Mark Hughes has his work cut out for him if he hopes to keep QPR in the Premier League next season.

His surprise arrival this week has put players on notice that change has come and the overhaul of the lineup is already underway. Reports of Tony Fernandes and Amit Bhatia handing him large pound sign marked satchels have sent the columnists scribbling, and the club has been linked with a dozen new names in the past twenty four hours.

"Sparky" has the backing of the ownership and some money to spend. With the transfer window clock ticking, there are some crucial holes to plug:

Centre-back:

With QPR in the hunt for Alex and Chris Samba, the writing is on the wall for Danny Gabbidon and to a lesser degree Anton Ferdinand. Gab has come up with some vital take-aways this season, but they tend to come at the last moment after he's already been nutmeged and is desperately scrambling back. Just as often his markers are long gone or manoeuvring past him to set a teammate up for a strike. He has his moments, and is better than the alternatives on the squad, but with new talent set to arrive looks like an expendable asset who may be heading for the bench. Ferdinand would do well with some competition for his place as well. The Terry incident and related fallout may have distracted him, but he's looked entirely average this year and will have to fight to keep his spot. He needs to step up his marking on set pieces to keep his starting job as Hughes revamps the back four. As for the mentioned targets, a combination of the gargantuan Samba and more experienced Alex in the middle would be a solid upgrade if they can be acquired.

Central Midfield:

Once the strength of the side, the defensive midfield is now a major liability with Ale Faurlin's season-ending knee injury. Faurlin was arguably QPR's most important player this season outside of Heidar Helguson, and his absence creates immediate problems with a lack of depth behind him. Finding a good holding midfielder who can aid Barton in that role will be critical to the Hoops ability to control possessions and develop a counter attack. Sean Derry will likely take the reins initially, but he's struggled this campaign and will have to excel in the next few weeks to keep his place in the squad. Some work on Barton's decision-making and set pieces is also needed. His gift-wrapped interception to Michael Carrick is the most glaring example, but he has a tendency to pass before he looks - a bad habit for a distributing midfielder. He frequently demands the ball on free kicks, but his service has been atrocious. He either has to improve or step aside in those moments.

Striker:

Heidar Helguson's fantastic form this year has covered for the embarrassing absence of his teammates, none of whom has scored more than twice. Jay Bothroyd, Federico Macheda and DJ Campbell are available but it remains to be seen to what extent they'll be included in the new manager's plans. Whatever the decision on their roles, the bottom line is that QPR have scored nineteen goals in twenty league games and need more than a thirty-four year old header specialist to save their season. Helguson should still feature prominently, but a pacy striker with better instincts than the present crew and a knack for finishing is crucial. There's been some muffled grumblings about Didier Drogba moving up the road to QPR - to the chagrin of a number of R's supporters. If 2009 Drogba brings his scoring boots, I think their outrage would be diffused, but its unlikely he or the other top drawer finishers in the game are headed for Loftus Road. Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson are still out there and would provide some needed punch out front. A legitimate run at Darren Bent would be impressive, though its hard to picture him departing Villa Park for an affordable sum.

The Bench:

Hughes gave a nod to the existing squad, mentioning that peripheral figures like Hogan Ephraim and Rob Hulse would be given a fair shake, and that the hold overs from last season are starting with a clean slate under the new regime. Despite that generous statement, there are Championship calibre players with the club who are unlikely to contribute and there will be some departures before the month is out. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Hughes bring in some role players with Premier League experience as well, facing the prospect of having to rely on Tommy Smith or Akos Buszaky late in games as his current alternatives.

The R's head to Tyneside for a difficult test against Newcastle, who have been in fine form but will be without key striker Demba Ba. With all of their turbulence and missing parts, there are low expectations for the R's heading into the clash, but expect to see some of the role players who will be pressed into action giving it their all. They have to know that their own window of opportunity is closing fast and a good result might earn them a mark in the new manager's good books.

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