A head of Queens Park Rangers visit to Pride Park to play The Rams, we spoke with Paul Finney a co-host of the QPR Podcast, to find out all about The R's. You can find out more about the QPR Podcast here.
QPR lost several key players from last season (Eberechi Eze, Jordan Hugill and Nahki Wells). Have those gaps been filled? If so, by who?
The gap has been filled by trying to promote from within and also a more strategic transfer policy so instead of flashing the cash we are trying to develop bringing younger players hungry players and most of all players that we can at least Get on the way up rather than the way down.
Lyndon Dykes and Rob Dickie look the pick of our deals and the return of former loan player (for both QPR and Derby) Tom Carrol to try and add balance and then missing links.
Who are the dangermen for The R's? And why?
Our biggest danger is our defence to ourselves.
We’ve got a real chance of winning the "shoot your self in the foot" award for penalties and stupid free kicks .
Other end of the debate is an easy one we’ve got Bright Osayi-Samuel and Ilias Chair in midfield on their day so positive so full of tricks and direct plus we now have added R’s fan favorite Albert Adomah to the wing to help and cause issues for the other team but he’s still finding his feet as is the team at the moment.
What are your thoughts on Mark Warburton?
Well, he’s honest sometimes but goes into the manager stereo type mode when in a poor run. Of that line always look for the positives and bit more luck and so on.
That said he’s a hell of a job on his hands with cutting wage bills transfer market demands of all at QPR it’s a common thing that they all have a say on players it seems from manager to DOF and board. Possible that he’s the last throw of the dice for the board and DOF as we need a stable management team and time to develop players and whole new coaching culture and mindset at the club. I hope he turns it around I really do.
One win in the last five for QPR. What's been attributed to the patchy form?
Like many, this whole new normal is taking it’s toll on the club and its players. Also, new players needed to bed in and gel. But we’ve given away some bloody stupid goals as I’ve said with penalties and free kicks. It’s insane our issue with them. Confidence will come with luck and we can carry on with getting this team to spark.
Goal scoring seems to be a bit of an issue for QPR. Why?
For me it’s the system and lack of service for the lads trying to influence the game at that end of the field and playing one up top when chasing a game is a hell of an ask and painful at times. But now we have that win we can build and stop giving away penalties, that would be a good move for all.
QPR spent money bringing in Lyndon Dykes from Livingston in the summer. Has he been the answer to the goal scoring issues?
Him, Macauley Bonne and Charlie Kelman will, I hope, all work the magic on goals but Dykes is a horrible player to play against and we’ve needed that kind of knock 'em and let them know your around old fashioned centre-forward for god knows how long! I really like him plus he’s bonkers and that’s not bad thing in a world of boring media trained players. Keep an eye on him he’s going places.
Derby were linked with a move for Rob Dickie in summer but he ultimately ended up at Loftus Road. How has he been this season?
He’s class you can tell that even with him trying to settle in and go up a league always takes time. But there is huge hope on the lad, especially in a defence made of jelly at times.
Several years ago owner Tony Fernandes had grand plans for QPR. What happened?
Christ how long have you got?
He came in on the back of the first promotion non-football background and also wanted to teach West Ham a lesson for ignoring his buy out of his club he followed. He got done by agents and nativity of wanting to play real life Championship Manager and he spent more money than I’ve ever seen or dreamed of at Rangers, only to make agents rich and us crap ourselves with the fear of relegation.
He’s bit weird In the sense he’s unpopular for overspending and underachieving but he’s not a club killer or a man who came to make money on us, so that’s all a bit odd not a bad person at all just took advice of idiots at times. Even with the play off final (oh Bobby Zamora) and a second go at the Premier League, 'we did it again,' as Britney Spears would say, and worse this time as we fell apart and went down with a whimper bar a lovely win at the unwashed down the road.
All the clubs are struggling financially without fans in stadiums. How is COVID-19 pandemic effecting the club financially?
Our ground is old school and with that comes the proper need for fans to be there to add that extra bite when the team is doing well it’s amazing so close to the pitch so near to the action and the normal fan exchanges with away fans it can be the best ground on earth so yeah it’s hurting us like so many.
As for money yeah we must be losing so much of it and also will see most of the Eze money just to keep us going that said we have spent on players so we can’t really blame that if this season goes wrong. But isn’t football just rubbish without us fans no matter the club it’s just wrong and hard to get used too. I hate it but I know we have to but it’s horrible.
What are your hopes for QPR the season? Promotion?
Promotion, I have seen and done as i am old! A lot and I’d like us to definitely go higher in the league keep the club grounded as we lost our way with all that money and stuff and changed the culture of the club sadly. But just outside the play offs or even a wee run to get near them would be great and progress.
What is your view of Derby as an opposition fan?
Hard to say really as I really. I don’t get the start you’ve had and how you’ve not been winning more and higher in the league with the players you have. Maybe this takeover people have been talking about has taken the focus away or something but yeah don’t get it as you should be up there. Also there have been some strange tactical decisions by the manager at times which baffles me, so god knows what you guys think!
What are your thoughts on this fixture? Score Prediction?
After going two up then two all and a mad winner at the death my heart is still in therapy. I will take a one nil, if I’m honest just want to get some wins and points and go forward . As I say depends also on if you guys have a takeover hanging over the place which can distract everyone and from a selfish point of view we need to win no matter how so 1-0 to the R’s and I’m ignoring my head on this one!
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