Fast forward a few days to the game itself and in the stands it was very much a case of the Scottish bagpipes being drowned out by the seductive samba beats of the travelling hordes of Brazilian fans. It was a similar story on the pitch as the Scottish defence was subjected to wave after wave of traditional Brazilian attack. Much of the football played by Brazil was quite simply breathtaking, with sensational young star, Neymar, proving to be pivotal. The slightly built 19 year old put Brazil in front before the break, curling the ball beyond Scottish keeper Allan McGregor after skillfully finding space in the box. Deep into the second half, having been fouled by Charlie Adam, Neymar picked himself up and coolly slotted home the penalty. Every time he touched the ball, a wave of anticipation seemed to ripple through the stands, a reaction not too dissimilar to that frequently seen at Loftus Road this season when a certain Adel Taarabt is on the ball. Both players, certainly, share a love of tormenting the opposition’s defence through the effective use of audacious skill, exquisite balance, and close ball control. The free role given to both players enables them to attack the opposition from either flank, or through the middle, drawing throngs of defenders in their wake, and invariably soliciting a foul. They will then get up, dust themselves down, and take the resulting penalty or free kick, often with a certain nonchalance. They also share an extraordinary awareness of the positioning of their team mates, and can pick them out in open play or from a set piece with ease. Neymar and Taarabt both exude a youthful swagger, a restless energy, sport a dodgy Barnett (!) and, perhaps, in keeping with their relatively young age, show a tendency to throw tantrums when things don’t go their way.
Whilst Neymar contends with the sheer weight of expectation of a football mad nation being placed on his slim shoulders, Taarabt will need to continue to exert his talismanic influence if the Superhoops are to secure promotion to the Premiership. QPR’s promotion push seemed to have hit the skids earlier in the month when a shock 2-0 reverse at Millwall was followed by media speculation that the Superhoops face a possible points deduction as a result of alleged improprieties in the transfer of key Argentine midfielder, Alejandro Faurlin. Three weeks and two wins later, and the promotion dream is very much alive. The FA have been strangely quiet about the Faurlin affair, implying that any wrong doings committed by the club simply merit no more than a fine. On the pitch, the team continue to display an unwavering resolve and the competence and confidence of a well drilled unit. As we approach the denouement of the season, a phase famously dubbed “squeaky bum time” by Sir Alex Ferguson, many QPR fans are clearly both optimistic and emotional at the prospect of promotion:
