Talking points from QPR’s EFL Cup exit to Crystal Palace – Varane delivers impact in the middle but Celar fails to make case for starting role yet

BY DAN EVANS

QPR exited the EFL Cup on Tuesday night following a 2-1 defeat at home to Premier League side Crystal Palace.

Here are Dan Evans’ talking points from Loftus Road:

VARANE SHINE ON AND OFF THE BALL

Jonathan Varane has not had the most straightforward of starts to his QPR career.

The French midfielder has started just once in the Championship since signing from Sporting Gijon in the summer, and that appearance was brought to an end at the interval following a difficult first half against Sheffield United.

He has been restricted to starts in the EFL Cup since then, and following a strong showing against Luton in the last round, he provided his best Rangers performance against Palace.

The holding midfielder had the daunting task of trying to limit the influence of Ebere Eze and Eddie Nketiah, and although the Palace attackers managed to find the decisive goals to settle the game, Varane was still able to shine.

His ability on the ball, both in terms of passing and carrying possession forwards, had already stood out before, but against Palace, he also showed plenty of defensive prowess.

Varane made seven tackles and four interceptions in the middle of the park, and although he was often left isolated in midfield when Rangers tried to press the visitors, he looked far more comfortable than he has in recent weeks.

SET-PIECE IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE

QPR’s late goal from a corner to rescue a point at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend was seen around the world.

The chaotic nature of Alfie Lloyd’s 96th-minute equaliser at Hillsborough meant it was shared widely on social media.

The set-piece goal that Sam Field scored against Palace was far less dramatic and not quite as scrappy, but it does continue the trend of improvement at dead ball situations under Cifuentes and his assistant Xavi Calm.

Rangers are now one of the most miserly sides in the Championship in terms of defending set-pieces following an initial run of conceding from nine of them in Cifuentes’ first 13 game as head coach.

But they now also make the most of them at the other end of the pitch thanks to the routines worked on by the QPR head coach and his assistant.

Having not scored from a set-piece until Cifuentes’ 15th game in charge last season, they went on to net seven times from such situations in the final 12 matches of the season to help secure Championship safety.

That trend has continued at the start of the current campaign, with Rangers scoring four goals from set-pieces already and also looking far more threatening when the ball is played into the opposition penalty area.

The club is still actively looking to recruit a specialist set-piece coach but Cifuentes and his long-time assistant have proven capable of taking on the role.

FILED FILLS IN AT THE BACK

Field is a player who is always willing to do whatever is required to try and ensure the team get a positive result.

Whether it be by putting his body on the line as he makes blocks and tackles, or by playing through the pain barrier, few of a QPR persuasion can question his commitment to the cause.

However, it was still a surprise to see him selected to play at centre-back against Palace with the team short of defensive options.

Jake Clarke-Salter, Liam Morrison and Morgan Fox all missed the game through injuries of varying degrees of significance, yet Jimmy Dunne – who was used in the centre of defence against Wednesday – was available and on the bench.

In the previous round of the EFL Cup against Luton, Cifuentes replaced Steve Cook with Clarke-Salter at half-time to try and avoid either player adding more minutes than necessary to their early-season workload, and this was another case of the QPR head coach protecting his defensive options for battles to come.

Field acquitted himself well at centre-back and took his goal expertly before later being moved into midfield when Dunne was introduced from the bench.

However, it is unlikely that using him in defence is likely to be a long-term option for Cifuentes given his importance in midfield.

CELAR STRUGGLES TO MAKE AN IMPACT AGAIN

Michael Frey’s strong start to the season has made it possible to overlook the struggles of fellow striker Zan Celar since his move to W12.

Celar was signed for a significant fee in the summer but is yet to score or even have a major impact on a game since arriving in England.

The Slovenian international touched the ball just 13 times against Palace, which was by far the fewest number of any player that started the game.

The striker has only featured as a substitute in the league since starting the opening day defeat to West Brom, with Frey proving to be a talismanic figure upfront.

However, it is far too early to start writing Celar off.

It is clear that he is still adjusting to his team-mates and the team’s way of playing, with his runs into space never quite matching up with passes from midfield.

And against Palace, he was largely left upfront alone against the away side’s three centre-backs – a task that even Frey, at his most influential, would struggle with.

Celar showed in the home games against Plymouth and Luton before the international break that his movement in and around the penalty area can cause opponents problems and lead to chances.

Getting his name on the scoresheet in the near future would no doubt help his adaptation to life in west London.

PICTURES: ROB AVIS