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LFW full term report - every player rated
LFW full term report - every player rated
Wednesday, 27th May 2009 10:04

Following our half term report on the QPR squad back in December LFW looks back at the individual player performances over the course of the entire season.

The mark given to the players in December is stated in brackets, average ratings are taken from LFW Match Reports, as are the LFW man of the match totals. Fans’ man of the match awards are taken from the interactive player ratings we have been running after every game this season.

Backline
Radek Cerny A (A)
Cerny arrived at Loftus Road from Tottenham last summer and despite receiving criticism from various quarters, not least this website, over the course of the campaign he shared the division’s Golden Glove award with Sheff Utd’s Paddy Kenny and is now widely regarded as a safe pair of hands by the supporters who vociferously questioned his inclusion back in August. The Czech was subjected to abuse from his own fans within fifteen minutes of the season kicking off – his selection ahead of player of the year runner up Lee Camp had been controversial and a shakey start that saw Barnsley take the lead had the fans on his back very early on. Things didn’t improve much a week later as his flap from a crner presented Sheff Utd with one of their three goals at Bramall Lane but he settled down thereafter, turning in one of the most remarkable goalkeeping displays I have ever seen at Old Trafford in the League Cup and more than playing his part in tight wins against Norwich, Birmingham and Wolves. Another dodgy spell over Christmas when he could have been faulted for goals at Charlton, Burnley and at home to Coventry was quickly shrugged off and Cerny even seemed to work on catching the ball rather than punching it as the season went on – a real shortcoming of his early performances was the lack of ability to take the pressure off his defenders with a calm catch. Overall he won us more points than he lost and is well thought of by his fellow players. A good signing as it has turned out and a shoe in to be the number one keeper at Rangers next season when you would think he could expect a little more support on day one than he got this time around.
47 appearances, 42 goals conceded, 19 clean sheets, 6.41 average rating, seven fans’ man of the match awards, eight LFW man of the match awards

Damion Stewart A (A*)
Stewart’s best season so far with QPR culminated in him being awarded the fans’ and players’ player of the year awards at the end of the campaign. Stewart has always had the raw materials needed to be a good centre half at this level – strength, pace, aerial ability – however raw was certainly the word when he first arrived at the club. Slowly over the past couple of years, and with plenty of help from Danny Cullip during his time at the club, Stewart has worked on his concentration levels and while high profile and costly mistakes at Doncaster and Burnley are still fresh in the mind the terrible errors that used to litter his game are now few and far between. The second half to his season was slightly less impressive than the first but he was still consistently good throughout and finished things off with a fine last minute winner to complete a comeback from two down against Sheffield Wednesday at Loftus Road. The highlight of the season was undoubtedly the goal and performance in the League Cup at Villa Park when he marked John Carew out of the game comprehensively with an outstanding 90 minutes of defensive play. Has improved year on year since arriving from Bradford and will be a fearsome force next season if that upward trend continues.
43 appearances, four goals, one assist, four yellow cards, 6.698 average rating, five fans’ man of the match awards, four LFW man of the match awards

Kaspars Gorkss A (A/B)
Another like Cerny who was harshly written off very early in the campaign but who then came roaring back to win the fans over with a series of superb performances. Gorkss and Hall as a partnership looked nervy against Barnsley on day one and then shambolic at Sheffield United a week later at which point some Rangers fans were writing him off as one of our worst ever signings after a summer long attempt to land him from Blackpool. A sending off at Norwich gave him a chance to come back into the side and he was man of the match at Carrow Road in a 1-0 win but it wasn’t until Fitz Hall was sent off at Watford in December that Gorkss was given a chance to cement his place in the team. The Latvian played the majority of his football this season under Paulo Sousa and when reflecting on just how brilliant he has been in his first season at Loftus Road that is certainly worth remembering. He couldn’t recreate his goal scoring form of the previous year with Blackpool when he bagged eight and is yet to get off the mark in Hoops, largely due to the abysmal quality of our corners and free kicks this season, but his defensive displays have been second to none. He finished second in the player of the year voting behind Damion Stewart will be the first name on the team sheet for many observers come August, strong in the air and composed on the ground, Gorkss has been a revelation at times and a pleasure to watch.
33 starts, two sub appearances, one yellow card, 6.87 average rating, nine fans’ man of the match awards, eight LFW man of the match awards

