Friday 27 April 2012
Tuesday 24 April 2012
Everyone needs a third person in a relationship......
My client today told me that everyone needs a third person in a relationship, and she has decided that I'm her third person - I was very flattered.
I'd not come across that phrase before but I like it. I guess we all need a good friend outside of a marriage/relationship, to be able to confide in and use their soft shoulders to lean on, and generally just be there.
I also wonder if twitter is the third person in other people's relationships, I think it certainly was for me, at least until I met up with some fellow tweeters for real.
Would love your thoughts on this?
Annie x
I'd not come across that phrase before but I like it. I guess we all need a good friend outside of a marriage/relationship, to be able to confide in and use their soft shoulders to lean on, and generally just be there.
I also wonder if twitter is the third person in other people's relationships, I think it certainly was for me, at least until I met up with some fellow tweeters for real.
Would love your thoughts on this?
Annie x
Monday 23 April 2012
HittingTheBar post match review of QPR v Spurs
Thank you to the lovely Emily for letting me host a copy of her postmatch review of QPR v Spurs. You can find Emily on twitter at @elmodedude and her wonderful blog at qprgirl
'It was the best of times
...it was the worst of times'. Kept echoing through my head throughout the match today, even before Taarabt scored from a fantastic free kick. The match itself was filled with everything that a QPR match is expected to bring these days to Loftus Road: agony, ecstasy, pleasure and pain - all in one go. As I've said before I am quite sure that plenty of people suffer increased blood pressure during matches, and there were several 'shrieks' from the crowd when we thought for a millisecond that perhaps we were done for as Tottenham came so close to scoring.
But I also thought about the fact that this was my last home game (as I'll be on holiday during the Stoke game) and wistfully looked back on my experience so far in this season which could quite easily be compartmentalised in to two halves. In January I started writing this blog, and in one of my first blogs after the first cup tie against MK Dons I asked whether this was the turning point in our season. The football we played at that game was ugly, QPR favourite Ale Faurlin got a serious injury, and I think if I remember correctly, it was Warnock who said that the last minute goal from Helguson was perhaps a turning point. Little did we know, however, that the real turning point lay in the massive changes that were to come in the form of new management and a host of new players. At that point in time, our season well and truly became a dogfight, while the previous half was about a QPR team unsure about what it stood for with a varied and less than spectacular run of results.
'...it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,'
...I then made my journey up to Newcastle not long after, taking the coach for the first time. It was the first of quite a few games where Mark Hughes spent time tinkering with the team, testing out the squad and understanding who could do what. The irony is that those who have really shone through have been our Championship players: Derry, Buzsaky, Mackie and Clint Hill have been invaluable and quite frankly up until a few games ago they were the only ones who looked as if they gave a damn. It's amazing how it appears to have taken so long for everyone else to really show some passion. It's taken so long for the penny to drop that if QPR go down it's not just the club that might suffer, but their own careers as well. It would be unfair to say that our 'shiny' new team of Premier League big boys haven't performed in more recent games, but poor behaviour and a flurry of red cards has made them (Cisse you know who you are) look foolish. But we've also had some bad luck, and Derry being sent off at Old Trafford was the icing on the cake in terms of poor refereeing decisions. However, it seems we're getting used to playing with ten men. When Taarabt was sent off today, there was perhaps a moment of confusion from the crowd and just a little anger, but as my neighbour said 'it's almost like we just shrug it off now we're so used to it'. By that stage though, I was honestly starting to believe we could really win this match and I remembered all the tweets coming in saying #believe all week.
'...it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,'
And speaking of tweets, I spent some time at The Green just before today's match, meeting with many people who I've been getting to know in the virtual world. The #qprtwitfam is well and truly established, and putting faces to names and seeing people 'come to life' was a great experience. Hello to everyone I met, I am so looking forward to seeing you all again soon. One of the greatest things about being a Rangers supporter has been meeting fans who are just as obsessive as me. Sadly, apart from my father, I've never had any close friends who have supported this greatest of teams, and so making new friends has been a highlight of my season. My experiences travelling away on the coach have also been a real hoot, especially given that my first coach trip meant being filmed by Sky Sports News at the ungodly hour of 4.30am at Loftus Road. There I was at the 'back of the bus' getting to know other crazy supporters. So even though I haven't yet experienced an away win this season it has been a wonderful season of light for meeting like minded individuals who share the same hopes and fears as I do. It's just like QPR to keep us hanging until the end of the season though...while we have lived through a true winter of despair, the recent home wins against the big teams have brought us a spring of hope.
