Reserves - Arsenal v QPR 03/02/98

Arsenal reserve match

Avon Insurance Combination, 3 February 1998

Arsenal 1 QPR 1

On a bitterly cold afternoon, I made my way down to Southbury Road to see our intrepid reserves take on QPR. The mantle of reserves was not entirely deserved by QPR as they fielded quite a few players whom I recognised - and it showed. For the record the teams were

Arsenal
Bartram
Crowe, Garde, Upson, Wicks
McGowan, Platt (c), R. Hughes, Boa Morte
Wreh, Rankin
Subs
Ross Taylor
Michael Black
James Harper

QPR
Hurst
Bardsley, Perry, Maddix, Barker
Slade, Plummer, Kulcsar, Bruce
Sheron, Gallen
Subs
?
?
Challis

So a QPR side with 6 regular first teamers that I know of, and they looked it. They made life very difficult for Arsenal - and really dominated us for possession if not for territory. Unfortunately it is not possible to write the report without first covering Mr Howes (the referee) involvement. I try hard to be fair to officials, I try hard to be objective, but with the exception of half time and 1 penalty decision the referee managed to get everything else completely wrong. Not just silly things, but major decisions - decisions which affected the whole game. His linesmen (sorry assistants) were just as incompetent and between them they ruined the game.

The first half was mainly Arsenal's, Platt went very close with an early free kick, and Wreh, and McGowan miskicked wildly when in decent positions. Chris Wreh did not have a happy game - Danny Maddix was kicking him so many times and Wreh was getting riled. After one tumble Maddix clearly cuffed Wreh right in front of the ref. If the ref had chosen to book Maddix then (which he deserved for persistent offending) then the game might have calmed down a little. Unfortunately just before half time, Maddix chopped Wreh down, and the red mist descended. Chrissy Wreh got up and smacked Maddix on the side of the head. Maddix responded and punches were thrown. It was more a "handbags at dawn" event, but Mr Howes felt he had no option but to send the pair off. Chris Wreh stared at him in utter disbelief before Platt and Wicks encouraged him to leave. A QPR fan standing next to me said "he's a little hard done by, your lad. They both are." And it was difficult not to agree. The resulting free kick from Platt went just wide.

The only other event of note was midway through the first half when Matty Upson was subbed by Ross Taylor after sustaining a knock - it didn't look too serious, more pre-cautionary.

The second half was more of the same - except that QPR were devastating on the break. On 51 minutes we were turned inside out by Sheron who's right foot drive smashed against the cross bar, and Steve Slade drove the rebound in off of the far post. Matty Wicks and Vince Bartram were clearly unimpressed with the linesman, and they felt that Slade was offside - not from where I stood he wasn't, and I had a great view of proceedings.

I little while later Rankin was subbed by Michael Black after he too got a knock - again nothing serious. Black and Boa Morte played upfront but didn't really use their pace to great effect.

There were a couple of opportunities for Boa Morte, Platt and Garde but we were struggling to control Sheron, Gallen and most dangerously Slade. Gallen missed a glorious opportunity when one on one with Bartram - Vince did well to narrow the angle but Gallen should have scored anyway - Rangers fans are worried, he looks woefully out of form, and has never recovered his confidence since breaking his leg 2 or 3 years ago. Sheron also missed when he shouldn't have, and Slade blasted wide when more composure would have buried us.

Aside from 4 or 5 bookings for Rangers players (few of them deserved) nothing else was happening when with about 7 minutes to go Crowe swung a free kick across the box to Platty. Platt was well ahead of his marker and in mid flight when he was bundled into from behind. The ball skidded of his head and went dead. Penalty! No? Shurely shome mishtake! God knows how the ref and the linesman missed it, I didn't, the 1,000 or so fans didn't the players didn't. "Whew that was lucky!" understated the Rangers fan next to me - he's not kidding.

Still a couple of minutes later he did get one right. Richard Hughes cut into the area, and (I think) the goalkeeper took him down. It was at the wrong end of the pitch and difficult to see, but there was little arguing (and that was a clue in this game). Platty placed it to the keepers left, and fortunately the keeper had decided to dive, otherwise he could have knelt down and picked it up whilst whistling a happy tune - not one of Platty's better efforts! That was enough, with icicles growing where icicles have no right to grow, I called it a day and left with the score at 1-1 and about 2 or 3 minutes to go.

My observations on this game are about the referee and his linesmen. It is amazing the abuse you can hear when there aren't 38,000 screaming fans. The referee was told he got a decision badly wrong by Sheron (true as well), he was called a F***** idiot by another QPR player, and Rankin stood in front of me and berated the linesman about a throw in - "Wha? Your F***** joking Lino, No F***** way. You got that completely F***** wrong. No one said it was easy being a referee, and players do not make it any easier, but in all three cases the players were correct - perhaps that's why none of them were punished.

Bartram - 6 - little to do, but if "verbals"3D talent he'd play for England. Vince must use lozenges after each game - he doesn't stop yelling.

Crowe - 6.5 - did nothing wrong, needs to be a little more assertive when he wants the ball.

Garde - 7 - generally handled Sheron well, composed and intelligent use of the ball.

Wicks - 6.5 - found Gallen a handful, never really exposed, except for pace.

Upson - 6.5 - comfortable, one glorious through ball for Wreh.

McGowan - 5 - ineffective, right wing not his best position clearly, but missed too many decent opportunities.

Platt - 7.5 - best player on the park - used the ball well, captained well (no surprise there), several decent chances - even if the penalty was more luck than judgement.

R.Hughes - 7 - solid, dependable, doesn't like giving the ball away - so he doesn't. I still thought he was better at left back against Chelsea.

Boa Morte - 6.5 - not very effective, one silly miss, and several blind alleys. Still causes panic in defences.

Wreh - 6 - lumbering and cumbersome, missed once when he should have done better. Unlucky to be sent off.

Rankin - 6 - no better than Wreh, possibly worse - didn't seem to like the physical stuff.

Taylor - 6.5 - badly out of position for the QPR goal, didn't do much wrong, once or twice got forward quickly to help out, good vision.

Black - 6 - overpowered by the Rangers defence - I don't think he is a centre-forward by trade.

report by Gareth Wilson

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