Queens Park Rangers against Chelsea

QPR going into time-wasting mode now, much to the annoyance of Chelsea's bench.

SWP with an awful effort on goal. There are so many gaps in Chelsea's defence and he's shooting? Crackers.

Five minutes left of a storming second half.

This game is constantly on the edge of bursting into a fight. Ferdinand and Terry squaring up this time. QPR free kick.

This is an incredible game! Luiz charges forward, slides Anelka in, he draws the keeper then stops and crosses, Luiz tries a volley that clips Lampard and loops over the bar.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Derry is going to have to go off and Jamie Mackie is on in his place.

Chelsea's best chance of the match! Ivanovic with a delightful cross with the outside of his boot and Anelka, with a free header, has put it right at Kenny from five yards out.

Luiz is a man on the edge - he whips the Chelsea fans into a frenzy, before squeezing his fist ten times in a row before that free kick came in.

Hill brings down Anelka and Chelsea have a free kick out to the right.

What a chance for Helguson to make it 2-0! From the free kick he has volleyed over the bar from seven yards.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Now Barton mugs Cole and gets him booked. Cole stopped as he thought it was handball - he had a case - then hacked Barton down when it wasn't given. Cole will now miss next week's Arsenal game through suspension.

Luiz has had a rotten game and nearly presents QPR with another chance as he fails to clear Young's cross.

What a second half this has been - an incident a minute. More goals and more red cards may well follow.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> That is Meireles' last involvement as he makes way for Malouda.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Another shout for a penalty after Helguson bundles Luiz to the floor. A good shout, too. Meireles is booked for his protest.

Rangers still struggling to control this game as Malouda prepares to come on.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Luiz gets a yellow now for a late nudge.

Then down the other end Terry squares up with Tommy Smith. Blimey, this game is breathless.

Lampard is howling for a penalty, claiming Hall held him back when Cole's cross came in. Might have a case.

Now Young gets completely clear down the right hand side and somehow manages to knock his cross into Cech's grateful arms.

This has been an even half - an astonishing statement given Chelsea have two fewer players than QPR. The home side are still lumping crosses into the box towards Wright-Phillips. They need to start getting forward to try and seal this game.

Chelsea have had 63% possession in this half. What are QPR doing?

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Taraabt comes off and doesn't look happy - going straight down the tunnel - as Tommy Smith comes on.

Great one-two between Lampard and Cole gets the defender into the box but he waits too long to cross and Young concedes a corner.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Now Barton is booked for a late clip on Terry. Knew he'd get in on the action at some point.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Ivanovic is the latest to see a card, sliding in late on Taraabt, who seems like a foul magnet today.

The way Chelsea are playing is a testament to their fitness. They are chasing the ball down all over the pitch and then trying their hardest to find space when they have the ball.

John Terry proves my point by trying a durler from 30 yards and getting it all wrong. That wasn't meant to sound smug by the way. Well, maybe a little.

Great ball from Taraabt to find Young inside Cole but his finish is typical of a defender (maybe not Luiz) and he rolls it well wide of the post.

This is such an entertaining game now, very rare you seem a top team chasing a match with only nine players. QPR unsure how to react.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Yellows for both players after Derry was late on Lampard and the Chelsea midfielder reacted angrily.

Calamity at Loftus Road as Barton's ball across the edge of the box finds Taraabt and Young falling over each other! Then Derry and Lampard go head-to-head.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Mikel is late on Taraabt and is carded. Free kick outside the area.

Now Lampard surges forward and Anelka finds him, Derry blocks the shot. Corner.

It's all Chelsea at the moment as Anelka finds Ivanovic and Keeny flies out to punch clear his cross.

Surely QPR have to pour forward and put this game to bed? No point trying to play on the break when your opponents have nine. Go for the kill.

So nearly an equaliser for Chelsea as Anelka crosses for Lampard, whose header flashes wide via a touch from Fitz Hall.

We begin again...

What an afternoon of football this is turning out to be. City thump United 6-1 at Old Trafford, late drama at Craven Cottage and the Emirates, Spurs eek out a win at Blackburn and now Chelsea are down to nine men at half time against QPR. Wow.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com//design05/images/2011/1023/chelsearefprotest20111022_275x155.jpg"><br> Chelsea's players remonstrate with Chris Foy after he gave QPR a penalty

<b>HALF TIME</b> AVB looks furious as the whistle goes. QPR took the lead after Luiz bumped Helguson then it got worse with Bosingwa's dismissal. Then to add insult to injury, Drogba walked for a two-footed lunge. Incredible.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> AVB looks shell shocked and well he might. Chelsea have nine players for the next 45 minutes. He makes his second change as Mata makes way for Anelka.

So, Chelsea now operating a 4-3-1 formation! Anelka warming up.

Wow. Drogba even had time to tell Mikel to shut up as he left the field. Can't argue with Foy's decision on that tackle, the penalty and first red card up for debate.

Drogba did leave the floor with two-feet showing and that looked very nasty indeed. Taraabt went flying and I think Drogba knew as soon as he jumped into it.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/red_card.jpg" height="15"> Drogba is off!

