Bristol City 2 QPR 0

Last updated : 08 February 2002 By

1-0 down...
The cover of ITL 152 at the start of the season suggested: ‘Time to board the roller coaster'. I never expected the season to be quite so full of ups and downs though. Up, down, up, down, up and now down again. It can only mean we're due another up very soon, but games are running out. There's just 14 left and we need 8 wins to be sure of a play-off spot.

At the moment, that look's a tall order. Our cause won't be helped if we continue to play the wrong formation and tactics, but if Ian Holloway can't see that, we might as well start planning now for another season in division two.

At least Langley was back, although with Peacock ruled out Holloway's hand was forced. Langley played well, the best of a mixed bunch of performers, with City comfortably earning the three points with the match half over.

We were too slow off the blocks as City attacked us at all angles, with Murray causing Murphy all sorts of problems down the right. Both goals weren't helped by slack defending and a lack of a raised flag for offside for the second, but City deserved them.

There wasn't much change in proceedings by the time of the double substitution of Warren and Thomson for Murphy and Pacquette, but neither could do much to change the game. At the moment Thomson is suffering his worst spell of his QPR career — no goals in five games is hardly a crisis, but goals are what he thrives on more than anything. His assists tally certainly could do with some improving.

We created a few half-chances, but we looked a team devoid of any finishing practice in training. Overall, Digby gave the match a less damaging scoreline, but what we really need to be analysing is the performance, and at the moment we're just not producing.

QPR: 4-4-2 – Digby 7 – Forbes 7, Palmer 6, Shittu 6, Murphy 6 (57mins Warren 6) – Doudou 6 (79mins Connolly 6), Rose 6, Langley 8, Griffiths 6 – Pacquette 6 (57mins Thomson 6), Gallen 7. SNU: Evans, Bonnot.