The pep-talks that led to Rotherham United attacker Chiedozie Ogbene's turnaround

WORDS of wisdom from Rotherham United’s management team have got top scorer Chiedozie Ogbene flying again as the Millers head into Saturday’s showdown with Queens Park Rangers.

The Republic of Ireland international was back to his best at Swansea City on Tuesday, scoring the equaliser and terrorising the home side down the right flank in a 1-1 draw on Monday night, and now can’t wait for the visit of QPR.

He revealed how pep-talks from manager Matt Taylor and then assistant boss Wayne Carlisle have seen him put a recent dip in form behind him.

“The gaffer sat me down and said that maybe I was trying too hard,” Ogbene said.” That was really special to me how he calmed my nerves. I really want to do so well for this club.

“Before the game, Wayne was making it plain about just playing calmly and freely and not worrying too much. It helped me massively.

“We’re all human beings. No matter how many games you play, you can sometimes tense up and make mistakes. I’m so happy to have that support around me.”

The 25-year-old’s 52nd-minute leveller at the Swansea.com Stadium was his first goal in 13 games and took his tally for the season to eight.

He’s on the hunt for more as Rotherham look to pull further away from the Championship drop zone when QPR come calling

“I want to contribute for the team in any way I can,” he said. “Attack is the best form of defence. If you’re putting pressure on the opposition it takes the pressure off your defence. That’s what forward players have to do to help the side.

“I know I hadn’t played well for a couple of games. Hopefully I can build from here and get momentum for the team. It’s a crucial time of the season. Hopefully we can win out next game and pick up some more points.”

The 20th-placed Millers are six points clear of the bottom three after the win over Sunderland and the draw in South Wales and would go above QPR if they triumph at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

“Every point in this league and can make a massive difference,” Ogbene said. “We go out in every game to try to get the three points no matter what.”

Meanwhile, another player who would love a goal this weekend is combative striker Jordan Hugill, who has made a big contribution since his January arrival but has yet to open his account for his new club.

“Bless him, he puts in so much work for us,” Ogbene said. “He gets pulled and pushed a lot and the refs aren’t too generous to him. That’s his character: he gets up and he keeps going.

“I just hope something falls on a plate for him.”

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MANAGER Matt Taylor is hoping the month of March will bring some home comfort to Rotherham United’s Championship survival bid.

The Millers, who have opened up a healthy six-point gap between them and the relegation reckoning, play three of their next four fixtures at AESSEAL New York Stadium, starting against Queens Park Rangers this weekend.

“I’m pleased to be back at home,” the boss said. “There are games coming up that we’re going to really target.”

After QPR, Rotherham travel to Birmingham City, then it’s back to New York for matches against Preston North End and Cardiff City before the next international break.

The Millers have lost only twice in their last eight outings and Taylor said: “This team is going in the right direction.”

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One to watch

Ilias Chair is QPR’s playmaker and has scored five times in 35 outings this season. It is his creative play rather than his goal output that makes him such an important player for the visitors to New York Stadium. The Belgian-born Morocco international, aged 25, joined Rangers from Lierse in 2017 and is closing in on 200 appearances.

Form guide

Millers: DDLLWD

QPR: LDLLLL

After successive defeats against Millwall, Sunderland and Middlesbrough respectively, QPR lost 3-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers in new boss Gareth Ainsworth’s first match in charge on Saturday.

Last time out

Rotherham came away from Loftus Road in August with a creditable 1-1 draw. Chiedozie Ogbene gave them a 33rd-minute lead which the home side cancelled out ten minutes later through Chris Willock.

Recent meetings

Jan 8, 2022, FA Cup:

QPR 1 Millers 1 (Michael Ihiekwe)

QPR won 8-7 on penalties after extra time

Apr 13, 2021, Championship:

QPR 1 Millers 3 (Freddie Ladapo 2, Michael Smith)

Nov 24, 2020, Championship:

QPR 3 Millers 2 (Smith, Ladapo)

Mar 13, 2019, Championship:

QPR 1 Millers 2 (Semi Ajayi 2)

Nov 27, 2018, Championship:

Millers 2 (Will Vaulks, Clark Robertson) QPR 2

Mar 17, 2018, Championship:

QPR 5 Millers 1 (Joe Newell)

Dec 10, 2016, Championship:

Millers 1 (Izzy Brown) QPR 0

Jan 16, 2016, Championship:

Millers 0 QPR 3

Aug 22, 2015, Championship:

QPR 4 Millers 2 (Jonson Clarke-Harris, Tom Thorpe)

In 22 contests between the clubs since 1951, Rotherham have seven wins and QPR eight.

Rival boss

Gareth Ainsworth is taking charge of his first away game since his appointment at the club where he spent more than six and a half seasons as a midfielder between 2003 and 2010. The 49-year-old was manager of Wycombe for 11 years and led them from League Two to the Championship during that long spell. He left the Chairboys earlier this month to become QPR’s third boss of the season when Neil Critchley’s 12-match reign at Loftus Road was terminated.

Man in the middle

Darren Bond is the Lancashire referee who sent off Michael Smith in the March 2021 derby win at Sheffield Wednesday and then Matt Crooks the following month in the home loss to Middlesbrough. Both reds were appealed but only Smith’s was rescinded.

The odds

The bookmakers are offering 17/10 on a Rotherham win and 6/4 on QPR leaving New York with all three points. The draw is 21/10.

Millers

1-0: 15/2

2-0: 11/1

2-1: 9/1

3-0: 22/1

3-1: 18/1

3-2: 25/1

4-0: 80/1

4-1: 60/1

4-2: 90/1

Draw

0-0: 15/2

1-1: 5/1

2-2: 12/1

3-3: 60/1

4-4: 200/1

QPR

1-0: 15/2

2-0: 10/1

2-1: 17/2

3-0: 20/1

3-1: 14/1

3-2: 25/1

4-0: 60/1

4-1: 45/1

4-2: 80/1