Blues put through the Hoops

Andy Munro endures a damp St Andrews watching Blues go down 2-0 to Queens Park Rangers.

Setting the scene, it was absolutely freezing cold as I saw Blues beaten by a distinctly average QPR side taking the lead through an ex-Blues loanee who celebrated in front of the Tilton like he’d scored a cup final winner with a worldly. Frankly, I’ve had much better nights as a Bluenose but I’m not yet going to call for Pep to be reinstated as caretaker coach.

We were distinctly the better side in the first half with Sunjic and McEachran bossing things, along with Jude. However, we were undone in the dying seconds of the first half when Blues defence did a footballing version of the Keystone Cops in front of their own goal before the said Grant Hall poked the ball home.

The second half was marred by a couple of substitutions which many found hard to understand. However, it transpires that the extremely bright Bela was carrying a groin injury and, if that was the case one wonders what most of his team-mates were carrying!

Then Jude Bellingham was taken off, to most people’s astonishment when Maghoma was having the proverbial mare. So with two wingers on including Montero, Pep takes off Giminez for the Juke and also brings on the vertically challenged Odin Bailey. Cue a stream of excellent crosses into the box from Montero and some great dead ball kicks from McEachran with the Juke cutting a lonely and outnumbered figure in the box.

Meanwhile Colin, already on a yellow is left without cover as the blisteringly quick Osayi-Samuel sprints past him to score an excellent second goal to clinch it for Rangers.

Trying to look on the bright side, the recent signings of Bela and McEachran with no transfer fees involved look an absolute steal. Either way, even with the Baggies and the Yorkies lying in wait, I think a lower midtable position beckons – something I will take in this transitional season.