QPR match report …..

The reporter was there today and almost wished he wasn’t. By the time I’d got home I’d had time to reflect on what was really great about the game. Then I wondered if reflection on the day as a whole may help me to find the positives. It was great to meet up with my football friends, even if the beer wasn’t as good as the Wigan Central. The I saw a Wigan player outside the ground at the end; ‘Nathan, glad you’re back, can you sign my ticket’. As he did, he felt a need to say ‘Massey actually’. When he said that I wanted to tell him I sat next to his Mum at Rotherham, but I didn’t; he may have thought I was stupid.

But I digress …. the game. As you know, I wasn’t at Stoke on Wednesday, but I was expecting slick, World Cup winners Croatian style play (Morally, France didn’t win). Pressing, tireless, eager and some determined tackling. Sadly we played against a team that wasn’t going to get tonked as badly as they did last week so MClaren hired a National Coach and parked it. Despite a lively start, and a period where we were putting more crosses across than the Pope will see this evening in Dublin, we were just 1 step of the pace; no one could convert them. Shot after shot went a nanometre too wide. Wednesday evening clearly knackered them. Robinson who everyone was saying had more pace than an impala has slowed to a gazelle. Reece James wasn’t as inch perfect with his crosses as my maths teacher was with his. Nathan showed some of his old form but he needs to settle in; clearly he’s missing his mate Dan. Walton improves by the game, being more sure with his catches and still reliving the Southampton penalty save. A stunning second half save. NickieohNickiePowell has found form and energy which still he hides behind a casual lope. Some of us wonder why Macamamamnamum is back and not used; I certainly wonder that, but Roberts did sterling thumping assured work when he came on. Sam, well he is the Captain and plays for Egypt and went to the world cup, so we shouldn’t be too critical, but maybe his summer break just wasn’t quite long enough; to me he sometimes seems a bit unsure. Windass worked hard and is obviously eager to keep his place in the team.

Then there was their goal, after a goal mouth scramble and a good shove in the back of Massey. Over he went, out of the way, opened the channel and in went the ball. A harsh goal if ever there was one. I can’t say a thing about the scorer of the goal bearing in mind his country of origin and the recent treatment of Jeremy Corbyn. Soon I’ll be deselected as the self appointed reporter.

Anyway, there were some positives.

Sometimes days just happen, or not. My main worry is that I hope we haven’t peaked too soon.

The 546 travellers should be congratulated on a great Bank Holiday effort.

(BTW, I chatted with some Sunderland fans on the way home. They LUUUUUUUUUV Max)!