No team in the top half of the Championship table conceded more goals than Queens Park Rangers in 2021/22. In fact, they let in a staggering 20 more than a Bournemouth, 19 more than Nottingham Forest and 14 more than Sheffield United.
It’s fitting, then, that Michael Beale’s first two signings since replacing Mark Warburton in West London were Kenneth Paal and Jake Clarke-Salter. A left-back and a centre-half.
While Paal is new to England – arriving after suffering relegation with PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie – Clarke-Salter has been here and done it before in the second-tier. The former England U21 international, who joins QPR from London neighbours Chelsea, looks an immediate upgrade on those who came before him at Loftus Road.
And, on paper, a back three of Clarke-Salter, Jimmy Dunne and the excellent Rob Dickie has no business being breached 60 times – like QPR were in 2021/22 – during Beale’s debut season in senior management.
“The Jake Clarke-Salter signing gives us the flexibility between playing a back three and a back four,” says the former Aston Villa and Rangers assistant.
“We’re excited by that. With young Jimmy Dunne and Rob Dickie, we feel we have a real strong centre-half department, with one or two young players coming on behind those.”
A play-off securing defence at Queens Park Rangers?
Behind them, QPR can also count on Seny Dieng, one of the Championship’s most gifted shot-stoppers. Mercifully, speculation surrounding Dieng – and playmaking duo Chris Willock and Ilias Chair – has been conspicuous by it’s absence during the first few weeks of the Beale era.
“We are not in a rush to sell anyone,” he says. “We actually think that these boys have got more to come in terms of raising their potential transfer fee if they were to move on in the future.
“(Chair and Willock are) two players I looked at and thought I’d be really excited to come in and work with every day.”
On their day, Chair and Willock can pick even the tightest of locks. The challenge facing Beale and director Les Ferdinand is to find a striker capable of making good use of such sustained ammunition. Only Andre Gray hit double figures last term. He has since departed, along with Charlie Austin. That leaves Lyndon Dykes – hardly the most prolific of players – as QPR’s only senior centre-forward, if you don’t count Macauley Bonne.
“I believe we need some strikers at the club,” says Rangers legend Kevin Gallen, with some justification.
Can QPR land Cameron Archer from Aston Villa?
Fortunately, Beale’s Premier League connections could come in very handy. A host of clubs on both sides of the border want Aston Villa’s poacher extraordinaire Cameron Archer. The youngster impressed greatly during an excellent stint at Preston North End.
Given how highly Steven Gerrard values Beale’s tactical intelligence and man-management skills, don’t be surprised if Archer ends up reuniting with a familiar face at QPR.
Tottenham’s Troy Parrott is another potential loanee, per Football London. The rangy Irishman would add depth and a different dimension to Beale’s forward line.
After Paal’s arrival from Dutch football, it remains to be seen whether QPR plan to make another approach for West Ham youngster Emmanuel Longelo (Athletic). Fortuna Sittard’s George Cox has been linked too, but that feels unlikely with Paal through the door.
If Paal starts on the left,who will feature on the opposite flank during July’s opening day clash with Blackburn Rovers? Moses Odubajo is leaving, but veteran Albert Adomah has signed a new deal. Links with Heerenveen’s Milan van Ewijk have dried up. Ditto Randers’ Tosin Kehinde.
Will Vaulks, meanwhile, has joined Sheffield Wednesday while West Brom snapped up Jed Wallace. Andy Rinomhota is now at Cardiff City, another transfer target biting the proverbial dust.
QPR’s summer, thus far, can probably be described as ‘passable’. They’ve got an exciting new coach. They’ve kept their star players. And they’ve strengthened the weakest part of their team with a couple of intriguing additions.
But if Beale and co want to turn a B into an A+, a mid-table side into a top-six one, there’s plenty of work still left to be done.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
