No relegation fight for new look QPR

After playing their part in what was a truly enthralling end to the 2011-12 Barclays Premier League season, QPR will be hoping, in fact expecting an improvement without the drama of a relegation battle. Mark Hughes came in, and pretty much via home form alone, kept the Hoops in the top flight. At Loftus Road they were brilliant, beating the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea; however an improvement on their travels is needed if the club are going to challenge for the top half of the table.

Hughes will ensure that there will be no repeat relegation fight

Hughes has brought in a mixture of Premier League experienced campaigners as well as class acts from Spain and Italy in the form of Esteban Granero and Julio Cesar. Despite not spending huge sums on transfer fees, one thing is for certain, QPR are going to have a huge wage bill. A transfer that hasn’t been mentioned much is the shrewd addition of Park Ji Sung from Manchester United, whose commitment levels will go down well with the Loftus Road faithful.

The huge overhaul that has taken place at QPR will take time to happen; however QPR have the right man in charge, and Hughes has found a club that ‘matches his ambitions’ having left QPR’s London rivals in controversial circumstances last year. An opening day thumping at the hands of Swansea was the far from ideal start and with fixtures against the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal coming up in the next few weeks, it’s likely their best form will come later on.

Key player – Stephen MBia. The Cameroonian centre half addition from Marseille is another smart move from Hughes. Defensively for a while QPR have been average, and after missing out on Tottenham’s Michael Dawson, MBia should be the man to make them more solid. MBia brings Champions League experience and is also the perfect age, with him coming to the Premier League at the peak time in his career.

Prediction – 9^th. Despite the huge wage bill and the fact numerous players won’t have much sell on value in a few years time, I do like what Hughes has done this window and it won’t take long for them to be competitive, and were better away to Manchester City in defeat then they have been at any point this season. Given time QPR will have a brilliant squad and I feel they’ll be a huge threat to the top half of the table.

View from a fan - @Tel11dog

What would be an ideal season?
With the transfer’s we’ve made, we’ve got to be looking at the top 10.

What would be a nightmare year?
Another fight against relegation would be a bad year.

Do you have the right man in charge?
I’m not struck over by Hughes, but I believe he and his team are right to take us to the next level.

How would you rate QPR’s transfer dealings?
Compared to previous transfer windows and who we’ve been linked with but never added, I’m loving who we’ve brought through the door.

If you could’ve signed anyone this window, who would it have been?
Michael Dawson was a massive miss, he was the one.

How important is it that under Hughes QPR improve their away form?
To get us to the next level and into the top ten we have to improve our away form dramatically. 

Fulham need to add strength in depth to avoid a tough season.

Despite being in the relegation mix come Christmas, Fulham easily avoided any end of the season with a terrific run of form in 2011, however with their Europa commitments I see the season being a challenge for the London club.

After Mark Hughes's resignation, the club appointed Martin Jol, who ironically was their first choice before Hughes' appointment last year. After three years managing in Germany and his native Holland, Jol's return to English football wasn't unexpected.

Under Roy Hodgson Fulham so famously made the Europa League final, however thier league form failed naturally, however the points tally they achieved would've seen them embroilled in a relegation battle the following year. And with the League's continual strength Jol will have to add to his squad if Fulham are to balance a Europa League run with a strong Premier League campaign. With John Arne Riise expected to move from AS Roma in the next few days, Jol will be hoping its the first of many signings.

Only Chelsea and both Manchester clubs conceded less goals then Fulham last year, and with the interest in Brede Hangeland seeming to fade away, Fulham don't really need defensive reinforcements. However the club struggled to score goals last year, with Andy Johnson, Moussa Dembele and Bobby Zamora mustering just 11 goals between them, one short of their top scorer in Clint Dempsey, who again had a terrific season. With Spurs apparently willing to sell Jol could be tempted to try and re-united himself with either Jermaine Defoe or Robbie Keane, whom both are apparently growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of game time.

I don't for one second expect Fulham to be caught up in a relegation battle, however additions are needed if they to get anywhere near the top half of the table, especially with a heavy fixture list expected due to the "burden" of the Europa League.