QPR Have Suddenly Got a Shit-Hot Championship Defence, So Will That Make Them Dark Horses This Season?

QPR Have Suddenly Got a Shit-Hot Championship Defence, So Will That Make Them Dark Horses This Season?

The Championship starts back again tomorrow and that means one thing, 46 games to find the 2 sides that automatically join the Prem and 4 that must fight it out. However, there might already be a dark horse for those spots. A side that finished in the bottom half last season. One that has now improved their defence massively. QPR.

You might look at that and piss yourself laughing. QPR? The team with the second worst defence in the league last season. The only team with a worse defence was Sheffield Wednesday who was killed off by point deductions. Well, yes that QPR, they could be special this season.

Let’s start with who they’ve signed. Boy Kemper sounds like a superhero, and he could be that flying down the wing on the overlap. He joined from NAC Breda and last season contributed to 9 goals from left back. However, he is more than that, he is a defensive beast. Making 50 tackles, 23 interceptions and 13 blocks from left back. He will be an automatic improvement for them.

✍️ Pierce Charles - ✅
✍️ Calum Ward - ✅
✍️ Tariq Lamptey - ✅
✍️ Boy Kemper - ✅
✍️ Dennis Cirkin - ✅
✍️ Glen Kamara - ✅

QPR have enjoyed a very impressive summer transfer window thus far! 👏

How would you rank this summer's recruitment out of ten, Rs fans? 🤔#QPR pic.twitter.com/B3JGb8QqXd

— Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24) August 13, 2026

Then the main man they have bought in is none other than ex-Cobham, ex-Brighton fullback Tariq Lamptey. Still only 25 he is still someone who can grow and develop. However, injuries have halted this growth. Can QPR let him find himself again. If so, he will be a totally different level than anyone else.

With that, can QPR change their defence from something that got parted like the red sea to an iron curtain that can’t be breached. That’s the question. If they do perform to what they can, then they are more than likely an early dark horse.