Dozzell is too good of a player to drop down to the third tier
Marti Cifuentes has overseen two draws in his opening fixtures as Queens Park Rangers boss following the dismissal of former boss Gareth Ainsworth.
On Saturday, the R’s drew 0-0 with Bristol City at Loftus Road, where Cifuentes’ side continued their unfortunate trait of failing to cause their opponents enough problems in the final third.
QPR have scored just one goal under Cifuentes, which came in the form of an impressive Ilias Chair strike on Saturday, November 4, in the 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Rotherham.
Only Sheffield Wednesday have scored fewer Championship goals than the R’s this season, and creativity has been a big issue, but one player who is certainly not at fault for QPR’s struggles is midfield ace Andre Dozzell, whose contract runs out at the end of the season.
It is absolutely imperative that Cifuentes offer Dozzell a new deal before it is too late, as he brings a real creative edge to the West Londoners. According to Fotmob, the 24-year-old has created 15 chances this season; however, his efforts have resulted in just one assist, so it could be argued that if Dozzell played alongside more clinical attackers, he could have a higher number of goal contributions.
The R’s could have scored substantially more than their current tally of 11 Championship goals if they made more of the chances created by Dozzell alone. This provides new boss Cifuentes with all the more reason to tie his man down to a contract extension at Loftus Road. Dozzell also has an impressive dribble success rate of 83.3%, so his individual ability on the ball is clear for all Championship observers to see.
The former England Under-19 Euros winner has also scored on two occasions this campaign, which makes him QPR’s joint second-highest scorer, although it could be argued that this statistic emphasizes the R’s woes in front of goal, especially when it is brought to light that full-back Kenneth Paal is the club’s top scorer on just three goals.
Dozzell’s two goals this season were his first two strikes for the R’s, which shows that despite the team’s recent plight, he has made an individual improvement.
Should Dozzell sign a new deal?
Perhaps not just yet, because although new gaffer Cifuentes put an end to the R’s six-game-long losing streak, the West London outfit is still in a worrisome situation that sees them five points adrift of safety.
Relegation is still a distinct possibility, and Dozzell is too good of a player to drop down to the third tier, so he could not be blamed if he left the R’s on a free in the event of relegation.
This, in the club’s opinion, makes it more imperative to offer Dozell a new contract as soon as it is practically feasible.
Everyone associated with QPR would feel more confident if a key player were to sign a new deal. This kind of confidence can help a struggling team achieve success in the future.
Dozzell has contributed significantly to QPR since joining in 2021, but this season has seen him perform at his best, so Cifuentes will be eager to work out a new contract with the midfield star.
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