A change of style brought QPR a much-needed victory at home to Charlton before the international break, so with his squad now set post transfer window what does Julien Stéphan’s newly adaptable Rangers side look like at Wrexham tomorrow?

Wrexham (1-1-2 LDLDWW 15th) v QPR (1-1-2 DLLLW 18th)

Sky’s Super Saturday Brunch Spectacular >>> Saturday September 13, 2025 >>> Kick Off 15.00 >>> Weather – Damp, windy >>> Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Welsh Wales

One piece of advice they gave me on the FA’s refereeing course was never promise anything in football.

It may be tempting when dealing with a serial offender in a game to issue a final warning and say “next time you’re getting booked”, but what if you don’t think his next offence is worthy of a yellow card? What if it’s an accident? What if an hour has passed and it’s all calmed down? Don’t paint yourself into a corner by promising something in a fluid sport, often determined by momentum and moments of brilliance or incompetence, which you can’t control.

I guess when you lose your fourth games in charge of a football club 7-1 it’s an extreme situation that requires drastic action. Still, it was a big, bold, brave move of Julien Stéphan in his post-Coventry interviews to “promise” it would be a totally different team that took the field the following week against Charlton.

What if it’s not? What if the doomsday scenario plays out instead, Charlie Kelman goals, Nathan Jones scaling the away end in muted, respectful celebration at full time? Do you come back from that? Does your credibility and authority recover? You don’t often hear managers as unequivocal as that in public these days – can I interest you in some bland platitudes? – and if Charlton had won at Loftus Road last week, as it looked like they might for a good chunk of the second half, you’d have seen why.

Stéphan rolled the dice, in more ways than one. We waited all week to see what form this “totally different” would take – personnel, formation, style – and found out pretty quickly once the game against the Addicks got underway. Some changes to the team selection, yes, but the most obvious difference was how much more direct Rangers were from back to front. Nathan Jones admitted it caught Charlton completely cold, and necessitated emergency surgery on the visiting team during an injury stoppage midway through the first half.

Now, it could be that this is largely down to QPR finally having something that looks like a proper centre forward up front for the first time, arguably, in a decade – since Charlie Austin first time around. Richard Kone’s all-action, at times gratuitously violent, performance as the lone striker last week was Helguson-like, and meant Rangers were able to get up the pitch and hold the ball there effectively for the first time in a long time – something Kevin Gallen has repeatedly cited on the WLS Podcast as a huge problem for this team. Perhaps this has been the plan all along, we’ve just been waiting until there was somebody up top capable of doing it and in the meantime we had to try and play out from the back because if we went long it would have come straight back at us.

I think, more likely, Stéphan has come to a similar realisation his predecessor had. The Frenchman told LFW this week: “Okay, you want to build each time from the goalkeeper. Barca, they can do that. Are we able to do that all the time? I don't think so. I don't think so. It’s always a question of adaptation.”

The goal kick routine, which Rangers have always struggled with and has made an already difficult situation for Joe Walsh so much harder at the start of this season, was ditched entirely bar one attempt in the second half which blew up to such an extent Charlton went very close to scoring from it.

I’ve often found this way of playing the sport quite perverse, even when it was at its absolute height. The notion that the best way to score a goal at one end of the pitch is to start with the ball in your own six-yard box and try and pass it through or around all 11 of theirs is fine if you’re the Barcelona or Spain sides of 15 years ago, but trying to play the football of Iniesta and Xavi with the squad you’ll have at Rochdale or Grimsby is daft. Trying to beat Man City at Pep Guardiola football is doomed to failure, because they’ve got £1bn to spend on the players to do it and you haven’t. Arsenal swept the board and went a whole season unbeaten in the early days of Arsene Wenger with a big, nasty, physical, quick team of Viera, Petit, Henry et al that picked up red cards for fun and then started to falter when they put together a team of midgets trying to score the perfect goal. The notion there’s a “right way” to play football and if you don’t do that you’re some sort of troglodyte or John Beck-acolyte a bit arrogant and high-handed. And, whisper it quietly, watching Russell Martin’s Swansea team was every bit as boring as watching Tony Pulis’ Stoke.

It seems the sport as a whole is starting to agree. The Premier League is now increasingly about height, pace and power, with huge emphasis on set pieces and long balls. Brentford at Loftus Road in pre-season looked like a Space Jam remake – their MonStars against our Bugs Bunny and Bill Murray. Southampton and Ipswich both remarked on how quickly things have changed up there when they struggled through last year, and Martin is now north of the border trying (and failing) to beat St Mirren by completing 500 passes in his own half of the field – even with the advantage of a £60m payroll playing a £1.6m wage bill.