This is a huge test for Chelsea now. Do they have enough quality to emerge with a result down to ten men?

SWP bursts through the middle again but this time Ivanovic eases his opponent off the ball with minimum fuss.

Meireles tries his luck from range but it fizzes wide.

Looks like Chelsea have gone 4-3-2 with Mata and Drogba up front. They can afford to do that given how narrow the QPR pitch is.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Ivanovic replaces Sturridge as Chelsea shore up their back four. Meireles had drifted to right back in the aftermath of Bosingwa's dismissal.

Terry is disgusted with that decision and Cech is still arguing with the referee. From the resulting free kick Taraabt arrowed one towards the top corner but the 'keeper got across just in time.

That is a massive call. It looked like both were equal parties in the tugging and pulling but Chris Foy decides Bosingwa was the guilty party and as the last man, he had to go.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/red_card.jpg" height="15"> SWP goes through tussling with Bosingwa and the referee has concluded that Bosingwa fouled his opponent and deserves to walk.

AVB takes up his favourite 'haunches' position to try and figure out how to get his side back into the game.

A chance for SWP as he glides over to the right but he can;t hook his foot round a volley.

Rangers fans are revelling in this as Barton's free kick is nodded clear by Mikel.

A lovely scoop from Mata who finds Lampard rushing on behind the last man but he can't reach it before Kenny gets out.

Meireles slips and handles the ball, Foy whistles right away but acknowledges he should have played advantage as QPR were about to counter.

Drogba has a pop from range but gets it horrible wrong. The QPR fans lap it up. Loftus Road is probably the most intimate ground in the top flight - no escaping the crowd, who are right on top of you.

Ugly scenes in the corner as the crowd hurl abuse at Lampard and jostle to try and get at him. He ginores them and turns in a corner that Luiz connects with but can't get on target.

Luiz is the latest to go down in the box but nothing doing with the ref. SWP gives him what for.

A scuffed effort from Ashley Cole goes wide, even though Kenny dived.

Terrible free kick from Taraabt when QPR had numbers in the box.

Ref Chris Foy gives Rangers a free kick, for Mikel's tangle with Helguson. Mikel is not happy and wags a finger in the official's face.

Bosingwa wins another Chelsea corner.

Rangers are knocking the ball around nicely, Taraabt, Barton and Faurlin involved in pretty triangle passing there.

As it comes out to Lampard he catches it cleanly but can't keep it down.

Sturridge tries to shoot again and wins a corner off Clint Hill.

There was an argument about who was going to take the penalty between Helguson and Taraabt - the latter sulking when Derry confirmed the former would take it.

Debate raging in the office as to whether that was a penalty. Luiz gave Helguson a light bump when the ball was in the air. Not a penalty for me, James Dall convinced it was.

Van der Vaart has scored his second of the game to put Tottenham 2-1 up at Blackburn.

A cool penalty into the top corner from Helguson, even though Cech got a hand on it. Luiz gave the striker nothing more than a bump but the ref had no hesitation.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Helguson scores!

<b>QPR PENALTY</b> A little nudge from Luiz on Helguson and that is ridiculous.

Meireles finds Sturridge and goes for the return ball but it is off target.

Mikel fouls Taraabt and QPR can load the box.

Helguson wins a flick on from a long ball but no-one in a blue and white shirt was anywhere near him.

The free kick from Lampard is stood up towards the back post for Luiz but Derry makes sure he doesn't get on the end of it.

Derry is late on Drogba and concedes a free kick.

First chance is for Sturridge as he and Drogba exchange passes but his shot is a dribbler that trickles wide.

<b>KICK OFF</b>

A decent atmosphere in what can politely be described as a compact stadium. QPR are right up for this one.

Adel Taarabt returns for QPR, while Clint Hill also starts a day after being recalled from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest.

It's all change for Chelsea as John Terry, Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, Daniel Sturridge and John Obi Mikel are recalled after sitting out Wednesday night's 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Genk.

Just three-and-a-half miles separate these clubs and this is the game that QPR looked for when the fixtures came out. What a time it would be to get their first home win of the season.

Afternoon all and welcome to live coverage of Chelsea's trip to Loftus Road to face London rivals QPR.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Terry charges forward and goes to charge down a backpass, Kenny clears but then hits the turf, acting like he's been caught. Then the two players go face to face. Both are booked.

A push on Hill from Luiz. The defender looks nervously at Foy as the ref marches over. No second yellow.

QPR going into time-wasting mode now, much to the annoyance of Chelsea's bench.

SWP with an awful effort on goal. There are so many gaps in Chelsea's defence and he's shooting? Crackers.

Five minutes left of a storming second half.

This game is constantly on the edge of bursting into a fight. Ferdinand and Terry squaring up this time. QPR free kick.

This is an incredible game! Luiz charges forward, slides Anelka in, he draws the keeper then stops and crosses, Luiz tries a volley that clips Lampard and loops over the bar.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Derry is going to have to go off and Jamie Mackie is on in his place.

Chelsea's best chance of the match! Ivanovic with a delightful cross with the outside of his boot and Anelka, with a free header, has put it right at Kenny from five yards out.