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In Depth View: What chance do QPR have of staying up this season?

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Each Monday I plan to use a random generator to select one of the English Football teams where I look at them in detail from the point of view as a neutral fan (unless my team Derby County come out). The first team to be chosen are Premiership new boys, Queens Park Rangers.

So, it is impossible in my eyes to examine the “Super Hoops” without drawing attention to Neil Warnock, the manager. Although a very controversial manager, liking to get into arguments with countless players and staff members, it’s worth noting he is one of very few people who holds his official refereeing badges, meaning that he supposedly knows the official rules and is in a better position to call what is a foul, penalty etc. Despite his being disliked by many Championship fans, there is no doubting that he is a talented manager, which was seen even more when he led QPR to win the Championship in his first full season in charge.

QPR suffered countless financial issues and problems over the past few years, but more recently were taken over, exciting fans as it seemed QPR would have finances envied even by some Premiership clubs. After winning promotion to the promised land it seemed QPR would heavily improve their squad, but many fans were furious when, come the start of the season, QPR hadn’t splashed the cash, choosing to bring in free transfers such as Joey Barton and Jay Bothroyd, which although I would say both are decent footballers, signings like these would not save the club.

On the 27th August, the club announced the signing of Luke Young from  Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, with the club determined to show bigger names in a bid to survive. Although I rate Young as a defender, I fear that his ever increasing age (he is currently 32) will mean that he struggles to compete with the speed and strength of other Premiership players, perhaps a sign showed when he played just half of Villa’s games in his final two seasons at the club. If QPR really want to show they mean business in this league, bringing in an aging defender who is struggling to get in to a mid table side is not what I would like to see as a fan. Having said that it is worth noting he brings experience to the side and it is necessary to have one or two players like him to encourage the younger lads.

Star Player: Alejandro Faurlin

Although many people would have said Adel Taraabt, I saw last year that twice against my club Derby County, the decision to have Robbie Savage man mark Taarabt frustrated him seeing him manage an awful performance. In the premiership Taarabt will come up against much better defenders and midfielders who will have noted his dislike to man marking, therefore will exploit this.

For me, the man who must show himself to be QPR’s star will be Alejandro Faurlin, who has proven himself to be technically gifted in the Championship. He is a good all round footballer, and at just 25, has his best few years ahead of him. I feel Faurlin will be remaining in the Premiership next season, whether that be with his current side or not.

Prediction: Overall I expect the management of Warnock coupled with many experienced signings to be just enough to stay up this season. However if  QPR want to remain in this league past one season, they need to finance this majorly or risk following Blackpool and Hull City who used morale to last just one year before lack of real investment saw them fall behind. —16th.

So what do you think? Do you feel these free signings will benefit the club? Will they survive? Please leave me your thoughts on a comment or send me a message on Twitter @tomster93

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  • ray munson says:

    “choosing to bring in free transfers such as Joey Barton and Jay Bothroyd, which although I would say both are decent footballers, signings like these would not save the club.”

    Cor this bloke rally knows his stuff :0)

  • IRISH R says:

    im really starting to get tired of all the he was on a free and so on. barton had his contract cancelled stupidly, what a gobshite ashley is. warnock knows what he has got, a warrior that will give a drop of sweat for the team. to survive relegation, we need this in abundance all over the pitch this season. ya he uses twitter to shout his mouth off, so what, everything he said was honest and true. tell me one fan who would not want ashley out. newcastle are a joke since he took control and thats sayin something considering im a qpr fan and our last few yrs. what would he have cost us if he was still under conctract? a few mill at least. same for bothroyd, one of the top scorers last season in the champ along with long and graham who went for 6m and 4m respectively. please no more of this were spending no money as it is intelligent acquisitions for the minimum albeit a good wage. And YES qpr will survive, just look at wigan, blackburn, everton, newcastle, swansea and norwich amongst others, where are their quality money signings??? we have and will continue to improve the squad by whatever means in the next two days and in january. not to many can say that, poor oul everton, moyes deserves better!

  • QPR 4 EVER! says:

    Tommy you dont no anything about our club! Derby are awful so dont come on here baysiclly slagging us off! By the way what league are you in? And u think that barton is not a good signing??

    • Tommy Holland says:

      Your right, I don’t know massive amounts about your club, but the point is how I view your club as a supporter of another team.

      As for Derby being awful, maybe so but you still failed to beat us last season.

      As for do I think Barton is a good signing, yes I do and for a free transfer it was a very good deal, I wasn’t criticizing your signings at all, saying that you can’t just get by on signings like these as they have mostly been older players as opposed to something younger and fresher. Since this article was wrote however I’ve noticed QPR signing and bidding for younger players with a good future which is exactly what I felt QPR need. For Derby we only signed old men basically, we went down and at that point we had very little potential or future players, so for QPR to go from strength to strength you need a mix and as an outside fan I didnt think you had the right balance.

      Im not saying im 100% right, just what I know as a fan of the club who failed to stay up 😛

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