' MATCH THREAD: CARDIFF CITY v QPR ' MATCH THREAD '

Russell Slade: We have to keep it alive for trip to Sheffield

There are five games left and Slade’s primary aim is for the Bluebirds still to be in with a shout when they go to Hillsborough on April 30. Could be a huge game up there.

He said:

We have to match Sheffield Wednesday in the next two games then they go to Derby and we will be home that day and then we go Sheffield. It’s important we keep it alive and have a chance when we go to Wednesday. Things will be sorted there. If we are needing three points last game of season we will take that.

How's training been after Fulham loss?

Slade says his team have picked themselves up after the disappointment of losing late on at Craven Cottage.

He said:

After any defeat you have to pick your team up and recover, mentally and physically. We’ve done that. Come Saturday we will be ready and doing our best to get three points.

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Manga 'major doubt'

Team news for QPR...

Slade confirms that Fabio is out with a groin problem, Pilkington is a doubt with his knee injury and Bruno Manga is a major doubt with a virus

' NOT GOOD NEWS FOR RUSSELL SLADE '
Link
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Cardiff City (7th) v Queens Park Rangers (11th)
Championship >>> Saturday April 16, 2016 >>> Kick Off 15.00 >>> Weather – Overcast, dry >>> Cardiff City Stadium

QPR return to South Wales on Saturday for the first time since July, when really this whole bumble of a season began with a pre-season friendly at Newport County.

The rain had the phone ringing off the hook at the ark builders' yard and the animals queued in pairs for tickets in the covered side stand. The pitch/swamp played with less speed and zip than Bob Malcolm after a heavy night at the Corby branch of the Glasgow Rangers Supporters and Social Club. Rangers gallantly held the League Two side to a 0-0 draw.

What's followed since has been rather tame by QPR's standards. Just the three managers this season and no bankruptcy proceedings, meningitis outbreaks, brawls with touring Chinese sides, FA inquiries into dodgy transfer dealings, chairmen being "forced to resign" at gunpoint, court cases, deaths or last minute Wembley winners to speak of. Standards are slipping.

But there has been progress made since that sodden day at (ageing Welsh drag act) Rodney Parade. It looked at that stage like Oscar Gobern and the likes were going to have to play some serious part this season, while the big hitters all seemed certain to leave. When they all stayed hopes of a promotion push sprang once more, only for them to turn out not to be very good – Charlie Austin apart – and Chris Ramsey was predictably sacked.

Things seem to have settled down considerably under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and there's even suggestion that the club has met the Financial Fair Play target for this season which will prevent a transfer embargo being imposed from next January. That's still in the 'believe it when I see it' folder but it will be a remarkable achievement if it is the case. Even CEO Lee Hoos, who will deserve all the credit in the world if it is achieved, said he thought there was "fat chance of that happening" when he arrived back in the summer.

Hasselbaink has succeeded, or at least started to succeed, where Ramsey and Neil Warnock both failed with this group of players – getting them to score without leaving themselves wide open at the other end. Ramsey went the Kevin Keegan route and found his side needing to score three times every week to win, Warnock went the pragmatic route and parked six midfielders in front of four defenders with no striker on the field and focused on the clean sheets. The defence still needs lots of work, and a few new faces, as the last half hour of the Charlton game and all of the Middlesbrough match before it showed clearly. But it's a mile better than it was in August and September – helped greatly by having a half decent goalkeeper.

I guess the easy way to look ahead to tomorrow, and Tuesday night’s difficult trip to Brighton, is the hope that further progress is made in the remaining matches. But there were, for the first time, hints in the Charlton game, and by all accounts at Leeds, that minds are starting to wonder towards the summer holiday with nothing at stake.

There’s plenty for the likes of Jack Robinson to get their teeth into, but the rubbers are well dead for QPR now and it’s certainly all eyes on next season.

CARDIFF HOME
Cardiff have scored 1 goal or less in 9 of their last 20 home games, going on to win 3, draw 4 and lose 2 of these matches.

Cardiff have conceded 1 goal or less in 14 of their last 20 home games, going on to win 10, draw 4 and lose 0 of these matches.

In their last 20 home matches, Cardiff have scored 1.5 goals per game and conceded 0.9 goals per game on average.

QPR AWAY

QPR have scored 1 goal or less in 18 of their last 20 away games, going on to win 2, draw 8 and lose 8 of these matches.

QPR have conceded 1 goal or less in 14 of their last 20 away games, going on to win 3, draw 8 and lose 3 of these matches.

In their last 20 away matches, QPR have scored 0.8 goals per game and conceded 1.2 goals per game on average.

Lads at game today keep an eye out as my mother is in qpr end ( her partner is qpr fan ) she is Cardiff fan and she promised me she'd celebrate if we score. I live away so appreciate if anyone spots her if they let me know on here. Cheers

Team News

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Marshall, Peltier, Connolly, Morrison, Malone, Whittingham, Ralls, O'Keefe, Noone, Immers, Pilkington.

Team : Marshall, Peltier, Malone, Morrison, Connolly, Ralls, O'Keefe, Whittingham, Noone, Pilkington and Immers.

Subs : Moore, Turner, Dikgacoi, Ameobi, Lawrence, Zohore and Gunnarsson.

Pilkington and O’Keefe start for City. Manga not in the squad, can only assume he’s injured.

Subs: Moore, Turner, Dikgacoi, Ameobi, Lawrence, Zohore, Gunnarsson.

Surely Another big crowd with thousands upon thousands of free tickets given away

Cardiff with only one defeat in their last 16 home games,what a Great Record

Bluebirds

'QPR win the first corner after @polti1991's header deflects behind .

@konch3 heads it clear before Ingram jumps on the ball back in (0-0) #CARvQPR

City attacking Lex Immers

Thought we had a penalty

Pilkington booked for diving

City having most possession

No shot on goal from either side

QPR holding the ball

' @phillips_matty does well to dig out a cross from the left but it's claimed by Marshall in goal (0-0) #CARvQPR

still even stevens

O'keefe booked

Still No shots on target

Pilkington breaks clear but can't find a @CardiffCityFC shirt in the box and @konch3 clears (0-0) #CARvQPR

Pilkington breaks clear but can't find a @CardiffCityFC shirt in the box and @konch3 clears (0-0) #CARvQPR

0-0 HALF TIME NOT A SHOT ON TARGET