This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/05/west-ham-qpr-premier-league-match-report

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
West Ham brush aside QPR to ensure dismal return for Harry Redknapp West Ham brush aside QPR to ensure dismal return for Harry Redknapp
(about 2 hours later)
Harry Redknapp’s autumnal trip down memory lane has proven a dead-end street for his QPR side. With defeats already suffered at his old haunts of Southampton and Tottenham, West Ham United completed the hat-trick thanks to Nedum Onuoha’s early own-goal and Diafra Sakho’s second-half header. Harry Redknapp’s autumnal trip down memory lane has proven a dead-end street for his Queens Park Rangers side. With defeats already suffered at his old haunts of Southampton and Tottenham, West Ham United completed the hat-trick thanks to Nedum Onuoha’s early own goal and Diafra Sakho’s second-half header. “It wasn’t great,” said Redknapp afterwards. That was an understatement.
The result leaves QPR bottom of the pile but the manner of the result will sting as much as the consequences – Rangers’ toothlessness in attack and flakiness at the back is a toxic combination. Not that West Ham will mind. Sam Allardyce’s side claimed their second home win in succession with some ease despite a stop-start performance that failed to maintain its early sparkle. Gary Neville’s post-match view – “diabolical” – was a touch closer to the truth. The result leaves QPR bottom of the pile but the manner of the result will sting as much as the consequences.
Allardyce named an attacking XI with a front three of Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia and Sakho, while Redknapp, conscious of his side’s dismal defensive record, aimed at solidity by naming Karl Henry alongside Sandro in central midfield. The way in which the home team took the lead in the fifth minute, though, owed nothing to tactical tinkering. Stewart Downing swung in a corner, those at the near post grappled underneath it and at the back Onuoha inadvertently bundled into his own net from close range. Toothlessness in attack and flakiness at the back is a toxic combination and both were in evidence here – only Everton have conceded more, only Burnley have scored fewer. Not that West Ham will mind. Sam Allardyce’s side claimed their second home win in succession with some ease despite a stop-start performance that failed to maintain its early sparkle.
That was the prompt for an opening spell full of verve and swagger from the home side. Valencia should probably have put them two up inside the first 10 minutes, but turned wide Sakho’s cross, while Zarate’s movement had QPR’s porous backline regularly scrambling. “We’re short of goals and we’re short of goalscorers,” said Redknapp. “We lost Loïc Rémy right on the deadline and couldn’t get a replacement. It has not been easy. We’ve had a tough start but there’s an awful long way to go.”
Rangers improved and could have been level midway through the first half after Charlie Austin flummoxed James Tomkins on the edge of the box, but the striker was denied by Adrián in the West Ham goal. Nevertheless, the home side’s strut had been sucked from them, and a scrappy midfield slugfest ensued. A lack of goals, though, is not a new problem for this Rangers side – the list of teams who outscored them in the Championship last season includes Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough and Bournemouth – and they fashioned only two chances of note here.
Bobby Zamora’s introduction from the bench at half-time sparked a bright period for the visitors, with Austin poking wide from the substitute’s cross. Indeed West Ham’s second came something against the run of play just before the hour. The irrepressible Zarate let fly from distance, a block saw the ball spin out to James Tomkins and the central defender’s hook across goal was nodded in from little more than a yard out by Sakho. They both fell to Charlie Austin who created the first himself midway through the opening half after flummoxing James Tomkins on the edge of the box but planted his shot too close to Adrián. The second came courtesy of an immediate impact from Bobby Zamora following his half-time introduction from the bench, but Austin poked the substitute’s cross narrowly wide.
Rangers huffed and puffed thereafter to little end result. Adrián was forced to tip wide a Kranjcar free-kick and Adel Taarabt, thrown on as Redknapp threw caution to the wind, fizzed a long-range effort wide. The Hammers were comfortable. QPR seem in for a season that is anything but. “If you can’t create a goal threat then the rest of the team comes under too much pressure and ultimately cracks,” said Allardyce, whose side are up to seventh. “We’ve suffered that ourselves in the past. When you’ve got a real goalscorer in your team it makes so much difference. Look at the difference that Diego Costa has made to Chelsea.”
Allardyce ensured that his side carried plenty of threat by picking an attacking XI with a front three of Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia and Sakho, while Redknapp aimed for solidity by naming Karl Henry alongside Sandro in midfield.
The way in which the home team took the lead in the fifth minute, though, owed nothing to tactical tinkering. The excellent Stewart Downing swung in a corner and Onuoha inadvertently bundled into his own net from close range.
After an opening spell full of verve and swagger from the home side, during which Valencia should probably have put them two up but turned wide Sakho’s cross, Rangers improved and Austin’s two missed opportunities followed.
The home side’s strut had been sucked from them, and an equaliser was looking the more likely next goal when West Ham doubled their advantage. The irrepressible Zarate let fly from distance, a block saw the ball spin out to James Tomkins and the defender’s hook across goal was nodded in from little more than a yard out by Sakho.
Valencia thought he had made it 3-0 but saw his effort ruled out after intercepting Robert Green’s free-kick inside the penalty area (“I will check the rules,” promised Allardyce ominously) and Rangers huffed and puffed thereafter to little effect. Adrián was forced to tip wide a Nico Kranjcar free-kick and Adel Taarabt fizzed a long-range effort wide but the Hammers were comfortable. QPR seem in for a season that is anything but.
Man of the match Stewart Downing
(West Ham)