Matthew Connolly A/B (B/C)
The former Arsenal defender crowned a decent first full season as a QPR player by scooping the club’s young player of the year award but it was only when he was really fully fit and playing at centre half that he showed what a truly classy player he can be. Matt endured a start to the season interrupted by an injury picked up in pre-season at Falkirk and was then sent off for two rash challenges at Norwich. When picked in the team his ability and versatility have often been his downfall – QPR have been pretty miserable in the full back positions for most of the season and Connolly, who does in fairness say he prefers to play right back, has more often been utilised as a blast of competence during welcome down time for Ramage and Delaney. His performances at centre half, particularly alongside Kaspars Gorkss, have been faultless and it is here that his future must lie if he is to fulfil his undoubted potential. Sadly a cost cutting mentality is already sweeping across Loftus Road and the spin and bullshit about what a terrific left back Matt will make (because we don’t want to buy a proper one to replace Delaney) is already in full swing. He won’t let anybody down at full back, but he’ll make real waves at centre half.
39 appearances, four as sub, one assist, four yellow cards and one red, average rating 6.464, three fans’ man of the match awards, two LFW man of the match awards.

Peter Ramage C (D)
Given the choice at Christmas most Rangers fans probably would have had Ramage out of the door if possible – in fact most would probably have offered to drive him back to the North East. Once again it seemed that in the search for a quality full back Rangers had lumbered themselves with a mediocre converted centre half and Ramage became one of numerous targets for the fans’ frustrations in the first half of the season. He seemed to be able to defend soundly enough, but his distribution was embarrassing at times – troubling the coffee drinkers in Ellerslie Road far more than it did his own team mates or opponents. His crossing, a neglected and vitally important part of a full backs’ role in my opinion, had me cringing at times and few tears were shed when he disappeared from the team in the early part of 2009. However Ramage does seem to have turned things around a little bit in the closing weeks of the season. With the team bereft of ideas and confidence during a nine match losing run through February and March it was Ramage first at Doncaster and then Southampton who came in and at least made an effort and looked competent. The fans responded to that and in turn that seemed to boost the young man’s confidence and he was very steady and even impressive at times in the closing games. Rangers probably need better in his position if they are to progress but if, as seems likely, Ramage is the first choice full back again come August it may be worth supporters remembering who it was that was still trying when all around him had given up and there was nothing to play for this season and just how much he did improve with the support of the crowd compared to his performances when everybody was on his back. Can always be relied upon for 100 per cent effort even when playing badly.
32 starts, one sub appearance, one assist, three bookings, average rating 5.879, two fans’ man of the match awards, two LFW man of the match awards

Damien Delaney C (D)
Damien has certainly suffered from second season syndrome this year. One of QPR’s top performers last season under Luigi De Canio Delaney’s lung busting attacking runs caused opponents all manner of problems and left those of us who’d questioned the signing on the basis of his performances at Hull with egg on our faces. This season however the Irishman quickly reverted to his KC Stadium type and is widely seen as a weak link in the line up. His first half of the season was simply awful, culminating in a display of supreme incompetence in a 3-0 defeat at Watford. Things improved marginally for him in the second half of the campaign, and there was even a sight of the old Delaney when he scored a wonderful goal in a defeat at Barnsley and provided a great cross for Taarabt to score against Bristol City, but overall he has been little better than steady even on his very good days. Undoubtedly the more organised and defensive approach of first Iain Dowie and then Paulo Sousa restricted the attacking from wide areas that made Delaney such a hit when he first arrived and without that he looked exactly what he is – a standard Championship centre half, asked to fill a hole at left back. Delaney has blamed a busy summer schedule last year when his first ever call up to the Ireland squad extended his season by more than a month and saw him jetting off for a ten day training camp in Portugal among other things but to be honest nothing I have seen from him this season wasn’t in clear evidence when he played up here for Hull. Rumours are that QPR will listen to offers for him this summer should any be forthcoming and that Matt Connolly is seen as the first choice left back next season which would be more of a shame for Connolly than it is for Delaney really.
40 starts, two sub appearances, two goals, two assists, nine yellow cards, 5.579 average rating