'we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way'
And so we look ahead, with three games to go. And who can honestly say after these past performances that they aren't winnable? But the first one next Sunday in the hellish depths of Stamford Bridge will likely be the toughest test yet. I shall be there, arm in arm with my dear father who has chosen to grace me with his presence at an away game for the first time ever.
'- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.'
But alas, we are so far from the end of the season as far as knowing what the future holds for Queens Park Rangers. We have left it till the dying end to save ourselves, and will likely because of this, have to suffer from another 'iron on' sponsors logo on our shirts next season whether we are up or down. Will we be looking back on this season thinking it's much like the one we're in then? My emotions on that subject are completely contradictory. While I hope for a season in which our biggest issue in the Premier League is mid-table mediocrity, I also think it would be dead boring. And if we end up back in the Championship, will I be pining for the excitement of the Premier League?
This is life as a QPR supporter. And the only thing that I am sure of is that I love this club. And while it's been the best and the worst season I've ever lived through so far that one fact will always remain true.
You RRRsssss
Anyone else want to add a review here, would be happy to link back to your blogs, thanks again Emily - love it :)
Annie x
Sunday 22 April 2012
The QPRTwitFam
So we have the Flag, we have the T-Shirts, now we need the blog page. A few people suggested we try and get 1 place to list all the QPRTwitFam, so thought would start it here. Up to you if you want to add a pic, or list your own blogs, or maybe a twitter name and a one-liner about yourself, feel free. If you add it to the comment below I can upload here onto the main page!
Means on a FF I can do one shoutout to you all too :)
A few people asking why I haven't automatically added those that I know, but I felt it should be an opt in rather than opt out kinda thing, those with locked accounts etc, may not want the exposure - hope that makes sense :)
So I guess I should start! Although I think you already know enough about me! @annieqpr
and thank you to @BestOfBritain "English born...American raised...QPR fanatic 16
and welcome to @elmodedude and her fabulous blog about our beloved QPR qprgirl
announcing @qprterry Also known as the "The Bigman" amongst friends, season ticket holder in the upper loft KU. You r'sssssssssssssssss
and the lovely @bigrobbok Born in West London and now bred in West Sussex but still a full time Ranger and a member of the Qprtwitfam.
the invaluable to me blog-fixer @jacintropatricio and the one who made my lovely blog banner :)
and here is @QPR4good the lovely Al
@madbouncydogs - Nigel - Over 21. Exiled in Lancashire, originally from Willesden NW10. First game at home to Coventry 1979. 5-1 win. Clive Allen's debut and he scored a hat trick. Also a first game for my long suffering friend @fred_hoops who will no doubt post here later once I tell him too :)
@Rob3768 Long suffering QPR fan since I was four. First game in 1973 against Ipswich. I Was lucky enough to see 'The Legends' in every home game in the '75-76 Season'. I was expecting it every year after that! Oh, how naive I was as an 8 year old. Work commitments stop me seeing the R's as much as I'd like, but the #QPRTwitfam has made me feel closer to the club and part of the QPR family. <---love that!
The infamous dynamo that is our @LornaSuperhoops currently training for her charity Moonwalk in aid of Cancer, you can support our Lorna here!
