"Definitely under pressure" - QPR: Pundit issues Marti Cifuentes verdict ahead of Leeds United trip | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has told FLW his verdict on Martí Cifuentes' future at QPR amid growing pressure

Carlton Palmer believes that Martí Cifuentes deserves more time to turn things around at QPR.

The Hoops suffered another defeat on Tuesday night to deepen their early-season troubles, losing heavily to Middlesbrough.

The Spaniard is under pressure to deliver results quickly, with the team enduring their sixth defeat in 14 fixtures.

Cifuentes earned a lot of credit last year for overturning the club’s relegation fears, leading them to an 18th place finish after taking over with the side in the bottom three.

But those relegation fears have resurfaced, with just one win to their name from 14 games after Tuesday night’s 4-1 loss to Middlesbrough.

Carlton Palmer delivers Martí Cifuentes future verdict

Palmer has claimed that QPR need to become more defensively solid, pointing out Plymouth Argyle’s clean sheet success against Portsmouth on Tuesday night as an example to aspire to.

However, he has suggested that Cifuentes has earned more time to turn things around after the impressive work he did with the team in the previous campaign.

“It’s been a disappointing start to the season for Queens Park Rangers,” Palmer told Football League World.

“They suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough, and slipped to second from bottom in the Championship.

“It's a bitter blow to take a 4-1 beating at home to Middlesbrough.

“They’ve played a game more than Luton and Preston, and they sit on 10 points.

“Martí Cifuentes is definitely under pressure, but I think given the job that he’s done, he could’ve left the football club last season, he was well coveted with the job that he’s done.

“I don’t believe that he should be under any kind of pressure, but QPR won’t be wanting to get relegated.

“But I think you have to be a little bit patient and give him time.

“Leeds up next, away to Leeds, which is a tough, tough game because Leeds are going very, very well.

“When you’re at the bottom of the league, the one thing you’ve got to do is you’ve got to stop conceding goals.

“If you concede more than two goals a game, then you’ve got to score three to win a game, got to score two to get a point.

“Plymouth, you saw, got a result against Portsmouth, they didn’t concede a goal, that is what QPR have got to get back to now, not conceding a goal.

“Of course, any manager that’s sat second bottom of the league is going to be under pressure, but I don’t believe he should be under any pressure for his job at this present moment in time.”

QPR league position

QPR are now sitting 23rd in the Championship table, four points adrift of 21st place Preston.

Cifuentes’ side are now 10 games without a win in the league, leaving them with just 10 points from their first 14 games.

Their last victory came against Luton Town on 30 August, drawing five and losing five since then.

Next up for the London club is a trip to face Leeds on 9 November in a 3pm kick-off.

Cifuentes can’t afford to keep poor run going

A trip to Leeds is a nightmare next fixture for Cifuentes, as 11 games without a win starts to feel untenable for the 42-year-old.

He impressed a lot of people with his work last season, but QPR have struggled to maintain any of that positivity into the current campaign.

Changing managers again would be demoralising for supporters, especially with how everything was looking under Cifuentes last season.

He’s earned a bit more time to turn things around, but upcoming games against Stoke City, Cardiff City and Watford could be huge for his future, if he even lasts long enough to oversee them.