With just under half of their games played his season, Queen’s Park Rangers currently occupy seventh place in the English Championship table.
Most R’s fans would probably have taken that at the outset of the campaign but given the up and down nature of their season so far, there is rightly some angst as to what happens next.
Their situation mostly revolves around the head coach Michael Beale, seemingly set for a return to Rangers, just a matter of weeks after he turned down the advances of Wolves with a pledge of loyalty and sticking to the task in hand. If anything, it’s just as well for them that the World Cup break means there is no action at present but the squad has already returned to training with Beale pictured in charge on Wednesday. We will know what comes next, very soon.
Much has been made of QPR having no wins in the last five games but just where do they stand?
P21. Won 9. Drawn 4. Lost 8. For 26. Against 24. Points 31 – 7th place in the league table.
A decent start to the season was followed up with an excellent October and a yield of five wins and two losses from seven fixtures. The last of those games heralded the start of the present run of five games without a win with just one goal and a scoreless draw away to Norwich to show for their efforts.
After the 2-0 loss to Coventry on 12th November, the last match before the shutdown, Beale reflected:
“Let’s take stock. If we’d got to where we are currently in a different way, we’d be more positive.”
“The schedule opens up after the break and, if we can get to March where we are now, we’ll have eight cup finals to get into the play-offs.”
He acknowledged the fluctuating nature of their season so far, which has been heightened with events off the pitch. Fact is that he has managed to put the Loftus Road side in a very decent position having spent a very modest budget, one of the lowest in their league.
Michael Beale has QPR sitting in a very positive position at present, that could turn out to be his parting gift.