The club shop have got 500 limited edition t-shirts of our new star Emmanuel Ledesma on sale from tomorrow. Never one to miss an opportunity to make some money from the fans as we have seen this summer since the season ticket rises and silly postage charges, the club has moved to release a t-shirt at the end of a week when one player has scored four goals in two games. Ok, these are bound to be a hit and I might just have to get one to strut around the local rec in while I imitate his silky skills (badly) but is the hype building too quickly for Ledesma or is the club not wanting to miss out on making some cash? Probably a bit of both. On the pitch though so far he has been the outstanding player in four of five games this season but maybe we should take in what Tim Flowers told QPR this week that he is still learning his trade and it won’t be long until teams pay particular attention to him now he is making the headlines. Paladini has told the BBC this week that the club are in no hurry to make the signing permanent and it seems both parties are pleased with the player himself talking of his happiness at the club. I can see there being games this season where the tricks don’t come off and he gets double teamed by opponents, but as crazy as some of the comparisons to Stan Bowles have been, he may end up writing his name alongside him and become the flair player of this era.

This is the first of an occasional foray into the times QPR have made an appearance in the media in ways other than the obvious like a match report or our chairman being held at gunpoint. We mean Loftus Road being used as a location like in this post and other mentions or uses of the club. The first is a music video by UK Hip-Hop legend Blak Twang. Although an Arsenal fan the location of his video for Kik Off was at Loftus Road where you can see many Hip-Hop poses in the dug out with the stadium in the background and also a few shots of a rub down in the dressing room.

Thoughts from Saturday

1. The foreign antics may become increasingly frustrating, but we’ll put up with them for the skill on display from Ledesma.

2. Each week he’s gona inevitably get a mention on this list!

3. We’ve yet to see Lee Cook get into his stride but unlike his last spell with us, he isn’t the only go to guy now that we can turn to.

4. Something Dowie will be keeping an eye on I’m sure, but Parjeo is going to talk himself in to quite a few bookings this season.

5. Damion Stewart played very well; knowing he’s one mistake from being dropped certainly helped him.

6. We were much quicker out the traps but took our foot off the gas when more goals were on offer later on.

7. This column might as well now be called thoughts on Ledesma.

All eyes on

Dexter Blackstock is someone that splits the fans views on his place in the side. Apart from his run at the end, last season was pretty much a write off with injuries and suspension adding to his bad form. Mentally the death of Ray Jones hit him more than most as the pair had built up quite an understanding the season before and I believe had become good friends off it. So it was more than pleasing that he opened the scoring and celebrated with a touching acknowledgement of his late friend and former teammate. The goal spurred him on and gave him that extra lift which saw him chasing down lost causes and linking up well as the lone striker with his attacking midfielders. Before the season I believed that Blackstock could find that form of his first season with us and getting two goals in the opening four games will have helped. I would still like a striker to be signed before the deadline but I have no doubt that there are 15 goals in Dexter this season which will contribute in what is an important season for the man.

Talking Point

Fitz Hall’s two goals and penalty farce that opened the season will be talked about for a long time to come, but it’s his injuries that are going to increasingly overshadow anything he does and again on Saturday he limped out of action. For the money spent and the transfer fees previously paid for his services I thought we were getting a very good defender to sure up our defence. With little or no match practice before he signed in January maybe it was a bit too much to ask to make such an impact and once he got a pre-season under his belt then we could see fully the player we bought. He was rested against Swindon and still needs more match practice to get going but I do hope that his injury on Saturday, albeit an unlucky one to pick up isn’t going to become a theme again for this season. The always impressive Matthew Connolly came in for him and was as accomplished as ever, while Damion Stewart was on his game but for the fee we’ve paid, I do hope we get to see a fully fit One Size justify his transfer fee.

Man of the match

I’m going to run out of things to say about this guy each week…mentions for Stewart, Parejo and Blackstock but it has to go to Ledesma again, writing his name fast into R’s folklore.

QPR v Sheffeild United Preview

On Tuesday night saw a shock result in the League Cup where we actually won a game that on paper we should do anyway. But supporting QPR is never predictable and it was a relief to get through to the next round against Carlisle with a win. The fact that the win brought about some of the best creative play seen from an R’s eleven in recent times means this Saturday’s game is not so clear to predict.

