During the summer transfer window, Queens Park Rangers reinforced a number of positions by bringing in new players thanks to player sales.
Gareth Ainsworth always seemed to need the summer to make his mark on the R’s team since the group from previous season needed to be changed.
Although they may have been at the top of the Championship early in the season, their inability to rally until the very end of the campaign was a major concern and wasn’t the manager’s fault.
The R’s struggled in the final stages of Mick Beale’s reign, only managing to win one of their 12 games under Neil Critchley, and just scraped through under current boss Ainsworth.
Ainsworth, who pulled off a miraculous escape with Wycombe Wanderers on the final day of the 2013–14 season, was supposed to be the one who could bring them out of trouble.
Even though he is a great man manager and has a track record of success from his time at Adams Park, he struggled in the beginning of his time at Loftus Road and will be grateful that he had the summer to turn things around.
Although their opening-day loss to Watford wasn’t ideal, they have responded very well, and their most recent away victory over Middlesbrough may prove to be a turning point in their season.
Where do QPR’s choices fall short?
They have likely benefited from their transfer strategy to get off to a solid (if not amazing) start to the season, but they are missing depth in one or two positions, which could work against them.
Even if they just play one up top for the remainder of the season, they desperately need more choices in their forward department.
While Sinclair Armstrong is promising and Lyndon Dykes has the potential to score goals on a consistent basis this season, Charlie Kelman hasn’t had much experience playing football at this level.
Ilias Chair and Chris Willock can also assist in the final third, but they still need one or two more strikers, and with the summer transfer window closed, they will have to wait until January to use the free agent market.
QPR ought to go after Lyle Taylor.
One player that has lately become available is Andre Gray, although Taylor, who was released by Nottingham Forest in the summer, would also be a suitable choice.
You believe the former Forest player would be open to this move even if he had to accept a fairly small pay because he has previously practiced his craft in the English capital and QPR is still a second-tier team.
After being away from the game for a while, he’s certainly eager to return, and the R’s might give him a way to do so.
He has demonstrated his ability to hold the ball up, press well, and score goals in the EFL by performing admirably while on loan at Birmingham City in the second half of the 2021–2022 season.
In 14 league games for Blues, he scored five goals. Extrapolating that over the course of a season, he’d probably score at least 15 goals. If QPR wants to give themselves the best opportunity of staying afloat in the second tier once more, they need that kind of talisman in addition to Dykes.
Given that he is now 33 and there may be better options available next summer, giving him a contract through the end of the current campaign seems reasonable.
This short-term agreement can turn out to be beneficial for all parties.
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