Promoted team analysis – QPR
Today we begin a series of articles examining the three teams promoted to the Premier League from the Championship. Leicester won the league and automatic promotion quite emphatically in the end with 102 points which was 9 ahead of Burnley in second who also now join them in the top division. In contrast QPR were 22 points off the leaders but still managed to gain promotion via the play-offs courtesy of a Bobby Zamora Wembley winner. Surely such a point gap would suggest that that QPR will be the least well equipped to survive in the big league? Let’s find out…
Last season:
Fourth in Championship (promoted via play-offs)
85 points
Won 23
Drew 11
Lost 12
Scored 60 (joint second lowest in the top half of the Championship)
Conceded 44
Previous season in Premier League:
2012-13 season – 20th (relegated)
For a while West Brom were the archetypal yo-yo club – more recently you could read QPR for that. This coming season they are back in the Premier League for the second time in three seasons. Even ‘Harry Houdini’ as he has been coined, couldn’t prevent the slip into the second rung the last time they were in the Premier League. They’ll be looking to consolidate this season and a worse-off 17th position would do for them.
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The Manager – Harry Redknapp.
Promoted team analysis – QPR
‘Arrys’ back! And he’s done it again – he has got his man – Rio Ferdinand. Add to this, he already has Richard Dunne and Clint Hill and only recently let go of Luke Young and Aaron Hughes – he likes to rely on experience, particularly of the league, which is of course, vital. It was no secret that the last squad was he inherited at The R’s wasn’t one he would have put his name to but he slowly shipped out the under-performers and brought in, mostly on loans and short-term deals, players to get him out of the Championship. He did this on 24th May when a Bobby Zamora last minute goal secured victory over Derby County in the play-off final. This despite finishing five points behind Derby who were in 3rd in the regular season – oh the joys of the play-offs!
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The Players
GOALKEEPERS
Robert Green (4.5) – laugh all you like (and you will), but you would have to think that Green is the most set-in-stone GK in the FPL this season – currently he only has a two-appearance understudy and youth team keepers challenging him. Julio Cesar is on loan at Toronto FC and as we know was the goalkeeper who let in 7 goals in the World Cup semi-final. As a little pointer – Green rotates quite nicely with Julian Speroni of Palace until around the middle of October.
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DEFENDERS
Simpson/Ferdinand/Caulker/Traore
Steven Caulker from Cardiff isn’t confirmed just yet but when he is I’d wager he’ll be in the region of £5.5m. Many think he is one of the brightest centre backs for England of recent times and that it was vital that he remained in the Premier League for his own career. And what about him playing alongside a player he has modelled his game on? That would seem to be what is going to happen with the news of the arrival of the ‘other’ Ferdinand (they’ve had Anton and Les already down Loftus Road). Rio Ferdinand may not play every minute of every game but his experience will be vital to develop Caulker and also to organise and galvanise those around him. He should be backed up by Richard Dunne who himself has a wealth of experience in the Premier League. Even if the Caulker deal doesn’t materialise, then as long as Rio stays fit they should be OK in the centre back areas. Dunne played 45 league matches last season to prove his durability and stamina.
The right full back should be Danny Simpson and it is the other side where it is fraught with fantasy prospect danger. Clint Hill, Yun Suk-Young, Armand Traore (listed as a MID) or Nedum Onuoha could all stake claims for the left wing-back position now Assou-Ekotto is back with Tottenham.
QPR kept 17 clean sheets in the Championships regular season and two in their three play-off matches including the final. Between August and October they kept eight clean sheets in a row.
With Green, Ferdinand and Dunne – they will have lots of experience and could provide you with a nice fourth or fifth defender for your teams.
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MIDFIELDERS
Taarabt/Barton/Phillips/Hoilett
Adel Taarabt – remember him? The man who was on loan at Fulham previously (and a favourite for some in FFL) he then went on loan again to er . . . . AC Milan! Costing £5.5m he can turn a game single-handedly, but then walk through every other game until his next ‘worldy’. Too risky for many, but 5 goals and 5 assists in his last season in the top league with the Hoops.
I may suggest Junior Hoilett here – £5.0m the Hoops’ top assister in the Championship last season (only six mind you) and four goals. But in three previous seasons in the Premier League the Canuck has 14 goals and ten assists including a best 7 goals and 6 assists whilst with Blackburn in 2011/12. Joey Barton, or rather ‘Mr Joseph Anthony Barton’ as he is regularly referred to by the courts is back in the Premier League via France and the Championship. Last seen attempting to assault most of Man City’s title winning team of 2012 in that final day decider, bad old Joey is back. Now we are not suggesting for one second that you invest any hard earned fantasy money in the violent scally but at £5.0m and quite possibly on set plays and likely to notch the odd goal you could actually do a lot worse as a 5th mid. But if they introduce GBH and common assault into the bonus system then he will be FPL gold.
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FORWARDS
Remy/Austin
Loic Remy currently has 20.5% ownership and that isn’t a surprise if he stays with QPR and within the EPL come the first day. This is based on his 14 goals for Newcastle last season. He is a proven scorer at this level and a long-time Arsenal target. He is the same fantasy value as Fernando Torres (but we can’t hold that against him – please no one let the man know that for goodness sake, it could destroy him).
