TALISMAN LUKE TIPPED FOR TOP
Boss McClaren hails impact of midfield maestro
IN THE hurly burly of Championship footballer, there are not too many individual artists who stand out – QPR have got one in Luke Freeman.
The attacking midfielder missed the R’s 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough with a hip injury last weekend, but returned with the only goal of the game in the surprise midweek home victory against promotion-chasing Leeds United on Tuesday night.
But it wasn’t just the winner, a stylish flick of the boot to guide the ball home, that made Freeman stand out. It was his all-round display.
He got on the ball, he surged forward at pace and left opponents trailing in his wake, he showed classy control.
He was the stand-out player and the massive ovation he received from the Loftus Road faithful when he was substituted with just a few minutes left was richly deserved.
QPR boss Steve McClaren, relieved to see a sickening run of seven league defeats in a row come to an end, was drooling over Freeman’s display and is no doubt grateful that the former Arsenal youngster is under contract to 2021.
Spark
With eight goal and four assists pre-weekend, he is a key man for Rangers and gives them that creative spark they’re crying out for.
It would be no surprise if clubs higher up the food chain weren’t taking notice of the talented left-footer.
After the win against Leeds, former England boss McClaren said: “Luke showed his real quality, but it’s not just his quality - he’s got infectious enthusiasm.
“When you are looking for leadership and you are looking for people to have courage and get on the ball, he’s got all that.
“He can create and he’s scored a great goal, he got in the box. I think he was our talisman tonight. There were a lot of heroic performances but his was incredible.”
And McClaren reckons the sky is the limit for the ex-Ste- venage and Bristol City man, who turns 27 later this month. “He’s someone who can play at the top of the Championship, he could play in that Leeds team,” he enthused. “He could play Premier League, so we’re delighted to have him here.” But it wasn’t just Freeman’s display that delighted the QPR boss – it was the team effort that got them over the line. “We made mistakes but we fought for each other,” said McClaren. “That’s the key thing. We always say cover your mate and tonight we covered our mate. There was always someone behind covering, clearing.
“If they got through our back four, we had Joe Lumley who made some great saves and got us the points.”
Advert
McClaren felt his side’s victory was a great advert for how tough English football’s second tier is. Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds would have gone top with a win, but were beaten by a side in freefall.
“Leeds are a great team and you can see that in the football they play - the rotations, the chances they create, the combinations,” he said. “They are going to be well up there. But this Championship is so tough and what you’ve seen epitomises it. We fought like crazy.”
Now McClaren is hoping his side, who were 17th heading into yesterday’s derby at Brentford, can finish the season with a flourish.
He added: “I said at the beginning of the season when we lost four games that teams like us that are in that middle pack fighting away will probably have two crises in a season. I hope it’s only two!
“We had one earlier and this was turning into that. We had to stay calm, patient and keep working.”