@Firstitgiveth Cameron, 19, Uni student, originally from Mile End, East London and now live in Portsmouth / South Essex. Go to as many home and away games as I can get to. My dad took me to my first Rangers game back in 1997 when I was 5, it was against Nottingham Forest, and that's all I can remember about it. U R'sss
and a local tweeter to me now @Andymack Glory hunter, first QPR game was the '82 cup final. And its been non stop success ever since. Don't get to as many games as I'd like (Work,money,family etc) . More R's than people think in St Albans
Introducing the lovely Underscore himself, and creator of the QPRTwitFam flag @Ben_Farrow, and his lovely, long-suffering other half) *jokes* @lilmissmyers My other half says Ben looks like a better looking Gavin Henson :)
@jamieQPR here. London bred but I've been exiled in New York for the
last 12 years. 15 year season ticket holder before that. I dont think
I've missed listening to more than 3 matches via QPR World in that
period. It's a disease. I'm very proud that I have bred 3 QPR monsters,
one being @BestOfBritain, who are fanatics even though we live in NY
WE R QPR
Means on a FF I can do one shoutout to you all too :)
A few people asking why I haven't automatically added those that I know, but I felt it should be an opt in rather than opt out kinda thing, those with locked accounts etc, may not want the exposure - hope that makes sense :)
in my Marc Bircham shirt :) |
So I guess I should start! Although I think you already know enough about me! @annieqpr
and thank you to @BestOfBritain "English born...American raised...QPR fanatic 16
and welcome to @elmodedude and her fabulous blog about our beloved QPR qprgirl
announcing @qprterry Also known as the "The Bigman" amongst friends, season ticket holder in the upper loft KU. You r'sssssssssssssssss
@bigrobbok |
and the lovely @bigrobbok Born in West London and now bred in West Sussex but still a full time Ranger and a member of the Qprtwitfam.
the invaluable to me blog-fixer @jacintropatricio and the one who made my lovely blog banner :)
and here is @QPR4good the lovely Al
@madbouncydogs - Nigel - Over 21. Exiled in Lancashire, originally from Willesden NW10. First game at home to Coventry 1979. 5-1 win. Clive Allen's debut and he scored a hat trick. Also a first game for my long suffering friend @fred_hoops who will no doubt post here later once I tell him too :)
@Rob3768 Long suffering QPR fan since I was four. First game in 1973 against Ipswich. I Was lucky enough to see 'The Legends' in every home game in the '75-76 Season'. I was expecting it every year after that! Oh, how naive I was as an 8 year old. Work commitments stop me seeing the R's as much as I'd like, but the #QPRTwitfam has made me feel closer to the club and part of the QPR family. <---love that!
The infamous dynamo that is our @LornaSuperhoops currently training for her charity Moonwalk in aid of Cancer, you can support our Lorna here!
@Firstitgiveth Cameron, 19, Uni student, originally from Mile End, East London and now live in Portsmouth / South Essex. Go to as many home and away games as I can get to. My dad took me to my first Rangers game back in 1997 when I was 5, it was against Nottingham Forest, and that's all I can remember about it. U R'sss
and a local tweeter to me now @Andymack Glory hunter, first QPR game was the '82 cup final. And its been non stop success ever since. Don't get to as many games as I'd like (Work,money,family etc) . More R's than people think in St Albans
Introducing the lovely Underscore himself, and creator of the QPRTwitFam flag @Ben_Farrow, and his lovely, long-suffering other half) *jokes* @lilmissmyers My other half says Ben looks like a better looking Gavin Henson :)
The QPRTwitFam Flag |
WE R QPR
Friday 20 April 2012
HittingTheBar PreMatch review of QPR v THFC
Thanks to @LANGERS1979 for letting me publish a link to his fab blog www.kickingitmyway.com
Would like to add a collection of reviews of this huuuuuuuuuge game tomorrow, linky below thank you!
Would like to add a collection of reviews of this huuuuuuuuuge game tomorrow, linky below thank you!
Wednesday 18 April 2012
Slow Cooker Pork Belly on Lentils
Whilst stuck in the house today, I decided to cobble together something for tea using whatever I could forage for.
I found a pork belly joint in the freezer that Chris bought cos it was reduced, and as it was taking up a huge amount of space, decided to go with that, so here goes!
Ingredients
1kg Pork Belly joint, skin scored
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp sea salt
3 red onions, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves
1tsp chilli flakes
200g green lentils
200ml white wine
200ml chicken stock
2 tbsp natural yoghurt - to make the sauce creamier before serving!
Method
Combine the fennel seeds and salt, unroll the joint and rub all over.
Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker - except the yoghurt - place the pork on top, skin side up, and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Preheat the grill to high. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a rack inside a grill tray. Grill for 10 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Stir the yoghurt through the sauce in the slow cooker and serve over the pork! Wow wow wow, even if I do say so myself!
