‘Play me up front and I’ll score’, QPR star tells Warnock -

‘Play me up front and I’ll score’, QPR star tells Warnock - QPR - London 24

Blackpool's DJ Campbell during the pre-match warm up
‘Play me up front and I’ll score’, QPR star tells Warnock

Ian Cooper Tuesday, September 13, 2011
12:23 PM

Wide man Campbell eager to re-produce Blackpool form

DJ Campbell is happy to keep his position as QPR’s wide man - but believes his best form will only come if he reprises the centre-forward role that made him Blackpool’s top-scorer last season.

Campbell recovered from a viral infection to make a late cameo in the Rs’ 0-0 draw with Newcastle United on Monday night, coming on to play on the right of Neil Warnock’s three-man attack.

So far this season Warnock has opted for Jay Bothroyd as the spearhead of Rangers’ attack, with Campbell, Adel Taarabt and Shaun Wright-Phillips supporting from the flanks.

Campbell though, says his preferred position is playing through the middle, and is eager to reproduce the form that brought him 13 goals and made him the Tangerines’ top-scorer last season.

“When I signed he [Warnock] obviously knew I wanted to play in the middle, he knows that’s my position, that’s how I scored the goals I did last year,” said the 29-year-old from west London.

“If he needs me to play on the left or the right I’ll do it for the team, we’re all in it together.

“But where I’ll score my goals I believe is in the middle.”

Despite Warnock’s new-look QPR failing to score, Campbell was impressed with his team-mates’ performance which brought about a second clean sheet in three Premier League games, pointing to the additions of veterans such as Joey Barton – who replaced Taarabt as captain against his former side – Danny Gabbidon and Luke Young as key figures this season.

He also believes that the side are better equipped defensively to achieve Premier League survival than Ian Holloway’s Blackpool team were last season, although he admitted he would not be surprised to see more new arrivals at the club when the transfer window re-opens in January.

“Tony’s come in and spent a bit of money, which is great for the lads. He’s brought in a lot of players, Premier League players who have been here and done it. Once we get to know each other a bit more I’m sure we’ll get better,” added Campbell.

“Blackpool was a team no-one really knew about. We used a lot of players that hadn’t played in the Premier League, I think I was the only one that had Premier League experience.

“For quality, this is probably a better team. We look solid as a team, you can see the attacking players we’ve got now which the gaffer’s brought in, so we’ve just got to make sure that we’re solid. “Blackpool were great going forward but a bit open at times and that’s why we conceded a lot of goals. I don’t think the gaffer will allow that this time, he’s more defensive than attacking really, and obviously Ian Holloway’s more attacking than defensive.

“It’s good times at QPR at the moment and hopefully it will continue. If we need players in January I’m sure the chairman will go into his pocket again.”

Follow Ian Cooper @QPRTimes

iReader

 

He looked really sharp when he came on last night. Could turn out to be a 15-goal man if he gets picked often enough. Not quite sure why Phillips and Bothroyd swapped positions in the second half considering how well things were going in the first.

Still, at last we have a QPR side that oozes Top Tier quality.

 

He's right. Sadly for DJ it will be to get the striker we missed out on in August however. He and Bothroyd have until then to prove that they are somewhere near the quality of the more recent intake.

 

I'm Sparticus!!

 

D J is gonna hit form with us...I can feel it...

 

Personally, I'd play Flanman up front!