Newcastle v QPR: Preview and Predictions

Newcastle have lost six Premier League games back to back now – which means their current form is worse than QPR’s as they head into this match.

          Impressively, QPR, in spite of making one of the poorest starts to a top-flight season, have scored in the majority of their games.  Similarly Newcastle have only failed to score on six occasions out of their twenty-seven games in all competitions, which is nearly 80% of their fixtures, so it would be sensible to expect both teams to score on Saturday.

          The outright result is not as easily to decide on.

          We expect this game to be one of the closest of the Premier League fixture list and it’s one that’s as important to either team as any match in any other league.  It should be fast paced and full of chances for both team.

          Harry Redknapp has turned things around at QPR, to some extent, and Newcastle need to turn things around to be considered the same team they were last season.  This is going to be tight and we’re tipping a draw.

          

Newcastle v QPR: Verdict – Draw 5/2

QPR v Southampton: Preview and Prediction

Saturday 17^th November 15:00: QPR V Southampton – Verdict: Draw 23/10

We said last weekend that Mark Hughes has a face like a nightshift in a boredom factory and made light of the fact he’d be soon out of a job – but seeing his face after losing to Stoke has made us think twice about mocking his plight: he had tears in his eyes and looked as if life, and not Stoke, had defeated him.

          Few Southampton fans would argue that they have the better side, but they will be hoping that they can take something away from the fixture owing to the dreadful form shown by QPR.

         Most will expect QPR to gain that elusive victory, but we recommend the double-chance market rather than the outright.  With the exception of the North London Derby, this is the most emotionally charged fixture of the weekend and it’s a hard one to call.  It may be harder to watch, if you sympathise with Adkins and Hughes.

Stoke v QPR: Preview and Prediction

Saturday 10^th November 15:00: Stoke v QPR – Verdict: Stoke 10/11

Mark Hughes being still in charge of QPR is most surprising and he seems to be clinging on to the position by promising a long winning streak soon to start – which doesn’t seem likely.

          Nobody can deny the achievements of Tony Pulis at Stoke and he’s been making progress with the Potters for ten years now.  Last week he celebrated in style by failing to beat Norwich away from home – but Stoke aren’t really known for their travelling form; this game may prove to be much more comfortable for a team who have held Champions League opposition from stealing all the finery on several occasions in the recent past.

          Mark Hughes will be waving to the fans, with his face like a nightshift in a boredom factory, at the end of this fixture if he fails to win.

QPR v Reading: Preview and Predictions

QPR v Reading 4th November 13:30 Verdict Reading 7/2

Reading came close to a historic win over Arsenal in the League Cup on Tuesday, but can at least revel in the fact they’ve been scoring a wealth of goals of late – which is the reason we’re favouring them over QPR this weekend.

          QPR have the home advantage and a squad far better than their league position suggests, so most people will side with them over Reading in a game between two sides hotly expected to face relegation at this stage in the season – but we’re not convinced.

          We believe Mark Hughes will be seeking employment elsewhere if he doesn’t win this one, and we’re not sure he will.  Look out for him standing on the sidelines with a face like Vigo the Carpathian from Ghostbusters 2, whilst his team wonder what their silent captain might be thinking.

27th to 28th October High-Risk Premier League Accumulator

High-Risk Premier League Accumulator for 27th to 28th October 103/1

Arsenal v QPR - Verdict Arsenal 1/3
Aston Villa v Norwich - Verdict Norwich 3/1
Man City v Swansea - Verdict Man City 2/9
Reading v Fulham - Verdict Fulham 6/4
Everton v Liverpool - Verdict Draw 11/5
Newcastle v West Brom - Verdcit Newcastle Evens

This sixfold offers a price at 103/1 and, although its an unlikely backing, we thinks it's tempting and at the end of the day you can lose a pound in the bottom of your bag.  When you consider the chances of winning a tenner on the lottery are 54/1 we think this is a much better backing this weekend.  Norwich are the long shots and will send the winnings through the roof if they manage to beat Villa - look towards them to let you down here.

Arsenal v QPR 27th November 15:00

Arsenal v QPR – Verdict Arsenal 1/3

There’s no such thing as a certainty in football – but there is such thing as a must win game.  Arsenal and QPR will see this as a game they each have to win, with Arsenal having lost to Norwich for the first time in ten years and QPR staring relegation in the face like a man watching a donkey fall down a flight of stairs.  Mark Hughes is almost certainly going to be out of a job before Christmas unless he can start winning some points – and we believe that it could be a lot sooner than that if Arsenal win by a clear margin.  If they carry on as they have done QPR will score less than a dozen points this season, so this is a game that could turn the luck around if they can win – which is easier said than done when you’re away to Arsenal.  Wegner will be nervously pacing the sidelines in his sleeping bag once again – but we think that after a tense start they’ll take control of the game, dominating in the second half.

QPR v Everton 21st October 16:00

QPR v Everton: Verdict - Everton 9/7

QPR have been linked with Harry Redknapp in the last fortnight (as we predicted they would be almost immediately after their defeat to West Brom) and the inevitable unrest at QPR could be setting in for Mark Hughes permanently – this will undoubtedly be the case if they fail to secure a victory over visitors Everton on Sunday.  Everton have, despite drawing to Wigan recently, been having an exceptional start to their season and Manager of the Month David Moyes will be hoping his team can continue to make an impact on the league table.  The mouldy stench of desperation is, like yobs to a bus-shelter, beginning to attach itself to all things QPR – but with their manager being the bookies’ favourite to face the chop first in the Premier League it is make or break time and that could force the team to play as well as they should be able to on paper.  Everton are favoured to win but tread carefully – so much of their recent successes have been engineered by the now injured Felleini.