I found a pork belly joint in the freezer that Chris bought cos it was reduced, and as it was taking up a huge amount of space, decided to go with that, so here goes!
Ingredients
1kg Pork Belly joint, skin scored
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp sea salt
3 red onions, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves
1tsp chilli flakes
200g green lentils
200ml white wine
200ml chicken stock
2 tbsp natural yoghurt - to make the sauce creamier before serving!
Method
Combine the fennel seeds and salt, unroll the joint and rub all over.
Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker - except the yoghurt - place the pork on top, skin side up, and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Preheat the grill to high. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a rack inside a grill tray. Grill for 10 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Stir the yoghurt through the sauce in the slow cooker and serve over the pork! Wow wow wow, even if I do say so myself!
"HittingTheBar" Postmatch review of WBA v QPR by @paulfinney1969
A big thanks to @paulfinney1969 who wrote this review for me from last Saturday! With you there on the hope Paul...........Photo courtesy of www.qpr.co.uk
You can also find Paul Finney courtesy of www.indyrs.co.uk and also on the fabulous podcast :)
You can also find Paul Finney courtesy of www.indyrs.co.uk and also on the fabulous podcast :)
"It is the hope that kills
you at times.....
We all know that being a QPR
fan life is never easy, nor do we do things the easy way. Saturday was, if we had a script for us to go
and win, and push on from the great results we got playing Arsenal and Swansea,
and also our new found confidence and team building, was going to see us go to
a safe WBA and pick up the points.
That was the thinking on the
way down in the car, as we all met up and went to the wonderful Vine where both
sets of fans mixed well. Then a WBA fan
tells me that they “are not that great, cannot pass and we will hammer them.” I
looked at my mate Adam and said shall we head home now, as Being Rangers we
know what that means.
And so we walk to the ground
and indeed that is what they did to us.
Just passed around us, which I hated to see, as when we came out and
onto the pitch Joey Barton -to his credit - went to every player and did a pat
on the back and gee up and I thought we have got there at last, the team looked
as a unit.
But as I say my soul sank
when they came out and passed around us while, when we got the ball, we failed
to use it in a manner to put them on the back foot, until Zamora chased a ball
on pushed their defender off his track, then wasted one of the few chances we
had.
Their goal was odd to take
when we were under the cosh a bit, Paddy Kenny and Joey Barton had a heated
exchange on a corner, and he was right Paddy was telling Joey we were sitting
too deep, and hold onto the ball.
Then a few moments later
they got a throw, then Ferdinand turned his back on the throw and jogged back
into position. When I was trying to work
out what the heck that was about, they moved the ball to where they wanted it
and that was in line with the goal. Their
player was at least 35 yards out and then the ball flew, I was two rows in so I
seen it fly, then the hands of Kenny got to the ball and you could hear it just
came off his gloves, and smashed into the net.
Myself, and the other near 3000 R's fans, just let out a gasp, as we all
felt it was to be our day.
All I could think was just
keep this down to one, then 2nd half lets go for it. We did just that, and that is the worst thing
looking back at the game, was that we were not that bad, just lacked that final killer shot, and the
longer the game went on the more the players I felt let fear rule their feet
and head.
Has to be said that we did
try, Adel could not get his range right, and the corners again failed to test their
keeper, who sadly had an easy day of it.
Then that moment you know
will always come in a game, Zamora got the ball, fired off his shot, the goal
at the mercy, then in that spilt second you seen the ball just take off the
wrong way and hit Jamie Mackie on the back, and that was that then, our season
summed up in that move. Lady luck, and that
lack of confidence has let us down again.
From then on in the game
just bypassed me. As the time ticked
away I knew, as we all did, that was our chance, and we sat there hearing the
WBA sing about us being so shite to lose to Wolves and bring on the Villa.
When all I could think of
was this is not how today was to end.
Our fans, as always, gave
the team the best backing they could and was proud to see the away end so full
and before the game the buzz was class.
Still, it now looks like we have to win two
from four and a draw then again our plan B is that there are three clubs worse
then us at the moment, and you know I will take that."
Cheers Paul, let's hope we do it at home this Saturday! COYR's!
Anyone else got a review of the game on your blog, would love to see it too! See linky below!