Fitz Hall C/D (B/C)
An expensive passenger at the moment I’m afraid. Hall is one of the club’s top earners and came from Wigan with a big reputation. He has however singularly failed to show the ability to make it through ten consecutive starts without picking up an injury – groin, hamstring, back and calf complaints have been common – and lost his place permanently to Kaspars Gorkss before Christmas after a rash tackle led to a sending off at Watford. Hall is simply not as good as Gorkss, Stewart or Connolly at centre half on current evidence and brief appearances at right full back have been unsuccessful. He looks to be low on confidence both in his own ability and match fitness when selected and is currently eating up a large chunk of our wage bill for very little return. The club and Hall must be sure that his fitness concerns can become a thing of the past before deciding whether the relationship should continue into next season and even then his general form and quality of performance are of grave concern. His wages probably restrict the clubs QPR could find to sell him to as well. Not a good season at all.
20 starts, six sub appearances, two goals, one assist, one red card, 5.865 average rating, one LFW man of the match award

Middle of the park
Jordi Lopez B (N/A)
Paulo Sousa’s one true signing and a welcome addition to the midfield during a difficult time in the season. I was not quite as swept up in Lopez fever as everybody else but I can certainly see the value he brings to the team and he is definitely worth signing if we can agree terms. Lopez, although lacking pace, brought an ability to actually put a foot on the ball and pass it to the centre of our midfield and that had been sadly lacking since Buzsaky last played there. His free kick goal against Bristol City was a highlight however his set piece delivery overall, particularly from corners, was poor. Decent overall, a cut above most of our central midfield options and worth keeping.
7 starts, 3 sub appearances, one assist, one goal, one booking, 6.5 average rating, two LFW man of the match awards, two fans’ man of the match awards

Hogan Ephraim B (B-)
Good in flashes, mediocre in others Ephraim has suffered more than most from the regular changeover in managers and the continued lack of certainty over his best position. Iain Dowie didn’t use the player at all when he returned from shin splints, Gareth Answorth used him as a wide man and he finished the season with a man of the match display at Preston and Paulo ousa used him through the middle first in a diamond and then as part of a midfield five to reasonably good effect. Like Lee Cook next season is a big one for Hogan who cannot be classed as an inexperienced youngster forever. He has shown undoubted talent and is one of QPR’s more attractive players in a football sense but he remains inconsistent and prone to disappearing from games. From a managerment point of view the new man will need to decide exactly what Ephraim is and use him as that regularly, from Ephraim’s point of view he needs to work on his ability to assert himself into games when perhaps things aren’t going quite so well. At Preston, Blackpool and Derby Ephraim was playing well and had the confidence to try things and take players on – sometimes when the team or Hogan or both are not playing well he is prone to disappearing from games when he actually has the ability to be the one to change things back in our favour. Make or break for him next season I think.
16 starts, 13 sub appearances, one goal, one assist, two bookings, 6.265 average rating, one man of the match awards from both fans and LFW

Mikele Leigertwood C (C)
Much like Damien Delaney in that he wasn’t nearly as impressive as he had been under Luigi De Canio the season before. Leigertwood managed only two goals this time around and although his form peaked impressively in January it quickly tailed away again culminating in a rank final performance of the season at Preston. Leigertwood showed at Burnley in the cup and Cardiff that he has the strength and ability to grasp a game by the throat and dominate it from the middle of the park, but he also showed on plenty of other occasions that he can be a passenger in a key area of the field. Simply must do better next season if he is to justify his place in the team.
38 starts, seven sub appearances, two goals, four assists, eight yellows and one red, 6.234 average rating, two fans’ man of the match awards, four LFW man of the match awards

