Beale ponders QPR formation change after Balogun deal

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Mick Beale insists new signing Leon Balogun can’t expect to walk straight into the QPR side, but says his arrival will allow him to play with a back three.

The 34-year-old Nigeria international, who featured in three matches during the 2018 World Cup, has not played since Glasgow Rangers’ victory over Hearts in the Scottish Cup final in May.



However, Beale said the former Brighton centre-back, who has signed a one-year deal, will be a good addition and offer him the chance to be more flexible in his team selections.

Beale said. “I am delighted to have him as I wanted the option of playing with a back three or a back four. But I couldn’t practice playing with a back three as I had only three experienced centre-halves.

“If I had done that and one of Jimmy (Dunne) Rob (Dickie) or Jake (Clarke-Salter) got injured I would have spent the pre-season working on something I couldn’t use.

“So that was a good call as Jake got injured after the first game so I only had Jimmy and Rob and some young boys who are untested at Championship level behind them.

“I have only had Jimmy and Rob for the last six or seven games and, touch wood, we haven’t had a problem. But if we’d had, I’d be throwing in a very young centre-half into a team at the stage of the season where we haven’t settled down yet.”

Beale is looking to bring in at least two more signings before the transfer window closes on Thursday night and said he wants more competition for places in the team across the squad.

“Having Leon is fantastic as he has international and big-game experience. The last two games he was involved with for Rangers were the Europa League final and the Scottish Cup final,” Beale said.

“He is coming out of a club where the expectation level is absolutely enormous for every single game and I want someone coming in here and pushing those standards.

“But Leon has to earn his place, nothing is a given and I have explained to Rob, Jimmy and Jake at the start of the season there are no guarantees here – you have to fight and play well and Leon comes into that equation as well.

“I like the idea of competition and we are starting to get to where a squad should look like. It shouldn’t just be 11 or 12 players, it should be 16 or 17 players pushing for a start and at the centre-back position Leon certainly does that for us.”