Queens Park Rangers Season Preview: struggle ahead?

Since QPR’s 2014 play-off final victory over Derby, it is fair to say that not too much has gone their way. The Rs finished bottom of the Premier League in 14/15, before enduring two regressive campaigns in the Championship. Supporter Wayne Sumner offers his take on matters at Loftus Road, starting with the club’s recruitment strategy.

I think the board were hoping that buying older established players was the key to staying up in the Premier League. Obviously that didn’t work due to the wrong types of player and naivety on Fernandes’ part, so the decision was made to try younger players… this has failed again due to the lack of quality. If you buy from the French second division, it’s a gamble.

Target man Matt Smith won 11.2 aerial duels per start last season, more than any other striker. Will you continue to play long balls to accommodate his strengths?

When you play with a target man like Matt Smith, it’s inevitable that long ball will dictate the way you play. I noticed that we tried not to but as the game went on we became increasingly relent on Smith winning headers. I’d like to see a change but as long as Smith is at the club, that’s the number one tactic.

Another player who made a reasonable impact after joining in January was Luke Freeman. Are his creative skills better used centrally or out wide?

Luke Freeman was a big plus for us and although he only came in January, he was a key player. I personally would like him to start down the middle where his skill and trickery can be used to unlock defences but Holloway seems to prefer him out wide.

Pawel Wszolek signed permanently in January after a loan spell. Has he been unlucky not to start more often?

Pawel Wszolek is a strange one. He looks like he can beat a player with ease and has become a fans’ favourite. Holloway seems to pick him one week then leave him out for two weeks then bring him back. The fans cant understand why and how he isn’t one of the first names on the team sheet is a mystery.

Alex Smithies was arguably the best goalkeeper in the Championship last season. Are you pleased to have kept hold of him so far?

Smithies won every Player of the Year award last season and was the best keeper in the league. He saved us many times and has signed a new contract. Saying that, there are rumours about him looking to move back north so I won’t be surprised if he does go. If that happens we have a ready made replacement in Matt Ingram who we signed from Wycombe. He played in cup games and looks a very capable replacement, so if Smithies went it would be a loss but as long as any money is used to strengthen the  side I wouldn’t be too disappointed.

James Perch looks a combative right-back whereas Darnell Furlong appears more adventurous. Who do you see starting this year?

Perch has been very hit and miss this season but to be fair to him has been moved around a lot playing left-back, right midfield and even had some starts at centre-half. Furlong has been out on loan and I can see him going on loan again. Right-back is a position we need to strengthen but in a straight toss up I’d start perch.

You averaged 1.58 points per game last season when Joel Lynch and Grant Hall started together, better form than Norwich. Will it be important to keep both centre-backs fit?

Lynch and Hall is my preferred centre-back partnership but Holloway sees Hall as a player who plays a role just in front of the back four, slipping back into a five when we don’t have the ball, so the center back partnership is a tricky one. Nedum Onuoha and Lynch will probably be our starting pair.

Jake Bidwell received some criticism last year. Could Niko Hamalainen take his place at left-back?

Niko Hamalainen hardly figured last season and when he did he seemed to be caught out of position a lot. Bidwell is a steady seven most weeks. My only criticism is he doesn’t get forward enough, especially as we play a back five which should give him license to raid down the wing. He hardly crossed half-way last season. I don’t know if that’s tactics but the same could be said for both full-backs.

Your only major signing so far is Josh Scowen from Barnsley. Are you surprised you’ve signed another midfielder?

Scowen is a surprise as midfield is a position we’ve got pretty well covered. With the signing of Sean Goss and the emergence of Ryan Manning, I was hoping to strengthen in other areas such as right-back, centre-half and maybe a striker.

What are your thoughts ahead of the Championship season as a whole? Any potential dark horses for you?

Once again the championship is going to be a tough slog. Of the sides that came down, I expect Middlesbrough to go well and the teams that did well last season, Fulham, Wednesday to do the same again… as of dark horses, I will be interested to see how Cardiff do under Neil Warnock. He is a manager with a fantastic record for getting sides promoted and knows the league and what’s required… another surprise could be Forest… Warburton did well at Brentford and once he has his own players in, could do OK.

Where will you finish? We have to be annoying and remind you that you said fifth last summer…

It’s going to be a long hard season at Loftus Road. Word coming out of the club is money will be tight and not to expect many new faces. I’m not a fan of Holloway and watched in amazement last season as we lost game after game and were baffled by his tactic of changing eight or nine players every game, players played out of position and looking like they didn’t know what they were doing or what formation we were playing. I’ve seen promoted sides and relegated sides in my years following the Rs and before a ball is kicked this feels like a relegation season… if we finish above bottom three I will be amazed.

The Football Lab’s Verdict

Modest recruitment at QPR means Holloway pins his hopes on January additions settling. Of those, Smith and Freeman should provide the quality to stave off relegation, but the disjointed feel to the Rs makes progress look unlikely. 19th

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