Anyone else got a review of the game on your blog, would love to see it too! See linky below!
Monday 16 April 2012
Frozen Herbs
My mother told me years ago that I could freeze herbs - my mum's a chef! As with a lot of advice given when young I chose to do a yadda yadda yadda! Since I now cook quite a lot of curries and stuff, I do buy a rediculous amount of coriander, and end up throwing a lot of it way, rotten! Don't start me on trying to keep the pots healthy.
Then I remembered that gem of advice and recently started freezing coriander to great success! You can easily pick off what you need as and when! Will update when I try other herbs!
Any further advice on this would be greatly received!
Annie x
Frozen coriander, fresh as! |
Any further advice on this would be greatly received!
Annie x
Mexican B*****d Chicken courtesy of @Dig_us
This recipe has been given to my by one of my lovely followers on twitter, @Dig_us Sounds fab and I hope I do it justice! So here goes!
Ingredients (Serves 4)
4 chicken breasts - free range folks!
Tequila
Red and Green chilli's to taste, chopped
Cream - I used 3 tbs Greek yoghurt instead, cream doesn't like me!
Spring onion, sliced
Red and Green peppers chopped
Method
Throw on the chillis and pour enough tequila to cover the chicken. Put in fridge for at least 12 hours to marinate.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking
Turn on oven to 180
Drain off marinade and reserve for use later
Seal the chicken all over in a pan and put in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked
After 20 mins or so gently fry the spring onions and peppers until soft. Then take off heat
Put the marinade in another pan to reduce. When reduced enough put the onions and peppers mixture in with it, add the cream and heat through. Do not boil.
Pour over chicken and serve :) Serving suggestion was with minted potatoes and green beans, but as I'd forgotten that bit I served with a potatoes and sweetcorn (sorry)!
Absolutely delicious and perfect spice for us, will definitely be doing this again, if the Tequila survives!
Thank you Kris!
Annie x
Just Add Chicken |
4 chicken breasts - free range folks!
Tequila
Red and Green chilli's to taste, chopped
Cream - I used 3 tbs Greek yoghurt instead, cream doesn't like me!
Spring onion, sliced
Red and Green peppers chopped
Chicken Marinating |
Method
Throw on the chillis and pour enough tequila to cover the chicken. Put in fridge for at least 12 hours to marinate.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking
Turn on oven to 180
Drain off marinade and reserve for use later
Seal the chicken all over in a pan and put in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked
After 20 mins or so gently fry the spring onions and peppers until soft. Then take off heat
Combined and ready to serve |
Delicious :) |
Pour over chicken and serve :) Serving suggestion was with minted potatoes and green beans, but as I'd forgotten that bit I served with a potatoes and sweetcorn (sorry)!
Absolutely delicious and perfect spice for us, will definitely be doing this again, if the Tequila survives!
Thank you Kris!
Annie x
12 Bloggers 1 Car #NissanLeafCar21
The Challenge - 12.5 bloggers into 1 Car |
Car-nage! |
So what did you do this Sunday? We got together some of the local (St Albans) blogging community, to help support Alex (@daddacool) in his quest to win this #NissanLeafCar21. In between the rain and shine we managed to get 12.5 in - @BeingMrsC has a little one on board of her own. It was brilliant fun and as you can see I lucked out by joining @cbolam and @mediocre_mum in the boot :) Thanks to @tall_rich and @CocoonPhoto for taking some fabulous pics :)
You can help Alex by voting here
Please, please, please help, and if you see the car around give him a toot :)
Sunday 15 April 2012
"Hitting The Bar" WBA v QPR
Anyone do a review of yesterday's game, would love to collect blog posts and opinions in one place. Even from WBA fans?
If on twitter, will use #hittingthebar #qpr
Click linky below :)
If on twitter, will use #hittingthebar #qpr
Click linky below :)
Friday 13 April 2012
Crete April 2012
You probably know I mainly blog about our Villa on www.rentavillaincrete.com But thought I'd transfer some pages over to here under my travel page :)
Wine Tasting
Ta Aptera Taberna
Aptera Ruins
English War Cemetary
Limnoupolis Water Park
More to add, but that's all for now :)
Annie
Ta Aptera Taberna
Aptera Ruins
English War Cemetary
Limnoupolis Water Park
More to add, but that's all for now :)
Annie
Thursday 12 April 2012
"HittingTheBar" Postmatch report QPR v Swansea by @sandyhoops
Thanks so much to @sandyhoops for mailing over her excellent match report from last nights game! I've added some pics from QPR. Feel free to comment or join in the discussion! Thanks Sandy!
