Steven Caulker and Christian Benteke keep their eyes on the ball at Loftus Road. How Queens Park Rangers needed this result. Harry Redknapp has cut a disconsolate figure for the most part of this season but two goals from Charlie Austin lifted them off the foot of the Premier League, securing only their second victory of the campaign and extending Villa’s terrible winless run.
And all without Adel Taarabt, the Moroccan midfielder whose weight has dominated headlines this past week and even prompted Tony Fernandes, the Rangers owner, to speak with both player and manager about bringing embarrassment on the club. Any talk of three stone was off the agenda here, exchanged for celebrations of a crucial three points that could kick-start QPR’s season.
This was certainly not a classic and, for Villa, it was a fifth successive defeat, all of them without scoring. Paul Lambert’s side started well, but for all but a single 15-minute spell they showed little sign of ever breaking through their opponents’ backline.
It had previously been a week to forget for Rangers. One in which Taarabt took to baring his stomach – or lack of one – to the press, following accusations from Redknapp that the midfielder was overweight and “the worst professional” he had ever seen.
Redknapp and Taarabt’s mud-slinging was an unwelcome sideshow in the aftermath of a bitterly disappointing defeat to Liverpool, a game that had seen QPR play remarkably well other than the fatal errors in defence. Needless to say, Taarabt did not make the squad here.
It was Villa who settled first yet a soft underbelly proved costly again following a first half that swung from end to end at a frenetic tempo, although the quality of play was often uninspiring. QPR’s defence was all at sea for the opening 15 minutes but Redknapp’s side survived the early pressure despite an array of sloppy mistakes.
First it was Yun Suk-Young who stumbled in possession and gave away a corner, then on the opposite flank Mauricio Isla’s heavy back-pass forced Green into a hasty clearance. Ashley Westwood shot straight at Green, while Villa’s bright young midfielder Carlos Sánchez volleyed at the Rangers goalkeeper after 15 minutes.
When QPR’s goal came, it was against the run of play. They had, in fact, barely threatened but Richard Dunne’s raking long ball from defence found its target in Bobby Zamora, the striker demonstrating great balance and strength to beat Ron Vlaar in the air and lay the ball off to Austin, whose strike was low and pure into Brad Guzan’s bottom right corner.
They may have not deserved it, but Loftus Road was rocking. Christian Benteke’s flicked header almost equalised immediately but the Villa striker could not quite make enough contact on a Westwood delivery. As the half-time whistle blew, it marked eight hours without a Premier League goal for Lambert’s side.
It is not difficult to understand why Villa have failed to break opponents down of late. Granted, their recent run of defeats has come against teams at the top end of the division, but too often Benteke was left isolated here, with only Agbonlahor providing any semblance of attacking verve in the final third.
And when the opportunities did come, they were squandered. A free kick from deep was hung up to the far post in the 56th minute, aimed at Benteke, and the Belgian forward nodded the ball across goal to Ciaran Clark. However, the centre-half was unable to make decisive contact from inside the six-yard box. Benteke and Joe Cole later got in each other’s way when attacking a cross from the right.
Junior Hoilett was brought on by QPR with a little over an hour played and almost made an immediate impact. The midfielder received the ball down the left flank in the 67th minute, drifted inside and curled a delightful effort towards the top corner, only to see his shot rebound back off Guzan’s left-hand post.
Rangers did not have to wait long for a second, though. It was again a simple goal, but brilliantly executed. Sánchez, so bright in the opening half, gave the ball away in midfield and Vargas broke swiftly down the right, pulling it back to the near post where Austin sprinted across his marker to finish with a deft touch in the 69th minute.
Villa’s profligacy extended into the latter stages. Tom Cleverley’s fierce volley was saved well by Green in the 80th minute and Clark could not finish the rebound. It summed up their miserable night.
