QPR currently on six-game winless streak ahead of trip to Blues

Brent & Kilburn Times: Queens Park Rangers' Jamie Mackie (left) is still suspended for the trip to Birmingham City (pic: Adam Davy/PA)Queens Park Rangers' Jamie Mackie (left) is still suspended for the trip to Birmingham City (pic: Adam Davy/PA) (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Queens Park Rangers manager Ian Holloway says he may freshen up his starting XI for the trip to Birmingham City in the Championship on Saturday in an effort to end the west Londoners’ wretched run of form.

The Rs are winless in their last six in the league, with their last triumph coming at home to Sheffield United on October 31.

Since then, QPR have taken just one point from a possible 18, a run which has seen them slide down the table.

Holloway has already tried a change in formation to alter the Loftus Road club’s fortunes, but it seems a tinkering with personnel is his next option in attempting to end the winless run.

“We’ll look at the stats, look at who’s there, look at who’s fit, look at who’s not suspended and look at where we are,” said the 54-year-old.

“We’ll see if maybe I can freshen it up with a little bit of people who haven’t had to go through this (run) because it looks like the boys are getting down a bit.”

QPR are without a win in their last 17 away games in the Championship, a run dating back to February.

This weekend, though, QPR visit the scene of their last success on the road, having beaten Birmingham 4-1 at St Andrew’s last season.

The Rs are in desperate need of a similar result this weekend as they look to avoid dropping further down the table and closer to the relegation zone.

City currently occupy the final relegation place, but are only six points adrift of Holloway’s men.

It looks set to be a crucial game for both sides on Saturday, and the potential importance of all three points is not lost on the QPR boss.

“We need to get on with the next game and see where we go. If we can get three points from it, then good,” added the former Millwall manager.

“We have to get rid of the away hoodoo. We have Birmingham next, we won there last year so let’s have another go, that’s all we can do.

“If you keep doing things in one zone and in the other zone, the most important zones, and you’re not quite getting them right, you end up with the wrong score.”

QPR could welcome back Alex Baptiste this weekend for the trip to the Midlands after he served a one-game ban in the 3-1 defeat at home to Leeds United on Saturday, but Jamie Mackie will miss out as he serves the second game of a three-match ban.