It might just be me being thick, but I think the club have often struggled to articulate exactly what they mean by a “game model”. That might be deliberate, because if you keep things nice and vague it’s difficult to pin down fault when it goes wrong, or it might be a communication issue – phrases like “principles of play” might sound good at management conferences, but what, exactly, does that mean in practice?

I think we’d all agree with the idea that it’s not ideal to have your development squad playing kick and rush, long ball football in a four-four-fcking-two formation, while you’ve got a total football Dutchman managing the first team with a back three and the goalkeeper as an overload in possession. It was one of the many sources of aggro towards the end of Mark Warburton’s time here that the development teams didn’t play the same back-three formation or style as the first team, and so he was being pushed to include and select players (Joe Gubbins, Aaron Drewe) he not only didn’t think were good enough but also weren’t playing in the same defensive shape and system as his team. So, if ‘game model’ is making sure we’re not poles apart like that, it’s a good thing. We’ve long said ‘what manager wants manager gets’ has got QPR into all kinds of trouble before. But if it’s a formation and style being handed down from on high to a head coach who is basically bibs, balls and cones, that’s something different. The question about preferred formations at the fan forum elicited a long answer from Christian Nourry before Julien even spoke, and when he did he joked “see, he’s the manager” which was… perhaps unfortunate.

If it took the 7-1 defeat at Coventry to wake the club and/or its head coach up to a few of these things, then it might have been worth going through that trauma. It took until October last year for a switch by which time we’d won two of the first 17 games, and we didn’t win at home until December – something Stéphan has already avoided with the Charlton win and was very keen to quickly point out in his BBC pre-match, while telling us one of his big goals this year is to improve on years of wretched results at Loftus Road.

I thought it was a really mature, grown up decision of the club to restore our access to the manager/head coach this week. We’ve obviously been quite critical in recent months, and had something approaching a meltdown post Coventry, but if you’re confident and secure in what you’re doing you shouldn’t fear or avoid scrutiny or shut out and deny access to critical voices. There were a few mistakes made last summer – the foreign pre-season game being behind closed doors, cutting off your man fan site’s access, signing technical players without the strength, power, pace and durability for an EFL winter – that have been quietly rectified this year. If last week’s performance against Charlton is another reflection and change on something that isn’t working, whether it was done collectively or at the behest of the head coach, then again that’s a lot more mature than dying on the hill of a goal kick routine which scares everybody in general and terrifies your poor goalkeeper most of all. As Stéphan said, when even Thomas Tuchel is talking about long throws and set plays it’s clear the sport is moving on.

Of course, it’ll be intriguing to see how this looks and how it copes tomorrow at Wrexham. For all the Disneyfication, money, signings, celebs in the director’s box and so on, their ascent from Conference to Championship in record-breaking time is built on the management of Phil Parkinson – an unashamed, old-school, Football League boss whose direct style of play brought mixed results for luminaries such as Colchester, Hull, Charlton, Bradford, Bolton and Sunderland before he landed on his feet in North Wales (in 141 previous Championship matches at the helm of Hull, Charlton and Bolton, Parkinson won 26 times and averaged less than a point per game). In Kieffer Moore they have not only a striker in hot form, but probably the most old-fashioned, traditional centre forward in the division who can and will crawl all over your centre backs given the chance. So, if we go direct again, try and play them at their own game, will we get beaten with experience?

A game away at Portsmouth is not the same as a game at home to Oxford, as a midweeker at Southampton, as a home match with Charlton, as a trip to Wrexham... Perhaps that’s what Stéphan means when he keeps coming back to the stock phrase of the last fortnight – “it’s all about adaptability”.

Links >>> Julien Stéphan – Interview >>> Red Dragons in a rush – Oppo Profile >>> Day and Rowly star – History >>> Speedie in charge – Referee >>> Official Website >>> Racecourse Ground – Stadium Guide >>> Red Passion – Forum >>> RobRyanRed – Podcast >>> Racecourse Ramble – Podcast >>> Wrexham Insider – Blog >>> Wrexham Leader – Local Press

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Team News: Team news pretty thin on the ground from the QPR end for this one, but Michi Frey has travelled for the first time this season. Kwame Poku’s return was initially billed for this game but I think that feels unlikely at this point. Likewise, no firm news on Ilias Chair as yet. Paul Smyth’s promising first half performance and goal against Charlton seems to have sadly given way to another injury necessitating his removal at half time so he’s a doubt.

Two of Wrexham’s high-profile summer intake have already suffered bad injuries. Josh Windass did his hamstring in the second game of the season and will miss the opening months, while goalkeeper Danny Ward has now suffered a serious wrist injury which will likely sideline him until Christmas. Parachuting the veteran keeper straight into the side after a tough stint at Leicester felt like one of the more cynical, harsher moves of Wrexham’s summer as Arthur Okonkwo had been statistically the best keeper in League Two and League One on their way through the divisions so presumably he’s now going to get a chance to prove himself at this level after all. Right-back Issa Kabore, centre-back Dominic Hyam and midfielder Ben Sheaf all signed on deadline day and may debut here, but record signing Nathan Broadhead is a doubt and another summer arrival George Tomasson won’t feature.

