QPR v Latics Preview

Roberto Martinez takes his Latics side to Loftus Road this afternoon to face Mark Hughes in his first home game in charge of QPR.

The West London side are in the bottom three with us and took the drastic step of replacing Neil Warnock with Hughes to try and halt the slide back to the Championship.

The Latics away form has been quite good of late and they will go into the game without any fear, but without doubt this will be a tough encounter with both clubs desperate for the points, I can see the Latics getting something from the game though, it'll be a long journey home if we don't!

Latics boss Roberto Martinez:

'Mark is a hugely experienced Manager.

'He sets his teams up really well defensively - they're always very solid.

'Going forward, he will have them as flexible as possible.

'He will need time to settle down, but we know to expect a really tough game down there this weekend.'

QPR boss Mark Hughes

'We're all mindful of the significance of this game, as well as the next six or seven that follow.

'A positive result at the weekend will set us up nicely for the games that lie ahead.

'We're aware of the need to get points on the board sooner rather than later and if we can start winning games now, that will help us when we come up against the so-called bigger boys towards the latter stages of the campaign.'

Adel Taarabt and Armand Traore are on international duty at the ACN, Danny Gabbidon is a dout, Joey Barton returns from suspension

QPR from: Paddy Kenny, Luke Young, Danny Gabbidon, Anton Ferdinand, Clint Hill, Jamie Mackie, Shaun Derry, Akos Buzsaky, Federico Macheda, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Heidar Helguson, Tommy Smith, Jay Bothroyd, Joey Barton, Fitz Hall

Vital QPR say: - In recent weeks, I think Shaun Wright-Phillips has been our brightest player.

Granted, he lacks a bit of composure in the final third but his workrate and movement unsettles defenders, which is more than what Jay Bothroyd has been doing of late.

Under Mark Hughes, we have looked much more organised, which does create a solid base for the likes of Wright-Phillips to have freedom going forward.

In all honesty, he has been very unlucky not to have opened his account but a lot of it has to be down to poor technique and composure, which is sometimes affected by confidence - a component that has been sorely missing in the side this season.

JackSupple Vital QPR

Dave Jones is a doubt with a calf strain, Momo Diame is away at the ACN

Latics probable: Ali Al-Habsi, Ronnie Stam, Gary Caldwell, Antolin Alcaraz, Maynor Figueroa, James McCarthy, James McArthur, Jordi Gomez, Albert Crusat, Victor Moses, Hugo Rodallega

Emmerson Boyce, Franco Di Santo and Ben Watson will also be pushing for starts.

Hugo looked fresh against City, hopefully he can find the back of the net today


By permission of Bernard Platt/Wigan Athletic

Latics and QPR have met seven times

Latics have 2 wins, QPR 2, draws 3

Last six meetings
27/08/11 - Premier League - Latics 2 QPR 0
3/04/05 - Championship - Latics 0 QPR 0
3/11/04 - Championship - QPR 1 Latics 0
2/03/03 - Division 2 - QPR 0 Latics 1
9/10/02 - Division 2 - Latics 1 QPR 1
6/02/02 - Division 2 - QPR 1 Latics 1

Jon Moss (W/Yorks)

Why not take a look at our 'Meet The Ref' article

Jon Moss Card Watch 2011/12

Games - 20, yellows - 74, reds - 9

Head says 1-1

Heart sats 1-2 Latics win, as always going with the heart

Premier League

Spurs v Latics
White Hart Lane
Tuesday
31/01/12
7:45pm

Latics v Everton
DW Stadium
Saturday
4/02/12
3pm

walk4emma
DW to Reebok
Saturday
11/02/12
10:30am













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