Around the EFL - January 9, 2023: QPR, Stevenage (not Borough)Norwich and more...

The FA Cup dominates our look around the lower divisions

Queens Park Rangers descent continued Saturday with an uninspiring 2-1 loss at Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup 3rd Round. QPR now has one win the last eleven in all competitions, and has slipped from second in the Championship table to twelfth since mid-October. QPR now appear more likely to get relegated than promoted, a shocking turn-of-events for a club that seemed poised to join its three North London rivals in the top flight next season.

Rangers effectively sacked Mark Warburton at the end of last season, a shock move pushed by Les Ferdinand, the club’s Director of Football, and former great player pushing the idea of a more aggressive attacking approach - Michael Beale was hired and several key loan deals were agreed with Premier League clubs, bringing more attacking impetus and high-level Championship quality into the side.

After a very strong start, QPR tailed off before the World Cup break, and Beale left for Rangers, where he had been Steven Gerrard’s number two. After a seemingly bungled two weeks, Neil Critchley who is most famous for his one match tenure as Liverpool’s Manager standing in for Jürgen Klopp (due to a conflict between the League Cup and FIFA Club World Cup), but did good work with Blackpool was hired.

Under Critchley, QPR have looked an uninspired side, one completely lacking in urgency and consistent attacking or pressing impetus. A rot has set in, and my sense is, it is Ferdinand who should face the sack, if things do not turn around before season’s end. Besides elite players like Ilias Chair, Sam Field and Chris Willock are unlikely to hang around another year if they’re not really pushing for promotion. Field in particular, I think could help several lower-end Premier League sides and any club chasing promotion from the Championship.