Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

For Part II then, QPR cannot call on their captain Martin Rowlands, new signing Alejandro Faurlin or long-term absentee Lee Cook. Angelo Balanta is also doubtful as he is carrying a knock. I don't expect Magilton to change the team vastly from Tuesday night's impressive win. I think Matt Connolly deserves a league start. Despite my superlatives for Peter Ramage's game on the opening day, Connolly is technically the better player and is more reliable defensively. I expect Magilton will bring Ramage back in though. Likewise, Damion Stewart should be one of the first names on the team sheet but I suspect Magilton may try out Fitz Hall again alongside Kaspars Gorkss. Borrowdale will start at left-back because the club have barely any options in this position.

In midfield, Leigertwood should start before Gavin Mahon but we don't yet know who Magilton prefers (as long as he doesn't play both which really sucks a lot of the attacking impetus out of the team). Akos Buzsaky should be fine to start and is due a big game, especially against his ex-club. Balanta played on the left wing last weekend but as he could be injured and considering Ephraim's solid performance in the Carling Cup, I expect him to come into the side with Wayne Routledge on the other flank, though Adel Taarabt could be drafted back into the midfield.

Up front, Magilton has a few options now. Adel Taarabt and Heidar Helguson didn't work as a partnership for me and the latter player needs to improve quickly to deserve a first-team place. Patrick Agyemang may not get the side many goals, but he has shown in the two opening games how difficult he can be to defend against. Away from home, his ability to hold up the ball could be a great asset and if he can continue to feed in other players as he has done previously, he play a key role. I would go for Agyemang with either Taarabt or Pellicori, depending on the Italian's fitness. QPR need him to get a proper run-out and to settle to the pace of Championship football as soon as possible.

What would disappoint would be a reversion to a 4-5-1 formation. QPR need to afford Plymouth respect in their outlook but they also have to remember that the Pilgrims were one position off the relegation places last season. This is a game QPR could and should win; the team's outlook beforehand will be all-important. On too many occaisions last season, particularly under Iain Dowie, the team had a very conservative set-up and in a team which struggled for goals anyway, it often proved to be suicidal.

Plymouth have a few important players out which could also play into QPR's hands. New signing Bradley Wright-Phillips (who came to the club as a free agent in the summer and could be a real find for Argyle) has a knee injury and defender Krisztian Timar and midfielder Carl Fletcher are both doubtful with ankle and thigh injuries respectively.

The form book points Plymouth's way despite them failing to win yet this season (a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace was followed by a 2-1 defeat away at League One Gillingham in the Carling Cup). Plymouth are unbeaten in 9 games against QPR and the Hoops haven't won at Home Park since 2003. More importantly, QPR's away form last season was woeful and a win today would be their first on their travels since a trip to Blackpool on 27th January.

This fixture last season ended 1-1 with Steve Maclean cancelling out Helguson's opener. The return fixture at Loftus Road, the penultimate game of the season, was absolutely dire with QPR left with nothing to play for and Plymouth happy with a draw despite still not being assured of safety.

A draw would be a safe bet for this game as well but I'm sticking with a QPR win again. One of the key reasons for me is the greater pace in the QPR team, which if they can bring into play on the counter-attack could kill off Argyle. I'm also expecting a big game from Akos Buzsaky. I know it can be foolish to rely on 'old-club' syndrome but Buzsaky was eerily quiet on Tuesday night. If he is fit enough, he could explode into form during this game and could be the key difference between the two teams.