Are QPR the Chelsea of the Championship? Begovic mistake spoils the night for Hoops against Swansea
By Alessandro Schiavone at Loftus Road
QPR 1-1 Swansea (Ginnell 7', Dykes 92')
QPR are the Chelsea of the Championship. That is a fact now. A quick glance at the table reveals that the Hoops are the lowest-ranked London side in the second-tier. Equally, the Blues are preceded by Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham, Palace, Fulham and Brentford in the Prem at the minute.
And in similar fashion to their neighbours down the road, they play really well. Even exceptionally well at times. They create a host of chances, move the ball around effortlessly, have a technical and pyschological edge on the opposition... but just don't know how to score.
Ironically, QPR were forced into chasing the game from the 7th minute onwards as ex-Chelsea stopper Asmir Begovic spilled a harmless cross which ricocheted off Jamal Lowe before bundling in.
QPR huffed and puffed for 85 minutes. And two minutes into stoppage-time Ilias Chair's pinpoint delivery found the head of Lyndon Dykes who deservedly restored a stalemate for the battling Hoops.
Sixth from bottom and in peril, yet the manner in which QPR responded to the early setback is cause for optimism. And they could have found the equaliser long before 9.38pm as a barrage of good chances went begging. First Kenneth Paal dragged a shot wide, then Sinclair Armstrong thought he was in an offside position, firing over.
Right winger Paul Smyth also missed the target.
If Chair had been at his best, QPR would have won the game hands down. But he wasn't and that's why they only drew.
The Hoops' desire and fighting spirit couldn't be faulted.
But neither do Chelsea's. Yet either side just doesn't collect enough points right now to make a case for a London revival.
Teams: QPR 1Begovic
2KakayBooked at 67mins
5S Cook
15Fox
11SmythSubstituted forKolliat 87'minutes
17Dozzell
8Field
22Paal
7WillockSubstituted forKelmanat 73'minutes
30ArmstrongSubstituted forDykesat 61'minutes
10Chair
Substitutes
6Clarke-Salter
9Dykes
19Dixon-Bonner
21Larkeche
23Kelman
24Duke-McKenna
32Walsh
37Adomah
38Kolli
Swansea City:
22Rushworth
5Cabango
23WoodBooked at 5mins
33Humphreys
8Grimes
2KeySubstituted forTymonat 32'minutes
4Fulton
10LoweSubstituted forKukharevychat 73'minutes
11GinnellySubstituted forCooperat 73'minutesBooked at 90mins
20CullenSubstituted forYatesat 58'minutes
12Paterson
Substitutes
1Fisher
3Pedersen
6Darling
9Yates
14Tymon
18Patino
19Kukharevych
30Ashby
31Cooper
Referee:: Andrew Kitchen
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