Martin Rowlands C (B)
The club captain’s campaign highlight was his spectacular goal of the season winner against Wolves at Loftus Road. His low light was the knee injury that ended his season four months early in the tenth minute of the win at Derby. Martin Rowlands was a clear and obvious choice for Player of the Season in 2007/08 but that award has often been something of a curse for the players who have won it down the years and Rowlands, who started the season suspended thanks to a harsh red card on the final day of the previous campaign, rarely achieved the same level of performance this time around. In fact some even suggested that his departure from the Derby game seemed to free the team that went on to win that game 2-0 and the following away match at Blackpool by three clear goals. That turned out, predictably, to be complete nonsense but the fact that it was even suggested showed just how below par he was for much of this season. The team really missed Rowlands over the closing months. Rangers need him fighting fit and available for selection as soon as possible if the Mahon and Leigertwood axis of defensive mediocrity is to be broken up in midfield but if and when he does return to the team we need to see more of last season’s Rowlands and less of this season’s if possible.
24 starts, three sub appearances, two goals, two assists, four bookings, 6.222 average rating, two fans’ man of the match awards, one LFW man of the match award

Wayne Routledge C (N/A)
Routledge is that rare breed – a decent QPR signing made in January 2009. However even the tricky little winger has much to prove at Loftus Road. Bar one good season after promotion with Crystal Palace Routledge, still only 24 it’s worth remembering, has not been able to cut it at the very highest level. Injury interrupted his spell with Tottenham where he had made a promising start and he never got back in, loan spells with Portsmouth and Fulham came and went, Aston Villa took a chance and didn’t get much in return. That should not be held against him for us at our level – there is a great deal of difference between taking on Ashley Cole and taking on Chris Barker. With due respect, actually with no respect at all, Routledge should be able to annihilate most full backs in this league in third gear. I felt his signing was a superb one at the time and I continue to think that however we need to see much, much more from him next season. He started well, completely destroying Derby and Blackpool but from the nine and eight he got in those games from this website his ratings have dipped down through mostly sevens, mostly sixes, mostly fives and then even a three. Routledge has been bumped around the team in fairness to him but only on the final day at Preston did he actually look genuinely interested and up for the game. If he hits the ground running In August we have a super player on our hands, if he continues in the same style as he ended this season then I’m afraid we have another very expensive waste of time on our hands. For a player of Wayne Routledge’s ability to be getting a C in a review of a season at this level is unforgiveable and i expect better from him next season. Should be the best winger in this league by a distance.
18 starts, one sub appearance, one goal, five assists, two yellow cards, 6.211 average rating, four fans’ man of the match awards, three LFW man of the match awards.

Gavin Mahon C (B/C)
A regular target for the fans’ frustrations but Gavin was steady for the most part. Of course when anybody thinks of Gavin Mahon they think of the Ipswich home game where he cost us at least one goal, played like a complete idiot and had his every touch booed by the home crowd when Paulo Sousa refused to substitute him. I blame myself for that in many ways because just before that match I had said in a qprnet.com podcast that Mahon was playing very well so his collapse in form was probably inevitable. In fairness supporters rarely see the benefit of holding midfield destroyers like Mahon and they often come in for stick, especially at QPR, but they are important and for the most part Mahon has done a reasonable job. Despite a late goal against Sheffield Wednesday his season has been average overall and he’s another player QPR really need better than if they are to progress.
33 starts, six sub appearances, two goals, two assists, one yellow card (!), 6.211 average rating, one LFW man of the match award

Akos Buzsaky C (C)
No appearances since the last report thanks to a nasty injury picked up in the League Cup at Old Trafford that ended his season. Buzsaky missed pre-season and the start of the last campaign with an ankle injury picked up at the tail end of 2007/08 and when he was fit again he was again asked to play wide on the right by first Dowie and then Ainsworth. Fans talk about “when Buzsaky comes back” as if it is a given that he will come back to the same standard as before but the indications from his curtailed comeback from a less serious injury last season suggest it will take some time for him to be back to his best. When he is fit again it is imperative that the new manager finds a place for Buzsaky down the middle of the park – either as an attacking central midfielder or as a deep lying striker. He is completely wasted wide in midfield and should not be used there again.
Seven starts, six sub appearances, one goal, one assist, one yellow card, 6.083 average rating, two fans’ man of the match awards, one LFW man of the match award

