QPR were held to a 0-0 draw by struggling Reading yesterday, a result which ensured Steve McClaren's Hoops end the season inside the top ten.

They're currently eighth, four points outside the play-off spots, a turnaround that has been nothing short of remarkable. They began the season in awful form, suffering a 7-1 humiliation at West Brom and plummeting towards a relegation battle.

McClaren acted decisively, bringing in Nahki Wells, Geoff Cameron and Tomer Hemed to name a few, solidifying their offering. In addition to that, they also have Massimo Luongo in their squad, a fine midfielder whose absence was felt yesterday.

McClaren confirmed the Australian left a huge gap after their draw with The Royals.

“It was a game of two halves. They dominated the first half and it took us a while, with Luongo going out, to adjust with Jordan and Josh in there," he told the Kilburn Times.

“We couldn’t quite get the press on Reading and they had too much possession, but we sorted that out at half-time and in the second half we were excellent. I thought in the second half Josh and Jordan were very good and were instrumental in us just getting a bit of front foot – a bit of pressure on Reading."

“Once we did that and got about them we created chances. We’re disappointed and frustrated that we didn’t win the game, because in the second half we certainly had the best chances.”

With Aston Villa and Sheffield United up next for QPR, their credentials are likely to be tested even further. Unfortunately, they'll continue to suffer from not having Luongo who is on international duty with Australia in the Asian Cup and could miss as many as seven matches.

The Verdict

Luongo not being involved in a huge blow to McClaren. He's the heartbeat of their midfield and all the additions and tweaks made by the former England boss are based on having him in the side.

How quickly his replacement settles is going to be key, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them fall away a little in the coming weeks.

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