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[kron-1664]

Pretty honest IMHO


QPR
Manager: Jim Magilton
Position last season: 11th
Players in: Alejandro Faurlin (Instituto, £3.5 million), Adel Taarabt (Tottenham, loan), Alessandro Pellicori (free).
Players out: Liam Miller (released), Zesh Rehman (Bradford, free), Jake Cole (released), Danny Maguire (released), Chris Arthur (released), Damien Delaney (Ipswich, undisclosed), Lee Camp (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed), Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed).

Jim Magilton could be forgiven for keeping the number of a removal firm handy. As he is QPR's ninth manager, including caretakers, in four years, he is unlikely to rival Sir Alex Ferguson for longevity.

Immediate improvement must be the aim. Despite the wealth of owners Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone and Lakshmi Mittal, QPR were abject away from home last season, failing to score for three months towards the end of 2008.
If a supply line that includes Lee Cook, Akos Buzsaky, Wayne Routledge and Martin Rowlands suggests QPR should not be as impotent in attack, it is worth remembering that the top scorer, Dexter Blackstock, was sold. Unless Alessandro Pellicori finds goals as easy to come by as they were in Italy's lower leagues, it is a reason why mid-table may beckon again.

Key Man: Alejandro Faurlin - The Argentine is Magilton's first and biggest buy. Given his £3.5m price tag, much will be expected.
One to watch: Adel Taarabt - A product of Tottenham's scattergun approach to recruitment, the Moroccan midfielder should have a greater opportunity to impress at Loftus Road -

The final standings?
1. West Brom
2. Sheff Utd
3. Cardiff
4. Reading
5. Middlesbrough
6. Nottm Forest
7. Derby
8. Ipswich
9. QPR
10. Leicester
11. C Palace
12. Bristol C
13. Sheff Wed
14. Newcastle
15. Preston
16. Peterborough
17. Watford
18. Coventry
19. Swansea
20. Doncaster
21. Sunthorpe
22. Blackpool
23. Plymouth
24. Barnsley

[EYR]

A fair evaluation to be honest

[sirpiechucker]

Pretty honest but with a few more weeks of the transfer window so much can change. Will Cardiff be strong if they lose Ledley or McCormack to the Premiership? Who have Reading bought to replace Doyle's goals? How many more players will walk out on Newcastle?

[qpr-buzsaky]

A bit harsh IMO, i believe we have more options than that to score goals, fair enough we don't have that 20-goal a season man but Burnley went up last season via the play-off's and there top goal scorer was martin Paterson with 13 goals. We also have some of the best midfielders in the league IMO and have many attacking options from it, such as: Balanta, Vine, Buzsaky, Cook, Ephraim, Rowlands, Faurlin, Taarabt and others. We also have a solid keeper, and our defence isn't too shabby either. If this Pellicori ( who i haven't seen ) can chip in with a couple of goals, helguson can chip in with a few so surely with Pellicori/Helguson can chip in with a few goals we may be in with a shout.
If we play to our strengths, which is our creative midfield we could be the dark horse of our league this season. Our defence is pretty solid IMO. I think Ramage is quite hard done by because he isn't the worst player we could have. I have also not seen enough of Borrowdale to comment on him, our centre back's always seem to chip in with a few goals ( mainly Stewart ) so it's not the end of the world we don't want to pay £4 million for Beckford who is unproven at this level and give Lita £25 000 a week, and let him think the club revolves around him. If everything is not going to plan by the end of August then we can loan a striker or full back. I think we should all look forward to the new season and get behind OUR club. URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR's

[Robsondinho]

A bit harsh IMO, i believe we have more options than that to score goals, fair enough we don't have that 20-goal a season man but Burnley went up last season via the play-off's and there top goal scorer was martin Paterson with 13 goals. We also have some of the best midfielders in the league IMO and have many attacking options from it, such as: Balanta, Vine, Buzsaky, Cook, Ephraim, Rowlands, Faurlin, Taarabt and others. We also have a solid keeper, and our defence isn't too shabby either. If this Pellicori ( who i haven't seen ) can chip in with a couple of goals, helguson can chip in with a few so surely with Pellicori/Helguson can chip in with a few goals we may be in with a shout.
If we play to our strengths, which is our creative midfield we could be the dark horse of our league this season. Our defence is pretty solid IMO. I think Ramage is quite hard done by because he isn't the worst player we could have. I have also not seen enough of Borrowdale to comment on him, our centre back's always seem to chip in with a few goals ( mainly Stewart ) so it's not the end of the world we don't want to pay £4 million for Beckford who is unproven at this level and give Lita £25 000 a week, and let him think the club revolves around him. If everything is not going to plan by the end of August then we can loan a striker or full back. I think we should all look forward to the new season and get behind OUR club. URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR's

Amen to that

[Receed R]

yawn

[LeeCookFan]

Swap Reading and Palace and I agree with it completly

[BennyBoyRs]

Swap Reading and Palace and I agree with it completly

Palace?

