GettyImagesIt's must win game for new QPR boss Harry Redknapp against Aston Villa

We remember Paul Lambert from his Norwich days - of putting out teams that were more than au fait with the darker side of the game.

- 'Frustrated' Bent prepared for Villa exit

Hark at me! That is the kind of excuse that Mark Hughes used to relish getting in early. Well, under the new regime no excuses will do. And against Aston Villa on Saturday QPR need the three points. Nothing else will do.

We also remember Aston Villa from last season who were, to put it simply, so bad that they almost got relegated by accident. It is easy to suggest that very little has changed bar the manager at Villa Park.

Not that the Hoops have been much better - this is not likely to be any kind of humdinger. What it will be, of course, is crucial.

Tuesday's draw at Sunderland showed signs of promise, but the concern continues to be the lack of firepower. Before Hughes left QPR had plenty of shots on target without scoring. A 0-0 draw - even if it was away from home - is not going to change the fact that we have no one scoring goals at the moment.

So, it is with a certain amount of envy the club look across at their opponents on Saturday, who seem to think they have enough firepower to leave someone like Darren Bent out of their reckoning.

One would assume that Villa must have scored a hatful of goals to leave a striker who cost £24 million (yes, that's right, £24m ... and you don't hear the press carping on about their spending, either) out of their matchday squad.

Well, no. Villa have netted 11 times this season, which compares very unfavourably with our ten. Goals, then, will be at an absolute premium.

The game plan will probably be very simple, then. In fact, we can all guess at what it is. And Harry Redknapp should drum it into the players over the next six weeks while we wait for the transfer deadline window to reopen in January: "A 1-0 win will do".

Quick, flowing football? Fine. A 1-0 win will do. Plenty of chances? Whatever. A 1-0 win will do. Strong in defence? Are you listening? A 1-0 win will do.

Perhaps we can help: if we all stare at the screen and imagine the pain leaving our bodies, the anguish of the last four months, the pitiful performances, the jeering of your workmates, the days when QPR dominate but still lose ... imagine it all receding into a single dot and disappearing from view.

And repeat until Saturday 5pm:

"A 1-0 win will do."

Follow Sean Smith on Twitter @seanshorn

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