da brwin： QPR are having an impressive season so far, if not a topsy-turvy one.
da bet nacional： Before Monday evening’s game against Brentford, Mark Warburton’s side sit 9th in the Championship table, just four points off the top of the league.
The R’s have scored an impressive 23 goals in their 13 Championship games so far, but have also conceded a whopping 23 as well – only a few of the league’s basement sides have conceded more.
Additionally, the Londoners are also yet to keep a Championship clean sheet this season – they are alarmingly the only team in the second tier not to record a single shutout this term.
Despite their frailties at the back, QPR are still having a good season and could go second with a win against the Bees, so is their current approach a sustainable one that could reap a glistening reward come May?
Let’s see what Football FanCast’s writers think about the situation…
Billy Meyers
“Over the course of a gruelling 46-game league campaign, the goals will surely dry up for QPR at some stage or another.
“The R’s also have little attacking depth behind Jordan Hugill and Nahki Wells, so if one of the pair were to get injured, the focus would need to flip on securing a clean sheet first and foremost before someone else steps up to score the goals.
“Out of all of the sides who made the playoffs last season – an area that is now a realistic target for QPR – West Brom had the worst defensive record with 62 concessions in 46 games. In context, if Warburton’s side keep their current rate of conceding goals up, they will surpass that figure by some distance and surely weaken their chances of making the top six in doing so – defensive solidity must be worked on over the coming weeks.”
Charles Jones
“I believe that teams in the Championship can go a long way based on just their attacking prowess – just look at Norwich last term. There were seven teams in the league that conceded more than the Canaries, yet they ran away with the title.
“Saying that though, Warburton would be a fool to not want to improve his defence, as that is what may be the difference between a spot in the top six or a top half finish.
“The goals may be sustainable, but if they get into the playoffs, teams won’t allow them to play in such a broad and open way and they could get found out.”
Kealan Hughes “If QPR are to finish in the play-offs they need to address their defensive vulnerability quickly, as history suggests that a leaky defence often holds back teams in the Championship.“In recent years, Sheffield United and Cardiff have based their promotion campaigns on solid foundations, conceding just 41 and 39 goals respectively, so continuing to employ this approach while aiming for promotion seems unsustainable.“They have a great chance in keeping the goals up in Wells’ case, seeing as he once notched 17 Championship goals in one season – however, Hugill’s best-ever seasonal tally is just 12. Ebere Eze is the wildcard, though, and if he can add to his six goals and three assists, then QPR would still have an outside chance.” VJ “Make no mistake about it, QPR’s current predicament is unsustainable. Sooner or later, their defensive nightmares are going to come back to haunt them big time. In the nitty-gritty games over a long, hard-fought Championship season, having a solid back-line goes a long way to getting massive wins.“Last year, out of those involved in the play-off positions, fourth-placed West Brom conceded the most with 62 from their 46 games. The year before that? Derby County with just 48. Already this campaign, QPR have let in 23, despite playing just 13 times. Mark Warburton’s men will have to fix up quickly, or risk their season unravelling. Strikers can only save you on so many occasions, and so it’s about time the Hoops’ defence take some responsibility.”