Team Focus: Morrison Deal Delay Highlights Harry's Concerns

QPR’s eagerness to delay the loan signing of Ravel Morrison, so he would be available if Harry Redknapp’s team reach the play-off final on May 24, gives you an idea of the present mindset at Loftus Road. The 93-day limit on emergency loans means the midfielder’s move from West Ham has been held back until this Friday, so in the event of a Wembley date, he would be free to play.

On the face of it, the delay is a clever piece of forward thinking but at the same time it indicates that Redknapp must be worried.

They have gone from challenging the leaders, Leicester, whose 11 point advantage now looks out of reach, to being four points adrift of Burnley in second (albeit with a game in hand), with the teams below them circling ominously.

Most worrying for Redknapp though is the team’s sudden failure to apply the fundamental skills of defending. Their greatest strength has evaded them at precisely the wrong time.

The lack of goals in the absence of Charlie Austin, who scored 14 times before sustaining the shoulder injury that has ruled him out for a “prolonged period”, was holding them back but after bringing in attacking reinforcements at the end of the transfer window, including the experienced Kevin Doyle, they have managed just one point from their last three games.

To make matters worse, those matches were against teams also challenging for promotion, with three goals conceded at home to both Burnley and Reading and a 1-0 defeat at Derby sandwiched between.

The 3-3 draw with Burnley was the first time they had conceded three all season and they had only leaked two goals on four occasions prior to that. Rob Green recorded 14 clean sheets in his first 23 games but has conceded in all of the last seven. Although they have still conceded the fewest amount of goals in the league, that seven of the 24 have come in the last 270 minutes is noteworthy.

They have the highest average possession in the division, yet a gripe among fans is that, despite some hugely experienced midfielders the ball is going sideways too often. Indeed the squad is top heavy in terms of experience: their three most used players so far this season, the goalkeeper Rob Green and defensive duo Clint Hill and Richard Dunne, are 34, 35 and 34 respectively.

Joey Barton, having declared he would never play at this level back in July, has started 25 games. His passing statistics (1405/1732) are very impressive but he has contributed to just four goals, adding credence to that sideways theory. “We need someone who can unlock the door,” Redknapp said when asked about Morrison last week. Barton, for all his various qualities, has not been able to do that enough this season.

Niko Kranjcar, too, is an interesting case. He has, like Barton, scored twice and contributed a pair of assists. But he also plays in a more advanced role and, despite a similar pass completion rate of 81%, a player of his quality should be more effective in terms of chance creation.

There will need to be a bedding in period for the new signings but time is against them, even if six of the next seven fixtures are against teams outside of the top 10.

Doyle has spent much of this season coming in and out of the team at Wolves and was out of favour under Kenny Jackett. He arrived at Loftus Road with a need for a consistent run of games, nevermind goals, and, promisingly, has scored twice in his three appearances.

It could be suggested that they have placed more focus on attack in recent games but it is merely a coincidence that the back four have started creaking at a time when the need for goals has been highlighted most.

Take the Derby defeat as a perfect example. They controlled much of the ball after falling behind but could not penetrate a back four that has conceded more goals than any other side in the top half of the table.

A trip across London to face Charlton, who are fighting for their lives, awaits on Saturday. A failure to take all three points will ratchet those worries up another notch. Morrison, undoubtedly, has the capability to tear Championship defences apart, but he will need the other midfielders around him to contribute more in attack if QPR are to finish second and avoid the chaos of the play-offs. For such an expensively assembled squad, a failure to get promoted would be quite the surprise.

Can Redknapp's men secure automatic promotion or will it be the play-offs for QPR? Let us know in the comments below