QPR striker Bobby Zamora happy to be ''battering ram'' for England hopeful Charlie Austin

QPR striker Bobby Zamora happy to be ''battering ram'' for England hopeful Charlie Austin

• 22:30, 6 April 2015
• By James Nursey

The duo inspired the relegation-threatened Hoops' shock win at West Brom, including one of the goals of the season - next is Tuesday's huge trip to Villa
Bobby Zamora reckons his blossoming partnership with Charlie Austin can fire QPR to safety as he is happy to be the “battering ram” to make chances for his fellow striker.
And Zamora insists it is “bull****” to claim promoted Rangers will go down just because they have a tough run-in.
He notched his third goal of the season with a spectacular left-foot lob in struggling QPR’s shock 4-1 at West Brom, while Austin headed in his 16th top-flight goal in a remarkable first Premier League campaign for the former non-league hitman.

Now the pair have set their sights on Aston Villa as they prepare to return to the West Midlands for Tuesday night's crunch game.
West Brom 1-4 QPR in pictures:
partner Austin to flourish.
He explained: “Charlie will tell you the same - I enjoy playing with him. We have a good understanding. I put myself about and make it hard for defenders and if that means Charlie getting that little bit of space for a chance and a little bit of freedom, then superb.
“He is happy with it and I am happy with it. I don’t mind being a battering ram, not at all, I am pleased for him. Charlie has done unbelievable and fingers crossed he can continue that and get some more very important goals.”
Asked if Austin merited recognition for England, Zamora, 34, replied: “Yeah, certainly.”
Getty

please log in to view this image

Austin maestro: QPR star Charlie's goal at West Brom - as seen on Worm-Cam
Victory on Tuesday night will lift QPR out of the relegation zone and plunge Villa in.
After Villa, Chris Ramsey’s side face Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City over their final six games.
Zamora added: “Everyone writing you off telling you which games you can and can’t win is bull**** in my eyes. We weren’t really ever out of it to be honest. It was only a couple of points in it.
“It doesn’t matter who you are playing; Chelsea, Man City, whoever it is, we have all seen enough games when teams down the bottom have beat teams up the top.”
Rangers' shock win at The Hawthorns was just their second on the road this term after 13 away defeats.

please log in to view this image

Video loading
“In the last couple of games, we just haven’t had that little bit of luck in front of goal," added Zamora.
“At West Brom they all went in, which makes a big difference going in half-time ahead instead of having to chase a game. Now we have a big game again Tuesday and we would love three points there as well.
“We just have to prepare right and go out and do what we have been in the last four or five games. It is good to go into a game with a win behind you.
How the bottom of the table stands
P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Sunderland 31 5 14 12 24 44 -20 29
Hull 31 6 10 15 29 43 -14 28
Aston Villa 31 7 7 17 20 42 -22 28
Burnley 31 5 11 15 26 49 -23 26
QPR 31 7 4 20 35 55 -20 25
Leicester 30 5 7 18 29 49 -20 22
“We know it is a very important game so we will try and kick on from Saturday’s performance. I think we have plenty to get out of it and plenty of points still available.
“Until those points aren’t available and some teams are relegated then there is still everything to play for.”
Aston Villa vs QPR: Probable teams
Aston Villa Guzan, Bacuna, Vlaar, Clark, Lowton, Delph, Sanchez, Weimann, N'Zogbia, Benteke, Agbonlahor.
QPR Green, Isla, Caulker, Onuoha, Hill, Phillips, Sandro, Barton, Kranjcar, Zamora, Austin.

 

What's all this 'tough run in' stuff - Villa, West Ham, Leicester, Newcastle, if we can't get something from most of those we won't deserve to stay up. City and Liverpool well off top form, might sneak a draw from one of them. Chelsea at home is a one off.

Mind you, if we don't win tonight everything will look tough.

 

It's not exactly a must win but it is a must not lose. Defeat is simply not an option. Loads of points to play for yet. Can see us getting something from Chelsea on Sunday. This is the time of year when you see some strange results.

 

Charlie Austin in line to be handed England call up by Roy Hodgson for matches against Slovenia and Republic of Ireland

• Charlie Austin set to be included after netting 17 times for QPR this season
• Harry Kane will be with Gareth Southgate's England Under-21 team
• Austin will be monitored by Roy Hodgson and his No 2 Ray Lewington
• England play the Republic of Ireland and Slovenia in June

please log in to view this image

Austin, celebrating his strike against Villa, will be monitored by Hodgson for the remainder of the campaign

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...atches-against-Slovenia-Republic-Ireland.html

 

It will be a very interesting experiment, if it happens, to see how Charlie does with better service.

 

Shame it's not working eh?