The search for Rangers next manager is on and Michale Beale is the leading candidate to make an emotional return to Glasgow.
Record Sport revealed the Londoner is keen to renew his Ibrox love affair 12 months after leaving with former boss Steven Gerrard for Aston Villa. And what a 12 months it's been for Beale with the 42-year-old exiting Villa Park in the summer to take the reins at Queens Park Rangers. And it's all change at Ibrox once again with Gerrard's successor Gio van Bronckhorst axed on Monday as a combination of domestic blues and the worst Champions League group stage in history put paid to the man who led Rangers to the Europa League Final. Beale said no to Wolves last month and stated his strong relationship with Les Ferdinand and other key QPR decision makers was pivotal. But a Rangers return could prove too good to turn down.
Beale has has spoken at length about his family's joy of life north of the border. He returned to catch up with old pals for the win over Aberdeen and even stopped into a well-known Rangers pub for a refreshment before kick-off. But would the old dog bring new tricks? Gerrard is on record stating Beale was the dominant force when it came to tactics and personnel during their time in Glasgow which led to Scottish Premiership title win by 25 points plus consecutive trips to the last 16 of the Europa League.
To answer that Record Sport takes a trip to W12 in London to look at how his QPR evolution could lend itself to Rangers if he succeeds van Bronckhorst.
How QPR set up
You can call it a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 and on many occasions it's both. In truth, there is a controlled chaos about the way QPR operate in their search for goals and results. Overlaps, position switches and flooding specific areas of the pitch to target weaknesses is the norm. The image below gives a real sense of a side that plays as a frontrunner – a team determined to set the tone from first minute to last - as after only two minutes of their 3-0 trouncing of Cardiff they had the Bluebirds pinned back.
That win over Cardiff – amid the backdrop of being chased by Wolves – is the Beale blueprint. His side boasted 22 shots to four, 70 per cent of possession and 2-0 up at the break thanks to a double from Scotland international Lyndon Dykes. But there's a chameleon element to way Beale lines up. The 1-0 win over Sheffield United in October was based on a counter-attacking spark behind only 35 per cent possession as the Blades dominated the ball. Paul Heckingbottom's side were largely restricted to potshots and it was a display akin to the many impressive away days Gerrard and Beale masterminded during their time together at Rangers. Versatility is key.
The key QPR numbers
Here's what the data tells about QPR and how Beale's first four months in the dugout has gone.
31 - The amount of shots Beale's QPR registered in the shock 2-1 defeat to Huddersfield - 10 more than in any other game.
83 - The per cent of successful passes per game for the R's - the third best in the Championship.
38 - The amount of offensive challenges won, among the league's best, which underlines Beale's demand to press high.
63 - The dribble kings of the Championship as QPR have had more successful runs with the ball than any team in the Championship.
47 - The number of air challenges won leads any side in the top half of the league with Leon Balogun topping the charts.
The CHAIR-man of entertainment
Yes, results have been hard to come by in recent weeks for QPR but the heady talents of Ilias Chair have been the intoxicating element which keeps purring Loftus Road diehards coming back for more.
The Morocco international is at the World Cup and he's arguably the best player in the Championship. A playmaker with pace, power and an eye for goal is destined for the Premier League or another of European football's top divisions in the coming season. The write-up on Beale is on his methodical attention to detail but the further success of Chair under his guidance is a lesson in simplicity. The knack of getting a creative player in dangerous areas is, sometimes, easier said than done but Beale's system and commitment to his most creative player should be lauded.
His three goals and six assists are impressive, however, Chair could well boast loftier stats if a clutch of his telling through balls were seized upon by team-mates. Before the run of four defeats in five, Chair was averaging two key chances created per game and 12 passes beyond in the final third. But, like his team-mates, he has tailed off in recent weeks. But there's no doubt Chair brings an X-factor to the final third.
Gerrard's Rangers were known for their full-backs operating as auxiliary wingers but the mercurial Chair excels in darting runs in what can be described as an inside forward position. Malik Tillman has flashed magic during his time with Rangers but consistency still eludes him. The Bayern Munich loanee appears in need of some guidance and Beale's knack for unlocking his most creative players bodes well.
Col of Duty
Let's go back to Dykes and his impressive form as it offers a fascinating insight into what could lie in wait for Antonio Colak if Beale becomes the next manager of Rangers. The 26-year-old has been excellent for QPR this season and it's in no small part to Beale's style of play which aims to get everything out of his focal point at the top of the pitch.
Colak has been thriving with 14 goals in all competitions but the strike he netted against Aberdeen in the recent 4-1 win is exactly the type of goal which has become the hallmark of Beale's QPR. He wants his team to break quickly and win the ball high up the pitch.
Dykes' six goals don't do him justice as his superior all-round game gives QPR a physical edge in the final third, however, there's a compelling case Colak would be in double figures if he was leading the line for the Championship promotion hopefuls. But both spend more than 35 per cent of their time inside the final third occupying central defenders. Beale won't reinvent the wheel but he will make sure his best players are featured heavily.
And, much like the success of Chair, Beale specialises in putting his players in their best positions. Perhaps among the many moans about van Bronckhorst's style of play was the missing element of the full-backs getting forward. Well, Beale was the architect of Borna Barisic and James Tavernier bombing forward to support and overlap the wide men and that remains with starting full-backs Ethan Laird and Kenneth Paal producing five assists between them this season. Expect Colak to gorge on more goals if Beale earns the Ibrox top job. Colak and Dykes both average over 1.5 per shots per game and win over 30 per cent of their aerial duels.
And the Beale X-factor
The likes of Tillman and Colak would be new toys to play with, of course, but it would be remiss to downplay a revival under a pair of maligned stars in Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos. Both can talk to other clubs next month and their impact at Ibrox appears to be waning but Beale will likely feel confident he can revive their fortunes.
And the biggest takeaway from Beale at QPR is his early success has been based on doing the simple things well. Yes, that is backed-up by detailed tactical instructions from a man who is obsessive about the beautiful game, however, his knack for getting his best players in areas to hurt the opposition has been his calling card in both Glasgow and London. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.
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