New striker Michael Chopra says he is confident that he can score 20 goals in his first season with the Blues having netted twice in yesterday’s 2-0 pre-season friendly victory over Dutch side FC Eindhoven. Town manager Paul Jewell brought the former Cardiff frontman to Portman Road for £1.5 million last month having targeted adding a "20-goal-a-season man" to his squad.
Chopra is confident that he is capable of scoring goals in any side: "I’ve always said that no matter what team I’m in, if the chances come my way, then I will score them.
"I’ve got a lot of belief in my ability and I believe I will continue to put my chances away. I’m confident I could get 20 this season. You have to set your standards high.”
The 27-year-old partnered Jason Scotland having come on at half-time as the Blues lined-up 4-4-2 in Eindhoven, a formation he says he likes: "The main thing this week is for all of the players to get to know each other and to understand the way the manager wants us to play.
"The manager is playing two up front at the moment and I think that suits my game. It’s easier when you’re playing with someone that takes a fair share of the workload.
"I’m not the type of player that’s going to hold the ball up, I’ll do my fair share when I need to, but I’m more of a player who will look to get in behind or drop into the hole. We’ve had a good start and I really enjoyed it.”
Meanwhile, QPR boss Neil Warnock says signing former Blue Kieron Dyer, who is understood to be close to completing his move to Loftus Road having been released by West Ham, is worth the risk, despite his well documented injury problems: "As far as I’m concerned it’s a gamble worth taking. He really impressed me in training and it looks like he has been working hard on his fitness throughout the summer.
"He has a lot of experience and is desperate to play in the Premier League again. I like the hunger he’s got and he wants to prove a point.”