And what about Diakite? Who had ever heard of him? And, let’s be honest, after his red card in his debut match, who ever thought we would hear of him again?! But he is showing his class now. He breaks up play so effectively but also has vision and accuracy and, as we know from his goal against Arsenal, a pretty powerful shot! I am so impressed with him. Boy oh boy! Are we spoilt for choice in midfield – and this is all without the irrepressible, sadly-missed Ale Faurlin! (I bet you thought I was going to say Shaun Derry – I think he was pretty worried about his place in the midfield after last night’s performance – but don’t worry, Shaun, you’ll be back for us soon!)
Have I mentioned that Kenny, who had little to do last night, seems back to his last-season, brilliant best? I have been impressed with him more and more recently – his return to form seems to have coincided with the improved performance of our much-maligned defence. And, to me, it is no small coincidence that this has happened since Clint Hill has taken centre stage, literally, in a growing partnership with Anton Ferdinand and we have had a settled back four. I always felt Ferdinand wasn’t quite ready to lead the centre of defence and, indeed, Hill seems to have taken it upon himself to organise our defence and lead the line – and doesn’t he do it well? Another superb, and necessary, goal-line clearance came from our man-mountain (Hill doesn’t seem to describe him adequately!) which could have made the score 2-1 and would have put a whole different complexion on the match. The defence worked tirelessly and deserved our first clean sheet since October 2011 (interestingly against Chelsea!)
"I don’t know about you, but I found last night’s game against
Swansea rather satisfying! In fact, when
you consider our home form this season which, I think it would be fair to say,
has been really disappointing, our last three home games have been rather
satisfying!
But what made last night a little bit more special for me was
that it was against one of our fellow-promoted teams – a team doing better than
ourselves and which had, until recently, taken the Premiership by
surprise. Didn’t one football pundit
claim that Swansea are a “breath of fresh air” to the Premiership with their
flowing style of football?
Last season, Adel Taarabt made Swansea look decidedly
ordinary as he almost single-handedly destroyed them, scoring two himself (one
of which was contender for goal of the season – or did it win, I can’t remember
now!) and having a hand in the other two.
Last night, he pretty much did the same thing – without actually
scoring! The number of times he left the
Swansea defence flat-footed as he danced his mercurial, Moroccan dance around
them, left me in no doubt that the Championship Player of the Year was back to
his delightful best. Mark Hughes has had
a superb influence on the young genius who, by his standards, had not had a
good first part of the season before leaving for the AfCon.
Taarabt left a QPR in January that does not resemble the QPR
he has come back to – and he is one player who has benefitted enormously from
the change-over. Buzsaky is
another. In January, with Warnock at the
helm, Buzsaky’s future seemed destined to be anywhere other than at Loftus Road
– he was told as much. But now, although
he is not a regular starter, he is an integral part of Hughes’ new-look Rangers
and his goal last night, only his second of this campaign, was a scorcher –
definitely the best of the three (apologies to the cracking efforts by Joey and
Mackie!)
Buzsaky is a very intelligent player although, at times last
night, it looked more like laziness to my dear friend sitting right next to
me. It is funny how even sitting in two
different seats – let alone two different parts of the ground – can make a game
look so different!! I knew we would have
plenty of periods when we wouldn’t have the ball against this “breath of fresh
air” yet I thought our midfield was excellent last night. We controlled proceedings for large parts of
the game but, more importantly, when we didn’t have the ball we chased and
harried Swansea restricting them to short passes around the centre of the pitch
and in their own half; and preventing them from moving forward usefully towards
goal. And, when we did have the ball,
didn’t we spray it around effectively and decisively?
A few weeks ago, I criticised Barton’s passing – last night I
was purring with delight at the accuracy of his passes. Barely one was not a completed pass – and
when he did lose the ball, he chased back like a ferocious terrier – and didn’t
commit a single foul in recovering the ball!
