English Premier League – Q.P.R 2011 Preview
The Rangers ended their season on a high note finishing first in the Football League Championship last June.
Now they face their biggest challenge yet, returning to the Premiership for the first time in 15 years.
The team’s management seems unwilling to spend on the team, but nonetheless have raised ticket prices at an alarming rate. If they see something in their team that makes them think that is acceptable, it is hiding from everyone else’s view.
Odds to win the 2011-12 Premiership outright 1,500/1
The Ranges’ roster is top notch as a second division squad, but they still need to tweak the team if they want to be considered a contender at this level. They did add a few players in the transfer market, which shows that they want to build a winner, but just aren’t intent on spending a lot of money to do so.
Queens Park did make some good moves bolstering their defense in anticipation of fending off some of the Premier Leagues’ deadly strikers, and their biggest pickup was perhaps defender Daniel Gabbidon from West Ham United, who will add a lot of experience and leadership to the defensive corps.
They also added defender Fitz Hall during last year’s campaign, so they have a pretty good backline duo that should be able to fair well against lower table teams.
The side’s defense is rounded out by one of the better goalies in the Championship last year in Patrick Kenny, who only conceded 29 goals in his 44 league starts. But it is doubtful that the will have the same success at this level facing teams like Arsenal and Manchester United. [ad-3678122]
Meanwhile, the midfield is expected to be better than last season, and that is saying a lot considered it was their strongest area.
The team added 31-year old Tommy Smith, supplying their engine room with a seasoned player. But the star of the team is midfielder maestro Adel Taarabt.
Taarabt is a major reason why they are playing in the Premier League this year, having scored 19 goals and 16 assists last season in 43 starts. For this team to have any sort of success, he will have to replicate that and even improve upon it.
The side’s front is the weakest part of their team, with forward Heidar Helgusno seemingly their only option. And while the team likes to press its opponents with their heavy crop of midfielders with players like Tommy Smith and Jamie Mackie, they need to add a second option. If Helgusno goes down, they will lose 13 goals of offense, not to mention their only accountable option to attack the net.
Matt’s Prediction:
It is hard to gauge a team that hasn’t played in the Premier League for over a decade and a half, but they were very successful last season in the Championship, so to them, the sky is the limit.
I wouldn’t count on them being in the upper half of the table, but a top 15 finish is likely.
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