At least I can say I WAS THERE. Absolutely brilliant goal by Johnny Jensen. He had had a couple of rasping shots in the first half, both from outside the area. The first brought a good save from Roberts, and the secnod looped just over the bar.
Then we were 1-0 down in the second half, and Johnny had the ball on the left hand edge of the box about 16 yards from the goal line. The crowd shouted shoot, but there was no way to score from there. We looked for the cross. He shot. The ball swerved incredibly round the outstretched arm of Roberts and the far side of the net bulged. Pandemonium ensued. I did more shouting and jumping up and down then than I normally do in a whole game. For the next five minutes there was nothing to be heard but chants of Johnny Jensen, Johnny Johnny Jensen
Then QPR scored two more.
We played really well in the first half. Parlour looked really good, causing QPR a lot of problems. Smith had a brilliant shot in difficult circumstances. Wrighty didn't really look up to par, but we all know that doesn't necessarily know that he's not going to score.
Their first goal was too easy. They didn't have a lot of attacks, and this was early on. I thnk it was Ferdinand who crossed from the right wing to Gallen who was standing unmarked in the six yard box, and who had a simple job of deflecting the ball in.
We looked for more of the same from Arsenal in the second half, but it was not to be. QPR were the better side. Arsenal were playing with no confidence. The normal pattern is for the side to play crap in the first half, George gees them up at half time, then they come storming out. This time whatever George had said had put the mockers on and Parlour disappeared from the game. Nobody wanted the ball, nobody could do anything with it.
When Johnny scored I thought it would put a charge into the side and they'd go storming forward. It did, but the side was QPR. The goals weren't a surprise, but they were bad goals to give away. One ball across the area that*just* eluded three of our defenders but not Allen who tapped in from a yard out. Their third goal was down to Bartram who let a looping cross go over his head, I can only imagine because he thought it was going out, but Impey (I think) was behind him, and simply headed in.
A further word about Campbell. I have been saying that he's not performing as well as he should be, but I never boo him. George said in the programme that he wished Kevin would play at home as well as he does away. Maybe a part of the reason for this difference is the reception he gets from the home supporters. Even if a player isn't doing well, it just isn't going to do him or the team any good to boo him.
Report by Nick Gassman