Elsewhere: The Mercantile Credit Trophy lurches back into action tonight with Ipswich facing Sheffield Red Stripe live on your tellybox. Both teams were well fancied in pre-season but have started shoddily – the Blades in particular have lost five out of five and failed to score in their last three. I’m sure both managers are thrilled at the prospect of trying to correct that on a Friday night after the international break when most of their call ups won’t have returned home until late Thursday.

Middlesbrough, on the other hand, have gone off like a train just as we finally lost faith in their promotion credentials after backing them every year for the last five seasons. Four league wins in a row and three clean sheets for Rob Edwards’ side ahead of a trip to Preston Knob End. That’s one of three lunchtime games along with a London derby between Charlton and Millwall, and Oxford hosting Marti Cifuentes’ Leicester.

Six games in the traditional kick off slot as well as our own. Intrigue about whether Stoke have finally cracked it after seven consecutive seasons in the bottom half of the table – three wins from four and now a stiff test at home to big-spending Birmingham. Likewise free-scoring Coventry who have a five and a seven in their opening games and now host Norwich. But, for me, it’s what exactly is going on at John Eustace’s Derby that is one of the division’s most compelling storylines at the moment. An enormous influx of players and spend of cash this summer, some real LFW favourites among the incomings such as Lewis Travis, but a ropey start and now a tough trip to West Brom.

The ongoing Sheff Wed meltdown has taken a series of twists this week ahead of a homer with Bristol City. Tremendous investigative journalism by the club’s supporters trust has laid bare just how much trouble Derek Chansiri’s Thai business empire is in, and the enormous gap that exists between the club’s liabilities and his ability to fund them. Meanwhile the government has openly said Sheff Wed and Chansiri will be target number one for its incoming regulator, which will have the power to take the keys back off malignant owners. Interestingly, a report this week by The Fair Game Index found that only four clubs in the whole EFL can be deemed “regulator ready” under the terms set by the government, and only Brighton meet the test in the top two divisions. The report found that 43 clubs have less than one month of cash reserves to cover running costs. Cambridge and Wimbledon were the only other clubs to be fully compliant.

Gold - Brighton & Hove Albion, Cambridge United, AFC Wimbledon, Carlisle United, and Bath City.

Silver - Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Plymouth Argyle, Swansea City, Exeter City, Rochdale, and Chester.

Bronze - Arsenal, Brentford, Liverpool, West Ham United, Burnley, Luton Town, Norwich City, Watford, Lincoln City, Chesterfield, Forest Green Rovers, Darlington FC, and Maidstone United.

Anyway, Swanselona v Hull and Watford v Blackburn make up the Saturday list while Sunday’s headline act is the first Southampton v Portsmouth league encounter since 2012.

Referee: Ben Speedie made his Championship debut in QPR’s 2-1 win at Hull in January and is hopping across the Dee Estuary from Merseyside for his sixth Championship fixture this weekend. Details.

Form

- Wrexham and QPR are meeting in the league for the first time since the 2003-04 season in the third tier, with the R’s winning both encounters 2-0 that year. Marcus Bean and Martin Rowlands were the scorers last time Rangers played here.

- Wrexham have won five of the meetings between the sides (last triumphant on this ground in October 2001) while QPR have won nine with four draws. Rangers have won four of the last six meetings here while losing only once, though you’re looking all the way back to 1964 to complete that sequence.

- Wrexham haven’t played at this level of English football since 1981/82. After beating Millwall 2-0 last time out, the Red Dragons are looking to win successive second tier games for the first time since March 1982 against Chelsea and Bolton.

- QPR haven’t won two on the spin since the victories at Plymouth and Hull in January, part of a four-match winning sequence in the league, but can do so for the first time in 23 games if they’re successful here having beaten Charlton 3-1 last time out.

- Wrexham have lost at home to West Brom and drawn with stricken Sheff Wed in their home games so far. Over the last four seasons Phil Parkinson’s side have lost only six of their 91 home league games.

- Wrexham have faced the most shots in the opening four rounds of the Championship – 86. They have the highest xG against in CH – 11.13 (some distance away from the next worst which is Hull with 8.85).

- QPR have lost all three away games in all comps this season, conceding 12 goals. The R’s have conceded nine goals in opening two away League games – their joint most ever after first two away games (1950-51).

- Richard Kone has scored in last two games, including on full debut for club against Charlton. Had his worst run without a goal in senior football before that – 12 games.

