Assessing QPR's Season Thus Far

-
Might seem just a little early to do this, but still interesting to read.

Goal.com/Ricky Brooks - QPR - The Season So Far
The Championship is only one week old but each club has already played twice, Carling Cup games included. The cup game provided managers with the chance to test out their squad, to shuffle the pack and see how it coped. Queens Park Rangers will come under close scrutiny this season because of the financial muscle behind them. Is the West London side living up to its new found expectations?

The Manager

Iain Dowie was installed as the man to guide QPR back into the Premier League for the first time in 13 years. However, if reports suggest his job has been under threat from the moment he signed the contract. First of all it was mooted he was hired for the sole purpose of winning promotion and should he be successful in doing so, will then make way for a big name coach. Dowie denied that those were the club’s intentions, but admitted that anything is possible in football.

“It's a bizarre scenario. I've never had that discussion and it's certainly not in my contract. I don't need to dignify it with a response. If we get promoted and that happens - que sera. Move on. It's not the worst thing to happen on your CV is it? I'm not worried.”

Not long after those rumours appeared to have blown away did fresh stories surface suggesting Dowie was about to face the chop before the season even started. Apparently, Dowie had clashed with co-owner Flavio Briatore about a proposed transfer. Rangers came out in support of the former Northern Ireland international saying there was "categorically no truth in the rumours".

So far Dowie is still employed by the Loftus Road outfit, having survived the opening day Championship fixture and Carling Cup First Round tie. The question is: was there or is there any truth in either of the above speculation? If the answer is negative, one has to ask the next question; why did they surface? Surely the Superhoops do not want to emulate their great rivals Chelsea by creating instability from within? It would be a huge shame if the R’s were to gain a reputation for frequently hiring and firing, especially when other clubs aspiring to achieve success have come out and praised the QPR model.

The Players

Rangers brought in plenty of players last January, including Delaney, Mahon, Hall, Vine, Agyemang, Connolly and Ephraim. So far there has been no indication that any of them will be leaving, with speculation rife that Rangers would just splash the cash on new players left right and centre. Instead, it seems QPR are trying to build a squad slowly but surely, piece by piece.

With all due respect to the players mentioned above, none of them have set fans’ pulses racing. The signings will have pleased supporters nevertheless, because what they represent is a genuine attempt to reach the Premiership. They are all top quality Championship level players.

But aside from the purchase of Hungarian international Akos Buzsaky, Rangers had not signed genuine flair players. They lacked players with creativity and natural talent. However, the above players arrived this summer. Lee Cook returned from Fulham, Dani Parejo signed on loan from Real Madrid, and Emmanuel Jorge Ledesma came in from Genoa.

The Argentine Ledesma has started both games this season and is already earning plenty of plaudits. He was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in the Championship clash with Barnsley, and manager Dowie told a national paper: “I think he's already a cult hero. He's got some talent, the boy. He's one who will get the bums off seats. But he's also capable of taking some heavy challenges.”

Radek Cerny and Peter Ramage also arrived from Premier League clubs Tottenham and Newcastle while Kaspar Gorkss moved to Loftus Road having tasted Championship football with Blackpool.

All in all, the signings either come with great potential or bags of experience. Italians Matteo Alberti and Samuel Di Carmine have also arrived and while both have featured so far, they still remain largely unknown. Another name who might be unfamiliar with most football fans is Angelo Balanta. The highly rated youngster has risen through the QPR youth ranks and scored his second senior goal for the club in the Carling Cup on Tuesday evening.

Is there any room left for further reinforcements? Recent speculation suggests that Rangers are still in the market for a striker. They have been linked with Albanian striker Erjon Bogdani - who plays in Italy for Chievo, and Italian forward Davide Succi of Serie C side Ravenna.

The Results

Regardless of the names that arrive at Loftus Road, ultimately it is victories and promotion that R’s fans want. Barnsley were the visitors on the opening day of the season, a club who are second favourites to be relegated. Within 5 minutes the unfancied Iain Hume silenced the home fans and put the Tykes 1-0 to the good. This was not the start the ‘Chelsea of the Championship’ had in mind.

Two goals from Fitz Hall ensured 3 points for QPR without playing particularly well. In fact the Hoops should have scored a 3rd but Hall missed a penalty kick and with it the chance to score a hat-trick. Afterwards, Dowie told the BBC: “We got the job done without being great - I'm not going to pretend otherwise. We're delighted with the result, without getting carried away.”

Things looked a little rosier when Balanta put QPR in front against League One side Swindon in the Carling Cup. But Rangers found themselves going into half time 2-1 down. Eventually, goals from Dexter Blackstock and Damien Delaney put QPR into the draw for the second round of the cup and the R’s had won two out of two.

So a 100% record so far for Iain Dowie and QPR. On paper it can only look good, after all it is results that count isn’t it? So two wins from two games must be a positive start? Some might argue that it is a good sign that the club are winning without performing particularly well as this will install a winning mentality. Others will disagree and insist that unless the R’s buck their ideas up, they will fail against tougher opposition. Either way, Queens Park Rangers have won their first two games of the season, have plenty of time for improvement, and Iain Dowie still has a job. Ricky Brooks/Goal.com