Lee Cook column: QPR have to strengthen their squad further or could be set for another season of disappointment

Lee Cook remains a popular figure with QPR fans after proving to be a big success as a player at Loftus Road Archant

QPR favourite Lee Cook discusses Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, his current thoughts on the Rangers squad and the need to bolster the forward line before the summer transfer window closes.

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Hello all and welcome to my first-ever column for the Brent & Kilburn Times.

I loved my time at QPR and will always look back on those days with fond memories, so when I was asked to start these columns I was delighted to do so.

Due to a shoulder injury, which will be getting operated on in the next few weeks, it will mean I’ll be able to get down to Rangers a lot more in the coming months, though I’m still hoping to play some football this season.

Looking at the squad Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has assembled so far, I feel there is still a lot of improvement to make in order for the Rs to push on and achieve greater success than last season.

Jimmy has made some solid signings in the transfer market, but unspectacular ones in my opinion.

I think he needs to bring in at least another five or six players or we’ll be in for another season of disappointment come May.

The most pressing concern is that we need a new front two pairing. When you look at what Sebastian Polter and Conor Washington provided for us last season, it just wasn’t good enough to be honest.

They cost around £4million combined and between them only managed seven goals.

People say you’ve got to give these players time, but you haven’t got that time in modern day football.

QPR have got to hit the ground running from the off or it could be curtains for Jimmy.

You need two strikers that work well together and at the minute we haven’t really got that.

We need a brute up front who is going to bring those players like Tjaronn Chery and Massimo Luongo into the game. Sometimes you need to bring players in not for their goal record, but who are going to help your best players in the team.

We need someone like that up front. You need a big, fearsome centre forward with a bit of pace who causes problems every time they get on the ball. That is something we’re desperately lacking at the moment.

You look at the lower leagues and there’s a few of them about, John Akinde at Barnet is one of them – he’s very good at doing that.

We need that type of player and a natural goalscorer who will get you 15 to 20 goals a season, so it’s going to be an interesting month before the window closes.