Football League World
·29 November 2024
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·29 November 2024
Football League World's QPR fan pundit outlines one change he would make to the R's lineup ahead of their visit to Watford on Saturday
This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...
Queens Park Rangers defeated Cardiff City 2-0 away from home on Wednesday night to claim just their second victory of the Championship campaign.
The R's have endured a largely woeful second tier season to date, and still reside in the relegation zone ahead of Saturday's trip to play-off chasers Watford.
The Hornets, who sit fifth in the Championship table, are the clear favourites to claim victory over the R's, but Marti Cifuentes will hope that the confidence his side will have earned from their first win since August can help them over the line.
Not everyone impressed in South Wales though for the victors, and that included defender Jimmy Dunne.
Ahead of a vital clash for both ends of the table, Football League World asked our QPR fan pundit, Louis Moir, one change he would make to his side's lineup for the visit to Vicarage Road, and he wants to see Dunne to come out in favour of Kenneth Paal.
Louis told FLW: "I think even though we won at Cardiff, and sometimes you can't change a winning side, but I think in this circumstance you've got to with the defence.
"And I think now with Kenneth Paal back fit, obviously he's come on as a sub (the) last couple games, but he must be match-fit now, and I think he has to come in, and go back to left-back.
"And then I think Jimmy Dunne's been poor.
"I'd drop him, and then I'd play (Harrison) Ashby in his normal position, which is right-back.
"So, there's a lot more balance there, and you've got two players in their actual natural positions, both at full-back.
"So that's the one change I would make, not just for the next game, but moving forward, because I don't think Jimmy Dunne is that long-term solution at right-back.
"Yeah, it worked last season, but he's been a bit of a liability this season, and like I say, when Kenneth Paal's fit, he has to start at left-back, so what are you going to do - play Jimmy Dunne at right-back, who's not a right-back?
"Or play Ashby who, you'd presume, has come in on loan to play games, so that's what I would be doing."
As highlighted by Louis, Paal is a class act who should, perhaps, be given the nod by Cifuentes to start at left-back when the R's take on the Hornets this Saturday.
Last term, the Suriname international managed a thoroughly decent attacking return of four goals and one assist in 44 second tier outings, while he has notched one assist in 12 Championship appearances so far this season.
But above all else, a victory at Vicarage Road on Saturday would do the R's the world of good, as they are yet to manage the feat of two consecutive wins this campaign.
Furthermore, despite yielding just two wins from 17 league fixtures, Cifuentes' men have proven that they are capable of beating sides around them in the table, with their victory at Cardiff on Wednesday night, as well as a triumph over Luton Town back in August.
But if they beat the Hornets on Saturday, they will have shown that they are capable of claiming all three points even against one of the best teams in the Championship, which would come as a major confidence boost for a struggling side, and could prove to be a turning point in the season.