Game Day Notebook: QPR @ Coventry

Nothing to see here. Rangers stunned. Coventry Rampant. Of more interest, we dive into the set pieces across the EFL that made up the Saturday that was.

Let’s not dwell too much here. QPR aren’t that bad and we’re not that dominant. The news of the purchase of The CBS from The Fraser Group in the morning dictated the atmosphere. It was one of those special days at home where the tone was set within the first minute. QPR couldn’t get out their own way as we pressed, hustled and carved out opportunity after opportunity. We’re the real deal this term but we knew that anyway.

I still found a way to get frustrated. I’d mentioned the new Haji Wright last week, clearly been given a kick up the arse by Lampard and reminded about what an important World Cup year this is for him. I frantically tried to get on after he won the first few headers. No luck. There’ll be no more 18/1 tomorrow morning for Top Goalscorer, single figures at best I imagine. He was exceptional again.

Championship

A Championship slate devoid of any notable set piece xG bar a few games, most of the notables coming from sides who would have started with healthy match supremacies but who found themselves scrapping for chances and chasing down leads.

Taylor Harwood Bellis had already got on the end of a corner to draw a sharp save from Victor Johannsson in the first half before beating the Stoke keeper with an identical chance on 79 minutes as Southampton chased down Stoke to no avail.

Jacob Greaves came close with a shot from a corner as Ipswich did the same at Preston. Tyler Bindon rattled off a couple of chances for Sheffield Utd at 0-0

Nat Phillps stays in the Notebook, he surely goes in soon, another couple of efforts for WBA, he’s tracking double his shots/90 compared to last season.

League One

No centre back has more shots per 90 than Luton’s Christ Makosso, another 4 here, 3 at 0-0 before Cardiff stole the points with a half an hour to go. Nothing in the Congolese 21 year old’s career to date to say goalscoring is his bag but he appears to have appreciated the step down, 0.66 shots/90 in The Championship last season, 2.33 in the early stages of this.

Just the 1.64xG from Wigan Set Pieces against Rotherham, none for Jason Kerr but Morgan Fox went close with a header. The Paul Mullin equaliser came from a Fraser Murray corner, Murray one of the breakout players from month one, looks a proper menace.

No Michael Forbes in the starting XI for Northampton but Max Dyche found himself in space to slot home after a free kick had been cleared and Tyrese Fornah picked him out with a cross. As noted Cobblers didn’t look that bad against Lincoln midweek and got a much needed win here against Exeter.

Bradford’s set piece analysts conjured up 3 chances for Matthew Pennington against vulnerable Peterborough. The Bantams had 4 shots inside 12 yards, one was the Will Swan goal, Pennington with the other three.

Alex Mitchell went close from a corner as Plymouth added more set piece challenges to Blackpool, Steve Bruce’s men did at least stop the set piece rot.

Udoka Godwin-Malife got his one for the season as Burton couldn’t hold on against 10-man Stockport, Godwin-Malife in the right place to chase home Tyrese Shade’s header from a free kick.

Brad Hills saw red for County, they have plenty of back up.

League Two

I think I was confused on the Pod. I can’t remember whether I said Alfie Kilgour or Aden Flint was gone at the game last season, regardless, the latter went close from two corners as Walsall beat Salford.

Harrison Burke had already gone close at the far post before Jamie Jellis picked him out from a corner to nod in his first for The Saddlers, 12 in 56 for Burke at Chester, more where that came from then.

Jaze Kabia missed a second penalty of the season (get ready alternative penalty taker punters) but couldn’t miss from a Reece Staunton free kick that found him unmarked 3 yards out.

A Macauley Southam Hales long(ish) throw found Alfie Kilgour who won his header and found Ellis Harrison as Bristol Rovers saw off Cambridge. Mamadou Jobe got a mention on the pod this week, he saw red late after a second yellow which owed plenty to an average tackle in front of the Rovers bench which got a bit dramatic for no reason.

Cheltenham conceded from another set piece, we couldn’t find a Barnet threat on the pod so The Bees left it to Oli Hawkins to wrap his foot round one from a corner.

No sooner had we mentioned that Colchester had conceded from 3 set pieces, they went and conceded from a 4th against Barrow. Niall Canavan nowhere to be seen but Lewis Shipley with his first for the club from a Regan Booty free kick that looked like it was headed on by Charlie Raglan.

Shipley nowhere in my notebook so no hard luck stories here. Colchester still on the red list.

Nathan Smith a 14/1 winner for the Notebook, found himself in acres from an Omari Patrick corner. The Patrick goal for the second was both route one and beautiful. League Two at its finest.

Reagan Ogle in a few notebooks for Oldham. It’s a well worked (sort of) corner from Oldham that smashes against Ogle when Fleetwood try to clear it. You take them when they come.

I raced home from the CBS to see Sam Gale’s goal with my own eyes. He was in the right place at the right time to poke in a ball headed back across the area and give Gillingham all 3 points. The jury on Gale knowing where the goal is still out, he couldn’t miss but I’ve a sense we might have missed him for all time now.

Well done Sam.

No doubts about Chey Dunkley in front of goal, he rose highest from a Liam Mandeville corner to give Chesterfield the points at Harrogate. A good marker for Paul Cook this one as he side went to Harrogate and lost in the last minute last season. Tough place to grind out a result as we know.

Week Four in the history books now. Right. Millwall away Tuesday.