Queens Park Rangers v AFC Bournemouth - 3rd Round FA Cup

billythekid

billythekid

UTC Legend
Up For The Cup

The first game of the new year is in the Third Round of the FA Cup. The Cherries have been drawn away to play Queens Park Rangers from the Championship on Saturday 6th January 2024. QPR also have a Spanish manager, Marti Cifuentes, who comes from Catalonia in North Eastern Spain. His former team was Swedish club Hammarby IF. He was appointed towards the end of October, after former manager Garry Ainsworth lost six Championship games in a row and were 23rd in the Championship after 14 games with 8 points and six points from the 21st place.

In his twelve games in charge of the London club he has gained 13 points, but still 23rd in the Championship table with 21 points, but still 4 points short of safety. Now he comes face to face with our manager Andoni Iraola in the FA Cup. This will be a new experience for both managers, as neither have been involved in this competition before.

The Cherries have only met QPR once before in the FA Cup and that was back in January 1967, 57 years ago. QPR won 2-0. Our team that day, Roger Jones, Terry Gulliver, David Stocks; Joe Ashworth, Jimmy White, Tommy Naylor; Ray Bumstead, Chris Weller, Tom McKechnie, Ralph Norton, Tony Priscott.

In all competitions against QPR, AFCB have W 29, D 15, L 34.

QPR Team News
Ilias Chair, Steve Cook, Chris Willock and Jack Colbeck missed the game against Cardiff City with injuries.

QPR Player To Watch
If fit, Ilias Chair, strong all round player and has scored 2 goals and leads with 4 assists. Two other players are ex AFCB, Steve Cook and Asmir Begovic.

AFCB Team News
Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo will miss this game as they join their countries for the Africa Cup of Nations. Ouattara was also injured against Spurs, so could be a doubt for his country.

AFCB Player To Watch
Think we will see some of our players rested, so a difficult one. Alex Scott and David Brooks may be given starts and also Mark Travers will probably be in goal, so those three.

The Referee
Rebecca Welch will be in charge of this game. For those that didn’t know, she was the first female to referee a league game, a FA Cup game and recently a Premier League game. First was a League 2 game between Harrogate v Port Vale in April 2021, the FA Cup game was between Birmingham v Plymouth in January 2022 and also recently the first to referee a Premier League game between Fulham and Burnley. She also was the referee for the first round between Banbury United v Barrow in November 2021, she was called up to replace Robert Madley.
 
-----------Travers
Hill Mepham Senesi Greenwood
-------Christie Billing
Brooks Kluivert Tavernier
---------Moore

Hope to minimise involvement and maximise rest for Smith, Aarons, Scott, Cook, Kelly / Kerkez and Solanke to manage niggles and gametime, but any problems most of them could be on the bench to bring the cavalry.
 
northstandmark said:
-----------Travers
Hill Mepham Senesi Greenwood
-------Christie Billing
Brooks Kluivert Tavernier
---------Moore

Hope to minimise involvement and maximise rest for Smith, Aarons, Scott, Cook, Kelly / Kerkez and Solanke to manage niggles and gametime, but any problems most of them could be on the bench to bring the cavalry.
Click to expand...
Is Hill back?
 
I agree that AI will make wholesale changes for this game. We need to rest certain players after having two recent weeks where we have played three games in one week. We could keep one or two regulars on the bench in case things go pear shaped.
 
OLDSKOOL said:
Apparently so , yes .
Click to expand...
There has been no official confirmation that Hill has returned. Although, I do feel that bringing him back is a good move in view of our current defensive injury crisis. However, I don't feel that Hill himself will be over the moon about returning as he will know that he will only wind up sat on the bench.
 
northstandmark said:
-----------Travers
Hill Mepham Senesi Greenwood
-------Christie Billing
Brooks Kluivert Tavernier
---------Moore

Hope to minimise involvement and maximise rest for Smith, Aarons, Scott, Cook, Kelly / Kerkez and Solanke to manage niggles and gametime, but any problems most of them could be on the bench to bring the cavalry.
Click to expand...
I don’t think this will be far off, but wouldn’t be surprised to see at least one of Smith or Aaron’s start.
 
Reality and Realism said:
There has been no official confirmation that Hill has returned. Although, I do feel that bringing him back is a good move in view of our current defensive injury crisis. However, I don't feel that Hill himself will be over the moon about returning as he will know that he will only wind up sat on the bench.
Click to expand...
 
I think we're in a better place than we were a few years ago with squad selection and the FA Cup. I remember a couple of times (Millwall?) when Eddie tried to rest players but the squad didn't have enough depth to it to avoid quite comprehensive defeats to lower league teams.
 
Reality and Realism said:
There has been no official confirmation that Hill has returned. Although, I do feel that bringing him back is a good move in view of our current defensive injury crisis. However, I don't feel that Hill himself will be over the moon about returning as he will know that he will only wind up sat on the bench.
Click to expand...
If the defensive injuries are as bad as you suggest then surely he would be playing?
 
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