Armstrong set to feature for QPR B team

QPR boss Mick Beale says Sinclair Armstrong will spend some time with the club’s B team and Under-21s in order to help his development.

The 19-year-old striker was not in the matchday squad that won at Millwall on Wednesday, having come off the bench seven times this season, and Beale said Armstrong has to get some regular game time under his belt instead of just playing bit-parts from off the bench at this stage of his career.

Armstrong and other players on the fringes of the squad, such as Olamide Shodipo, Niko Hamalainen and George Thomas, are also likely to feature in a match against Cardiff on Friday.

“I have to be mindful with Sinclair as he needs some minutes,” Beale explained.

“He would have played for the B team last Friday against Reading but that was obviously called off.

“He will probably go away this weekend and play for the B team as well because I have to make sure he is getting what he needs.”

Beale started with Tyler Roberts in the lone striker role for the first time and felt the mobile trio of the on-loan Leeds man, Chris Willock and Ilias Chair would cause Millwall problems.

Lyndon Dykes, who has struggled in front of goal this season, was dropped to the bench, but Beale insists he still has faith in the Scotland striker.

“We started Tyler through the middle at Millwall and we are starting to see that that front three can be very exciting for us,” he said.

“His work ethic is outstanding, Lyndon, and he is a really solid citizen around the squad and I have been devastated for him because he could have had more goals.

“That is clear to Lyndon and anyone who is watching and for whatever reason it hasn’t gone in for him.

“At Millwall I just felt the opportunity to do something different. They play a back three and they are proper centre-halves and I felt our front three could come off them.

“So it was a tactical thing and it paid off but we needed Lyndon at the end he won a few crucial headers at the end and with Macauley Bonne coming off the bench it gives us options.”

Bonne was restored to the squad after a deadline move to Charlton collapsed at the last minute after Rangers failed to bring in another striking option, and Beale has been pleased with how the 26-year-old has reacted to that disappointment.

“Macauley has had a rough summer. There was a chance he was going out in the summer, but he has stayed and I have been delighted with his application and where he is at,” Beale said.