Chelsea started out the new year with a loss to the team at the bottom of the Premier League table. Coming into the match, 28 points separated Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers, so it seemed safe to assume Chelsea would easily win, especially playing at Stamford Bridge.
However, QPR was able to secure their second win of the season at Chelsea’s expense. The thing that makes this QPR win even more surprising was the fact that, after a rough start to his managerial career at Chelsea, Benitez has lead Chelsea to positive results recently. In their last four games before Wednesday, Chelsea beat Sunderland 3-1, Aston Villa 8-0, Norwich City 1-0 and Everton 2-1. This fine run of form lead QPR manager Harry Redknapp to comment on Benitez and Chelsea before the match.
“He has walked into a squad of players there who are Champions League winners. You’ve got a chance, haven’t you? You’d have to be a real dope to mess it up with that group of players – Hazard, Mata, Lampard,” according to ESPNFC.
It seems as though the gulf in quality between the players on the respective teams was not enough to give Chelsea a win. Chelsea is now 14 points behind league leaders Manchester United with a game in hand. They are now in fourth place in the Premier League with a slim point lead over both Everton and Arsenal.
This win could also provide QPR with some confidence as they try to claw their way out of the relegation zone. They are five points behind Southampton, who is currently in seventeenth place. With less than half the Premier League season remaining, it is going to be a real battle for QPR to get out of the relegation zone and remain in the Premier League. However, Harry Redkapp is currently happy with the win.
“I can’t remember many better wins than this one, with Chelsea flying at the moment,” Redknapp said after the match.
Written By: Eric Stoyanov, Contributing Writer, soccerprose.com
