QPR’s wait for a home win over Blackburn continues after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s failed to see off the Championship’s bottom club at Loftus Road.
Tjaronn Chery’s spectacular free-kick put the underwhelming hosts in front midway through the second half, but Sam Gallagher’s leveller soon afterwards means it is now 23 years and eight attempts since the hoops got the better of Rovers on home turf.
Reflections on another disappointing afternoon in W12.
Chery’s stunner the one moment of quality
The Dutchman’s 25-yard free-kick was special, but it was out of keeping with all other fayre on offer from Rangers.
Even if they had held on it would have been a magical moment to cover a multitude of sins.
An alarming lack of intensity
Hasselbaink’s byword since arriving at Loftus Road last season has been a high-intensity, up-tempo brand of pressing game, but in the first half against Rovers the home faithful witnessed something more akin to walking football.
Against a team with just one point from 18 in a losing habit, such an approach was baffling to say the least.
Congested football reminiscent of a wedding dance
Seventeen years ago my now long suffering wife endured three agonizing minutes while I spent our wedding dance trying not to destroy her dress with my two left feet.
Rangers’ players endured considerably longer trying not to fall over one another such was the narrow nature of their play once again.
Nasser El-Khayati, restored to the starting line-up did his best to provide width for the first 10-15 minutes, but must have felt like he was in another post code from his pals. Inevitably, he drifted further inside and simply added to the congestion.
Olamide Shodipo – wholehearted, but…
The youngster, like El Khayati restored to the starting line-up showed a greater desire than some of his seniors, but he failed to convince as a right-sided midfield player.
If he is going to do a job for his boss, he is going to need greater upper body strength to deal with uncompromising Championship defenders.
Idrissa Sylla – A promising cameo
The Guinea international and sub was afforded just 10 minutes on his debut, but almost made a fairy-tale start as only the legs of Rovers keeper Jason Steele denied him a winner in the last minute.
That too would have covered a multitude of sins, but it was enough to send the fans away with hopes of better times ahead with the former Anderlecht man as part of the striking spearhead.
