It was supposed to be a season for redemption for Queens Park Rangers as they looked to make their dismal 2013 relegation a distant memory but despite some notable individual performances, it was another trying year that ended in disappointment at Loftus Road. QPR finished at the bottom of the Premier League table and was once again relegated, leaving that many more question marks than answers for the club moving forward. Here is a look at four important things we learned from QPR this past season.
QPR Was Vastly Overrated
For all of the talk about how QPR was ready for the challenge that laid ahead in the Premier League, it’s fairly obvious now that they were overrated. There was little for the team to rally around other than its star striker and it really seemed to ware on their fans as the season went on. The low point might have come with QPR needing only a single point against Manchester City to stave off relegation for another week. The players were expected to rally together and go out with a fight but instead they received a 6-0 drubbing as another reminder of just how far this team was from where it was expected to be before the season got underway.
While heart and effort were definitely lacking, the main technical flaw with this team was their defensive performance. From the talent on the roster, to the coaching, to the schemes, QPR was miserable at that end of the pitch. They ended up given up 73 goals on the season, which was by far the most in the league. No other team gave up more than 63.
Austin Is An Elite Scorer
If nothing else, we certainly learned that Charlie Austin deserves to be considered among the Premier League’s elite strikers – even if his current club is relegated. Austin’s 18 goals had him ranked fourth in scoring as only Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane and Diego Costa finished with more tallies. As a team, QPR finished with 42 goals on the season, which isn’t as bad as you might think. Remember, they finished 20th in the table but their goals tally was 14th-best.
For Austin personally, his performance was enough to earn him a call up to the England national team. The 25-year-old will be in high demand this summer and it will definitely be interesting to see where he ends up. He proved he is among the most lethal strikers in England’s top flight in a year where he certainly didn’t get very much help up front.
Zarate Is NOT An Elite Striker
The lack of support around Austin was certainly not for a lack of trying as Harry Redknapp attempted to bring in some help in Mauro Zarate on loan from West Ham United. Zarate was supposed to ease the burden on Austin but if anything, he made it greater in his short stint with the team. Zarate was out of shape when he arrived and made only four appearances before it was clear his services were no longer needed. At least the team swallowed their pride to cut the cord right away instead of trying to save face and stick with something that was broken.
Finding a more suitable partner for Austin up front might not have been the answer to avoiding relegation but it certainly would have helped QPR’s chances.
Ramsey Has A Tough Road Ahead
Redknapp’s failing health forced QPR’s hand when it came to finding a new manager. While Chris Ramsey at least helped the team show a glimmer of hope down the stretch, it’s clear how difficult the road ahead will be for him. Ramsey comes across as an intelligent manager that understands how to talk to both his players and the media, but with QPR once again falling down a division, the road ahead will be a difficult one for Ramsey and the rest of his staff.
