Recently, QPR manager, Harry Redknapp, acquired the services of Cardiff City captain, Steven Caulker with the 23 year old signing on for the West London club for over £8m on a 4 year deal. A lot of speculation amongst the lower clubs vying for him drew him closer and closer to Redknapp and his team over at Loftus Road. The former England international already has a record playing under him, having been a youth product over at Tottenham Hotspur. Now, most of the higher end clubs are looking to boost their defensive weakness in preparation for the coming Premier League season and with such great talent being put up for sale, it’s a shame that the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool & Everton couldn’t convince the player to join them.
The prospect of playing alongside ex-Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand is one big reason why he moved over to play in the blue and white jersey. No doubt, in his glory days, Ferdinand was one of most feared players in the back 4 for the Reds. His partnership with Serbian international, Nemanja Vidic is probably the best seen in a very long time and their period of reign is long gone. So what does Caulker achieve here at QPR besides exceptional game time and a little bit of side dish experience?
If you look at his past performance over at the various clubs he’s played for, you can definitely put him down in the above average candidates list who fit in to play good football if at the right club. Personally I feel it’s a letdown on a player level but for the team itself, you might see some creativity from the R’s with his physicality and presence of mind.
He’s the type of player who’s brilliant at marking a single player or maybe two players at once. The box is literally run in his name with set pieces becoming a tough job to overcome for the opposition. Also, the pace and composure Caulker plays at is quite level with his age and experience combined. Being physical at the back, plus the vision he has to look past his opponents and grasp the game quickly makes him a better player than the rest of his positional value. His captaincy also proves to be a vital point for his teammates. At such a young age, getting the captain’s armband shows how much of a team player you are and how the confidence that oozes from the player encourages the entire squad.
His recent venture at Cardiff City saw him score 5 goals in 39 total appearances, a stunning figure for the marksmen at the back. To reel out the pace and push forward with the changing tempo of the game separates him from the rest and that’s why it’s a big miss unfortunately for the young lad to be picked up by QPR, which will fancy their chances of tallying 40 points and above for the board, a realistic aim bearing in mind, a talented player plays for the team.
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