Banishing our burdens in the cup on Tuesday was one thing, but if we are to be taken seriously as promotion candidates this season then we need to start picking up more wins away from home. Too many points were lost last season and if concentration levels hadn’t dipped in the last ten minutes then we would have finished much higher than our 14th place finish.

The players have talked about how much fitter physically they are so mentally they should be more switched on to handle a late siege from Sheffield United if we are hanging on to a win or a point. With such attacking options on display in this one it promises to provide plenty of entertainment and makes for a more open game then both managers would like.

James Beattie is still out for Sheffield United who were so unlucky not to come away from St.Andrews with a point last week, but apart from that have no extra injury worries. For us then it’s take your pick from Cerny or Camp, Balanta or Pat and whether Dowie decides to recall One Size and Mahon after their knocks last week.

I can see us sharing four goals here but with the attacking options we have now, it’s not unthinkable to expect us to go and put on a show and come away with the three points.

10 thoughts on our cup upset at Swindon

1. We actually won a cup game. Always a shock.

2. Good to see Parejo get a full run out. His set piece delivery was good and we’ll be saying what a coup he is many more times this season.

3. Good to see Dexter get a goal early to carry on how he ended last season. No surprises the assist was from Cook but he worked hard and could have added more.

4. Ledesma impressed again. Can we pay Genoa now?

5. If we had gone and signed some strikers I thought Balanta may have seen his chances limited but I’m glad to hear Dowie has spoke of his praises and it’s going to be exciting to see him develop further this season

6. Delaney is one of my favourites in the team and being named captain just shows how important he is off the field too.

7. Camp made a great save in the first half and I hope it is not a clear-cut choice for Dowie in putting Cerny back in goal on Saturday.

8. The creativity in the team was a joy to watch. We have some wonderful midfield talent that linked up well, supplied chances and created many of their own.

9. Plenty of goals between them mean signing this twenty-goal striker may not be such a priority.

10. The average age of the team that started was just 23. Promotion is the goal this season but whether it happens or not the future is certainly bright for this talented young team.

All eyes on & Man of the Match

After his performance that ended with a standing ovation against Barnsley all eyes were on Ledesma to see what he would conjure up here. We’ll ignore the moments that we expect and that frustrate from opposing foreign players and just enjoy the moments of sublime skill and creativity that we’ve seen so far and which we are going to see more of this season. His shooting could be improved but there is no doubting the quality of his delivery, it doesn’t matter that he is on the right and defenders instinct may be to play him outside be can still work the angle for a cross and is more than capable of using his right peg. He left with another standing ovation and even the Swindon fans joined in. The guy is soon going to be a targeted man from opposing teams with the waves he is currently making and we can’t expect performances like this every week, but he looks the real deal and think it’s a good bet that he will make double figures in goals and assists this season.

Congratulations to Dave Thomas and the team on winning Championship Fanzine of the year 07/08. With a new look and cover price the first issue of this season is now out. Always an excellent read, the fanzine now has its own website up and running which will have more added as the season goes on and where currently you can read past articles.

Pick up the new issue from one of the team at the next game and check out the site here.

This may be a new era at the club but to really make sure the club has embraced its new beginning then it must banish one of the haunts of days gone by and win tonight’s League Cup clash against Swindon. The tie has upset written all over it but hopefully with the players we now have at our disposable we can be professional and get a result. Swindon had a good start to the season on Saturday and it goes without saying that a better performance is needed than what was on show against Barnsley, as the Robins will have nothing to fear.

Pat Kanyuka was very excited about the draw and putting one over us but not surprisingly the once promising youngster plagued with injuries, has still not recovered from injury and will not play a part tonight. Someone that should play a part tonight though is Lee Camp as Iain Dowie looks to keep both his keepers happy. Also expect if not from the start, then longer action for Daniel Parejo and Mattheo Alberti, who both showed impressive glimpses on Saturday and some minutes after his injury for Matthew Connolly. This season in the League Cup teams can name seven substitutes so Damion Stewart and Samual Di Carmine should take a place on the bench after suspensions.

Dowie has said that he will be taking tonight seriously and sending out a strong team and although at times I’d expect us to be put under the cosh, we have enough about us to get a result here. It might be another below par performance like Saturday, but for the moment I’ll take that if it means we progress to the next round.