Having started a seemingly impossible run of fixtures with a surprise win against Chelsea last week, QPR face another difficult task on Sunday as they travel to Tottenham.

Tottenham (5th) v QPR (10th)

Barclays Premier League >>> Sunday October 30, 2011 >>> Kick Off 4pm >>> White Hart Lane , London >>> Live on Sky Sports 1

We had a Chelsea fan on the message board last week – very nice and amicable before the game and pretty philosophical afterwards in stark contrast to the majority of his colleagues, and indeed the Chelsea club employees. We tolerated him until Tuesday then I fired a gun into the air and he ran off.

While he was with us one line of questioning pursued by a QPR fan was; 'what exactly is the point of supporting Chelsea ?' It's something I've often levelled at people who walk around Scunthorpe in Manchester United replica shirts but never go to matches – what exactly is the point? You tell everybody you support Man Utd or Chelsea, you get a nice new shirt every year, and every week you watch Soccer Saturday until Jeff Stelling tells you you've won, and then you go to the pub and take the piss out of people who support other teams. People who drown puppies have a more worthwhile existence than this.

I mean what is the point in supporting a team that wins every week? Where's the enjoyment? I'm sure Spurs fans appreciated their Champions League qualification all the more because it was so rare and came after years of mediocrity. Likewise QPR beating Chelsea felt like the match of the century so far to Rangers fans because they've spent a good portion of that century playing Barnsley and Preston . By tolerating repeated lows, it makes the rare highs so much better.

This was something I learnt at my first ever QPR match. It was January 1992 and my dad had decided that at the age of eight it was probably time that I came along to find out where he went every Saturday (football) and what he did there (get drunk and swear a lot). Now I wasn't into football as a very young child. I knew everybody in the family supported QPR and I told the other little boys at school that I did too but, to give you a taste of the level of my interest, I was once asked what the FC stood for in Grimsby Town FC and didn't know. I couldn't even think of a witty reply. This must have been a great disappointment to my dad who was then like I am now, and was something that he set out to correct.

The timing of our trip down to The Dell in Southampton for an FA Cup Third Round tie probably had a lot to do with what happened a few days previously. Suddenly, without warning, QPR had gone to Old Trafford for a televised match on New Year's Day and won 4-1. United were meant to be cruising to their first league championship under Alex Ferguson but Rangers, with Dennis Bailey scoring a hat trick, dented their hopes and gave Leeds United the edge in the title race. Incidentally QPR went on to beat Leeds 4-1 that season as well. It was a remarkable performance and result from the team and particularly Bailey who, folklore has it, was named Man City Fans' Player of the Year at the end of that campaign despite never kicking a ball for the club.

Gerry Francis seemed to be getting things together in his first year in charge after a difficult start and hopes were high that QPR may go on a bit of a cup run in the second half of the season with all this new found confidence and ability. Sadly the term 'After the Lord Mayor's show' could well have been coined with Queens Park Rangers in mind. Of course they lost at Southampton , 2-0, and even missed a penalty in doing so. I remember being very cold, very bored and very confused as I peered over the railings at the front of the away terrace.

As we sloped back to the station after the game I remember saying to my dad: "How did that happen? You said we beat Man Utd last week." It was then that he explained that the best bit about following QPR was that they're so bad so often, on the rare occasions they're good there's no better feeling in the world. The problem was you have to go to the games quite often or risk missing the one good one, and there's often quite a lot of rubbish to sit through first. Sometimes years of rubbish at a time.

Normal children would run a mile at this point – self preservation would kick in and recognise that those that support the same winning team as everybody else provide thick kids with one less excuse to pick on them. But I quite liked this concept, and I've been going to every game ever since.

Last Sunday was the QPR equivalent of the Lord Mayor's Show. It's what happens afterwards that has always been our downfall, and an away game at Tottenham doesn't exactly represent an easy chance to change that. Still, if we are beaten, it will only make the next victory taste sweeter. That's the point.

