The week ended better for QPR than it dismally began. First, they went down in the league with something of a bang at Millwall. Then came the shock of hearing that the Football Association was investigating alleged breaches of regulations relating to third-party ownership in the case of Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin. The worst outcome for the club could be deduction of points as they seek promotion, although one feels this won’t happen.
On yesterday’s display, QPR would find it hard to remain in the top division unless they reinforced substantially. They have an outstanding maverick in Adel Taarabt, who is in the grand tradition of Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles, although unlike them there are days when he can sulk rather than shine.
This was certainly not one of them. Near the end a foolish piece of petulance brought him a yellow card, but overall Taarabt, playing behind the chief striker Heidar Helguson, wandered wherever he wished, powerful, original and adroit, passing the ball with accuracy and imagination, easily avoiding tackles and setting up his team’s opening goal on 20 minutes. Crossing from the right, he found Helguson at the far post to tap in the easiest of goals. Ten minutes later, Taarabt, after a fine run, let fly a left-footer that Palace keeper Julian Speroni dived to clutch.
On 40 minutes, Palace shocked QPR with a crisp three-man move that ended with the equaliser. Neil Danns began it with a pass to Darren Ambrose, before James Vaughan beat Paddy Kenny.
The winner came from a penalty on 54 minutes when Taarabt, running onto Wayne Routledge’s pass, was brought down by Paddy McCarthy. The defender was sent off and Helguson converted the spot-kick, prompting a bombardment of missiles from Palace supporters at the other end.
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QPR manager Neil Warnock said he was “really pleased” with his team’s performance. “On another day we could have scored more goals. We made a lot of opportunities.”
And Taarabt? “You can’t really stop him. I love him. It’s lovely to watch. It’s good to find a way to play him and not lose him to the English game. I see him as a loveable rogue.”
Dougie Freedman, the Palace manager, had no quarrels with the penalty. “We had to defend against a team top of the league that can keep the ball very well,” he said. “We don’t give in. We gave them a run for their money; the penalty changed the game.”
As for the fans who threw bottles, he said: “Emotion took control at that stage. Maybe they should have kept the bottles of beer instead of throwing them.”
QPR: Kenny 6, Orr 6, Hall 6, Gorkss 6, Hill 6, Faurlin 7, Derry 6, Smith 6 (Ephraim 86min), Taarabt 8 (Buzsaky 89min), Routledge 6, Helguson 6
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Crystal Palace: Speroni 6, Clyne 6, McCarthy 6, Gardner 6, Moxey 6, Ambrose 6, Wright 6 (Zaha 75min), Dikgacoi 6, Danns 7, Iversen 6 (Davis 55min), Vaughan 7 (Easter 62min)