By Ben Kosky IT S stating the obvious to cite goals as QPR s Achilles heel last season – but assistant manager John Gorman sees no cause for panic. Along with Doncaster Rovers, the men from Loftus Road found the net fewer times (42) than anyone else in th

By Ben Kosky

IT'S stating the obvious to cite goals as QPR's Achilles heel last season - but assistant manager John Gorman sees no cause for panic.

Along with Doncaster Rovers, the men from Loftus Road found the net fewer times (42) than anyone else in the Championship last term - and have just sold the only player to reach double figures.

Little-known Alessandro Pellicori is the only orthodox striker to arrive at Rangers since Dexter Blackstock's departure, yet Gorman feels the club can be confident of a much better scoring return this year.

"We feel we've already accomplished a team that's strong defensively and everyone keeps telling us we need more goals, but there are goals in this team from all over the place," Gorman told the Times.

"Everyone's got to stop thinking it's only meant to be the forward players who score. We're expecting goals from midfield, from the wide players and we're hoping defenders will pop up from set plays as well.

"That's happened already in pre-season. Angelo Balanta's hit a few and Gavin Mahon's come up with a couple. I think that's what makes a good team, if they share goals around.

"I wish people would stop asking if we're going to buy players. Fans all over the country are almost forcing managers to go out and buy players, but what does it do?

"No disrespect to Man City, it takes time for players to settle in together. We will bring people in when we think it's right, but look at the ones we've got back from injury - having them is like brand new players coming to the club."

With the likes of Rowan Vine and Martin Rowlands ready to begin the new campaign, there is a fair degree of optimism that Rangers, under new manager Jim Magilton, can make a concerted push towards the top six.

And Magilton's number two, whose lengthy coaching career has included previous experience at this level with five different clubs - most recently Ipswich - is well placed to assess the Rs' prospects.

"We've got a very good opportunity," insisted Gorman. "We've kept a number of players from last year and, while we've lost two or three, that's inevitable and it was ongoing anyway.

"Without a doubt, we want promotion, but at this stage every club has got those expectations. Even teams who just stayed up will be thinking 'this is our year'.

"We're hopeful of being one of the clubs that are up there. Even though things look dodgy at Newcastle at the moment, they're still a big club with good support and that'll help them along.

"Middlesbrough and West Brom have kept most of their players, Ipswich have a new manager and high expectations, Sheffield United nearly made it and they're always a strong team to play against.

"But I think there could be another team out of the pack that nobody would predict. Leicester, for instance, have been on a high - they might start well and be one of those teams that keep going.

"Sometimes you can start the season not so well, build gradually and finish on a real high and get promoted. But if you do start well, you have to maintain that the whole season.