Edwards might be moved into QPR’s midfield

Ronnie Edwards might be moved into midfield for QPR’s game at Birmingham City.

Edwards, primarily a centre-back, has been deployed as a defensive midfielder in the past.

Julien Stephan has been reluctant to play Edwards in midfield but is considering doing so on Wednesday because of Rangers’ limited options.

Sam Field is on loan at Norwich, Nicolas Madsen is among those out injured, and Jonathan Varane only recently returned from injury.

Head coach Stephan therefore moved Edwards into midfield during Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at home to Middlesbrough and might deploy him in the role at St Andrews.

“I don’t have a lot of options in midfield and I need to reflect because Jonathan has come back from injury and I’m not sure will be able to play three games in a week,” said Stephan, whose team will be away to Leicester on Saturday.

“I have to find some options. That’s why I wanted to see Ronnie in the last 15 to 20 minutes of the (Middlesbrough) game as a midfielder.”

Rangers will head to the West Midlands having lost three matches in a row, conceding 11 goals in the process and scoring none.

But Stephan does not believe significant changes would help – and in any case his options are limited by the number of players currently unavailable.

He said: “To change the shape we need experienced players who understand very quickly what you want to do on the pitch.

“I think now, in this moment, you need to be very simple. The more simple, the better it is, because when you drop in terms of confidence, especially with some young players, you don’t have to invent difficult things – just stay simple and try to rebuild confidence.”