Lee Cook C (C)
Two superb assists against Sheffield Wednesday in one of the final home games had Cookie pointing to his knee and grinning in the direction of the Loft but few will be convinced by that and I’m not totally sure he is confident of his fitness himself. Cook returned to a fanfare last summer after failing to make an appearance for Fulham in a year following a £2.5m move from Loftus Road – a knee injury picked up in his final days as a QPR player required more than one session under the surgeon’s knife and remains a concern to this day. Cook says he has a lot of strengthening work to do over the summer and fans will only see the best of him next season, Paulo Sousa allegedly felt the situation was worse than Cook was letting on hence his departure for, among other things, revealing said concerns to supporters. He just hasn’t been the same player he was when he left, unable to go past players as frequently or deliver quality service into the middle as often although seven assists is the best of any QPr player. Every knock on his knee sends him spinning to the ground clutching it and overall his first season back has been a disappointment. After so long out he can perhaps be forgiven that even at this stage but there can be no excuses next season. Cook’s slow return to form should serve as a warning to supporters expecting Vine, Buzsaky and Rowlands to be the same players they were originally when they complete their returns from similarly terrible injuries.
32 starts, six sub appearances, one goal, seven assists, five bookings, 5.773 average rating, two fans’ man of the match awards, two LFW man of the match awards

Emmanuel Ledesma C (C)
Ledesma only made four further appearances following our half term report in December, one of those was at Charlton where he smashed a last minute winner in off the underside of the bar only to see it ruled out for pushing by Dexter Blackstock. I often wondered following his release back to Italy whether that goal, had it been allowed, would have changed Paulo Sousa’s mind on a player who had undoubted ability but rarely managed to harness it after the departure of Iain Dowie. Ledesma started the season in unbelievable form, taking man of the match awards from either this website or the interactive match ratings in all of the August matches except Bristol City where he was sent off. His touch and tricks were too much for most Championship full backs to cope with, and certainly too good for League One side Carlisle against whom he scored three times in the League Cup. He came with baggage, his six bookings came for a mixture of diving, dissent and off the ball incidents, and he cheated remorselessly but there still seemed to be something in there worth working on and ultimately it was an inevitable shame to see him leave. The best of the three foreign loans we brought in last summer but that’s not saying much.
15 starts, eight sub appearances, four goals, four assists, six yellows and one red, 5.4166 average rating, four fans’ man of the match awards, three LFW man of the match awards

Damiano Tommasi C- (C-)
Nothing further to add to December’s report with the veteran Italian midfielder released to Chinese football without further appearances. Tommasi was said to be the long awaited big name signing to keep Flavio Briatore happy but was completely ignored by Iain Dowie who said he was not fit enough for the rigours of Championship football. Gareth Ainsworth thought otherwise, introducing him for a first team debut during his first spell in caretaker charge and all the signs were good as the veteran Italian turned in a man of the match display in a 1-0 victory against Birmingham City. Sadly that proved to be something of a false dawn and Dowie was eventually proven right. Despite a lung busting run and impressive assist in Sousa’s first game in charge against Charlton Tommasi was released and is currently plying his trade in China.
Five starts, two sub appearances, two assists, 5.75 average rating, one fans’ man of the match award

Matteo Alberti C- (N/A)
Alberti was a bit of a victim of our club’s appalling communication with supporters regarding players’ injuries in the first half of the season. There once was a time when physio Prav would brief supporters on QPR World ever Thursday on all the current injuries, now we’re lucky if we find out before 3pm on a Saturday and even then players are prone to vanishing for months on end with no explanation. Alberti was not seen at all in the first half of this season, apparently injured although I’m still not completely sure. When he did come in he scored twice at Nottingham Forest and looked promising if a little naive. As he settled down he struggled in many matches and whether he makes it at all at this level remains highly doubtful. Still young and inexperienced with much to learn and develop if he is to be a regular pick for us in the future.
Seven starts, seven sub appearances, 5.222 average rating, two goals, one assist, four yellow cards

Daniel Parejo D (D)
No change from his half term rating as Parejo had been returned to Real Madrid with a receipt by that stage. Excuses out of the way first of all – young kid, foreign country, language difficulties, tough and physical league etc etc. Let’s be honest though, his application to the task however difficult it may have been was lamentable. His final appearance for Rangers, in a goalless draw at Crystal Palace, was among the most disinterested and ineffective I have ever seen – Paulo Sousa withdrew him at half time and we never saw him again. He started reasonably well at Rangers, showing a good eye for a pass at least, but he never gave the impression that he was enjoying life in W12 or wanted to be here. The ability is there, he has turned out for Real Madrid’s first team since returning to Spain, but he either couldn’t or didn’t want to assert it onto Championship football and consequently our marquee signing of summer 2008 turned out to be a complete waste of space to us.
14 starts, four sub appearances, three assists, two yellow cards, 5.625 average rating

