'It’s gone from bad to worse' - QPR, Richard Kone verdict made after 'disgusting' incident | OneFootball

Richard Kone has been backed to come good for QPR as he looks to overcome his injury-hit start to the 2026/27 season.

QPR striker Richard Kone has been backed to come good for Julien Stephan’s side this season despite his injury issues.

The striker enjoyed a productive first campaign at Loftus Road last time out, scoring ten times in 43 games after his move from Wycombe, whilst he impressed with his ability to lead the line.

Therefore, there were high hopes for Kone going into the 2026/27 season, but a disrupted pre-season means he is yet to really get going.

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Richard Kone suffers injury scare in QPR development game

The 23-year-old has been working on his fitness throughout the opening month of the season, so it was decided that he would play for the U23s against Bolton this week in a bid to improve his sharpness.

However, Kone was replaced in the first-half of their 3-1 defeat after being on the end of a very late challenge.

Whilst the extent of any issue is not yet known, QPR fan pundit Louis Moir couldn’t hide his anger at the Bolton player, as he reflected on what has been a difficult period for Kone, who he still thinks can come good this season.

“Kone is not having the best start to this season. Even in pre-season, he didn’t look fully fit. He came off in the friendly against Fiorentina, and he struggled to find form in the first few games of the season, and then he didn’t feature at Portsmouth. He was taken off at home to Middlesbrough, he missed a big chance against Bolton, it has not been great.

“The club were open and honest about his situation, and we all know he can score goals, he’s a top player going through bad form, that’s all it is.

“Now, he’s trying to make his way back to full fitness in the development team and he gets done in by a disgusting, horrendous challenge, and now he has potentially has a worse injury.

“It’s gone from bad to worse for Kone, but I hope that tackle hasn’t done him in, and he can rest over the break to get back fit and firing, because we need him.

“If Rumarn Burrell plays too much you run the risk of him getting injured, and we’re looking quite light up front anyway.

“I’m confident Kone will come back scoring goals, it just depends on when that will be. Even if this potential injury didn’t happen, we don’t know when he’d be ready to start games.

“It’s really frustrating for Kone, as we expected to start the season on fire. There’s no reason why he still can’t get 15 goals this season, but with nearly ten games gone, and approaching the end of September, he really needs to get back ASAP, in the right frame of mind and fit.

“Fingers crossed it happens as there’s no doubting his quality, and some people need to remember he hasn’t played professional football that long. Last season was his first in the Championship and he got ten goals, and it wasn’t just his goals, it was his all-round game that was brilliant.”

QPR need Richard Kone at his best if they are to sustain play-off push

Firstly, you have huge sympathy for Kone with his latest injury issue, as he would’ve been using that game to build his fitness, so to be on the end of such a tackle will be frustrating.

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But, these things happen in football, and we know how competitive the Championship is, so Kone will have to deal with physical challenges, even if QPR will feel that this crossed the line.

In the bigger picture, though, most would agree that Kone needs to get back his best, as he can be such an asset to QPR with how he plays.

As outlined above, he is more than just a goalscorer, and his physical attributes, combined with how he can bring others into play, makes him such a threat to the opposition.

QPR have had a very encouraging season so far, and the way they fought back to get a point against Preston shows they have a real spirit as well as quality.

But, they need their big players fit, so hopefully Kone can get up to speed very quickly, as he will be someone that Stephan relies on as they look to secure a top eight finish this season.