Not a hope of them finishing that high up.

7th at best for them this season.

[WeAreQPR12]

Palace will be there or there abouts, they always are.
Warnock always has his side in contention, 1 of the best managers in this division.

[BennyBoyRs]

Derby won't finish that high either and Boro will be in the top 3 IMO.

[BennyBoyRs]

Palace will be there or there abouts, they always are.
Warnock always has his side in contention, 1 of the best managers in this division.

I'd say he is THE best in the division, but they will not finis in the top 4...not a hope.

[Dazzer1977]

Pretty honest but with a few more weeks of the transfer window so much can change. Will Cardiff be strong if they lose Ledley or McCormack to the Premiership? Who have Reading bought to replace Doyle's goals? How many more players will walk out on Newcastle?

TBH I'm in the same boat as you fella. It's a very fair assessment on us this coming season. Still think with one or two additions we could be transformed from a questionable mid-table to playoff side to a guaranteed playoff to potential challenger, I just wish the board could see that too! What I have noticed though is a lot of these reviews about us haven't taken into consideration that we lost major players last season through injury and have those all coming back which is like signing big Championship players. We are one to watch out for this season which is why I post in a previous thread that 3points on Saturday is a MUST, a draw is simply not good enough. We need to oooozzz confidence and 17points from our opening 7 games should be a major target!

Now for the other clubs. I can't see Derby finishing above us nor Forest, with the latter spending for fun I questioned most of their buys as average Championship players who struggled to make impacts at their previous clubs.

Reading is the biggest surprise. I do rate their manager highly and think he was the only reason why Watford last season did as well as they did with a team of very average players. I still wouldn't put Reading as high as 4th though considering all the big players they have lost and not replaced.

Cardiff is another big surprise. They have spent for fun and I strongly think will need to balance those books come christmas, what with their wages and debt they already have, as well as payments owed on their new stadium. Their Chairman destroyed Leeds and I think we could see that happen again here - I won't lose any sleep over that though if it happens. They do have a good manager but again I question their buys and even more so the prices they paid for those players!

Middlesbrough could be a questionable side this season and a good start is a must for them I feel. I think Southgate has 10 games to stamp his authority before the supporters could turn. Their Chairman is an amazing guy, probably the most patient man in football but I think if they are not top 6 ten games in then their supporters will call for someones head forcing a turnaround in the club which could impact their season.

Newcastle’s antics off the field will cause problems for them. The will they/won't they be sold saga continues and with no manager in place as yet either I will be amazed if they are in the top 14 this season.

West Brom for me will win this division providing Di Matteo doesn't lose any big players and is allow to manage and NOT COACH like his title states. I think we'll know how strong they'll within 10 games.

Palace might go well. Not based on their in depth squad but their managers desire to fire his side up and nick point here and there. A sneaky top 10 finish could be on the cards IMO.

If I haven't bored you already enough already then the last team I'll mention is Preston. They haven't been talked up much anywhere and I think if the board supports their manager like he has mentioned in the last few days in the media and they bring in these 4 additional players then they will also comfortably make the top 10. I remember hearing on the radio last season they haven't lost on a Tuesday night at home in over 10 years (it might have happened after the night I heard it though I can't be 100% sure). They are a consistent side who are always there or thereabouts. I think they could again just sneak the playoffs. They are my steady eddie side!

My top 10 will be (rough order….):
1. West Brom
2. Sheff Utd
3. Middlesbrough
4. QPR
5. Preston
6. Reading
7. Ipswich
8. Cardiff
9. Crystal Palace
10. Derby

Putting us down as 4th is very bold I know but I feel that we again won't conceed many and end with similar numbers in that area as last season. I also think we'll nick 15-17 more goals this season too which sould put us in with around a plus 15 goal difference which should be enough for top 4.

[Stedders]

I think Helgusson will score 15+ given a proper run and being injury free for the most part. He is also the best penalty taker in the world! Trust me on this!

[Youvebeenrangered]

I dont think any predictions are taking into account we have rowlands, vine, and buzsaky back!