'I agree with Don Goodman' - Why QPR can contend for a play-off place but not automatic promotion | OneFootball

FLW's QPR fan pundit has given his verdict on the team's top two chances this season

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…

Don Goodman has told FLW that QPR’s defensive record will prevent them from being able to contend for a top two finish this season.

Speaking to FLW, he claimed that the London outfit could be in the mix for a play-off spot, but that a top two place might be beyond them due to their issues at the back.

Julien Stéphan’s side have made a promising start to the season but have also suffered high profile losses, like the 7-1 hammering at the hands of Coventry City back in August.

The Hoops have earned 15 points from their opening 10 games, which could have them in contention for a top six finish if they maintain that form over a 46-match campaign.

But the gap to the automatic promotion spots is already six points, with Middlesbrough and the Sky Blues occupying the top two.

QPR are in the play-off mix

When asked about Goodman’s reflection of their top two hopes, FLW’s QPR fan pundit Louis Moir agreed, suggesting the team’s ceiling is likely a push for a top six place instead.

He believes that it is a credit to the side that they’re even in the conversation, particularly off the back of that 7-1 loss, but that the squad just isn’t good enough for automatic promotion.

“Well I think us being spoken about in terms of the top two this season is probably something that would never have been on anyone’s minds before the run of form we had after that Coventry result,” Moir told Football League World.

“Even with how good we’ve been, bar the Millwall defeat — we weren’t even that bad, to be fair — you can dream, but I don’t think realistically top two is a possibility because other teams are way too strong, to be honest.

“Yes, this season seems a lot more open and, you never know, you might get someone finishing in the top two that you might not have seen coming before the start of the season.

“But I think defensively, certain games we’re too open and we can be a bit better and obviously the goals we conceded against Millwall were really, really poor.

“But, you take away the Coventry debacle, defensively we’ve not actually been that bad, we’ve not conceded a ton of goals.”

Moir has claimed that greater consistency is needed in both attack and defence for an automatic promotion push, suggesting QPR lack the level of quality needed for a top two place.

“To compete for automatic promotion, I think you’re going to need to be a lot more consistent at both ends of the pitch and I think, in this circumstance, I agree with Don Goodman,” he continued.

“Because defensively, but not just defensively, as a whole overall I just don’t think we have what it takes to finish in the top two.

“But I’m still fairly confident of a play-off push because I do feel this squad we’ve got is just the best we’ve had in years.

“Fingers crossed we can maybe achieve that, but top two is too much of a push, but you never know.”

Next up for QPR is a trip to face Swansea City on Wednesday night in a 7.45pm kick-off.

QPR have recovered well from 7-1 Coventry loss

The 7-1 loss to Coventry in August left the team with just one point from their opening three games, but their response since has been very encouraging.

The Hoops have earned 14 points from their next seven games, which has shot them up to 11th in the table, and only two points away from the play-off places.

Taking out the 7-1, QPR have conceded nine goals from their other nine games, which isn’t a horrendous record at all either.

The team does perhaps lack the overall quality of some of their rivals, but there are enough encouraging signs so far from this season to suggest the London outfit could be top six contenders this season.