Liam Miller D (N/A)
You know that bloke down your local who sits at the bar and after a couple of pints of Best tells everybody he once had a trial with Orient? He is a window into Liam Miller’s future. Miller lives off the miraculous achievement earlier in his career to con first Celtic and then Man Utd into giving him a contract. He did very little with either, or Sunderland, or Leeds, or anybody really. He is not particularly attacking or defensive, has no pace, he doesn’t have a particularly powerful shot, he could rival Scott Sinclair for cowardice and he was absolutely shocking for QPR in all but his first two or three games. A complete waste of time and only a lazy manager looking at his career history rather than actually scouting him can save him from a descent down the leagues now.
11 starts, two sub appearances, one yellow card, 5.417 average rating, one LFW man of the match award

Attack
Adel Taarabt A (N/A)
His arrival turned QPR’s season around to such an extent we were able to secure three wins in the closing matches where before it looked doubtful whether we would manage one. With Sousa under pressure he could well have saved the manager’s job had reasons for a contract termination not been discovered. He provided something different, an ability to unlock defences at this level, and played a key role in wins against Swansea and Bristol City. Any potential signings this summer must be cleared through whichever poor sod is next into our management chair but if we could get Taarabt here for the whole of next season I cannot see any potential new boss being against that and he could be an excellent signing.
Five starts, two sub appearances, one goal, one yellow card, 7 average rating, one man of the match award from both fans and LFW

Dexter Blackstock B (B+)
Few QPR players have attracted the column inches to match Dexter Blackstock this season. He finished the season as the top scorer in the Rangers squad with 14, but two of those came for Nottingham Forest after he was loaned there two months before the end of the season. There was much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth at that decision, Paulo Sousa denied all knowledge of the deal and fans expressed their frustration by singing Blackstock’s name as the toothless attack laboured through the remaining games without him. As I said at the time on the face of it loaning your top scorer to Nottingham Forest when you are struggling to score goals and win games does not make a great deal of sense however there is plenty of revisionist history knocking around regarding the former Southampton man. Blackstock’s last goal for QPR this season was against Coventry in January and contrary to what many have said he was neither completely ignored, nor forced to play as a lone striker thereafter. Blackstock started games against Barnsley, Norwich, Sheff Utd, Doncaster and Southampton and was a lone striker in only one of those matches. He did not score, or look like scoring in any of them. His ratings over the closing matches, admittedly only my opinion of the time of course, were six, five, three, four, six, three and five. His average rating over the whole season was poor. Blackstock was on the verge of signing a new contract at Christmas but that was withdrawn in mysterious circumstances, plenty of stories circulate about just whose decision to end those negotiations it was, and after that he never looked happy in himself or capable of playing in the systems Sousa employed. At Nottingham Forest, where he was wanted and played alongside Robert Earnshaw with two good wingers supplying him, he played well and scored two crucial goals for them and that does not surprise me. He seems to have gone stale at Loftus Road, and let’s face it this top scorer tag that many trot out was not hard to achieve in a QPR side that didn’t boast a decent striker all season. It either needs a fresh start here under a new manager but if, as many suspect, it is people higher up the chain that don’t actually rate him then that is unlikely and with his contract up next summer if Forest are offering decent money I think we should take it. He’ll probably do well for them but in three seasons at this level Blackstock has never once scored 15 goals or more and he is not getting any younger either – he can only be seen as a promising youngster for so long and unless he tears up some trees next season he is simply going to become a run of the mill Championship striker. He’s the best we have, and selling him only makes sense if the money is reinvested in a better replacement, but it will make sense if we can do that.
29 starts, ten sub appearances, 12 goals, two yellow cards, 5.412 average rating, two fans’ man of the match awards, three LFW man of the match awards.

