Queens Park Rangers vs Charlton AthleticSaturday 30th August 2025 - 12:30pm Kick-OffReferee: Andrew KitchenIntroductionIt was with a mixture of annoyance, and predictability that saw Charlton bow out of the League Cup on Tuesday night to lower league opposition, meaning that one of two cup distractions are out the way, allowing us to focus on the true goal come next May... Championship Survival... This Saturday we travel to our first London Derby of the campaign, and face a side we'll likely be battling with, come the business end of the season.
The OppositionName: Queens Park Rangers (22nd) - Manager: Julien StéphanGround: Loftus RoadLast Result: Coventry 7-1 QPRQueens Park Rangers come into this game, having not had the distraction of playing in the League Cup in midweek (they lost 3-2 at Plymouth Argyle in the First Round), meaning that they'll have a full squad of rested players to choose from, and boy did they need the time on training ground.
Last weeks humiliating 7-1 defeat at the hands of Coventry City was never going to look good for Julien Stéphan who stepped into the hot seat at Loftus Road in the summer, after the previous Manager: Martí Cifuentes departed for Leicester City... Stéphan's CV is short, having risen through the coaching ranks at Rennes in France, where he started out as their U19 Manager in 2012. He had a brief period away from Rennes at Strasbourg, after guiding Les Rennais to their first Champions League campaign, which ended with the French side recording 1-pt in a Group involving Chelsea, Seville and Krasnodar.
Yet its that defeat at Coventry that QPR will need to bounce back from, and will be looking for their first victory this season having lost at Watford as well... Our opponents have just the one point in fact, coming on the opening day in their sole game at Loftus Road this season, a 1-1 draw with Preston.
In terms of the playing squad, and QPR have picked up some familiar faces in Kwame Poku and Richard Kone, who I'm sure will be dreading the prospect of facing Kayne Ramsay and Lloyd Jones once more. Yet Kone did score on his debut in the 7-1 drubbing last time out, so will still be dangerous to face. Whilst there will equally be potential reunions for Sam Field and Paul Smyth, given their previous loan exploits in a Charlton shirt.
Charlton Team NewsWell... I doubt we'll be seeing many of those from Tuesday night in the starting eleven this coming weekend. It means that Charlie Kelman, who looked sharper against Cambridge United, will probably have to settle for a place on the bench against his previous Employer... To be honest though its surely always going to take a lot for anyone to be dropped from the eleven that lined up against Leicester City, given the effort that was put in against the Foxes.
One thing is clear... For many Addicks fans, anything less than a decent result, will be even more disappointing given the nature of the display against Cambridge United on Tuesday evening... Despite the fact that the starting eleven's for both sides will be well rested, whilst our hosts should equally be hungry to avenge the result from last weekend's visit to the Ricoh Arena.
Kaminski
Ramsay - Jones - Bell
Apter - Coventry - Docherty - Edwards
Carey
Leaburn - Campbell
Subs: Mannion - Gillesphey - Fullah - Mitchell - Knibbs - Mwamba - Costello - Kelman - Olaofe
Comments
God knows what to expect from them after the Coventry defeat. Hopefully the Leicester game has taught us a lesson in the importance of being quick and clinical going forward. I do feel we competed against Leicester, but on reflection, we didn’t do enough to carve them open. It might sound harsh given the level of performance we put in, and on another day the chances may have gone in, but this is the reality of the division we are in now. This is a winnable game on paper and one we need to be fired up for
What about red cards?
The rules regarding red cards are more complex as they are not competition-specific. That means a red card received in the Premier League could lead to a player missing a cup game.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4901178/2023/09/27/yellow-red-cards-suspensions-premier-league-fa-carabao-cup/QPR are struggling especially after the Coventry humiliation. They have strengthened since then, and will be ultra keen not to lose to a London rival
A low scoring draw i m o, unless our strikers can suddenly find some form in front of goal.
This could be a right tear up of a game
Forget how we played on Tuesday as NJ made 11 changes for that game and will probably go back to the team that started against Leicester.
The way QPR played last weekend shows they are in a real mess at the moment and even if they do play better this coming Saturday I believe if Charlton play with the same commitment and determination as we did against Leicester we should have little problems against this lot.
QPR 1 Charlton 3
As far as team selection Kelman showed a lot of good things on Tuesday and could have had a couple of goals he has to start against his former club .. he not going to break his duck sitting on the bench, but who does he replace Leaburn or Campbell, surely if Campbell survives again this has to be his last chance to perform…
My head says cert draw …. My heart says sneaky win ?
I too think it will be tight and probably settled by the odd goal.
Score first and the game is yours. Hope it's us.
PS. Would love Kelman to come on and score the winner, for his confidence and to silence a few
But, our system works better with him in that role. He’s better than Olaofe at drifting out to the left, and having him and Apter on either flank is so crucial to us. If either are up against 2 players then we work the ball to the other side so the other is then in a 1v1. Taking Campbell out makes us a worse team, but at some point he needs a break. I would start him on Saturday but please don’t make him play the full game again
Charlton dont really get mentioned, but bit of a little piece on QPR's Manager
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