LUKE Young reckons QPR are the new Charlton – only better.
The Rs right-back should know. He spent six years at a happy Valley with a team that defied odds to stay in the top flight, just like his new club wants to, and reckons individual quality in the current Hoops squad is better than Charlton’s back then.
However, the ‘collective drive’ that made for a resilient Addicks is the next quest for the Premiership new boys, according to the defender.
“There’s definitely more individual class at QPR,” he said. “But we had a tough collective spirit at Charlton and we became a hard nut to crack.”
So hard in fact that Young was in the Charlton team that ended Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten home record at Stamford Bridge six years ago this month.
A team comprising Young and Jay Bothroyd ousted the Special One’s side from the Carling Cup on penalties on a night when Shaun Wright-Phillips was in the Blues’ line-up.
All three players are required to inflict similar damage on Sunday's west London rivals, with Young convinced Rangers will rise to the occasion.
“I think the pressure is off us because none of the bookmakers fancy us,” he said. “But we have great support at home, and these are games you live for. As I discovered at Charlton, there are times when you can get results against the top four.”
On the flip side, the last time the 32-year-old played Chelsea, his Aston Villa side was roundly clobbered 7-1 in March, 2010.
Young point blank refused to discuss that humiliation, but is certain QPR have dealt with the 6-0 thrashing at the other neighbours three weeks ago.
“I think we started the Premiership OK,” he said, “and we went to Fulham thinking maybe we just needed to turn up to get a result. What happened stung us, but it gave us a definite wake-up call, which can only be good.”
