Harry makes point as Operation Shutout continues
Harry Redknapp made his point very succinctly with an exceptional shutout against his old club Spurs Saturday in the 0-0 draw at Loftus Road.
In fact, it is little surprise that Harry was gushing after the game - more so than perhaps even the Chelsea victory last time out (yes, it is quite possible the win at Stamford Bridge will be mentioned in every post from here on in . . . ) - considering Spurs record since they got their collective posteriors in gear.
In their previous 11 games Spurs scored 25 goals: that's more than six Premier League teams have scored all season, including QPR. Barring a 0-0 draw at Stoke - the meanest defence probably in the history of football - you have to go back to a freak 1-0 home loss to Wigan at the beginning of November, and back then Andre Villas-Boas probably feared a little for his job.
And Saturday's draw came about with another textbook rear-guard display conceived on the training ground. In fact, with no goals conceded by the Rs since Luis Suarez was given the freedom of Shepherds Bush over the festive period, one is beginning to believe that all we may need at the other end of the pitch is a dozen goals at most to stay up.
Is it alchemy, the things that Harry has achieved with the same shambolic group of defensive players this season? Perhaps. But it is explainable.
What has changed is that players are getting their shape back a lot quicker than they had done under Mark Hughes. The ball is still being lost in silly areas, but the three in the middle of the park are stretching the second line of defence across it, making it much more difficult for the likes of Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale to exploit space.
Shaun Derry playing the holding role with some discipline is also meaning that any lost ball does not guarantee a straight run at our back four - though the most worrying moment was when Derry himself lost the ball to Bale in the second half.
And then there is Ryan Nelsen, who, with the stiffening of the defensive ranks in front of him, has marshalled what looks like a strong and determined defence admirably. When Lennon was replaced on 70 minutes, it was a nod to how well QPR had defended.
Julio Cesar is allowed to be more stable when the pressure on him is no longer constant, and he kept the Rs in it in the first five minutes with a marvellous double save.
Going forward, Adel Taarabt was imperious once more, and his partnership with Shaun Wright-Phillips is beginning to flourish. Jamie Mackie once more worked his socks off, but the lack of a goalscorer is beginning to show in front of goal. Do Rangers need to play an out-and-out striker against the "smaller teams"?
We probably won't find out until QPR play Norwich at the beginning of February, but the work ethic is spot on, the points have started coming once more - and we are no longer pushovers.
253 minutes without a goal and counting, against Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham. Bring on West Ham and Man City.
Follow Sean Smith on Twitter @seanshorn
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