- QPR's last five victories have all come in games in which we've had less possession - Charlton - 44% (3-1) Sunderland - 42% (1-0) Preston - 44% (2-1) Oxford - 48% (3-1) Derby - 49% (4-0). In the last eight games where the R’s had more of the ball they picked up just two points. @HoopsDreams_QPR

- Following the closing of the transfer window, QPR have the joint youngest squad in the division with an average age of 23.7 years No team in the Championship this season has seen such a decrease in their squad average age (vs last season) as QPR. It’s comfortably Rangers’ youngest squad since their most recent relegation from the Premier League. @AnalyticsQPR

- After failing to score in his first 17 home games, Koki Saito has now scored three goals in his last five matches at Loftus Road. @JTSupple

- Kieffer Moore has scored four goals in his last three appearances in all comps and three goals in his last two league games. He is looking to score in three consecutive league games for the first time since April-August 2022 (a run of four).

- QPR beat Premier League neighbours Fulham 1-0 in a friendly during the international break with a goal from Jonathan Varane.

Prediction

In our Prediction League for 2025/26 we’ll once again be handing out prizes for being top at Christmas and overall winner from The Art of Football - sample the merch from our sponsor’s newly extended QPR collection here. We welcome a new contributor this year as QPR_Hibs won last season’s Prediction League at a canter and has agreed to lend his thoughts to the previews...

“It’s Saturday night, autumn, sometime around 2018. I’m watching a prime-time TV quiz show, you know, the sort of thing that Nick Knowles would present. A mid-30s couple have done well to get to the big money question. The more correct answers that they give, the more cash they will pocket. Here’s the challenge…. The names of bands that have been inducted into the ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.’ Great, an easy one – just start off with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Doors then have a proper think. A quick chat. ‘Are you ready? Yes, Go!’ First answer – ‘Mötley Crüe.’ Wrong. Didn’t even win a speedboat! ‘Well, Jim, we’ve had a lovely day.’ I suppose it’s only an easy question if you know the answers.

“Fast forward seven years and, on a Saturday afternoon at Loftus Road, the question is ‘should QPR continue with these short goal-kick routines that constantly invite pressure and mistakes?’ Great, an easy one – No. But young Joe is not convinced and thinks he’ll give it a couple of tries because, of course. Decisions made too fast seem to be the ones that last.

“If we try any of that nonsense at Wrexham on Saturday it will surely end in disaster. Team Hollywood have spent around £30m in the transfer window effectively buying a completely new side. They sit just above QPR in the table on account of not being humped by seven goals to one by anyone.

“At time of writing, there has been little news from the club about injuries, and I am going to assume that we will start this game with a similar line-up to the Charlton fixture. Koki Saito was superb in that game, but I think he will again start on the bench and come on with 20 minutes left. The same with Burrell who is a great asset running at tired defenders. I liked Vale in the ‘ten’ role and he may continue there especially if Chair is not available. Kone obviously starts up front.

“The centre midfield pairing is a bit of an enigma with any two of Hayden and Varane (similar players) ‘Field the Shield’ and Madsen vying for a start. England U20 international Kieron Morgan may have to be content to provide legs from the bench. The defence was adequate against Charlton, and I thought RND was positionally exceptionally good and tried to play forward. I wonder whether Steve Cook may be recalled to deal with Kieffer Moore (Keith Amour?) as Mbengue looked like a walking red card last time out. Nardi starts in goal (only joking.)

“I would be delighted to come away with a draw but fear that we will be edged out in a close game.”

QPR_Hibs Prediction: Wrexham 2-1 QPR. Scorer – Richard Kone

LFW’s Prediction: Wrexham 2-2 QPR. Scorer – Richard Kone

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Pictures - Ian Randall Photography

Myke added 22:59 - Sep 12 Hi Clive, thanks for both the detailed interview with JS and the preview. Being very busy at work, so not on much. For Stephan’s ‘adaptable’ approach, read Marti’s ‘pragmatism’ Nardi was (is) no more adept at playing out from the back than Walsh. Dunne became a RB primarily as an ‘outball’ The one essential difference from last season is that have a young, fit, aggressive striker for the first time in a decade, who additionally (who’d have thunk it) seems to score goals. If we can master Moore -Cook might be the man for the job - (and score a minimum of 2 goals), I believe we can win the game. And Stephanie can prove he is a MANAGER not just a coach. Bibs 1 Kone’s 2

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kingfisher6404 added 11:12 - Sep 13 Thanks Clive! If we do not move the ball out from the back (and who would with Walsh in situ) then we do become predictable. I do feel we must vary our playing out, and I really liked the sneaky sprint back by a Charlton defender to accept the 'long ball' in their otherwise empty half! We should also bear in mid that QPR's forwards are not in that preferred PL height/weight category that Clive mentioned - they are far shorter and slighter. So, long balls to them as they battle tall CBs or midfielders means you are often dependent upon securing those 'second balls' to advance!

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