Hughes is up for daunting run-in

 
Ian Gibb20 March 2012

Facing seven of the top eight teams in the last 10 games is a frightening prospect for a team threatened by relegation.

But Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes claims his side’s daunting climax to the season, which starts with the visit of Liverpool tomorrow night, could work in their favour.

“It is a difficult run-in but the pressure is off, somewhat bizarrely,” said Hughes. “Maybe we’re the underdogs and not expected to win — but we can use that as a positive.”

It’s easy to spot the root of QPR’s troubles that have sucked them steadily into the bottom three.

The Rangers boss has paraded six different back fours in his eight Premier League games in charge, featuring eight different players. Among those, Nedum Onuoha and Clint Hill have switched from central defence or the reverse.

With just one win and five defeats in those eight games, Hughes said: “Of course it is crucial for a successful team to have a regular back four. But in those games we lost Luke Young to injury, Danny Gabbidon hasn’t played since the first one, then we lost Armand Traore to the African Cup of Nations and Taye Taiwo came back from that tournament. It’s not been ideal for a settled side.”

Hughes is pinning so many hopes on his front two of Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora, easily the best strike force of the bottom five clubs.

He added: “We’ve got threats in the team that can hurt anybody in the Premier League.”

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