'High level' - Marti Cifuentes praises QPR striker's form ahead of Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace

Marti Cifuentes has commended his striker.Marti Cifuentes has commended his striker.
Marti Cifuentes has commended his striker. | Getty Images
The January signing as already trebled his total goal tally from last season.

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes has heaped praise on striker Michael Frey after the 30-year-old bagged the winner against Luton Town on Friday night.

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The forward joined the R's from Royal Antwerp in January but had an underwhelming start to life at Loftus Road. The Swiss scored in his second QPR appearance but then endured a barren run before a muscle injury ended his season in April.

QPR prioritised the signing of attacking reinforcements this summer with Zan Celar coming in from Lugano to compete for the starting striker position. The 25-year-old bagged 21 goals in all competitions last season but his arrival appears to have sparked Frey into a new vein of form.

Frey grabbed his first goal of the season in the Carabao Cup against Cambridge United and added to that against Plymouth Argyle. Then, on Friday evening, he picked up a goal and an assist against Luton Town.

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Speaking after the game, Cifuentes said: “He produced a very good performance and I am very happy for him.

“He had a tough arrival to English football last season because he became injured when he was starting to look very sharp. This season he has started at a very high level and that is very good news for the team because with him and Žan [Celar] we feel we have very good cover at the top.

“I have confidence in all my players and it is credit to them when they perform well, it is because they have been working hard on the pitch, I am just here to try to help them, but definitely I think it is a deserved reward because the way that Luton play is very demanding.”

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It’s Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday next up for Frey and QPR.It’s Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday next up for Frey and QPR.
It’s Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday next up for Frey and QPR. | Getty Images

Frey's finding of form comes at the perfect time for QPR, who managed their first league win of the season against Luton Town. The R's now face tricky matches after the international break with a trip to Hillsborough to take on Sheffield Wednesday before welcoming Premier League opposition Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup - Cifuentes will hope Frey continues his goalscoring form against his side's next opposition.

QPR failed to score against Sheffield Wednesday when the sides last met at Loftus Road in April, the Owls running out 2-0 victors. Frey didn't feature in that game with Sinclair Armstrong leading the line for the R's.

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