Wow! He is doing the simple
things very, very well – at last! Short,
clever passes; one-touch passes; long balls that a few weeks ago would have
flown out of play are now landing with pin-point accuracy at the feet of the
intended team-mate.
And what about Diakite? Who had ever heard of him? And, let’s be honest, after his red card in his debut match, who ever thought we would hear of him again?! But he is showing his class now. He breaks up play so effectively but also has vision and accuracy and, as we know from his goal against Arsenal, a pretty powerful shot! I am so impressed with him. Boy oh boy! Are we spoilt for choice in midfield – and this is all without the irrepressible, sadly-missed Ale Faurlin! (I bet you thought I was going to say Shaun Derry – I think he was pretty worried about his place in the midfield after last night’s performance – but don’t worry, Shaun, you’ll be back for us soon!)
I know Zamora had a chance or two: what a shame he missed a
sitter in the first half when he received the ball a mere three or four yards
out and managed to sky it into the School End upper tier! But technically, he is amazing. He holds the ball well, pulls defenders all
over the place, crosses the ball dangerously and, if Probert had actually taken
action every time Zamora was held back or held down (not just the once that
gave us a free kick which led to Barton’s screaming opening goal on 46
minutes), I would say he is pretty decent at heading the ball!
Have I mentioned that Kenny, who had little to do last night, seems back to his last-season, brilliant best? I have been impressed with him more and more recently – his return to form seems to have coincided with the improved performance of our much-maligned defence. And, to me, it is no small coincidence that this has happened since Clint Hill has taken centre stage, literally, in a growing partnership with Anton Ferdinand and we have had a settled back four. I always felt Ferdinand wasn’t quite ready to lead the centre of defence and, indeed, Hill seems to have taken it upon himself to organise our defence and lead the line – and doesn’t he do it well? Another superb, and necessary, goal-line clearance came from our man-mountain (Hill doesn’t seem to describe him adequately!) which could have made the score 2-1 and would have put a whole different complexion on the match. The defence worked tirelessly and deserved our first clean sheet since October 2011 (interestingly against Chelsea!)
We kept our shape last night – as we did, albeit with 10 men,
on Sunday at Old Trafford – we stuck to our plan. And we made that “breath of fresh air” look
stale and tired and very, very boring.
Swansea’s plan seemed to be to knock the ball about in defence, back to
the goalie, through defence to midfield and back again to the defence and then
the goalie! I nearly fell asleep in the
first half! There was only one team
playing “total football” last night – and they were playing in blue-and-white
hoops (are Swansea trying to compete with us in the revolting orange/mango away
shirts competition – is there a competition?!!)
I do believe we have enough to keep ourselves up and the
turn-around in our home form is instrumental in this process. Fulham fans were quick to let us know that we
would be happy with Hughes as our manager but that he takes time to get his
message across and working – about 10 games they reckoned. Well, I believe he has been our manager for
15 games now – so that would be about right! After our farcical performance up at Bolton a
few weeks ago, we seem to have grown in stature and unity. We are playing some lovely, flowing,
one-touch football at times, as we did so well last night; but we are also
defending better, passing better, finishing better and playing with more
confidence and fight than we have at any other time this season.
I hope we can pick up points away from home in one or more of
our last 3 away games – at Chelsea would be particularly sweet; but this
weekend at Brom will be fine for me! And
we must continue to be “fortress Loftus Road” against Spurs and Stoke. And if we do all that – no mean feat, let’s
be realistic – we will deserve to retain our place in the Premier League. And next season, with the likes of Diakite
and Faurlin in midfield – Premier League watch out!"
Sandy Lerman (@sandyhoops)
Wednesday 11 April 2012
QPR - PostMatchPost
I'm not the greatest of pundits, but I do love to read other's analysis of our games, and indeed those of the opposition! I therefore intend to start a PostMatchPost blog, with my little offerings, but would like other footy bloggers to put their blog on here, with a linky back to there's? Kind of in a post match pub kinda discussion! Hoping this may have legs. I know lots of #QPR fans who don't have blogs but I value all fans' opinion and in that case am happy to offer mine over to them as a guest blog!
