The Best Decision – QPR Boss Explains Positional Switch For Southampton Loan Star | OneFootball

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QPR boss Marti Cifuentes has insisted that Southampton loanee Ronnie Edwards has been impressive at the Rs and added that it gave him the confidence to play Edwards as a defensive midfielder against Swansea on Easter Monday.

Edwards joined Saints from Peterborough United in the summer transfer window after making close to 150 appearances for the League One side.

The young centre-back, however, got next to no game time in the first half of the season for the Premier League outfit and was loaned to Championship outfit QPR in January.

He has been an integral part of Cifuentes’ side, who had an outside chance to make it to the playoffs, since he arrived at the R’s.

On Monday, he played as a defensive midfielder against Swansea in a 2-1 defeat as QPR’s Jonathan Varane and Sam Field are currently out injured.

Cifuentes admitted that Edwards has been very good for his side, and he added that, given the Saints loanee’s good form, he decided to put him alongside Jack Colback.

“We thought that Foxy [Morgan Fox] could give us his experience [as a centre-back]”, Cifuentes told the R’s media (2:09) about moving Edwards out of centre-back and putting Fox there.

“Ronnie is playing in a position that is not his best position, but again, perhaps we felt that could be the best possibility because Ronnie has played good minutes already in this one.

“And obviously, we knew that the way Swansea will play, we will need someone as well to help Jack there in the middle.

“And perhaps, according to the possibilities we had when both our number sixes Jonathan [Varane] and Sam are off, we felt [playing Edwards in the middle] perhaps could be the best decision.”

Edwards has played 18 league games for QPR since his arrival and has completed 90 minutes 17 times, which shows how important he has been.

Saints have already been relegated, and Edwards will hope to have a starting berth at his parent club next season in the second division.