Spurs v QPR - Opposition Fan Forum Views, Pub Ammo & Team News

Venturing into the QPR forums, I find, as I always do in these opposition fan previews, a mix of optimism and realism. The optimists are pointing out that nobody expected they would beat Chelsea last week, the realists pointing out that nobody really expected Fulham to batter them 6-0 at the start of October either. The one thing that jumps out to me, is that these QPR fans are unbelievably blinkered. They beat Chelsea in their big west London derby, and they are obviously riding on a wave of optimism, but they all seem to be forgetting that Chelsea had 9 men. And if you can't beat or "hang-on" against a team with 9 men, you really don't deserve to call yourself a premier league team.

Another example of blinkering, is with the talented but "high-maintenance" Adel Taarabt. Borrowing one of the stats from the pub ammo section below: "Adel Taarabt has failed to score in his last 11 league and cup games for Rangers. His last goal came in a 2-0 win at Watford on 30 April, a result which confirmed QPR as Championship winners. Taarabt has failed to score in 18 previous Premier League appearances (including nine for Tottenham)."

Adel, has not, like he promised, set the Premier League on fire and invited interest from top teams. His low point this year was undoubtedly against Fulham, as he left the ground at half time because he was not on the pitch and couldn't be bothered to stick around. This led to new signing Joey Barton telling the media he thought Taarabt was a bit petulant. Now, I'm not holding Barton up as a bastion of all that is right in the  world, but you can't really argue with that. Turns out Warnock and the QPR fans can. Warnock said Barton was out of order, the QPR fans are still quite happy for Warnock to stick with Adel on the pitch every game, put up with his shit on the pitch and his angling for a move to a bigger club off it, in the hope he comes good on his promises. Especially against us, as he has a "point to prove". A prime example of a player being bigger than the club. So much so, that I saw a few QPR fans refer to their team as Team Taarabt. Tongue in cheek I'm sure, but not a good thing. Still, when a child is told by everyone in his life that he's amazing, "the next Zidane", the greatest thing since sliced bread, they're going to develop an ego to match. He has a point to prove against everyone, not just Spurs.

Anyway, back to the game in hand. The QPR fans reckon that Modric and Parker will be too strong in the midfield and can't really see them getting anything out of this game.
QPR Fans Predictions: Spurs Win - 70%, Draw - 20%, QPR Win - 10%

Pub Ammo
Spurs did the double over QPR in the last season that Rangers were in the Premier League, winning 1-0 at home and 3-2 at Loftus Road in the 1995-96 campaign.
-Spurs have lost just one of their last 20 Premier League games at White Hart Lane (1-5 v Man City).
-They have scored at least twice in each of their last six league matches.
-Rafa VDV is now one shy of equalling the club record for scoring in most successive Premier League games - five - achieved twice by Robbie Keane and once by Teddy Sheringham.
-Spurs' total of 16 points from eight games is their joint-best start to a Premier League season.
-Sixteen points from the last 18 is Tottenham's best run of form since January 2005.
-Emmanuel Adebayor has played against six London clubs in the Premier League and netted at least once against all of them.
-Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 16 league London derbies at home. (W10, D6).
-Neil Warnock's side have yet to win a league game after conceding the opening goal this season, losing three of four matches when their opponents scored first.
-Adel Taarabt has failed to score in his last 11 league and cup games for Rangers. His last goal came in a 2-0 win at Watford on 30 April, a result which confirmed QPR as Championship winners. Taarabt has failed to score in 18 previous Premier League appearances (including nine for Tottenham).

Team News
"Pienaar (groin), Gallas (calf), Sandro (calf) and King (groin) could all be available to face Rangers in the 4pm kick-off at the Lane. Corluka (foot), Kranjcar (thigh), Dawson (Achilles) and Huddlestone (ankle) remain sidelined." Bloody hell! Some choice with defenders maybe. A difficult one though, obviously I don't know just how fit King and Gallas are, and assuming they both werent injury prone, they'd clearly be our first choice center back pairing. But seeing as thou they are, they shouldn't be. The other talking point is VDV v Defoe. Regular readers of this site will know I've been saying we should be playing the in form Defoe instead of VDV, but with VDV also in form, (5 goals from 4 games) you can't really drop him either. Lennon and Bale for me are on thin ice and need to pick up their form. Here's my team:

Friedel

Walker   Kaboul   (Whoever it fittest of Gallas & King)   BAE

Lennon   Parker   Modric   Bale

VDV 

Adebayor

QPR were lucky against Chelsea, and whilst they are solidly mid table at the moment,we should have enough to beat them given our current run of form. 3-1 Spurs. COYS!

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