Queens Park Rangers’ anecdote of the last six seasons or so does tell one that they have gone through a rollercoaster ride. Two promotions, two relegations, an emphatic last day survival and last season’s mediocrity: the Hoops have seen it all in the aforesaid period. Currently placed seventeenth in the Championship table, QPR are already adrift of the promotion spots despite having a decent set of players, which leaves a lot to be desired.
However they are making ramifications and earlier this week, the London outfit acquired the services of Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kazenga LuaLua on loan for the remainder of the ongoing season. The Congolese footballer became QPR’s first purchase of the January transfer window because finding limited first-team opportunities with the Seagulls after he had undergone a knee surgery which kept him out for six weeks was frustrating for the player. Besides his injury, abusive behaviour towards the officials which led to a six-match ban.
Although he is a prized asset in the Championship with the attributes such as pace, power and experience under his belt, the acquisitions of Anthony Knockaert and Jiri Skalak coupled with the availability and utility of Solly March and Jamie Murphy has forced manager Chris Hughton to overlook the employability of LuaLua.
He is a proven customer and QPR have successfully landed a player with high calibre who has appeared on 183 appearances for Brighton, in the process of which he has scored 22 goals as well.
Ian Holloway’s men have found finding the back of the net a pretty tough job. To bolster his attacking pursuits (they have scored just 8 goals in the last 10 matches), the 26-year-old winger has been brought in, and quite rightly so. LuaLua is a typical wide man, who knows how to stretch the defence, make the overlapping runs, try to get the crosses into the box and also has the strength to handle tight situations meticulously. Moreover, he has a knack to score goals and these traits are likely to ensure that he becomes hit at the Loftus Road.
The former Newcastle United winger is fitter and hungrier and this loan move, if successful, can aid Brighton as well, considering the fact that Lualua will play a handful of teams who are placed below them in the Championship table. Also, it is very likely that LuaLua will be used on a regular basis by Holloway which will allow him to up his form which has been erratic in recent times before assessing his future in the summer.
