Under Marti Cifuentes, Chris Willock and Ilias Chair might be key players for Queens Park Rangers.
Ilias Chair and Chris Willock, two midfielders, are expected to play a significant role in the plans that new Queens Park Rangers head coach Marti Cifuentes has revealed for the team.
Chair had another fantastic season the previous year, making 42 appearances across all competitions, scoring five goals and dishing out nine assists. He was also selected for the Moroccan World Cup team.
Despite rumors of interest from Leicester City and Leeds United, the 26-year-old decided to stay with the team this summer. However, he hasn’t been at his best in the early going of the season, recording just two assists in 14 games thus far.
With six goals last season, Willock was the R’s second-highest scorer, although that was all before Michael Beale left for the Rangers in November.
Under former manager Gareth Ainsworth, the 25-year-old, who was linked to both Rangers and Middlesbrough this summer, saw his playing time restricted. He has made nine appearances this season, the most of which have come off the bench.
Following the team’s sixth straight loss, a 2-1 loss to leaders Leicester City, Ainsworth was fired by the Hoops on Saturday. Cifuentes, a transfer from Swedish side Hammarby, will take over at Loftus Road on Monday.
At the New York Stadium on Saturday, the Spaniard will take the field for the first time against fellow struggling team Rotherham United. His team is now six points from safety and sits 23rd in the Championship table.
What did Marti Cifuentes say on Ilias Chair and Chris Willock?
Cifuentes stated that he thinks Chair and Willock can be key players for the R’s and that he is a huge fan of both.
“I think there are a lot of technical, talented players that I can fit very well into my way of seeing football,” Cifuentes said on the BBC’s Football Daily podcast. “One of the main reasons I was attracted to QPR is because of the squad.”
“I think both of the people you mentioned have the potential to be really, incredibly important, but it all depends on how well they perform and how much of an impact they can have on the games for us.
“Having the ability to perform week after week after week is just as important as having the right technique or set of talents.
“However, it’s no secret that I think Chair and Willock have the potential to be quite significant players for us.
“They have an extra edge when it comes to one-on-one play and altering the game’s final minutes, and I believe that both of them might score more goals if they made a few small adjustments.
What next for Queens Park Rangers?
Fans of the Hornets will find great encouragement in Cifuentes’ remarks.
This season, the R’s have only averaged 38% possession, and players like Chair and Willock have not performed to their full potential under Ainsworth’s direct football philosophy.
that wouldn’t be shocking to see the two flourish under Cifuentes’ tutelage, though, as he hopes to employ a more alluring, attacking style. If the Hoops can find their form again, that would be a tremendous boost.
The R’s chances of surviving this season will be mostly dependent on Chair and Willock, and it will be crucial for Cifuentes to win his opening game against Rotherham on Saturday.
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