Sunderland 0 - 2 QPR

Sunderland 0 - 2 QPR

QPR: Leroy Fer 17, Bobby Zamora 45 +0:50




Who needs Michael Laudrup or anyone else Tony Fernandes might have in mind as QPR’s next manager when Chris Ramsey is in the dugout?

The visiting caretaker’s new coaching partnership with Kevin Bond appeared a potentially relegation preventing formula as Harry Redknapp’s old team responded to a tactical revamp by collecting their first away points of the campaign. It should be no surprise that the travelling hoodoo was broken on Wearside. Sunderland have won only two Premier League games here all season and were plunged right back into a survival struggle.

Sunderland have frequently been awful at home this season but they can rarely have started a game as badly as this. For what seemed an eternity at the start of the first half, Gus Poyet’s team struggled to retain the ball for more than a few seconds as QPR pressed them high up the pitch. With Niko Kranjcar and Bobby Zamora both seeing shots deflected and Joey Barton – his every touch booed in true pantomime villain fashion – shooting over the bar from distance, Ramsey’s new attacking strategy appeared to be working.

Poyet had earlier cast doubt on theories that QPR would go the entire season without collecting a single point on the road and they seemed hell-bent on not only proving him right but securing an inaugural away win. A shocked 17th-minute silence engulfed the Stadium of Light as Matt Phillips escaped Liam Bridcutt and directed a deep cross in the direction of Leroy Fer. Operating as a second striker behind Bobby Zamora, Fer capitalised on slapdash marking to power a header beyond Costel Pantilimon. In the technical area Ramsey and Bond looked almost stunned at seeing things going quite so swimmingly and appeared unsure quite how to react.

Gradually Sunderland fans rediscovered their voice. Harsh in tone, it alternated jeers and groans with some cuttingly caustic advice for Poyet’s side. With the normally reliable Sebastian Larsson giving the ball away cheaply something was clearly very wrong and QPR could not quite believe that they had not doubled their lead in the 29th minute. When Phillips cut the ball back, the impressive Fer unleashed a clever shot which struck the inside of a post and then rolled, tantalisingly, across the goalline before trickling to safety. For a man who had just experienced a significant reprieve, Poyet could hardly have looked more miserable.

Yet awkward as his players were finding Phillips, Fer, Zamora and the dynamically disruptive Barton, they did enjoy the odd moment in the attacking sun. While Patrick van Aanholt should probably have done better than shoot over from close range after connecting with a decent cross from his fellow full-back Anthony Réveillère, there were also claims for a handball penalty against Yun Suk-young.

Even so with Rio Ferdinand rolling back the years to subdue his old England team-mate Jermain Defoe, Robert Green was only really called to arms once in the opening half, making a wonderful save to deny Connor Wickham following Adam Johnson’s fine cross.

Unfortunately for Poyet, Zamora was having a greater attacking impact at the other end. When Santiago Vergini stood off him as the interval beckoned, the centre-forward met yet another cross from Phillips and swivelled imperiously before beating Pantilimon on the half volley. It was a fabulously executed goal but Sunderland’s manager was entitled to ask precisely why Phillips was being permitted so much room to do such damage with his crossing.

Ramsey, though, had to withdraw a suddenly struggling Phillips early in the second half, replacing him with Shaun Wright-Phillips. It was the winger’s first Premier League appearance for two years and he looked suitably off the pace.

On a night when the tendrils of mist beginning to swirl across the pitch matched the enduring lack of clarity in their play, Sunderland struggled to take advantage. Although Green reacted well to deny Defoe, it was becoming horribly apparent how much they were missing the injured Lee Cattermole. If relegation is to be avoided Cattermole – whose knee problem is expected to sideline him for another couple of weeks – will surely have a lot to do with it.

Granted it took another stellar save from Green to repel Ricardo Álvarez’s swerving shot but despite increasing tiredness Ferdinand and company held firm. The only sour note for Ramsey was the sight of the excellent Fer being carried off with a serious looking knee injury.


Guardian