Need to do the linkytool bit first, but for the moment it's work in progress :)
Thanks!
A rather happy Annieqpr in a 3-0 kinda way da da da da Hoops..............................
By the way, open to offers on a name change? Hitting the Bar muted too?
Need to do the linkytool bit first, but for the moment it's work in progress :)
Thanks!
A rather happy Annieqpr in a 3-0 kinda way da da da da Hoops..............................
By the way, open to offers on a name change? Hitting the Bar muted too?
Friday 6 April 2012
Easter Bunny vs Santa
We've come to an important place in our lives as parents but I think I've just blown it. Jasper who is 8 in May truly believed in Santa this Christmas, and we did embrace it as we felt it may be the last!
Today however they were asking about the Easter Bunny, and when asked if it was real I told him no! I thought he was ready, he questioned it so it must have been discussed at school, but I am now officially the worst mum in the world!
To balance this out I had been trying to let him know the true significance of Easter - being catholics and all *coughs* but denial of chocolate may be the downfall..........................After all what has chocolate eggs got to do with Jesus being crucified, buried and resurrected. Eggs refer to new life and a celebration, but my head hurts when I overthink it all (so quite seriously what hope does he have bless him)!
Would love some advice on this! And my overuse of the exclamation mark!
Annie x (birching myself as I tweet - bad mum)
Today however they were asking about the Easter Bunny, and when asked if it was real I told him no! I thought he was ready, he questioned it so it must have been discussed at school, but I am now officially the worst mum in the world!
To balance this out I had been trying to let him know the true significance of Easter - being catholics and all *coughs* but denial of chocolate may be the downfall..........................After all what has chocolate eggs got to do with Jesus being crucified, buried and resurrected. Eggs refer to new life and a celebration, but my head hurts when I overthink it all (so quite seriously what hope does he have bless him)!
Would love some advice on this! And my overuse of the exclamation mark!
Annie x (birching myself as I tweet - bad mum)
Ryanair - We Did It
Well I didn't want to jinz our last two trips, both being with Ryanair, but having survived both unscathed am happy to tell you a wee tale!
Chris booked the first trip to Seville and all was good, I was terribly worried about bag sizes etc. but he had indeed done his homework and all was fine!
I booked our Crete flights, and made a wee bit of a faux pas! I may have had a drop of vino whilst booking them and whilst I took my time to check we weren't paying for bags, or priority boarding, of their special cases or insurance etc., I was pretty confident all was well.
However, the next morning when I checked I realised I'd spelt Scarlett with 3 ttt's! What an eejit, my tummy did a backflip and I can't repeat what Chris said to me! I trawled the website for help, and managed to find out that a namechange would cost £110! I was almost resigned to doing it when I thought, hang on a mo, this is a typo surely not a name change!
I found a 10p a minute customer service number and gave them a call! Before I gave my customer number I confirmed that there wouldn't be a charge, which she said there wouldn't be, and within 5 mins the problem was sorted and I was emailed corrected details. This cost me approx. 50p!
I am aware alot of people would have been put off by the 10p a minute phonecall, but I can assure you it worked for me, and wanted to pass it on!
Hope this helps!
Annie x
Chris booked the first trip to Seville and all was good, I was terribly worried about bag sizes etc. but he had indeed done his homework and all was fine!
I booked our Crete flights, and made a wee bit of a faux pas! I may have had a drop of vino whilst booking them and whilst I took my time to check we weren't paying for bags, or priority boarding, of their special cases or insurance etc., I was pretty confident all was well.
However, the next morning when I checked I realised I'd spelt Scarlett with 3 ttt's! What an eejit, my tummy did a backflip and I can't repeat what Chris said to me! I trawled the website for help, and managed to find out that a namechange would cost £110! I was almost resigned to doing it when I thought, hang on a mo, this is a typo surely not a name change!
I found a 10p a minute customer service number and gave them a call! Before I gave my customer number I confirmed that there wouldn't be a charge, which she said there wouldn't be, and within 5 mins the problem was sorted and I was emailed corrected details. This cost me approx. 50p!
I am aware alot of people would have been put off by the 10p a minute phonecall, but I can assure you it worked for me, and wanted to pass it on!
Hope this helps!
Annie x
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