Promoted team analysis – QPR
Today we begin a series of articles examining the three teams promoted to the Premier League from the Championship. Leicester won the league and automatic promotion quite emphatically in the end with 102 points which was 9 ahead of Burnley in second who also now join them in the top division. In contrast QPR were 22 points off the leaders but still managed to gain promotion via the play-offs courtesy of a Bobby Zamora Wembley winner. Surely such a point gap would suggest that that QPR will be the least well equipped to survive in the big league? Let’s find out…
Last season:
Fourth in Championship (promoted via play-offs)
85 points
Won 23
Drew 11
Lost 12
Scored 60 (joint second lowest in the top half of the Championship)
Conceded 44
Previous season in Premier League:
2012-13 season – 20th (relegated)
For a while West Brom were the archetypal yo-yo club – more recently you could read QPR for that. This coming season they are back in the Premier League for the second time in three seasons. Even ‘Harry Houdini’ as he has been coined, couldn’t prevent the slip into the second rung the last time they were in the Premier League. They’ll be looking to consolidate this season and a worse-off 17th position would do for them.
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The Manager – Harry Redknapp.
Promoted team analysis – QPR
‘Arrys’ back! And he’s done it again – he has got his man – Rio Ferdinand. Add to this, he already has Richard Dunne and Clint Hill and only recently let go of Luke Young and Aaron Hughes – he likes to rely on experience, particularly of the league, which is of course, vital. It was no secret that the last squad was he inherited at The R’s wasn’t one he would have put his name to but he slowly shipped out the under-performers and brought in, mostly on loans and short-term deals, players to get him out of the Championship. He did this on 24th May when a Bobby Zamora last minute goal secured victory over Derby County in the play-off final. This despite finishing five points behind Derby who were in 3rd in the regular season – oh the joys of the play-offs!
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The Players
GOALKEEPERS
Robert Green (4.5) – laugh all you like (and you will), but you would have to think that Green is the most set-in-stone GK in the FPL this season – currently he only has a two-appearance understudy and youth team keepers challenging him. Julio Cesar is on loan at Toronto FC and as we know was the goalkeeper who let in 7 goals in the World Cup semi-final. As a little pointer – Green rotates quite nicely with Julian Speroni of Palace until around the middle of October.
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DEFENDERS
Simpson/Ferdinand/Caulker/Traore
Steven Caulker from Cardiff isn’t confirmed just yet but when he is I’d wager he’ll be in the region of £5.5m. Many think he is one of the brightest centre backs for England of recent times and that it was vital that he remained in the Premier League for his own career. And what about him playing alongside a player he has modelled his game on? That would seem to be what is going to happen with the news of the arrival of the ‘other’ Ferdinand (they’ve had Anton and Les already down Loftus Road). Rio Ferdinand may not play every minute of every game but his experience will be vital to develop Caulker and also to organise and galvanise those around him. He should be backed up by Richard Dunne who himself has a wealth of experience in the Premier League. Even if the Caulker deal doesn’t materialise, then as long as Rio stays fit they should be OK in the centre back areas. Dunne played 45 league matches last season to prove his durability and stamina.
The right full back should be Danny Simpson and it is the other side where it is fraught with fantasy prospect danger. Clint Hill, Yun Suk-Young, Armand Traore (listed as a MID) or Nedum Onuoha could all stake claims for the left wing-back position now Assou-Ekotto is back with Tottenham.
QPR kept 17 clean sheets in the Championships regular season and two in their three play-off matches including the final. Between August and October they kept eight clean sheets in a row.
With Green, Ferdinand and Dunne – they will have lots of experience and could provide you with a nice fourth or fifth defender for your teams.
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MIDFIELDERS
Taarabt/Barton/Phillips/Hoilett
Adel Taarabt – remember him? The man who was on loan at Fulham previously (and a favourite for some in FFL) he then went on loan again to er . . . . AC Milan! Costing £5.5m he can turn a game single-handedly, but then walk through every other game until his next ‘worldy’. Too risky for many, but 5 goals and 5 assists in his last season in the top league with the Hoops.