Links >>> Fixture History >>> Opposition Focus >>> Referee >>> Travel Guide with tube closures

This Sunday

Team News: Neil Warnock must decide whether to stick or twist this weekend after his side hung on to beat Chelsea last Sunday. Armand Traore missed that match with an abductor muscle injury and Clint Hill impressed in his place but with the pace of Aaron Lennon and Kyle Walker to contend with on Sunday he may choose to recall Traore. Similarly at centre back Fitz Hall had one of his better games but Danny Gabbidon has recovered from his knee injury and may be recalled. It's likely to be the same set up further forward though with no new injuries or suspensions to content with.

Although you could probably say this every week with Spurs, Harry Redknapp has centre half headaches ahead of this weekend's game. Ledley King's knee troubles are well documented and he was forced out of the draw with Newcastle after half an hour and missed last weekend's win at Blackburn . Michael Dawson is also sidelined and Younes Kaboul partnered Sebastien Bassong, who is tipped to join QPR in January, at Ewood Park last week and is likely to do so again here although William Gallas returned to training this week after a calf injury. Midfielder Steven Pienaar, yet to feature this season, is also back in training following groin surgery and Niko Kranjcar could also return along with Vedran Corluka. Jermaine Defoe is likely to be benched again despite registering five goals from seven starts this season – the form of Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaat is keeping the former West Ham man out of the side.

Elsewhere: QPR are the penultimate game on this Premiership weekend which explodes into life with two big games at lunchtime on Saturday. Chelsea v Arsenal is the televised fixture at 12.45, but before that a shell shocked Man Utd head to Goodison Park for a noon kick off against Everton. Chelsea and United have shared the title between them for the last seven season but both suffered humbling defeats against local rivals last weekend so will be looking to bounce back. If they don't, Man City look primed and ready to extend their lead at the top of the table – they're five points clear and have Wolves at home this weekend who they beat 5-2 on Wednesday in the League Cup with a second string side out.

Down at the bottom the relegation places are currently made up of all Lancashire trio Bolton, Blackburn and Wigan . All three have games this weekend that they would hope to take points from – Blackburn and Bolton travel to newly promoted sides Norwich and Swansea respectively while Wigan host notoriously poor travellers Fulham. Sunderland v Villa makes up the Saturday 3pm numbers.

The Monday night football this week features unbeaten Newcastle putting their record to the test with an awkward trip to Stoke. The way things are shaping up this season this looks like a battle between two of the forerunners for Europa League football next season and unlike most other teams, both would see that as a welcome prize to win.

Referee: The last time Howard Webb refereed QPR it was the for Second Division play off final with Cardiff when the R's were beaten by an Andy Campbell goal in the last few moments of extra time. Webb refereed Rangers three times that season but has since progressed to the pinnacle of world football, refereeing the World Cup final in South Africa in 2010. This is our first competitive meeting with the Rotherham based official since that day at the Millennium Stadium although he has been to Loftus Road since then, refereeing a pre-season friendly defeat to Chievo at the beginning of Iain Dowie's time in charge of Rangers. For his full case file click here.

Form

Spurs: Due to Europa League commitments Spurs have already played 14 matches this season compared to QPR's ten. They're unbeaten in three home Europa League games this season (two wins, one draw) but given Harry Redknapp's tendency to change the entire side for those fixtures they're scarcely relevant to our trip. In the league they've beaten Arsenal and Liverpool but lost heavily to Man City on their own patch. Last year they only lost one home game all season, at home to Wigan in August having put nine through the same opponents in the same fixture the previous season, and they have lost just one of the last 20 home matches. They won nine and drew nine of the other 18 home league games in 2010/11.

Jermaine Defoe has five goals in seven starts this season but is currently having to make do with a place on the bench because of the form of Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaat. Two goals at Blackburn last week took the Dutchman to 21 goals in 46 Spurs appearances while Adebayor has played and scored against six other London clubs in his career – QPR will be his seventh. They haven't had a player sent off in the league since last December when Younes Kaboul was dismissed against Newcastle . Spurs have taken 16 of the last 18 available which is their best run since 2005.

QPR: Rangers inflicted Chelsea's first defeat to a newly promoted side in ten years and 64 matches at Loftus Road last week to end a run of home games without a win that stretched back to April. Rangers have conceded half their goals this season from set pieces, the league's worst record, and are yet to score a headed goal of their own. The wild inconsistencies in defence mean that Rangers have shipped 14 goals already this season and have a -7 goal difference, the worst outside the bottom three, but they have kept more clean sheets in the league (four) than Chelsea and Man Utd. Adel Taarabt is yet to score a Premiership goal in his career – he has made 18 appearances in the top flight including nine for Spurs. So far on the road this season QPR have won two (Everton, Wolves) without conceding and lost two ( Wigan , Fulham) without scoring.

