Michael - Sky Sports Expert

Sou far Sou good

Play-offs beckon for Rangers

Posted: 13th November 2009 12:38

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Sou far Sou good

Cerny: Outstanding

The best midfield in the world is playing at Championship level. The star men of the team; Akos Buzsaky, Wayne Routledge and Adel Taarabt have all been outstanding this season

Michael Hughes
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Just over a third of the way into the season and the R's find themselves sitting in fourth place going into the international weekend.

The play-offs is the minimum expected this season and if we stick to the current ratio of 1.69 points per game we will comfortably sit there come the end of the season.

However, there is room for improvement.

Between the goalposts stands Radek Cerny. Like last season the Czech has been outstanding, making various match-winning saves and in my view the best in the division.

One slip that the keeper did make was against Leicester City where a goal kick was misplaced, which consequently ended up in Matt Fryatt firing beyond the Rangers number one and costing us our first home defeat of the season. This slip was quickly forgotten and Radek has made himself a hero amongst fans due to impressive performances.

Concern

The defence has been shaky with only three clean sheets kept in the league. Personally, I put this down to an unsettled central defensive partnership. Fitz Hall and Kaspars Gorkks started the season but injuries and loss of form have meant Damion Stewert and Matt Connolly have come in.

Unfortunately our best defender Connolly has missed over six weeks due to glandular fever but made his return in last weekend's victory at Sheffield Wednesday. If we can get him and Gorkks playing regularly I feel we will keep many more clean sheets.

Mikele Leigertwood now seems to be first choice right back and is doing a good job while Gary Borrowdale, a man Paolo Sousa made train with the reserve team is doing a decent job at left back - better than Damien Delaney who the previous manager picked ahead of him last season.

World class

The best midfield in the world is playing at Championship level. The star men of the team; Akos Buzsaky, Wayne Routledge and Adel Taarabt have all been outstanding this season. They have not just been brilliant going forward, their defensive work has definitely improved by working with the coaching staff and now seem to be real team players rather than individuals.

High praise has to be given to Gavin Mahon and Alejandro Faurlin too. They do the dirty work in midfield and allow the flair players to play. Faurlin, a £3.5m signing from Argentina is starting to show quality. He seems to have adapted well to the physical English game and will be a future star.

A bitter pill to swallow was the injury to Martin Rowlands. The skipper is ruled out for the season for a second year in a row after injuring his cruciate ligament while playing for the Republic of Ireland. Prior to the injury he was doing exceptionally well.

More to come

A player who has not quite lived up to standards so far is Wigan loanee Ben Watson. While he was at Crystal Palace, many fans thought he was the best player outside the Premier League but two red cards in eight matches seem to have affected his form. Given time though I think he will come good.

Jay Simpson has hit the Championship by storm this season bagging seven goals. QPR fans can't ask much more of him as he is finding the net frequently.

I think we do need another striker to play alongside him as often Wayne Routledge is playing in the 'hole'. Rowan Vine and Pat Agyemang haven't had the best start to the season but they seem to be getting better every game.

Keep it going!

The views expressed are not necessarily those of skysports.com

Comments (3)

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Jack Parkin (Queens Park Rangers fan) says...

Absoloutley spot on

Posted 11:35 17th November 2009

Mitchell Radford (Queens Park Rangers fan) says...

A top analysis of the superhoops season so far may long it continue and I like to add that the fans have a huge part to play in the long season ahead

Posted 15:48 16th November 2009

John Mitchell (Watford fan) says...

How about a straight swap - Nathan Ellington for Heidar Helguson? We need to get Ellington's wages off our books, you need a striker and Helguson is not needed at QPR.

Posted 13:36 16th November 2009
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