A positive performance from QPR against league-leaders Coventry City saw Stéphan’s men pick up a well-deserved 3 points, a week after their late heartbreak against Wrexham.
Coventry City, while admittedly on a poor run of form, are undoubtedly one of the best performing teams in the league statistically. Here is their performance in just one metric, measuring the efficiency of ball transition into the final third.
So, how did Stéphan set up his team to nullify Coventry’s threats and make the most of QPR’s limited possession (37%)?
Out-of-Possession: A familiar approach
Against Coventry City, Stéphan’s team set up in his preferred 442 shape out-of-possession, operating in a mid-block. In this mid-block, Kone and Vale were likely provided specific instructions to nullify the threat posed by Matt Grimes.
Grimes (30Y), signed for Coventry midway through last season, and has been pivotal to Coventry’s build-up and ball progression, recording impressive numbers in his passing and possession statistics (data: FotMob);
- 87.1% pass completion; 87th percentile
- 2.01 chances created/90; 97th percentile
- 70% dribble success rate; 92nd percentile
- 88.2 touches/90; 98th percentile
So, how did QPR set up to minimise Grimes’ influence on the game? Off-the-ball, Kone and Vale position themselves to cut off the passing lane from the defensive line to Grimes.
This denial of central passing options frequently caused Coventry to shift the ball out wide. As Coventry look to progress the ball through the wing-backs, Dembele / Smyth trigger their press. This ultimately results in Coventry being forced to play the ball long.
A common pattern we can see in response to the difficulty Grimes faced in receiving the ball is the player dropping into the defensive line to get more touches on the ball and help facilitate progression. In response to this, we can see one of Kone or Vale step up to press Grimes, limiting his time on the ball considerably.
Grimes ultimately had little influence on the game, thanks largely to the way in which QPR set up.
In-Possession: A New Shape
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Before the game, I predicted Stéphan would line up in a 4231. And, despite FotMob listing the formation as a 4231 as well, I think there were clear signs throughout the game that QPR were instead utilising a 433 shape.
In build-up, we can see Hayden sitting deeper, with Madsen in the ‘№8’ and Vale playing more advanced.
I have previously spoken about the strengths of a 433 system over a 442, most notably due to its superior versatility. A stronger midfield presence provides greater balance, allowing the ball to be progressed either through the middle of the pitch, or through the flanks, and allowing both a patient or direct approach.
The versatility of the 433 can be seen in action against Coventry, during the build-up and progression phases, where QPR both played through the press…
… and opted for a more direct approach, playing a long forward pass towards Richard Kone.
Our play with the ball looked far more effective in this system than in our previously utilised 442. The team selection offered a very balanced midfield, including the mobile and technical ‘№10’ Harvey Vale, the composed presence of the ‘№8’ Madsen, and the disciplined ‘№6’ Hayden. In particular, QPR benefitted from Madsen’s freedom to get further forward, allowing him to utilise his passing strengths to help penetrate into the final third.
Top Performers
- Richard Kone
- Nicolas Madsen
- Harvey Vale
Richard Kone
In each statcard, ‘per 90 +/-’ refers to the deviation from their expected performance given their per 90 statistics from across the season.
There was some difficulty deciding between Richard Kone and Nicolas Madsen for the Man of the Match, with the latter picking up a goal and an assist. However, considering the strength of their performances relative to their season so far, Kone was a standout.
I believe that the 433 system really brought the best out of Richard Kone, allowing him to act as the focal point of our attacks. I previously wrote about how I believed Kone would benefit from a change in system, and I think we saw that on Saturday.
His hold-up play was superb, but what he really impressed me with was his movement and finishing in the box. For his goal — which was taken superbly — Kone got around his man well to attack the near post, and from a chance with an xG of just 0.12, Kone produced an xGOT of 0.89 with a beautiful, instinctive finish across goal.
If Kone can consistently perform to these levels in this system, we have a real player on our hands.
Nicolas Madsen
A complete performance from QPR’s star man, Madsen thrived in a more advanced position for QPR. He balanced his defensive and offensive duties well, setting up Kone for Rangers’ first before powering home himself for the match winner.
Madsen’s importance to QPR this season cannot be overstated enough. He is integral to our build-up and progression with the ball, and consistently generates high-quality chances through his set-piece deliveries. Long may the reign of the Danish Pirlo continue.
Harvey Vale
Vale started in the №10 position against Wrexham, however I think he demonstrated his value to the team to a far greater extent on Saturday. He created 3 chances, including a beautiful trivela pass for Daniel Bennie towards the end of the game. Vale was unfortunate not to get an assist against Coventry City, but he impressed with his on-the-ball ability, complementing Kone well.
Out of possession, Vale fulfilled his role brilliantly, constantly tracking Matt Grimes and covering 11.9km over the course of the match (#1 rank; source: Genius Sports via QPR). Whether Vale retains this position upon the return of Ilias Chair remains to be seen, however two very impressive performances in a row for the 22 year old suggest there may be a place in the team for him.