Four things QPR’s defeat at Charlton highlighted

An opening-day defeat at Charlton – despite the likes of Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips being in the side – was a huge disappointment for QPR and gave head coach Chris Ramsey food for thought. There were some promising signs, especially in the first half, but problems – old and new – were evident as the game went on. 

Austin struggles as a lone striker
Austin has been Rangers’ goalscorer and talismanic driving force, but there’s a reason his £15m price tag seems steep to Premier League clubs.

He did well in the top flight last season, but even in the Championship he often struggled without Bobby Zamora performing the battering-ram role up front alongside him.

Austin had his moments in the first half but then faded, and although his listless performance is bound to be put down to the speculation over his future, his display wasn’t actually dissimilar to when he has previously been deployed as a lone striker.

Unsettled by speculation and keen to avoid injury ahead of a big move? Perhaps that’s human nature. But from his point of view Austin needs to be impressing and scoring goals now more than ever. He simply isn’t as effective without a big presence alongside him. His sharpness has also been affected by a pre-season injury.

Tjaronn Chery is a top-quality player
Les Ferdinand and Ramsey are convinced Chery could end up at a top Premier League club before long, and although the Dutch midfielder found the going tough at times on his debut, particularly in the second half, his ability was also obvious. Skilful, quick and determined, he’s brilliant at finding pockets of space – which Rangers will need to be much better at utilising – and is also likely to pose a major threat from corners and free-kicks.

Joey Barton will be missed. In a sense. For the time being at least.
A compelling argument can be made that the positives Barton brings to a club are far outweighed by the negatives. And that QPR are not only more likeable, but much healthier in the long run without him and instead with talented, younger and less problematic players like Chery, Massimo Loungo, Ben Gladwin and others.

But not even Barton’s harshest detractor could deny that in the Championship he offered something that was missing at The Valley. He played an important role in ensuring Rangers stood their ground during periods like the second-half spell in which Charlton began to get the upper hand.

Matches aren’t won on paper
If they were, QPR wouldn’t have suffered two ignominious relegations in recent seasons – or, going further back, failed to even make the play-offs in the 1990s after being relegated with several established Premier League players, some of whom returned to the top flight to star for other clubs.

Any expectation that keeping the likes of Austin and Phillips would virtually guarantee success in the Championship is short-sighted. Saturday’s game should be taken as a wake-up call in that sense. With or without their star men, Rangers face a challenging season in a notoriously tough division.

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