There was late drama yesterday as a 10-man Queens Park Rangers side went down to Nottingham Forest at Loftus Road.
QPR looked lethargic in the first-half and they struggled to find composure. Long balls and back passes appeared the tune of the night, as Forest relentlessly sought possession. However, Championship top goal scorer Charlie Austin made a surprise breakthrough for the hosts, with a wonderful left-footed strike from outside the box on the hour mark.
10 minutes later though, goalkeeper Rob Green saw red after a poor touch forced him into a nasty foul on striker Chris O’Grady. Captain Henri Lansbury put the resulting penalty away easily past the replacement Alex Smithies. The visitors then piled on the pressure and notched a winner in the 82nd minute, with substitute Nelson Oliveira driving home from just inside the 18-yard area.
Nottingham were in the driver’s seat
Rangers looked far removed from their performances of late, with balls going astray and missing their targets throughout the 90 minutes. A modified lineup consisting of new boys Daniel Tozer and Gabriele Angella may not have been ideal for Chris Ramsey’s side, but the amount of control shown, especially in the first period, gave Forest an advantage from the off.
The passing was being nervily delivered from the back with Austin often the only target. QPR’s midfield was forced to follow the ball around as Ryan Mendes, David Vaughan and Lansbury controlled much of the game. As the match progressed, the hosts did grow in confidence, however, Green’s red card once again drew them back into their proverbial shell.
Individuals can win or lose you a game
Austin was almost once again QPR’s saving grace with a brilliant strike to find the bottom corner, However, at the other end of the field we saw just how easily any man can change the course of a game. Green’s decision to try and control a wayward back pass was not becoming of an England international and his next move, to walk straight into the oncoming O’Grady, was just as poor. This truly proved to be a turning point in the match, not only physically, as Rangers went down to 10 men, but also mentally.
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No game can be taken lightly
Bearing in mind the length of the Championship season, each and every point can be crucial in the race for promotion. With QPR’s team and current form, a home game would often be considered three points in waiting. However, the defeat to Nottingham is proof that everyone is fair game in the competition. Reading’s 5-1 annihilation of top-six hopefuls Ipswich Town last week, a further demonstrated this phenomenon. Chris Ramsey therefore, may have to reconsider how he reacts to situations, like Green’s dismissal in yesterday’s match. His decision to keep on Austin, as well as introduce Ben Gladwin in search of a winner, was a definite risk. A risk that, if taken too often, could lead to vital points dropped.
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