Consistently inconsistent would be the best way to describe QPR this season. They started the season with four defeats in their first five games, including a 7-1 battering by Coventry, before then going undefeated in their next six.

Defeat to London rivals Millwall brought them back down with a bump, before they scraped a victory against Swansea and then lost to Derby. That leaves them ninth in the division, two points ahead of Town.

Goalkeepers

Frenchman Paul Nardi has been the Hoops’ number one for two seasons now since joining on a free from Belgian side Genk. He’s having a good season so far and is part of the reason that QPR have massively improved their defensive solidity. He’s conceded just six goals in eight starts and has a goals prevented metric of +3.07 during that time.

That’s a stark contrast to Joe Walsh, who was the man in goal when they shipped seven to Coventry and is currently out with a wrist injury. Unsurprisingly, his goals prevented metric looks a lot worse at –4.16.

The spot on the bench has been taken by 37-year-old Ben Hamer, who signed in the summer for the 14th club of his career.

Defenders

There has been some rotation in the QPR defence but it was the most used back four that took to the pitch against Derby.

Jimmy Dunne has been reborn as a hybrid right-back in recent seasons and his performances saw him make his Ireland debut in March 2025.

He’s likely to play alongside a centre-back pairing that combines youth and experience in Amadou Mbengue and Steve Cook. Twenty-three-year-old Mbengue was picked up on a free from Reading this summer and has proved to be a shrewd signing so far, averaging 1.6 tackles per game.

Cook is the other end of the age spectrum at 34 and comes with plenty of experience having made 220 Championship appearances. He was part of the backline that was horribly exposed against Coventry and can be lacking in pace but has come back into the team recently to help grind out wins against teams lower down the league.

At left-back Rhys Norrington-Davies was a late addition on loan from Sheffield United but has slotted into the side and is now first choice in that position having a particularly good game in the 0-0 draw with Oxford.

With Jake Clarke-Salter and Ziyad Larkeche out injured, backline cover is limited to Liam Morrison, who was a bit-part player last season, Esquerdinha, a young Brazilian left-back signed from Fluminese, and Australian right-back Kealey Adamson, who’s signed from Macarthur FC.

The latter two are clearly gambles on a worldwide scouting network in a hope of complementing the Championship experience in-house. Clarke-Salter is rumoured to be nearing a return which could provide a vital boost.

South African U20 international Tylon Smith is another wonderkid. He’s been away with for the U20 World Championship but made his debut in the Carabao Cup.

Midfielders

The midfield pairing has also stayed fairly consistent with Jonathan Varane and Nicolas Madsen forming a partnership in the centre of the pitch.

Varane is the holder of the pair with the Martinique international ranking highly in terms of interceptions, clearances, blocks and tackles compared to other central midfielders, whereas Dane Madsen is more creative and averages 3.3 shot-creating actions per match.

Sam Field and Issac Hayden complete the central midfield set and provide experience and the know-how to win games. Field has been with the club since 2021, whereas Hayden has returned having previously spent the end of 2024 on loan following the expiry of his contract with Newcastle.

On the theme of buying promising European youngsters, Sweden U21 international Isak Alemayehu has also been added to the ranks but has yet to feature.

Attackers

We’ll start this round up with the front four who started against Derby, beginning with a rumoured Town target over the summer, Richard Kone.

The 22-year-old Ivorian bagged 18 goals for Wycombe in League One last season making him highly sought-after by Championship sides and it was QPR who swooped to secure his signature for around £2.75 million.

He’s largely operated in the number 10 position so far, scoring four goals, but has struggled to make an impact in the last couple of games.

Either side of him against Derby were Harvey Vale and Koki Saito, both summer signings, albeit Saito was a permanent completion of last season's loan move from Lommel SK.

Town have so far struggled to contain Japanese forwards this season and will be hoping Saito isn’t another one who will cause problems.

That leaves Rumarn Burrell leading the line. The Jamaican international completes the full frontline revamp having joined from Burton Albion in the summer.

He’s managed to score three goals so far but his average touches per game of 19.7 is incredibly low and hints that he may cut an isolated figure at the top of the pitch at times.

Every time I write a QPR preview, I expect Ilias Chair to have been sold given his star quality, but he’s still around with the Hoops. He didn’t start against Derby because of an injury issue but came on at half-time. The diminutive Moroccan is a player who can change a game with his quality on the ball, but fitness issues may limit his impact in this one.

Kwame Poku was brought in from Peterborough to provide even more of that star power and wing wizardry but has been cruelly cut down with injury leaving Karamoko Dembele, who has joined permanently from Stade Brestois, and Paul Smyth competing with Vale for the right-wing spot.

Smyth is the one who has made more of an impact with important goals against Charlton and Bristol City. Like Clarke-Salter, Poku is another who has been mentioned in the QPR press conference as returning to fitness so may get a chance off the bench.

That just leaves last summer's marquee signing Michael Frey, who scored a solid if not spectacular eight goals last season. He’s another who has been struggling with injury problems and has had to make do with appearances off the bench so far and is yet to find the back of the net this season.

Algerian Rayan Koli is also in the squad but there are now several players ahead of him which will limit his game time.

The Teams

The biggest question mark for this one is who plays in the 10 role. If you’ve listened to my Blue Monday podcast, you’ll know that I think long term Sindre Walle Egeli is best suited to that role but I’d hazard a guess it will be Marcelino Nunez once again with Walle Egeli retaining his position on the right.

It also represents a great opportunity for Cameron Humphreys to force his way into contention with the Town youngster now likely to make the bench.

Apart from that, I wouldn’t change anything with the defence and midfield looking far more balanced against West Brom.

For QPR, the backline and midfield look pretty stable, but there could be changes in the frontline with Chair coming back to fitness and Kone potentially needing a rest following a couple of poor games. Smyth may also come in on the right to provide a bit more defensive stability.

Prediction

No away wins puts Town 23rd in the table for away points albeit having just played four games. That form needs to change if they’re to start climbing the table and I think it could here.

The extra defensive stability that came in the West Brom game will hopefully provide a platform to build on to enable Town to sneak a 1-0 win.

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