QPR FC V Swansea City Football Club AT Loftus Road Stadium KO 15:00 THU 1st JAN 2015 TEAM NEWS QPR have no new injury worries after the goalless draw at Crystal Palace. Sandro and Alejandro Faurlin are still out with knee injuries while Yun Suk-Young is sidelined with an ankle injury and Adel Taarabt is not yet match-fit. Swanseas Jonjo Shelvey begins a four-match ban, while Jefferson Montero misses out with a hamstring problem. Ki Sung-yueng and Wilfried Bony will make their final appearances before going off on international duty for up to a month. MATCH PREVIEW I was at the Liberty Stadium less than a month ago to see Swansea comprehensively beat QPR . On a night where the duel between Wilfried Bony and Robert Green made for compelling viewing, the only issue in doubt was the margin by which Swansea were to win. That this return match is much harder to call is further testimony to just how good QPR are at Loftus Road, and how awful they remain outside of W12. Without a single point away from home, its the worst away record in any of the major European leagues, yet such is the Hoops strength at home that theyll kick off 2015 only three points below 12th place in the Premier League - their five home wins is only one fewer than second-placed Manchester City. Harry Redknapps addition of the exciting Mauro Zarate is an interesting one. Under-used at West Ham, he is hugely talented and certainly not a luxury fancy dan. Remember how he excelled in the relegation fight in Birmingham Citys ultimately-doomed 2007-2008 campaign? Selfishly, Im hoping he features against the Swans. Hes my kind of footballer. Garry Monks side travel with a days less rest, and smarting from a 4-1 runaround at Liverpool. Yes, Liverpool were much-improved and benefitted from some cheap goals, but Swansea were way below their best. That, worryingly, was their third defeat in five games since beating QPR. Away from home, theyve picked up only one further maximum since the opening day. The tight geography of Loftus Road should ensure a much different game to that at the Liberty. That night, Jefferson Montero and Wayne Routledge wreaked havoc in wide positions, supported by full-backs Jazz Richards and Neil Taylor. At the tight, compact home of QPR its unlikely the wingers will have the same opportunities. I nearly managed to get through an entire QPR preview without mention of Charlie Austin, but the fact that hes scored or been directly involved in two thirds of his teams goals this season suggests that, once again, hes the man the opposition must nullify. #QPR #SCFC #Hoops #Swans #QPRSWA #EPL
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 14:49:08 +0000
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