Double Chair lift at Pompey can spark real consistency for QPR this season

Fratton Park ahead of kick-off : Picture by Julian Taylor

Portsmouth 1-3 Queens Park Rangers

Consistency. Staying calm. Trusting in the plan.

A very satisfied Julien Stephan has pointed to the fundamental tenets for a successful QPR campaign.

The R's boss had justified satisfaction following an opening day Championship raid on the south coast.

A long-awaited 3-1 win at Portsmouth was well deserved. Coming from an early setback, two goals from Ilias Chair and another from Koki Saito show just what this QPR side are all about - but only if they can operate with such potency on a regular basis.

When Portsmouth went ahead at Fratton Park on Saturday, events looked set to favour the hosts and prolong a dismal sequence of results, lasting a full 26 years. Still, on this evidence, Stephan has established steel and self-belief. The character and consistency which clearly pleased him will be very much needed if the R's are to funnel their way out of what is so often a humdrum mid-placing residence in the league table.

QPR's game management and mood were the best aspects of this win. On other, previous, occasions various R's teams have folded upon going behind early on.

Perhaps, Stephan is on to something here. Keeping Chair and Saito at the club and recruiting the likes of Pierce Charles as first choice goalkeeper, on loan from Manchester City, all contributed to the breezy feeling among the near-3,000 Hoops' fans who enjoyed their day at Fratton Park.

Resolve

Portsmouth's utility man Terry Devlin's superb, rangy strike from distance which sailed past his Northern Ireland international team mate, Charles, was an early test of resolve. With Stephan cajoling and animated on the touchline, the west Londoners stayed composed - showing a clinical side to their nature, resulting in a comfortable win.

Indeed, that Chair and Saito put QPR in command underneath blazing sunshine before the half time whistle had blown shows how the positivity is surging around Loftus Road.

It should also be mentioned that this was the R's first triumph at Fratton Park for 26 years - back in the era of Gerry Francis's management. Another era of football entirely.

Of course it is early days, and despite exiting the Carabao Cup on penalties just over a week ago, Stephan hopes such enterprising form can help raise QPR's general sense of direction.

"To concede like that early on tests you", said the R's chief. "But the group stayed calm, trusted the plan, and turned the momentum right before the break."

There may have been the odd flurry from John Mousinho's men in the second half, but the visitors remained comfortable - there was never any real danger of conceding any points. Further encouragement for Stephan was that his charges showed no signs of wilting in front of a sold out, passionate Pompey crowd.

This was a Chair masterclass. The zesty Moroccan was at the heart of all positivity from the Hoops, as was Saito. It was only fitting, therefore, that the duo were the goal-getters on the day. All R's fans hope this is the first of many superb combinations, starting with the visit of Bolton Wanderers to W12 on Saturday, 

Stunning

A stunning 15-minute turnaround before the interval underlined the sort of counter-attacking sharpness by QPR which Stephan is trying to instil. Chair equalised in the 33rd minute from a Harvey Vale delivery, before turning provider seven minutes later to set up Saito, and then tapped home a third right on the stroke of half-time via Amadou Mbengue's assist. If QPR are to seriously progress they must hope to the heavens that their creative pair remain injury free throughout 2026-27.

Showing impressive character, verve and netting three goals from a ruthless first-half transition showed that the team have - for one game at least - channelled the lessons of their previous struggles into a lethal, clinical blueprint.

Stephan added: "This is always a tough place to come and a very intense atmosphere. I enjoyed the reaction of the players. In general I want to be positive after this game, because I think we did a good one, with maturity and quality.

"I have to be demanding with them, and we can speak about the last 10 or 15 minutes - probably we have to improve on some things. If we want to have good results in the long term, we need to have consistency."

Charles, meanwhile, made his league debut for the R's. The Northern Ireland international was solid throughout and the distribution for which he is known for club and country is likely to be a potent weapon for rapid transitional phases this season.

Described as "outstanding" by Stephan already, the 21 year old's potential to keep the door locked can help provide the basis for what could be a very intriguing season for QPR. And with Bolton winning their opening game of the Championship campaign against Preston, the Trotters will travel to the capital in hope.

The presumed memo now from Stephan through the coming days is for QPR to try to take advantage of a team settling back into the second tier after coming up from League One. Moreover, the hope from R's fans is that a replica of the dismantling of Pompey is not an early season case of isolated buoyancy.