Charlie Austin – 17 in 31 in his first full season at QPR. He will be looking to make up for lost time, having failed a medical at Hull City whilst with Burnley – this is his first pop at the big time. Austin may well be the next Rickie Lambert – the type to score goals at any level he finds himself at. I see him getting a lot of game time even with Remy back. On penalty kick duty as well and could prove great value at £6m.
The back-up here will be Bobby Zamora £4.5m – old Bobby wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you only had 4.5 left and he was being kept for your bench. He should see a lot of appearances from the bench – which, if you remember Adam Le Fondre for Reading – could still lead to some decent returns.
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Fixtures
QPR have Hull, Sunderland and Stoke as their first three home matches – hardly a horrendous hand been dealt there. But interspersed are two away trips across London to White Hart Lane and Old Trafford (sic) which probably do not hold much fantasy interest, but it is that second match which Rio will have already circled in his diary.
After that it is two away on the bounce (Southampton and another London derby at West Ham) followed by two consecutive home matches – Aston Villa may hold no fear but before that it is Liverpool, which takes them to the end of October.
Summary
I’d be surprised if many fantasy managers plan to have three (or even two) QPR players, but it seems a third striker or a center back may be the most attractive position to invest in. Unless you are a Brentford, Fulham or Chelsea fan, then you surely won’t mind if QPR stay up for a longer spell this time, if only for Harry Redknapp. The league is better with him in it for sure. The R’s are a nice little club playing in a lovely little matchbox style stadium which always looks busy and tremendously atmospheric especially when they score and the music system plays the . . . DO DO DE DO . . .and the Superhoops fans respond “HOOPS” emphatically. Simple things like that define a club and its fans. They’ll be hoping to be singing aplenty this season.
BANTERBURY SHIELD QUALIFICATION 2014/15
For coming season , we will give everyone a chance to Qualify for this tournament, but as the main is for teams to earn a place in the 4 Banterbury leagues ! This is still were a majority of places, will come from ,Last season the top 4 from all 4 the Banterbury main leagues on Christmas Day Qualified for the Group Stages, As from this season,We are giving those in the Qualification Leagues a chance to be involved
This is how Qualification will be achieved
Premier – Top 3 at Christmas Qualify automatically 4th place enter Play-off
Championship – Top 3 at Christmas Qualify automatically 4th place enter Play-off
League 1 – Top 3 at Christmas Qualify automatically 4th enter place Play-off
League 2 – Top 3 at Christmas Qualify automatically 4th enter place Play-off
*** Please note if Gallowgates ( last season winners ) fail to qualify they will meet the worse placed overall team from the Qualification leagues or 4th placed team from main leagues on Boxing day in a one of tie, to give him a chance to defend his title ***
League A Qualification – 1st place at Christmas enter play-off
League B Qualification – 1st place at Christmas enter play-off
League C Qualification – 1st place at Christmas enter play-off
League D Qualification – 1st place at Christmas enter play-off
Play-offs – the play-offs between the 4th placed teams Banterbury Leagues & the 1st placed teams from Qualification Leagues, will meet in a 2 legged one off match-up with the win earning their place in the Group stage of the Competition in the New year, The Play-offs will take place in between Christmas & New Year
Group Stages
There will be 4 groups and all 4 will be seeded so no one from the same Banterbury League will meet at this stage, there are 6 group games ,Teams playing each other twice,the top 2 from each group qualify for the Knock-out stages
Knock-out Stages
Quarter Finals – will be played over 2 legs
Semi Finals – will be played over 2 legs
Final – with be a one of game to be played last game-week of the season
Thanks Bench@banterburyleagues
That is some great work Bench! Looks like a lot of tough work. You should open a beer fund for all your hard work. 😉
haha wot a great idea mito ! anyone wish to donate :big-lol:
Good man Bench. Top stuff.
Am I the only one to have read that Drogba is to sign for Chelsea this week?? According to L’Equipe (http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Drogba-revient-a-chelsea/484114) its a sure thing. At 36 can he still be considered fpl wise…I wonder? He could mentor Costa into becoming a proper beast…this Chelsea team is scary good.
I heard he was only signing as an attacking coach or something like that under Mourinho.
Sky reporting that it’s a player-coach role that is being discussed.
Well funny thing is that in the article it states that Chelsea needs a powerful center forward. A bit odd considering they now have Costa! 😛 But he should sign for at least 1 year and then he will eb able to integrate the coaching staff…but hey this is French reporting so maybe it is better to wait for chelsea, bbc or sky to make it official…
What do we think Cahill or Terry
John Terry all day, every day.
JT.
I think Cahill has more security of starts at the moment.
I am thinking Ivanovic could re integrate a CB position oddly enough and it would not surprise me. Filipe Luis and Azpi taking the left and right back spots. Cahill and Ivanovic as CBs and perhaps rotation between Ivanovic/Terry according to the opposition Chelsea face. Terry would be still very important but maybe his age may play against him (even tough he seems so fit…). Cahill was in the PL team of the year last year. Well hey that only my weird thinking but I do not know if any defenders are nailed yet…time will tell!
