Queens Park Rangers still have nine games in which to save themselves from the drop and a couple of wins could lift them out of the bottom three, but performances such as this strengthen the suspicion that they have neither the ability nor the belief to survive.
This match was supposed to represent a chance for Rangers to show they should not be written off so soon. Crystal Palace, though beginning eight points above the visitors, are still theoretically in trouble themselves and had not won at home since Alan Pardew’s first game in charge back in January. But it quickly transpired that Rangers could kid no one, as they were blown away by half-time thanks to goals by Wilfried Zaha, James McArthur and Joel Ward. Matt Phillips, in fairness, struck back for the visitors with a phenomenal goal from over 40 yards towards the end – and it will take something equally freakish for Rangers to get out of trouble.
The Rangers head coach, Chris Ramsey, had said he was sick of reciting hard-luck stories, with relatively decent recent displays offering no consolation for a streak of four defeats from his five matches at the helm prior to this. There was no need for him to point to misfortune here, as his team fully deserved their clobbering. “I’m very disappointed,” he said afterwards. “We really have to do better.”
Partly because of injuries and partly, perhaps, out of desperation, Ramsey made radical alterations to the side that began last week’s home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. He tried again to harness Adel Taarabt’s oft-hidden talent by recalling the Moroccan for the first time in over a month and, most remarkably, he gave Shaun Wright-Phillips his first start since August’s Capital One Cup defeat by Burton Albion. It was, indeed, Wright-Phillips’ first start in the top flight for 770 days, which is the average life expectancy of a store-bought hamster or, more pertinently, roughly the time it takes a club to get relegated from the Premier League, come back up and get relegated again.
The first 20 minutes drifted by like a paper bag in the chilly breeze. As soon as Palace introduced urgency, they took the lead. Glenn Murray released Yannick Bolasie with a pass from the centre circle. The winger galloped down the left and sent a low ball across the face of goal. Zaha and Jason Puncheon threw themselves at it and the former Manchester United player poked it into the net before he, Puncheon and the bystanding Rangers defender Yun Suk-young collided painfully with the post.
McArthur and Murray both came close to increasing the hosts’ lead as Rangers struggled to deliver any counter-punches. Taarabt twinkled occasionally and came closest to giving the visitors a first-half goal, as he sent a 25-yard drive over the bar.
Palace’s second goal arrived in the 40th minute via a similar route to the first. The irrepressible Bolasie supplied another low cross from the left and this time McArthur applied the decisive touch from close range. Ninety seconds later QPR’s collapse was complete. Ward ignored a weak challenge from young Darnell Furlong as two more experienced Rangers’ players loitered in the vicinity with little intent, then Ward made his way into the box and struck a shot that deflected off Sandro into the net. It was Ward’s first goal on his 90th league appearance for Palace and ensured that even the most deluded Rangers supporter did not go into the break thinking the visitors could mount a comeback.
Rangers at least showed a degree of pride and did not fold in the second half. They registered their first shot on target in the 71st minute, when a Charlie Austin header from seven yards prompted a reminder that Palace had fielded a goalkeeper, Julián Speroni clutching the striker’s effort easily.
Then came Phillips’ reminder that, no matter how badly things seem to be going, in football a team should never abandon hope. After winning the ball in the centre circle, he wriggled a few yards forward before whacking an extraordinary shot past Speroni and into the top corner. He almost scored again before the end – from a mere 25 yards this time – but Speroni palmed his drive behind for a corner. Ramsey says he and the players still believe they can keep Rangers up. “I’m hoping nine games is enough because that’s all I’ve got. The players are disappointed but there’s no bickering and moaning at each other. We’re still unified in what we’re trying.”