I may suggest Junior Hoilett here – £5.0m the Hoops’ top assister in the Championship last season (only six mind you) and four goals. But in three previous seasons in the Premier League the Canuck has 14 goals and ten assists including a best 7 goals and 6 assists whilst with Blackburn in 2011/12. Joey Barton, or rather ‘Mr Joseph Anthony Barton’ as he is regularly referred to by the courts is back in the Premier League via France and the Championship. Last seen attempting to assault most of Man City’s title winning team of 2012 in that final day decider, bad old Joey is back. Now we are not suggesting for one second that you invest any hard earned fantasy money in the violent scally but at £5.0m and quite possibly on set plays and likely to notch the odd goal you could actually do a lot worse as a 5th mid. But if they introduce GBH and common assault into the bonus system then he will be FPL gold.
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FORWARDS
Remy/Austin
Loic Remy currently has 20.5% ownership and that isn’t a surprise if he stays with QPR and within the EPL come the first day. This is based on his 14 goals for Newcastle last season. He is a proven scorer at this level and a long-time Arsenal target. He is the same fantasy value as Fernando Torres (but we can’t hold that against him – please no one let the man know that for goodness sake, it could destroy him).
Charlie Austin – 17 in 31 in his first full season at QPR. He will be looking to make up for lost time, having failed a medical at Hull City whilst with Burnley – this is his first pop at the big time. Austin may well be the next Rickie Lambert – the type to score goals at any level he finds himself at. I see him getting a lot of game time even with Remy back. On penalty kick duty as well and could prove great value at £6m.
The back-up here will be Bobby Zamora £4.5m – old Bobby wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you only had 4.5 left and he was being kept for your bench. He should see a lot of appearances from the bench – which, if you remember Adam Le Fondre for Reading – could still lead to some decent returns.
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Fixtures
QPR have Hull, Sunderland and Stoke as their first three home matches – hardly a horrendous hand been dealt there. But interspersed are two away trips across London to White Hart Lane and Old Trafford (sic) which probably do not hold much fantasy interest, but it is that second match which Rio will have already circled in his diary.
After that it is two away on the bounce (Southampton and another London derby at West Ham) followed by two consecutive home matches – Aston Villa may hold no fear but before that it is Liverpool, which takes them to the end of October.
Summary
I’d be surprised if many fantasy managers plan to have three (or even two) QPR players, but it seems a third striker or a center back may be the most attractive position to invest in. Unless you are a Brentford, Fulham or Chelsea fan, then you surely won’t mind if QPR stay up for a longer spell this time, if only for Harry Redknapp. The league is better with him in it for sure. The R’s are a nice little club playing in a lovely little matchbox style stadium which always looks busy and tremendously atmospheric especially when they score and the music system plays the . . . DO DO DE DO . . .and the Superhoops fans respond “HOOPS” emphatically. Simple things like that define a club and its fans. They’ll be hoping to be singing aplenty this season.
What are we thinking regarding Man Utd’s defence? They can’t pay 30mill or whatever for a left back and not play him, plus Evra has thrown his dummy out and Buttner gone.
Also, I imagine it’s time for Jones to really step up and become the player they bought him to be and dominate the defence, but is he capable?
I don’t rate Smalling, he just doesn’t seem to ever play well, apart from against the poorer teams.
Or will Evans have to pick up the slack and perform at the high level he was at the season before last?!
500,
There are daily rumours that LVG is about to sign a defender. Vermaelen looks the most likely IMO, but Blind, de Vrij and Hummels are still being mentioned.
Therefore it’s nigh on impossible to guess who would play in the middle, but assuming LVG plays 4-4-2, I would at this stage recommend Shaw or Rafael.
Isn’t Blind another left/wing back?
I believe he can also play in the middle and defensive mid. Only rumours though.
I like Blind, he’s played above expectations. He amazes me every time. Hope he doesn’t move to ManU or Barca though. He needs another year at Ajax. He could fail at ManU. Think the 5-3-2 system favored him considerable, what he lacks in speed was covered by the system. Same reason why Vlaar and de Vrij excelled. De Vrij is a big talent though, he had a really poor start last season (was destroyed mentally) but he came back like a beast. Stats even say he was the best defender this worldcup.
Well said Raz. Just shows 5-3-2 doesn’t have to mean you play super-defensively if you have a fluid defence.
