Queens Park Rangers’ encouraging start has caught the eye, but one seasoned observer is urging a little restraint.
QPR supporter and journalist Ian McCullough sees clear signs of progress in the opening weeks of the campaign, particularly in the depth that has quietly transformed the squad.
“At Blackburn at the weekend, they won the game through the strength of the bench,” McCullough said, highlighting a decisive shift from last season. Players once seen as fringe options are now tilting tight matches, offering the kind of impact late on that the club simply could not summon a year ago.
“They've got a real quality on the bench that they didn't have last season. In that kind of side the club has progressed,” he added, pointing to a more rounded group rather than a team reliant on a handful of starters.
The optimism, though, comes with a warning label. McCullough is keen to keep the early form in context.
QPR’s strong start has come against Blackburn, Portsmouth and Bolton – fixtures he believes Rangers should expect to win. That reality tempers the mood around Loftus Road, even as the points tally grows.
“But as I keep saying with QPR, they've played three teams really that they should be beating - Blackburn, Portsmouth, Bolton. Had they lost any of those games, questions would be asked,” McCullough said.
The bar, in other words, is rising. The squad looks stronger, the bench finally carries weight, and the results match expectation. The real measure will come when QPR face opponents they are not simply supposed to beat, but outthink and overpower.
