It has been clear from the outset of last season that building a solid defence will be the key to staying in the Premier League for the discernible future, but is the activity since shipping five against Swansea verging on a knee-jerk reaction?

Clint Hill is beginning to look out of his depth, while it is difficult to tell whether Anton Ferdinand is limited or lost in the sea of mistakes around him. Nedum Onouha is not benefiting from the constant move from right back to the centre. Which leaves us with, well, nothing.

Ryan Nelsen, of course, signed during the summer and will provide excellent cover. But at 34 his appearances this season are likely to be limited.

So, the arrival of Michael Dawson, after Tottenham accepted a bid for him, would make sense whether we got stuffed or played out a 0-0 draw.

Dawson - presuming that he has got over the ankle problems that afflicted him last season - is quite a coup. The England international is only 28, has a reputation for solidity and a good command of the defensive area. And he has a controlled aggression which is evidently required - it is the reason why Hill has survived so long.

Matthew Connolly, who was given a squad number, went to Cardiff City overnight which suggests there are more acquisitions to follow.

Which could be one of two. Or both.

If Stephane Mbia agrees to sign from Marseille today it can't be classed as a knee-jerk reaction. After all, a swap deal with Joey Barton going the other way has been on the table for at least a week.

Marseille officials, despite their protestations last week, flew in last night with Mbia in tow for talks on the swap deal.

The 26-year-old will be a more than useful addition to R's rebuilt side, and will provide an incredibly intimidating partnership with Dawson, who is the kind of combative defender QPR need.

Marseille have put him on the market, and they are desperate to sell, having already agreed a £7.5m fee to offload César Azpilicueta to Chelsea yesterday in a bid to bring down a massive debt.

With Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham also reportedly interested, the price is not going to be for the faint-hearted. It may be a situation - with Marseille still needing to bring in players on the cheap - where having an accomplished midfielder in Barton to offer sweetens the deal.

The second is perhaps more exciting and will pull QPR's aspirations out of the relegation dogfight and into the pack dreaming of Europe.

Apparently, we are favourite to beat Chelsea and Manchester United to the signing of St Etienne's wonderkid Kurt Zouma. The 17-year-old has only played 22 senior games for the Greens, but at 6' 2" tall and international accolades at all levels for France, he has progressed remarkably quickly and is more than likely to be pushing for a place in France's squad for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

But the news filtering through that Ricardo Carvalho will be arriving on a season-long loan from Real Madrid is a real surprise and does make me wonder what the long-term plan is.

The 34-year-old has been made unwelcome at Real Madrid despite playing more than 60 games in the last two seasons. If he is coming, depending on the deal, it will surely be as a quick fix to a long-term problem.

After all, Cameroonian international Mbia will be on Africa Cup duty most of the winter, Dawson's ankle may need nursing and teenager Zouma will probably need a bit of time to bed in. Zouma may even be lent back to St Etienne for a year in a bid to beat Man Utd and Chelsea to his signature. Not to mention that Carvalho and Nelsen have fewer games in their legs now.

Knee-jerk? Maybe. Necessary? Definitely.

Follow Sean Smith on Twitter @seanshorn

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