QPR vs Tottenham Hotspur: Review

After a string of disappointing results, knocking them out of both the Europa league and the final of the Capital One Cup, Spurs had managed just one win in their last six games. This win came mid-week against Swansea, and Spurs needed consecutive results to reinvigorate their push for one of the Champion’s league spots. Today’s game saw them face up against former coach Chris Ramsey’s QPR, who are struggling to claw their way out of the relegation zone battle against Burnley and Leicester. Tottenham made one change from their game against Swansea by bringing in ex-Swans player Ben Davies in for Danny rose, a well-deserved rest for one of Spurs’ most solid defenders.

The game kicked off in a rather timid fashion, with both teams struggling to maintain possession and shoot, both sides attempting to find their in-form English strikers Kane and Austin. It was another young Englishman however that was the center of attention in the first half. Andros Townsend, who has recently been out of favour in the Spurs squad, gave QPR serious problems on the right hand side, firing in multiple crosses and leaving the QPR defence behind. It didn’t take long for Townsend’s efforts to make an impact, and on the thirty-fourth minute he struck a free kick that Harry Kane headed in to put Spurs ahead before half-time. The game took off from there, as Spurs began to find their feet at Loftus Road, and QPR stepped their game in the fight to stave off relegation.

Source: tottenhamhotspur.com

After half time, more of the same from Englishmen Townsend and Mason saw Spurs take a number of shots at goal, and a number of beautifully worked through balls and darting runs gave QPR a hard time. Mason was involved in a fight with Karl Henry which saw head coach Mauricio Pochettino pull the young Englishman off and away from the provocative Henry. All this attacking effort saw Ryan Mason put in a sublime through ball past the QPR defence. Nacer Chadli was gestured to leave the ball by the wonder kid Harry Kane, and he carried the ball around Robert Green like a seasoned professional. Kane’s second of the game and sixteenth of the season saw him creep closer to Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero on seventeen as top-scorer in the Premier League, an outstanding stat for the young Englishman. QPR rallied themselves and fought back, and their efforts culminated in a fantastic strike from none other than ‘The Beast’ Sandro, putting QPR back into the game seventy five minutes in.

The rest of the game saw numerous scuffles, injuries and chances as both teams attempted to change the game in their favour. A nervous looking Tottenham just managed to restrain QPR form fighting back, and the game finished 2-1 to Spurs. The positive performance from Townsend it exciting for Spurs and England fans alike, as the twenty three year old is beginning to add more to his game and benefiting from it greatly. Harry Kane will surely steal the headlines again, but praise must also go to the likes of Mason, Bentaleb and Townsend, who are flourishing under Pochettino. Tottenham’s next game is against Manchester United, and with Spurs only three points off of The Red Devils, this game could be a crucial one in Tottenham’s fight for Champions League qualification. Tottenham need to build on their last two games and concentrate on securing a place in the top four and making the most out of a very good debut season at Spurs for Mauricio Pochettino.