Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

The disappointment around Loftus Road was clear on Saturday as another game the home side was in complete control of slipped from their grasp. This was as one-sided as most of their recent performances with Sheffield Wednesday posing very little goal threat apart from the occasion when found the net with twelve minutes to go. That was a sucker-punch to the home team and their supporters and there wasn't enough left in the tank to make a late rally for the three points. Alejandro Faurlin (pictured above) finally claimed his first QPR goal with his well-taken strike after 23 minutes, but a failure to capitalise led to the almost inevitable equaliser, Tom Soares in the right place to head home Tommy Spurr's deadly cross.

It seems ridiculous that for all the initial promise of the Warnock era, the club still haven't rid themselves of any lasting relegation fears. It would still take an epic collapse for QPR to make up the final drop spot, but should they lose this evening, Saturday's game against Crystal Palace and Warnock's return to Selhurst Park will be absolutely crucial. 

1 - What type of team is Warnock aiming for? The manager has made it pretty clear that he is looking forward to creating his own QPR XI, despite also claiming this was the most talented set of players he has ever worked with. The number of loans at the club is clearly frustrating him, although he has already played to type as a QPR boss by bringing in a loan player himself, Dusko Tosic, with few apparent plans on when to actually play him. If Matt Hill is set to return to Wolves, then it would surely make sense to have a look at Tosic in a competitive game as soon as possible, because considering Portsmouth's nightmarish financial situation, if he turns out to fit the bill, he could arrive permanently on the cheap. I know that QPR view every game as a must-win at the moment and perhaps the manager doesn't want to tinker too greatly, but an international footballer should be able to handle the pressure of a home game against Sheffield Wednesday.

Warnock was also bemoaning the lack of a physical presence up front for QPR. Jay Simpson and Tamas Priskin are about as slight a front two as you can get, though to be fair to the former he is unafraid to track back and win the ball himself. My one fear is that Warnock will aim to get a 6ft-plus hard man into the ranks this summer, a target man for the high balls which dominate much of Championship football.

In conjunction with a player like Simpson that could work. On its own it could mean QPR become quite a dull team to watch. He is right in stressing the need for changes and too much of a value can be placed on playing attractive football over winning matches. But there is already enough talent in the squad to suggest that Rangers could become a winning team whilst entertaining the crowd as well. I'm sure that is what he is aiming for. 

2 - How worried should QPR be about the bottom three? This is a season in which no-one wants to submit to the drop. A number of teams are hanging onto life in the Championship by a thin thread and compared to Plymouth, Crystal Palace or Watford, Rangers are surely in an insurmountable position. The unwillingness of those sides to lie down though must raise a few concerns and Neil Warnock admitted that all the clubs near the bottom are getting nervous. Palace earned a draw at Middlesbrough as did Watford at Preston whereas the most surprising result must have been Plymouth's win at Doncaster, which keeps them within three points of safety and puts a big dent in Donny's hopes of creeping into the play-offs.

Looking at the last ten seasons, the final relegation perch has been occupied by a team gaining on average 44.2 points, which makes you wonder where the talk of a 50 or 52 point safety marker comes from. Well, just two seasons ago, Leicester City were relegated on 52 points on the final day, a total QPR are still four points off. Gillingham were relegated on 50 in 2004/5; Walsall on 51 the season before. Rangers have to play two of the more likely relegation candidates as well; Crystal Palace in less than a week's time (as if that game needed any extra spice) and Watford at home on April 20. Those games should ultimately decide how nerve-wracking the final weeks are going to be. 

3 -The supporters should be in full voice though. Relations between the team and the fans were far from peachy during Mick Harford's tenure, with the Ipswich game in particular standing in my memory as a match in which the supporters seemed to have lost all hope in their players. What has been notable is that despite the frustrations of the last three home games - all 1-1 draws - the crowd have largely been appreciative of the players' efforts.

There have been the odd moments of discontent; a few howls at misplaced passes and a degree of criticism for Tamas Priskin which seemed unwarranted. But hearing a whole corner of the crowd sing 'there's only one Peter Ramage' on Saturday showed how far the supporters are behind the latest incarnation of the QPR "project". Without patronising the player too much, he would surely admit himself that he has had a mixed relationship with the Loftus Road crowd but there was nothing ironic about their cheers. For work-rate alone, few can outrank Ramage and his well-taken goal against Preston showed there is something to his game going forward now as well. The supporters still need to play their part in ensuring that QPR don't quickly return to the negativity on and off the pitch which ruined much of this season. 

4 - Will Adel Taarabt be around to share in that optimism? The Moroccan seems to have stepped up a gear in the last few games, with a remarkable performance against Preston. Though quieter yesterday and still prone to trying to win games alone, he really can strike fear into most back lines as he strides forward from midfield.

Cynical observers might suggest the upturn in his contribution is directly related to the impending opening of the transfer window and it is certainly true that QPR might flinch at paying close to £5 million for the player, a sum of money rarely spent in the Championship. Warnock admitted the club weren't front of the queue to sign him despite reiterating that Taarabt is fond of QPR. There are rumours that he is keen on forging a career in Spain. If he does leave, it is unlikely that a like-for-like replacement can be found but someone to match that creative spark will have to be found. 

QPR - Ikeme, Ramage, Stewart, Gorkss, Hill, Leigertwood, Faurlin, Ephraim (Cook 81), Taarabt,.Simpson (German 73), Priskin (Vine 89) 

Subs not used - Cerny, Oastler, Buzsaky, Balanta  

Goal - Faurlin (23) 

Bookings - Taarabt 

Sheffield Wednesday - Grant, Spurr, Buxton, Purse, Beevers, Potter (Clarke 72), O'Connor, Varney 

(Johnson 69), Soares, Nolan, Tudgay 

Subs not used - O'Donnell, Hinds, Simek, Gray, Jeffers 

Goal - Soares (77) 

Attendance - 13,405