Charlton v QPR | 22nd Feb 2014 | Preview

The approach and journey of these two clubs in recent seasons could not be more contrast.

At one end of the table we have a club that has believed the best approach to progression is by throwing a gazillion pounds at it. At the other end is a club that has gone through a round of reducing its comparatively tiny budget, and then extended that further by offloading its better players without properly replacing.

The difference between the two squads is utterly ridiculous, and the result in theory should be a straight forward conclusion.

In theory.

Fortunately The Championship is a bonkers division where results are not as easily won on paper as they are in other leagues.

The Opposition

The arrival of Ravel Morrison this week sees QPR’s squad burst to 31 in number, and carries with it a wage bill that must be verging on the obscene.

Their squad is as follows:

Rob Green, Danny Simpson, Armand Traore, Richard Dunne, Clint Hill, Matt Phillips, Andy Johnson, Charlie Austin, Tom Carroll, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Will Keane, Suk-Young Yun, Kevin Doyle, Nedum Onuoha, Jermaine Jenas, Joey Barton, Aaron Hughes, Niko Kranjcar, Karl Henry, Luke Young, David Hoilett, Bobby Zamora, Brian Murphy, Max Ehmer, Alejandro Faurlin, Julio Cesar (on loan to Toronto), Yossi Benayoun, Gary O’Neil, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Modibo Maiga.

I dread to think what the comparative difference in budget must be, and I doubt I could guess to the nearest £10m. ‘Bare bones’ is not an expression I’d expect old ‘Arry to be quoting anytime soon.

Much is made of Redknapp’s love of an attacking player, but it is at the back where the platform has been built. QPR have conceded the least goals in the division, and a back five of Rob Green, Aaron Hughes, Richard Dunne, Clint Hill and Assou-Ekoto is steady and packed with serious Premiership experience.

Rangers will be missing the goals of Charlie Austin and the unpredictability of Joey Barton. Kevin Doyle and Ravel Morrison certainly seem capable of filling the void.

What to watch ?



The potential crèche of emerging talent in the middle of our boggy pitch. It is unlikely that Powell will start them as a pairing, but Jordan Cousins (19) and Diego Poyet could be up against the older and more experienced pair of Premiership loanees Tom Carroll (21) and Ravel Morrison (21). Chuck in Callum Harriott (19) and Junior Hoylett (23) and the half time oranges could well be replaced with Fruit Shoots.

Poor old Johnnie Jackson will feel like Corporal Jones in the middle of that lot



The Line Up

Gawd knows.

Chris Powell hasn’t a clue what his best line-up currently is. But in fairness, nor do any of us.

The squad has been having to go through a bizarre transition in recent weeks without actually playing any games. Rangers have been favouring a 4-2-3-1 line up, but with Kermorgant now gone and Peter Parsley not really featured as yet, we don’t seem to have a natural ‘1’ to lead with at this stage. The tried and trusted 4-4-2 is likely to favoured.

Reza I suspect will get another home outing up top, whether he is partnered by Starvin Marvin, Church or Polish Pete is anyone’s guess.

The full backs is also a lottery to predict. Will Nego return on the right allowing Wilson to push forward, or will we have the defensive Wilson / Cousins combo on the right?

On the left, surely the clearly confidence-starved Evina won’t get another crack at it, but will the inexperience of Fox or Lennon be too much of a concern up against the impressive Hoylett ?

Prediction

With a transitional and weakened squad, unfamiliar with each other’s game and desperately lacking match sharpness, the moneybags of Rangers is quite possibly the last game Charlton could want this weekend to try and halt four successive defeats and get back on the wagon. Equally, Rangers wiil see Charlton as the perfect potential recovery after a little wobble.

This wlll be seeing a '2' on a lot of coupons up and down the country, and it is hard to put up a decent argument against.

In theory.

What do you reckon 'Arry ?