Queens Park Rangers

Mid-season report: Queens Park Rangers

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor | 28 December 2012

Harry Redknapp has taken on yet another daunting survival challenge at QPR. Sports Mole scrutinises both his and predecessor Mark Hughes's fortunes so far this season.

Queens Park Rangers went into the 2012-13 season with an almost brand new squad of players and hopes were high for a mid-table finish.

Things didn't go to plan though and Mark Hughes was out of a job after 12 games of the new campaign.

In came survival specialist Harry Redknapp and here, Sports Mole picks the bones out of a difficult season for both men at Loftus Road.

August

The season began in a fine manner - if you're talking about the weather not the football. Swansea visited a sun-drenched Loftus Road and left top of the Premier League thanks to a 5-0 romp inspired by their summer signing Michu, who would go on banging in the goals throughout the remainder of 2012 for the Welsh club.

QPR recovered from this opening-day mauling to notch their first point at Norwich before progressing to the third round of the Capital One Cup with victory over League One's Walsall.

September

The first day of September saw Rangers travel to the Etihad for a repeat of last season's epic final game of the season that Manchester City memorably won in the dying seconds to snatch the Premier League crown. It was a much simpler victory for the champions this time around as Carlos Tevez inspired City to a 3-1 win.

The games didn't get any easier as, first, table-topping Chelsea visited Loftus Road but could only leave with a point after a resolute performance from Hughes's men before a half-time lead was thrown away at Spurs a week later.

September ended with an exit in the League Cup as, once again, Rangers let a lead slip at Reading.

October

Only one point out of a possible 12 was collected in October as Hughes's side extended their winless run in the league.

West Ham left Loftus Road with all three points before a tough trip to the fortress that was The Hawthorns ended in a 3-2 success for West Brom.

An encouraging point was collected at Everton and it looked as if it would be two impressive draws in a row until Mikel Arteta's late winner for Arsenal in the next.

November

The penultimate month began with a huge dropzone clash against Reading - the only other side in the top flight without a win. Predictably the match finished level with both sets of fans going home unhappy.

After going down at Stoke to make it 11 without a win, QPR welcomed fellow strugglers Southampton. Surely this time they would claim a maximum?

The answer was no as the Saints came and conquered. This loss would cost Hughes his job and lead to the appointment of survival god Harry Redknapp.

The former Saints, West Ham, Pompey and Spurs manager would not arrive in time to take charge of Rangers at Manchester United, where they yet again squandered a lead to lose out.

Redknapp's first game in charge was at Sunderland and he oversaw a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light.

December

Rangers had another chance to end the misery at home to Aston Villa but could only register another solitary point.

Redknapp continued his unbeaten start with a further point in the next but QPR fans will have hoped for more in another six-pointer against Wigan.

December 15 was the day QPR finally ended their winless run at the 17th time of asking. Adel Taarabt was the hero, netting both goals as Redknapp's side moved off the bottom of the table.

The cloud-nine feeling didn't last long as first Newcastle nicked a win to end Redknapp's unbeaten start before West Brom came to Loftus Road and left with three points on Boxing Day.

That leaves Rangers bottom of the Premier League at the midway point, six points from safety. Redknapp is sure to put his own stamp on the squad in the upcoming transfer window but can he perform his recovery trick again?