Nottingham Forest

QPR may look back on Nottingham Forest deal as season defining

Published

9 months ago

February 24, 2024

Queens Park Rangers have given their Championship survival hopes a huge boost this month, taking nine points in February from a possible 12.

The R’s latest victory over Bristol City last weekend moved them to within a point of safety following Millwall’s recent drop down the table, with everyone at Loftus Road gaining confidence following their recent results.

And one man who has proved crucial to their recent form is defender Steve Cook, who signed from Nottingham Forest at the start of the season for an undisclosed fee, with his experience within the second tier proving pivotal among Marti Cifuentes’ squad.

Steve Cook’s statistics this season

Since his arrival from the City Ground in the summer, the 32-year-old has been a regular starter for QPR, although he has missed seven games so far this season.

However, one of the most glaring statistics about his absence from the R’s side is that every game he has not featured, Cifuentes’ side have lost every time, including four straight defeats in October.

Steve Cook’s QPR statistics this season as per FotMob
Appearances	23
Minutes played	1901
Clean sheets	8
Tackles won % per 90	82.4%
Duels won % per 90	68.9%
Aerial duels won % per 90	69.9%
Interceptions per 90	1.28
Dribbled past per 90	0.24
Accurate long balls per 90	5.16

And his form in recent weeks has proved just how important he has become to QPR this season, forming a great understanding alongside Jake Clarke-Salter and Jimmy Dunne at times this term.

Steve Cook’s arrival was an important addition following summer departures

Following their 20th placed finish in the 2022/23 Championship season, a number of QPR’s defensive options left the club, with most going on to teams placed higher in the division.

Seny Dieng joined Middlesbrough, Rob Dickie made the move to Bristol City, while Leon Balogun making the move to Scotland with Rangers, with his experience needing to be replaced by the R’s to improve on last terms showing.

And in turn, former boss Gareth Ainsworth went about adding more experienced players to his ranks, including goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, Stoke City’s Morgan Fox, along with Cook and his former Nottingham Forest team-mate, Jack Colback.

QPR had one of the youngest averaged aged squads last season with an average of 25.6 from their 37-man squad, with their transfer strategy seemingly based on bringing older, more experienced players to Loftus Road, with their average age this season upped to 26.3, the seventh-highest in the division.

And those additions have been some of the club’s top performers this season, with the 32-year-old defender being one of the star men for Cifuentes’ side this term.

QPR’s next six fixtures could prove pivotal in their hopes for Championship survival

Of the sides around the relegation places, QPR are the most in-form side and have proved in recent weeks they have the ability to maintain their Championship status this term.

They have managed 11 points from their last eight games, and will be hoping to improve their home form at Loftus Road in the coming weeks, which is currently the worst in the division.

And their next six fixtures in the league could prove pivotal to their survival hopes, with four games in front of their homes fans – kickstarting with a bottom of the table clash with Rotherham United this weekend.

Next month will see them face three of the top 10, including away trips to Leicester City and Sunderland, ending the run of fixtures with an important home game against Birmingham City who have started to creep away from the bottom three.

You feel as though that Cook’s presence within the QPR squad will be crucial to their chances of remaining in the Championship, and the next six fixtures may be a strong indicator of what division the club will be playing in next season.