Preview: Huddersfield Town v QPR
Huddersfield Town story posted by Sean Makin on 08/08/2013
Queens Park Rangers are the visitors to the John Smith's Stadium for Huddersfield Town's first home league fixture of the season (3pm kick-off).
Relegated from the Premier League last season, QPR started life in the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Loftus Road followed up by a 2-0 win at Exeter City in the first round of the Capital One Cup.
Town of course started the season with a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest but confidence will be given a boost after beating Bradford City 2-1 in the Capital One Cup first round on Tuesday night.
Team news:
Town:
Town still are without Calum Woods (collarbone), Keith Soutern (calf) and Anton Robinson (knee) but Woods and Southern are likely to return to training in the next few weeks.
Anthony Gerrard played 85 minutes against Bradford and is likely to be in pushing for a place in the starting XI.
Jon Stead could also feature after playing 30 minutes against Bradford and playing 45 minutes in a development friendly against Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday night.
Town are without Kallum Higginbotham who has left to join Partick Thistle on a two-year deal.
QPR
Harry Redknapp's QPR have no real injury worries but Armand Traore is 50/50 whether he returns to the squad after not featuring against Exeter due to injury.
New signing Gary O'Neil is likely to be named in the squad as three players have left Loftus Road this week in Loic Remy, Adel Taarabt and Park Ji-Sung.
Redknapp is shipping out the players who have told him they no longer want to play for the club and has brought in some shrewd signings in O'Neil, Richard Dunne, Karl Henry, Danny Simpson and goalscorer Charlie Austin who scored 28 goals last season for Burnley.
One to watch Joey Barton
Whatever you think about Barton he is still good enough to play in the Premier League and should be a standout player in this division. Creative as well as combative he is also good at taking set-pieces.
Referee for the match: Andy Haines
Assistants: Richard Bartlett and Ryan Johnson
Head-to-head
QPR edge it in head-to-head meetings in the league with 10 wins to Town's 6 but the Hoops just edge it in all competitions with 11 wins to Town's 10.
The last meetings between these two in Huddersfield was back in the 2002/03 season when on the 4th March 2003 QPR beat Town 3-0 thanks to two goals from Paul Furlong and Danny Shittu.
The Terriers have a decent home record against the Hoops winning 9 of the 14 meetings in Huddersfield the last coming on 26th January 2002 as Town beat QPR 1-0 thanks to a goal from Andy Booth.
Most QPR fans won't have fond memories of Huddersfield when Town beat them 2-1 in April 2001 to relegate the club to Division Two (now League One) with a 90th minute winner from Delroy Facey to send QPR down and give Town's fight for survival a huge boost. It wasn't to be as the Terriers were also relegated that season.
Fan's View with Sophie (follow on Twitter @SophQPR).
QPR finished bottom of the Premier League last season with just 4 wins all season. Describe last season in a nutshell? What do you think went wrong?
Last season our team wasn't working together as a unit we were all playing as individuals. We also gave up far too easily when we were a goal down, our heads dropped. The team morale was low.
What are you realistic expectations for this season?
Well I hope we can get promotion either via play-offs or automatic. If we continue to play well, hopefully we can.
Do you think Harry Redknapp is the right man for the job?
I think Harry knows the right kind of players we need at the club. He brought in Andros Townsend last season, who was popular with QPR fans
Happy with how things are going in the transfer market for QPR both in and out?
I'm pleased to see players like Jose Bosingwa leave. Also Park Ji-Sung and a few others out on loan (Loic Remy and Adel Taarabt). Really impressed with Charlie Austin and Danny Simpson so far
Neil Warnock is a bit of a favourite in Huddersfield and appears to be at QPR do you think he was harshly treated?
I think he (Warnock) should've been given more time to prove himself as a manager in the Premier League. To sack him and bring Hughes in hindsight was a big mistake.
Who do you think is the QPR player that has to prove a point this season?
In our previous game Joey Barton seemed to be playing a lot better and I think he feels he owes a lot to the fans
Which player should Huddersfield watch out for this Saturday?
Junior Hoilett! His performances have improved a lot from last season, I hope he continues to play well
Your prediction for this Saturday?
