocking opposition centre-backs around with little trouble and also notching his first goal since September with a nice bit of movement and confident finish to open the scoring.

STAR MAN

Jimmy Dunne. The defender was unbeatable in the air. Although he has made the right-back spot his own since the end of last season, he has adjusted well to being back in a central role and gave the Watford forwards little to play with. His goal was particularly impressive as he outmuscled defender Mattie Pollock before nodding in from Ilias Chair’s looping cross.

BEST MOMENT

Field’s goal. QPR were deservedly two goals ahead at half-time, and they continued to have the upper hand at that start of the second half, but an unfortunate bounce of the ball following an intercepted pass – and then a deflection on the shot that eventually followed – allowed Watford back into the game. However, regaining the two-goal advantage so quickly afterwards meant panic had no time to set in and Rangers were able to start enjoying themselves again. Both Field and Smyth did brilliantly in the lead up to the ball finding the net.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

An early start on New Year’s Day! The number of games over the festive period is one of the best things about football in this country, but forcing players, fans and journalists alike to get down to Loftus Road for a 12.30 kick off felt a particularly big ask.

A TALKING POINT DOWN THE PUB

Fortress Loftus Road. Having set a new record for games without a home win to start the campaign, Rangers now look far more comfortable playing in front of their own fans. They are now five unbeaten in W12, including four consecutive wins. While they are now seven points clear of the bottom three, they will need to continue their good form at Loftus Road to remain comfortably in mid-table.

WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY

“Definitely very happy for the players and the performance, for fans… we sold out here at home. It could be much worse right? We need to put everything into perspective. We had two games away [over Christmas]. We know the Swansea game was not good enough, but the reality is the team is working hard and we’re trying to go through the adversity.

“I’m very happy with the outcome we’ve got from these four games [over the festive period]. To get seven points from those difficult games, today [we played] against a very good opponent. We need to give credit to the players according to the amount of injuries, the schedule, the opposition. So, it’s not perfect because I will always ask for 12 points but I would say that the commitment the guys are showing – even on the bad days the guys are working hard – today you can see in details.

“It’s easy to say because the reality is that today we win, but against Swansea the performance was not good but the effort and intent is there.”

PICTURES: ROB AVIS