Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

With the break afforded by their postponed game against Plymouth Argyle, I was expecting a fresh, re-energised QPR side last night who had an excellent opportunity to book a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2001. Instead the tiny crowd at Loftus Road were treated to a side in greater disarray then previously and that miserable cup run and the team's woeful form in general goes on. What will manager Paul Hart and the QPR fans be able to take from this game?

1 - The spirit of this team looks severely damaged. Though Rangers perhaps had the better of a uninspiring first half, the way in which they imploded in the second showed that the backbone of this side is now dangerously weak. Prior to Sheffield United's raid on the QPR goal which brought two goals in three minutes, Rangers, the home side, were unable to fashion one significant effort on the United goal after the break.

They were clearly not helped by a pitifully small crowd which casts in doubt Flavio Briatore's mission to turn Rangers into a popular 'boutique' club, but there was still very little in the way of confidence and drive in the players' performance. That the new manager was again openly booed and harangued by his own supporters in only his fifth game in charge shows that right now, Loftus Road is far from a happy place.

2 - Paul Hart's luck has run out. This is not to suggest that QPR should be looking for a new manager already, though knowing the trigger-happy nature of Briatore it wouldn't be completely surprising. More to say that from day one, the few positive results Paul Hart has managed to put together have relied upon a great deal of good fortune.

The win against Bristol City, which was undoubtedly important in the context of the league, was built on very shaky foundations and relied upon a backs-to-the-wall defensive performance from the whole team. Since then, the manager has spoken openly about the need for QPR to win ugly, to forget about attractive football and just start getting results. But the results aren't being achieved and that footballing philosophy is starting to look a bit threadbare. It could be time for the new gaffer to go back to the drawing board.

3 - Problems up front. The reliance on Jay Simpson, who at 21 is far from finished in his football schooling, to provide Rangers' goals is also now looking overly optimistic. In a week in which the club allowed Heidar Helguson to return to Watford, when his experience and knowledge of the game could have paired up very nicely with the youth and energy of Simpson, the other options in the QPR squad are less than sufficient right now.

Rowan Vine has struggled for form and fitness all season, Angelo Balanta is still too young and raw to be relied on week by week and Alessandro Pellicori will rank as one of the biggest mysteries of Briatore's time in charge of the club when he leaves this January after a handful of appearances. That leaves Patrick Agyemang who appears to have won the new manager's favour but is failing to back that up with any goals. A lot is resting on Simpson's young shoulders at the moment.

4 - Even more problems at the back. The limited progress QPR made last season was built on the sturdiest defence in the league. In its place there is now a ramshackle back line in which previously reliable defenders play like they've never met each other let alone played football together. The result is no clean sheets in 15 games. For all the talk of no-nonsense, pragmatic football, since Hart has arrived the team have still managed to concede nine goals in five games. It is the area of the team which will give him most concern right now.

QPR - Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale, Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky, Faurlin (Taarabt 69), Agyemang, Simpson (German 80)

Subs not used - McWeeney, Hall, Connolly, Ephraim, Balanta

Goals - Buzsaky (pen 71), Stewart (88).

Bookings - Gorkss

Sheffield United - Bunn, Morgan, Taylor, Seip, Geary (Walker 80), Montgomery, Williamson (Ward 67), Harper, Quinn, Evans, Cresswell (Henderson 74) 

Subs not used - Bennett, Stewart, France, Little

Goals - Williamson (19), Ward (68), Cresswell (70)

Bookings, Seip, Quinn, Evans

Referee - K Woolmer

Attendance - 5,780