I think it's going to be a close one, but I'll go for 2-1 to QPR
Relegated from the Premier League last season, QPR started life in the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Loftus Road followed up by a 2-0 win at Exeter City in the first round of the Capital One Cup.
Town of course started the season with a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest but confidence will be given a boost after beating Bradford City 2-1 in the Capital One Cup first round on Tuesday night.
Team news:
Town:
Town still are without Calum Woods (collarbone), Keith Soutern (calf) and Anton Robinson (knee) but Woods and Southern are likely to return to training in the next few weeks.
Anthony Gerrard played 85 minutes against Bradford and is likely to be in pushing for a place in the starting XI.
Jon Stead could also feature after playing 30 minutes against Bradford and playing 45 minutes in a development friendly against Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday night.
Town are without Kallum Higginbotham who has left to join Partick Thistle on a two-year deal.
QPR
Harry Redknapp's QPR have no real injury worries but Armand Traore is 50/50 whether he returns to the squad after not featuring against Exeter due to injury.
New signing Gary O'Neil is likely to be named in the squad as three players have left Loftus Road this week in Loic Remy, Adel Taarabt and Park Ji-Sung.
Redknapp is shipping out the players who have told him they no longer want to play for the club and has brought in some shrewd signings in O'Neil, Richard Dunne, Karl Henry, Danny Simpson and goalscorer Charlie Austin who scored 28 goals last season for Burnley.
One to watch Joey Barton
Whatever you think about Barton he is still good enough to play in the Premier League and should be a standout player in this division. Creative as well as combative he is also good at taking set-pieces.
Referee for the match: Andy Haines
Assistants: Richard Bartlett and Ryan Johnson
Head-to-head
QPR edge it in head-to-head meetings in the league with 10 wins to Town's 6 but the Hoops just edge it in all competitions with 11 wins to Town's 10.
The last meetings between these two in Huddersfield was back in the 2002/03 season when on the 4th March 2003 QPR beat Town 3-0 thanks to two goals from Paul Furlong and Danny Shittu.
The Terriers have a decent home record against the Hoops winning 9 of the 14 meetings in Huddersfield the last coming on 26th January 2002 as Town beat QPR 1-0 thanks to a goal from Andy Booth.
Most QPR fans won't have fond memories of Huddersfield when Town beat them 2-1 in April 2001 to relegate the club to Division Two (now League One) with a 90th minute winner from Delroy Facey to send QPR down and give Town's fight for survival a huge boost. It wasn't to be as the Terriers were also relegated that season.
Fan's View with Sophie (follow on Twitter @SophQPR).
QPR finished bottom of the Premier League last season with just 4 wins all season. Describe last season in a nutshell? What do you think went wrong?
Last season our team wasn't working together as a unit we were all playing as individuals. We also gave up far too easily when we were a goal down, our heads dropped. The team morale was low.
What are you realistic expectations for this season?
Well I hope we can get promotion either via play-offs or automatic. If we continue to play well, hopefully we can.
Do you think Harry Redknapp is the right man for the job?
I think Harry knows the right kind of players we need at the club. He brought in Andros Townsend last season, who was popular with QPR fans
Happy with how things are going in the transfer market for QPR both in and out?
I'm pleased to see players like Jose Bosingwa leave. Also Park Ji-Sung and a few others out on loan (Loic Remy and Adel Taarabt). Really impressed with Charlie Austin and Danny Simpson so far
Neil Warnock is a bit of a favourite in Huddersfield and appears to be at QPR do you think he was harshly treated?
I think he (Warnock) should've been given more time to prove himself as a manager in the Premier League. To sack him and bring Hughes in hindsight was a big mistake.
Who do you think is the QPR player that has to prove a point this season?
In our previous game Joey Barton seemed to be playing a lot better and I think he feels he owes a lot to the fans
Which player should Huddersfield watch out for this Saturday?
Junior Hoilett! His performances have improved a lot from last season, I hope he continues to play well
Your prediction for this Saturday?
I think it's going to be a close one, but I'll go for 2-1 to QPR
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