Dear All, Please find another semi draft for your RMT please
Guzan, Krul
Raphael, Terry, Debuchy, (Wisdom, Upson)
Fab,Sanchez,Silva Shelvey, (Albrighton)
Costa, Jelavic, Rooney
Like your team except for Raphael get jones instead
Harzardo, Thank you, will do just that, But do yo think Jones is nail on?
Jones was a near certain starting def last season and as a United fan with vidic gone will only cement his place whilst Raphael is dodgy at the best of times
Thank you
RMT pls:
Krul (Foster)
Debuchy Vlarr Dunne (upson) (Bruce)
Herrera Sánchez Snodgrass Fabregas Siggurdson
RVP Costa (Zamora)
Was told i was a bit too defensive b4 so i chopped and changed not sure bout RVP Costa as too expensive but Really don’t want Rooney or Sturrige
Costa is the man causing me all kinds of headaches. I want to leave him out and have a beast midfield but I just can’t…
Lol jamesimmo while someone with experience is on how do you exactly run a doubles team is it alternative weeks or just someone gets attackers and someone gets mid and or defense
Well I’ve never actually run a doubles team but I guess, between the two of you running it, you can decide to do it however you want: if it was me, I’d just have it as a joint effort each week – you could wake up on Saturday morning to find a surprise captaincy change from what you’d set the previous evening!
Or perhaps you could rotate, with one person doing transfers and the other making the team selections, then swapping roles the next week etc. etc.
That’s my understanding of it anyway! Hope that helps.
Same here James, have strong midfielders but at the expense of Costa, which I don’t like. Thing is I think it will take 2 downgrades to fit him in: I could handle 1 but 2 is going to be painful..
Exactly Calvin – with RVP and Austin my midfield can be almost perfect, whereas with RVP Austin and Costa, I can only really have 2 beast mids…
…that means one of Yaya/Silva – Fab/Haz – Sanchez misses out.
So, the question: is Costa more important than any of those 3 mids?
Harzado,
My opinion
Bruce and Upson are not regular and might not start. Too Risky to have both, Change Bruce if you can
Herrera wont bang in goals, but will get a few assists. there are other and better goals scoring midfielders
Siggurdson is cheap for that price , if he does move it will be a good buy, but in spurs Eriksen is the only midfielder worth buying.
I will probably change it again about 1,000 times but for now this is it
De Gea – Krul
Azpi – Debuchy – Cameron – Ward – Demel
Mata – Eriksen – De Jong – Shelvey – Tiote
Rooney – Costa – Adebayor
RMT
Team Value – 99.5m
De Gea – Krul
Azpi – Debuchy – Cameron – Ward – Demel
Mata – Eriksen – De Jong – Shelvey – Tiote
Rooney – Costa – Adebayor
I will probably make changes because Rooney is only picked if he starts striker and Mata will only be picked if he starts centrally. I will drop Ward and Demel for a 4.5m defender from same club if guaranteed starter and hopefully drop Azpi for a 5.5m Chelsea or United starter if one comes along. Also De Jong is only picked if he starts striker. If I can save 1.5m then I will put in Fabregas for De Jong.
Chelsea just bought a new leftback though? Plus I don’t see Azpi taking over Ivanovic as a rightback. Will he even start? Big risk for a somewhat expensive player.
@HullCity it looks like you have some contingency plans in place if you don’t like what you see over the next few weeks. Also be aware of Cameron during pre-season and make sure he can keep his starting spot. And once the season starts also keep an eye out for a similarly priced mid as Tiote who offers some attacking threat in case you need to use a sub.
How can Borini be sold for 14m and Remy bought for 8.5m…. Do they have their figures the wrong way around?!
Remy’s got a release clause
Either way, Borini isn’t even worth half of what Sunderland have paid. Unless he has suddenly learnt how to lay golden eggs or something.
Afternoon all, if anyone ever posts a comment and it doesn’t appear can you please drop us an e-mail ASAP using the Contact us tab. Mourinho yours are fixed and restored now. Apologies. We have an aggressive spam filter and occasionally if picks up the odd genuine one and spams it. Only ever happened twice, sorry.
Cheers mate. Appreciate the help
No worries, not sure why it did it as all your previous ones were ok. May have been because you put Andy Carroll in your team it assumed you were a wrong un
Hahahaa he was on form back end of last year and I think all of west hams play will be focused on his strengths