Betting: Finally our professional odds compiler Owen Goulding proved he was human last week as his bet of the week failed for the first time this season. Can he redeem himself ahead of this game with Spurs?

Well I must admit I have never been so pleased to be wrong as I was last week. But to be honest, you would have needed to be Biff from Back to the Future 2 with his sports Almanac to predict that result and contrary to popular belief, I have now proved that is not the case. This week is another incredibly difficult London derby for the Hoops. I am hoping we don't suffer a low after the high, but White Hart Lane is a very difficult place for an away team with Spurs having lost only once at home in the league all last season and their only loss at home so far this season being the obligatory thrashing by Man City. I have a feeling however, that Warnock may play a more attacking style this week with Traore being the only change from last week's starting 11 and as such, I can envisage some goals in this game. So I am recommending a bet on there to be a goal between the first and fifteenth minute inclusive with William Hill at a tempting 2/1. Get to your seat early! Now I am going to make like a tree and get out of here........

Bet of the week – Goal scored in first 15 minutes inclusive, 2/1 William Hill.

Prediction: Would you believe me if I told you I had a feeling we'd win 1-0 last week? No, me neither. No such feelings this week I have to say, Tottenham are imperious at home and in terrific form. They always give you a chance, and have been prone to shockers in recent years with Wigan winning here last season and Wolves the season before, but QPR will have to really go some to upset the odds this weekend.

Spurs win 2-0, 13/2 with William Hill.

Tweet @loftforwords

Photo: Action Images

SonofNorfolt added 02:46 - Oct 29 They're a decent side, and should beat us comfortably. By the same token Redknapp should be banged up but won't be, maybe we should use his lawyer up front. If they keep using Defoe as sub, we can snap him up in January, perfect for us. Start the rumour it may become truth......
0

DesertBoot added 10:39 - Oct 29 The bet of the week in a clever prediction. Spurs invariably come flying out of the traps - it's up to us to repel such a start. I do fancy us to score ourselves but I think this is tougher than last Sunday.
0

N12Hoop added 12:28 - Oct 29 As a kid in the 70's I, along with most in my school, supported the mighty Liverpool. But unlike most of them, I actually started being taken to a local club (QPR) in the late 70's and by the start of the 80's i was at virtually every home game. My mates however continued supporting liverpool or became supporters of the big London clubs. I often wondered what it would be like had it been Chelsea or Arse i'd been taken to instead, but i agree it must be boring knowing the result usually before the game starts. For us we never have a clue how we are going to do no matter whether we are playing the best or the worse and whilst it isn't great for the blood pressure or fingernails, it does make it somewhat more exciting. But, lets not kid, it would be nice to be consistently good and win something occasionally! By the way, i often wonder how many people became Blackburn fans when they were Champs and who are hiding the shirt in their drawer (presumably below their Manu U shirts)

0

N12Hoop added 13:42 - Oct 29 As a kid in the 70's I, along with most in my school, supported the mighty Liverpool. But unlike most of them, I actually started being taken to a local club (QPR) in the late 70's and by the start of the 80's i was at virtually every home game. My mates however continued supporting liverpool or became supporters of the big London clubs. I often wondered what it would be like had it been Chelsea or Arse i'd been taken to instead, but i agree it must be boring knowing the result usually before the game starts. For us we never have a clue how we are going to do no matter whether we are playing the best or the worse and whilst it isn't great for the blood pressure or fingernails, it does make it somewhat more exciting. But, lets not kid, it would be nice to be consistently good and win something occasionally! By the way, i often wonder how many people became Blackburn fans when they were Champs and who are hiding the shirt in their drawer (presumably below their Manu U shirts)

0

NorwayRanger16 added 14:35 - Oct 30 I see a repeat of the away game at Cardiff last season, 2-2 and Adel hauling us back after VDV and Adebayor getting one each. Give me that result and i'll be a happy man :-)
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls