QPR welcome Aston villa to Loftus Road on Friday for a mid-table clash in the Championship. QPR’s 7-1 defeat to West Brom was the pick of a bad bunch of results in the first four games for Steve McClaren’s side at the start of the season. The Hoops lost four games and conceded 13 goals in the process. Quick wins over Wigan, Bolton and Millwall ensured they didn’t spend too long at the foot of the table.
More recent victories have propelled them further up the league arguably earning them the status of the most improved side in the Championship. They have recorded wins against Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich and Reading in three of their last four games while drawing against Derby. Their biggest win coming this week, a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, despite having only 37% ball possession. They have also kept a third clean sheet in four games. QPR are definitely a team on the rise.
Aston Villa earned a playoff place last season but are playing like a shadow of that side. They are 16th in the league and are the definition of a mid-table team. They are as close to a playoff position as they are to relegation. The 3-3 draw with Preston North End ended Steve Bruce’s tenure as manager in charge of the team. Lifelong Villa fan, Dean Smith was brought in from Brentford to lead the team with John Terry as assistant. He began his tenure with a 1-0 win over Swansea but lost his second game in charge 1-2 to Norwich in midweek. Smith and his boys should be raring to go again.
In the more recent head-to-head meetings between these two sides, Aston Villa have 3 wins to QPR’s 2 and a draw in those 6 meetings. Last season both teams secured away wins with Villa wining 2-1 at Loftus Road while Rangers defeated Villa 3-1 at Villa Park.
Team News
21-year old Olamide Shodipo is out till December with a thigh injury for QPR. Steve McClaren elected not to change a winning side by fielding the same starting eleven on Tuesday as the one that won away at Ipswich on Saturday. Three games in six days is likely to be too much for some of his players with McClaren expected to rotate his side a bit. 33-year old Geoff Cameron on loan from Stoke City will likely be rested for Josh Scowen to come in. Nahki Wells may also come in for Tomer Hemed after ending his goalless run in midweek. Ebere Eze will most definitely start. The Hoops creative burden will rest firmly on his shoulders.
Tammy Abraham is a doubt for this game after going off inured with a head injury before the hour mark in Villa’s loss to Norwich on Tuesday. Either Scott Hogan or Jonathan Kodija should replace him. Harry McKirdy is out with a knock while Keinan Davis is also out with a groin injury. Albert Adomah picked up a knee injury on Tuesday and is unavailable while Yannick Bolasie is available for selection after his midweek rest. John McGinn is also back from suspension.
Verdict
QPR’s rise up the table has been on the back of a very good defensive record and Aston Villa are not a high scoring side either. This looks like a low scoring affair and the momentum is in favour of the Hoops. Aston Villa don’t look like knocking the wind out of QPR’s sails. Aston Villa are a different side this season, they are much worse and I expect the misery to continue with a loss to QPR, prediction is 1-0 to QPR
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