In the 21st of a series of pre-season reports, HarryfromBath assesses the Hoops’ pre-season mood under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink by delving into their forums. Reports on Norwich City and Town’s opening day opponents Barnsley will be covered in the next couple of days.
"I am looking forward to this season. We have made some very decent progress and have signed well this summer. We have improved the first team and have plenty of players in the ranks who are now in their second Championship season and they are ready to take the next step forward.”
In a few months’ time, Rangers may look back on Saturday’s 2-0 win over Watford as a pivotal point in their season. After an uninspiring run of pre-season games which included draws against Burton, Northampton and Wycombe, everything clicked and they were worthy and comfortable winners.
"We finally demonstrated an identity and playing style which was based on team ethics rather than individual qualities. It should serve us well in the long run”, "There was a nice balance about us throughout the Watford match and we looked decent and assured both in defence and attack.”
Many expectations are still coloured by last year’s football. "Last season was shocking. I was leaving games bored out of my nut”, "Even in my best case scenario I’m expecting the season to be boring, much like the last few months of last season when it petered out and went through the motions.”
"It was absolutely right for JFH to issue a reality check after the Watford win. No more ‘triffics’”, "I like Jimmy and think he only has the best interests of the club at heart. The ethos and approach of finding players that actually want to be here and play for us is exactly what should be happening.”
The 44-year-old arrived from Burton in November and has spent his summer restructuring the squad and carefully bringing in players who will fit in with the style of play and culture he is creating. While many welcome this new direction of travel, the football witnessed last season has alienated others.
"The style of football preferred by JFH seems negative and only works with pace in the team, like Leicester last season. QPR’s squad has very few players capable of out-sprinting opponents”, "I was looking forward to the season but my enthusiasm has gone seeing the same pathetic style of play.”
"You think that QPR are building over the course of a few seasons, but I think it is likely to be 10-15 at this rate”, "That’s what is so difficult about being Rangers. A quarter of a billion is sprayed around the premises and the next thing we haven’t enough for a bacon sarnie. Feast or famine, no change.”
"When it all went wrong the cries were, ‘We want our Rangers back. The old Rangers did their business quietly and paid a fair price’, which appears to be what we are trying to do. It begs the question, which Rangers do you want to be? The ‘loads of money’ Rangers or the sensible one?”
This debate will run and run. "We have to take a long-term sustainable approach”, "I would rather us challenge for promotion than all this building malarkey”, "It’s no use us approaching someone to get us up and giving them a few quid for the meter. There has to be a middle way in all of our dealings.”
"It has felt like a poor pre-season with the only positives getting rid of Leroy Fer [to Swansea], Matt Philips [to West Brom] and Armand Traore [to Nottingham Forest]. I’m missing Clint Hill [now with Glasgow Rangers], mind you.” Many players from previous failed regimes have now left the club.
In addition to these four, midfielders Alejandro Faurlin, Samba Diakite and Oscar Gobern have all left and are all free agents at the time of writing, as are full-back Yun Suk-Young and winger Junior Hoilett. Goalkeeper Rob Green has moved to Leeds on a one-year contract.
The four arrivals at Loftus Road are 23-year-old full-back Jake Bidwell from Brentford and 28-year-old defender Joel Lynch from Huddersfield. Midfielders Jordan Cousins, 22, from Charlton and 24-year-old Poland international Ariel Borysiuk from Legia Warsaw have also been signed.
Fans have been philosophical about the two targets QPR recently missed out on, Spurs’ midfielder Alex Pritchard who joined Brighton, and Kaiserslautern’s Iceland forward Jon Bodvarsson who signed for Wolves. "Great that the club aren’t paying over the odds. We have been doing that for years.”
"Any team that tries to fight fire with us risks being hit by our quality on the counter. It’s less clear how we will do with the ball but against Watford we used it well and fashioned opportunities”, "The focal points are already in place when you look at the quality of the spine of the team.”
The Watford game has been regularly mentioned when discussing the style of play. "We seldom wasted the ball in possession. We were calm and made good use of it with our midfield being mobile and full of technical players who could pick passes, play triangles, switch play or recycle possession.”
"I was impressed with how we pressed the play. We seemed to know when to collectively press or hold and that allowed us to remain both solid without the ball and also dangerous on the counter”, "We hunted in packs. It was obvious that the plan was to engage as soon as they passed halfway.”
The starting XI (above) for Saturday’s win is expected to be very close to the side which starts against Leeds on Saturday. "This squad may be a little thin in depth, but we look like we have a fairly strong first XI, who if we can keep them fit and fresh have more than enough about them to do well.”
The finishing XI (above) from Saturday’s Watford game contained five substitutes who are expected to feature this season, although reinforcements are needed. "With signings, the main thing is not to panic. Given the nature of the market, we should think about loans if we are being priced out.”
"No matter how much my heart rules my head, I don’t see us making the play-offs. I see us being competitive but not promotion material”, "We easily have a mid-table team who, if they pulled together and worked hard could finish higher”, "We are going in the right direction and patience is required.”
A solid mid-table finish is the consensus. "I don’t think this season will be pretty but we will see a lot of hard-working, fitter players able to play football for a full game and not let in so many late goals”, "I don’t know where we will finish up but I feel that we will be better overall than last time around.”
"I can’t wait. I love going and watching QPR. Yeah, some games are dire to watch but there’s nothing more enjoyable than going to QPR with my son and seeing how we get on. I will be going no matter what as long as I can afford to. I expect us to be mid-table and that will be a successful season.”
The first place worth visiting for any QPR related discussion and analysis is our sister site Loft for Words. Discussion and analysis can also be found at We Are The Rangers Boys .