Heidar Helguson C (B)
While I’m expecting my assessments of Blackstock and Di Carmine to be branded harsh the review of Helguson’s campaign will probably be seen as the opposite. The first thing I will openly admit is that I named him, along with four others, as potentially a very good signing for us back in November. On the rare occasions Helguson was fit and in the team I was right. Our best attacking displays since his arrival have come when he played – we scored three against Preston and he got two, three at Blackpool and he got two and three against Sheff Wed. When he’s fit Helguson is superb in the air, holds the ball up well and brings others into play with good awareness – these are vital skills for the Championship and why Di carmine struggled so badly. Helguson has in the past been a 20 goal striker at this level, something Dexter Blackstock is yet to manage. However two things define his stay with QPR so far and neither of them are good – missed sitters and injuries. Helguson missed an open net at Crystal Palace within two minute of coming on for his debut and the chances kept on coming – right up to his one on one at Wolves. Helguson’s initial signing was also fraught with problems that saw him sign, then go back to Bolton, then turn up again and eventually join permanently. Paulo Sousa has since questioned the medical examinations of the player. If Helguson can get fit for next season and play regularly I remain convinced he will be an excellent signing for us. Whether he is capable of getting fit remains to be seen, if he cannot then he will be viewed as another expensive mistake.
15 starts, six sub appearances, five goals, one assist, four yellow cards, 5.919 average rating, one fans’ man of the match award, one LFW man of the match award.

Patrick Agyemang C (C)
Patrick Agyemang is another in the Leigertwood and Delaney category of mediocre player who excelled under Luigi De Canio last season. Say his improbably run of eight goals in six games after joining from Preston has inflated expectations of a player who has never scored prolifically before at this level with either Preston, Gillingham or Wimbledon and is unlikely to do so again. He was denied a consistent chance to prove me wrong by two bad injuries this season – the first of which kept him out through the autumn and the second, a ruptured thigh muscle, ruled him out of the entire second half to the campaign barring the final two matches. QPR did look more of an attacking threat when he played because of the pace and power he brought to the forward line but that says more about our terrible attack over the course of the whole season than anything Agyemang actually did. I would say needs to get fit, get scoring and get proving himself but as he was given a ridiculous four year contract when he arrived he needs to do none of those things – but it would be nice if he could.
12 starts, ten sub appearances, two goals, one assist, one yellow card, 5.915 average rating, one LFW man of the match award

Sam Di Carmine D (C-)
As we did with Parejo, let’s get all the excuses out of the way to start with. Young kid, foreign country, physical league, poor team around him, management turnover, inexperienced, learning his trade etc etc. All true. Sam Di Carmine though had me tearing my hair out for the majority of his time with QPR. Bearing all those excuses in mind it was ridiculous for QPR to assume he could come in and lead the line last summer, just as it was daft to expect Parejo and Ledesma alongside him would prove to be the difference in a league like the Championship. However having done that Di Carmine showed very little to suggest he will ever amount to much of a player – credit where it’s due, his movement was pretty decent and he had a hell of a shot on him however we only really got to see that once when he bagged one of his three goals against Birmingham. In general though he didn’t have the pace, aerial ability or goal threat to unduly trouble Championship defences and was very prone to giving up far too easily. A poor signing with much to do if he is to make it as a professional footballer.

18 starts, 15 sub appearances, three goals, one assist, one yellow card, 5.392 average rating.

...and the rest
Goalkeeper Lee Camp spent three months out on loan at Nottingham Forest and then upset QPR fans who value whether somebody waves on request or not by responding to the Forest fans when the teams met at The City Ground. Flavio, with his years of football knowledge to back his judgement, isn’t a fan by his own admission and therefore Camp has little chance of reclaiming the number one spot from Radek Cerny. It’s a shame it has to end like this with somebody who has done so much for the club but a clean break is probably best for all concerned. Angelo Balanta also played most of his football out on loan last season, at Wycombe, and I would like to have seen him given more of a chance at Rangers over the closing games. Certainly did himself no harm when called upon. Neither did Antonio German and Romone Rose although both looked naive and inexperienced at times which, of course, they are. Certainly Rose showed at Burnley in the FA Cup replay there could be much more to come from him. Rowan Vine only came back at the very end of the season but showed few ill-effects of his year long lay off and will be a huge asset to the team next season.

Photo: Action Images



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