London football writer Dan Evans has given us a rundown of QPR's five key players, ahead of Saturday's clash at the SoL...
STEVE COOK
The experienced centre-back has been a vital part of the defensive improvements that have helped QPR climb out of the relegation zone after Marti Cifuentes took over as head coach in October. Cook is composed in possession and regularly provides important blocks, clearances and tackles as opposition teams bare down on the Rangers goal. However, it is his leadership and communication skills that have made him such a key figure in the fight to stave off the drop. In a campaign that has been interrupted by injuries, Cook has featured in nine of QPR’s 10 wins, and they look a far more organised and defensively resolute side with him in the team.
CHRIS WILLOCK
Attacking midfielder Willock is another player who has been hampered by injury problems this season, but he has provided a number of important moments in attack under Cifuentes. Having struggled for regular game time under the Spaniard’s predecessor Gareth Ainsworth, Willock has since found the net four times and provided three assists along the way. The Arsenal academy graduate has an eye for a spectacular strike from range, so expect him to drift into central areas and shoot for goal from his starting position on the right wing.
LUCAS ANDERSEN
The Danish playmaker joined QPR as a free agent a few days after the January transfer window closed and his impact has been immediate. Despite having not played competitively for more than three months by the time he made his QPR debut, Andersen’s composure in possession and ability to find the perfect pass for team-mates in goal-scoring positions has quickly made him a key man for Cifuentes. The 29-year-old has previously featured for Ajax in the Champions League and worked with Cifuentes at Danish club Aalborg, and it has not taken him long to adapt to the Championship. Andersen normally operates in an advanced midfield role, and three assists in his first seven appearances has been a mark of his quality.
ILIAS CHAIR
Moroccan international Chair has been one of QPR’s standout attacking threats for a number of seasons now, and his upturn in form since the appointment of Cifuentes has been key to QPR’s survival hopes. The 26-year-old has six goals and five assists to his name this term, and he will surely have a significant part to play in the remainder of the season if Rangers are to remain a Championship club. There are few players in the second tier as difficult to stop in one v one situations and, much like Willock, the diminutive attacker enjoys a strike from distance. He has recently been involved in a court case in Belgium, but QPR have maintained that Chair is available for selection with the legal proceeding yet to reach a conclusion.
JAKE CLARKE-SALTER
A familiar name to Sunderland fans following a loan spell in the 2017-18 season, Clarke-Salter has become a reliable partner for Cook at the heart of the QPR backline. He has been dogged by injury throughout his two seasons in west London, but he is currently on a run of 16 consecutive starts, and since he has been re-united with Cook at the back, Rangers have only lost two of the last 10 matches. The left-footed centre-back often cruises through games with his calm approach to defending, and his comfort in possession has made life much easier for Cifuentes as he continues to try and implement his possession-heavy style of football.