I agree and think Terry is a bit lazy compared to Cahill, now I’ve said that though he’ll probably be one of the highest scoring defenders!
Haha probs! Mourinho will play a bit with our minds and now that his mentor LVG has come to the PL he will also have play 3 CB’s at the back just because he can. So Terry, Ivanovic and Cahill can all chillax and play 90 minutes every week haha!
:thumbup:
Cahill for me….but i’m definitely no expert
A problem for me at the moment is Costa & Sanchez….I’ve got both of them in my team BUT I can’t stop thinking about last season when i started it with Ozil & Soldado!!! I’ll be praying I’m not wrong this time!!
Costa and Sanchez will start on better teams than Soldado and Ozil did last season. Plus Soldado struggled to adapt to the EPL and Spurs. Don’t think that will be the case with Costa. Since EPL and Chelsea in particular should suit his style. Sanchez has a great work rate unlike Ozil who was caught drinking tea and taking a nap on the pitch. I would only be concerned about their price tag and if there is better value to be had, but I would not worry that much about them doing ok in particular when compared to Ozil and Soldado. Although if I remember correctly Ozil actually started out really well before his form drop and then got injured.
That’s what I’m hoping Mito and to be fair Ozil did start out quite well it just went downhill after that. I’m looking at Costa as filling Chelskis missing piece, if they’d had a good striker last season…..
Evening all, Hazardo + stmct, are you about ? Mito nice to see you have entered the doubles, Suarez + your good self are in for a pounding. :hippo:
Please, You two boys have gotten by playing weak competition for too long. Is not us stepping to you is you and that sorry chicks stepping up to play against us. #checktheball
Enjoy the moment why we even acknowledge your team’s existence.
:hippo:
Can i enter doubles?
Grab yourself a partner Hatters and step on in. Just e-mail Ellefcee. Hopefully he will be along and post his contact details when he sees this.
There you go Hatters, ‘The Boss’ has spoken. :worthy:
You certainly can Hatter, just advertise on here for a partner, get a e-mail address that you can both use, set up a new team, then e-mail me at elleffcee@gmail.com with your team name + your user names on this site, i will then e-mail you back with the code. Your doubles team is not allowed entry in to Pottys leagues, hence a new team just for doubles. When you have a partner how you operate is up to you, as in Mitos case it will be Suarez making all the decisions, hes the brains of the outfit, a bit like me + Init really, i just leave it to him, hes the boss.
Too right lackey, now go make me a cuppa 😉
Already on it, just making Lynn 1, so i’ll do you one aswell.
Elle,
Three then. I’ll not say no.
Oakeydoakey, good job i lifted a box of tetleys earlier.
Ok People, how’s tricks?
Please feel free to rip this team apart 😉
De Gea, (Krul)
Vermaelen, Simpson, Wisdom. (Upson) (Dummet)
Sanchez, Mata, Oscar, Snodgrass (Shelvey)
RVP, Costa (Austin)
Thoughts?
Hatter,
Evening mate.
Vermaelen – in expectation of a move to Old Trafford I assume? I heard Wisdom may well be off to West Brom as well. If he goes there he would be in direct competition with their other new signing. Regardless – his gametime is in question for now. Same for Upson and Dummett. May need to spend a wee bit extra in defense to get 4.5 players guaranteed to play. Chester, Figueroa, Vlaar etc.
Think your strikers are very promising. And midfield is also very strong. If you are looking to save money to upgrade defense – I’d maybe make Shelvey -> Albrighton move.
Very solid, IMO…I quite like it…I’d keep an eye on wisdom; been burnt by snoddy so tread cautiously…best wishes
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/derby-plot-transfer-costa-rican-3836179
This is not a good news for Wisdom.
Dummett only a temporary option until Santon is fit, and Oscar is a dud i think.
Cheers guys, yeah i know my defense is sceptical to say the least, i will keep my eye on things. I did have Fabregas and might still plump for him, just need to know who will get that number 10 spot???
Cheers guys, yeah i know my defense is skeptical to say the least, i will keep my eye on things. I did have Fabregas and might still plump for him, just need to know who will get that number 10 spot???
Changed Snoddy to Adam (Penalty/free kick taker and reasonable fixtures) Shelvey to Albrighton (Didn’t want to do that) Dummet to Davies (Hull). Gonna keep Wisdom and Upson for now until something more appealing comes along and might have to go back to the drawing board with the Oscar/Fabregas annoyance! Team now looks like this:-
De Gea, (Krul)
Vermaelen, Simpson, Davies. (Upson) (Wisdom)
Sanchez, Mata, Oscar, Adam (Albrighton)
RVP, Costa (Austin)
Thought Walters was on pennos at Stoke.
Does no City coverage not concern you?
I just looked at this for info and yes i thought Walters was on pens but maybe it’s been swapped as he missed a few? No Man City doesn’t concern me yet as they have less than favourable fixtures but as the season progresses i will obviously be changing that!
http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/premiership-set-piece-takers/
4 Man United players there