Premiership Preview: QPR

Ooooh no, baby, please don't go. Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto

After a sensational return to the top flight, QPR’s boss Neil Warnock will need to spend his money wisely in order to stay afloat in the Premier League. The club’s owners have money, but are unlikely to throw it around as carelessly as Man City, but there should be some significant backing from the boardroom.

Goalkeepers

In Paddy Kenny QPR have themselves a fan favourite. Winner of last season’s players’ player and supporters’ player of the year award and with good reason too – keeping 24 clean sheets during the campaign. Ever-present last season, Kenny will surely keep his place and aim to test him self at the highest level once again.

Defenders

Warnock excelled in tightening his back line last year, forming some excellent partnerships at the back. The partnership of Kaspars Gorkss and Mathew Connolly – as well as Danny Shittu and Fitz Hall - kept the goals at bay, only conceding 32 goals from 46 league games and an inspired loan signing of Kyle Walker provided some attacking threat from the back. QPR may feel the need to strengthen their left side of defence at least to take off some of the pressure from Clint Hill and adding a centre half with Premiership experience could do them no harm either. Matthew Upson could well fit the bill.

Midfielders

The R’s posses a number of highly talented, technical midfielders and need only a couple of minor tweaks to make their midfield of Premiership quality. Shaun Derry would probably be the first to accept that he’s not going to last 38 games in the Premiership this season and so a tough tackling midfielder is most certainly required to play alongside the excellent Alejandro Faurlin in their 4-2-3-1 formation. Big things are expected of left footed Petter Vaagan Moen, who signed in January, but QPR will still need to add another winger to their ranks in case Akos Buzsaky has a reoccurrence of the knee injury that hampered his season last year. There are also questions about how Hogan Ephraim will cope in the top flight.

Strikers
Although not technically a striker, Adel Taarabt – who plays as a 'Trequartista' – was QPR’s stand out player last season. Skillful and explosive, with the tendency for the spectacular, Taarabt represents QPR’s best chance of scoring goals this season. It’s not surprising that he’s been linked with a move away from the club, with Neil Warnock almost resigned to the fact. If they can keep him - their priority would be to buy a striker or two who can regularly score goals (QPR’s goalscoring record last season was only the 7th best in the league) if they don’t keep him, their priority should be to buy a striker or two who can regularly score goals. Players like DJ Campbell, Carlton Cole and Cameron Jerome have been linked, pulling out the stops to sign DJ Campbell would be the best option.

QPR have amongst their ranks some highly skilful, technical players. Add a little steel to them and cling onto Adel Taarbt for dear life, and QPR have a good chance of beating the drop this season.

Owain