QPR round-up: Smyth latest, Hall fitness, Ingram backed, Bassong plays in Under-23 game

Some QPR news you might have missed over the Bank Holiday weekend…

Hall ‘touch and go’ for cup game

Steve McClaren says Grant Hall is “touch and go” for QPR’s Carabao Cup second-round tie against Bristol Rovers.

Hall, who missed most of last season with knee trouble and had surgery in February, was lined up for a return to first-team action against Peterborough in the previous round.

He ended up being an unused substitute for that match and has since been nursing a separate niggling injury and might also miss out on Tuesday.

Manager McClaren explained: “We’re just assessing him. He’s been training well. You’re always going to get little niggles and he has one at the moment.

“It’s touch and go whether he does play. But we’ve got to find a team for Tuesday and we want to win that game.”

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Ingram can bounce back – McClaren

 

McClaren says QPR goalkeeper Matt Ingram can bounce back from being dropped.

Ingram was replaced by Joe Lumley after failing to impress since being installed as first-choice keeper after Rangers’ sale of Alex Smithies to Cardiff.

A 7-1 thrashing at West Brom followed by a 3-0 defeat at home to Bristol City prompted boss McClaren to leave him out.

“We had to make that change. Ten goals in two games, not a lot his fault, but we just had to change some things,” McClaren said.

Lumley took his chance, producing an excellent first-half save and keeping a clean sheet as QPR beat Wigan 1-0 on Saturday to secure their first points since McClaren took over,

But McClaren says Ingram is good enough to eventually establish himself as a first-choice keeper.

“Joe came in and responded so well. We had every confidence in him,” McClaren said.

“Matt’s going to be a number one goalkeeper and Joe is as well.

“I said to them in pre-season: ‘You’re fighting it out’ and they’re still fighting it out. We’ve got to make sure both are consistent.”

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Smyth could be allowed to go on loan

McClaren has indicated that Paul Smyth could be allowed to leave QPR on loan ahead of next week’s deadline.

Portsmouth are interested in the 20-year-old forward, who was not in the matchday squad for the Wigan game.

And McClaren has suggested that he is open to Smyth moving elsewhere in order to play first-team football.

McClaren, who recently allowed Ryan Manning to join Rotherham on loan, said: “We’ll have to look. We’ve got some good talent here – good youngsters – and a game like today you maybe can’t play them.”

Loan signing Tomer Hemed scored the winner at Loftus Road, where McClaren switched to a 4-4-2 formation and asked Ebere Eze to play on the flank.

“Eze, this was a tough game for him today,” McClaren said.

“We asked him to do a job and work hard and he did that. That’s part of his learning the other side of the game.

“He (Eze) has got great talent and we’ve got a lot of players like that – players that need football, not necessarily in our team but elsewhere, so we’re looking at that.”

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Bassong plays in another Under-23 game

Sebastien Bassong featured for QPR’s development side in a match against Leeds United on Monday evening.

Bassong played 55 minutes of the game at Guiseley’s Nethermoor Park ground, where an injury-time equaliser by former Tottenham youngster Themis Kefalas snatched a 1-1 draw for Rangers.

Ex-Spurs and Norwich defender Bassong is a free agent and has been given permission to train with the R’s while he looks for a new club.

He came on as a substitute in a recent Under-23 game against Nottingham Forest, and was given another run-out.