A first QPR home win over Norwich City in five attempts meant a triumphant return to Loftus Road for boss Ian Holloway.
Martin Olsson’s second minute dismissal for handball was the perfect leg-up to begin his second stint in the Loftus Road dugout, and goals from Conor Washington and Sebastian Polter made it a dream start despite a late a late rally from the visitors.
Here's the thoughts on the best day in W12 for some time.
A huge ovation for the returnee from a fervent crowd
Even before a ball was kicked the QPR faithful were at full volume for probably the first time this season in giving a massive welcome back to Holloway.
As both a former player and manager it is safe to say he will get more latitude when it comes to the honeymoon period than his predecessor – winning of course helps.
The football gods smiled on Holloway
You could not have written a better script than playing 10 men for 92 of 93 minutes.
That said, if Norwich had completed the comeback from 2-0 down, the feel-good factor would have had an early test. Football really is a game of small margins.
No new broom yet for the old hand
Holloway made just two changes from the team last selected by his predecessor Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and at least one of those was enforced by the suspension of Karl Henry. This suggests evolution rather than revolution from the man who has vowed to give everyone a fresh start.
However..
Sandro’s entrance off the bench on the bench in a league game for only the second time this season is an interesting one.
Sacked Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink made clear the Brazillian did not figure in his plans, but Holloway clearly has other ideas for the ex-Spurs man who was a composed presence in a testing second half.
A glimpse of things to come - or simply opportunism?
Holloway hinted he’d like to have a crack at the 3-4-3 employed so effectively by west London neighbours Chelsea under Antonio Conte this season.
Norwich being a man light almost from the get go meant he went close to a dry run with Tjaronn Chery in behind the front two of Polter and Washington.
Convention kicked in after Jack Robinson departed at the interval, and by the end it was virtually all hands behind the ball to protect the three points.
