"Not a Championship-quality player" - Verdict delivered on QPR player that "a lot of people slate" | OneFootball

FLW's QPR fan pundit has named the one player at their club that splits opinion the most.

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 have lacked real attacking threat this season.

As things stand during the November international break, Marti Cifuentes' side have found the back of opponents' nets the second-fewest times in the Championship (12). The only team that has scored less than them is Swansea City, and they have wildly underperformed their xG.

The Swans have only scored 11 goals from an xG of 18.9, as per FBref, while QPR's xG is just 14.1, the third-lowest in the division.

Creating better chances, and finishing them more effectively, is going to be a big part of the the Rs' push for survival. They sit rock bottom of the league after 15 games.

One of their players that has been called up for international duty this time round is Paul Smyth. The Northern Irish winger rejoined QPR last summer after winning League Two with Leyton Orient, but he's struggled this season.

Paul Smyth: the most opinion-dividing player at QPR

According to Football League World's R's fan pundit, Louis Moir, Smyth splits opinion more than any other player in Cifuentes' squad, although he has made it clear which side of the fence he sits on when it comes to the 27-year-old.

Moir told FLW: "I think one player who I've seen a lot of people slate, and a lot of people, sort of, talk positively about, is Paul Smyth. I mean, look, you know what you're going to get from him; he's got pace, he can go at players, he can take players on. But, at the end of the day, the same problem he has that never changes is his lack of end product and goal contributions.

"I don't think he's scored this season, I think he's maybe got one assist or something like that. But I think he's pretty awful, to be honest, because if you look at it, at the end of the day, he's not a Championship-quality player.

"Look at where he was playing before he re-signed for us. He was in League Two. Albeit he won Player of the Season, I think, but that's his level - that's maybe a bit harsh to say, but he'd be good in League One. At this level, he can beat a man, but what happens? Nothing happens after it.

"Hardly any good balls are put into the box, he doesn't score goals, he's very weak. I just don't think that he's good enough.

"He can be a decent bench option. Off the bench, we've seen that, when defences are lagging, he offers a bit of pace to change things up. But starting games in the Championship? No. I'm just not a fan at all.

"I think there's a place in the squad for him in games coming on, but starting, absolutely not. No way."

QPR may struggle to get where they want to be with players like Paul Smyth

In fairness to Smyth, we can't be too harsh on him because he played 44 games last season, half of which he started, and QPR were in fantastic form during the latter half of the season.

However, if they want to match the aspirations of their manager and push higher up the table, away from the Groundhog Day of relegation that they have been faced with for the last few seasons, then Smyth won't be someone that really helps them to do that.

His track record suggests that he is a decent player at this level, but no side that's hoping for a place in and around the top six, come the end of the season, will be looking to take Smyth away from Loftus Road. That's quite telling.