Dowie asks for another striker
Iain Dowie has urged the QPR board to sign a striker as soon as possible and end his side's goal drought.
Rangers, whose squad includes just two established forwards in Dexter Blackstock and Patrick Agyemang, have found the net only once in their last four Championship games.
Now Dowie has told sporting director Gianni Paladini he needs a Premier League frontman on loan, but the Rs boss does not anticipate any new arrivals ahead of Saturday's home clash with bottom club Nottingham Forest.
"I've always said we were short in a couple of areas and if we could, we'd like to bring another forward in," Dowie told the Times.
"We've had scouts at games and we've got one or two irons in the fire, but - although things can change very quickly - at the moment we're a long way off from getting there.
"Now we've got to concentrate on what we do against Forest and it's important we get back to the excellent home form we had until recently. Even against Derby we didn't play that well, but neither did they and we still had the better chances - and we should have got more out of the Blackpool and Birmingham games than we did.
"The fact is we're still one point off the play-offs and in the last 16 of the Carling Cup without really spending any money."
On paper, the Forest game should represent an ideal opportunity for QPR to recapture their early season form, with Colin Calderwood's side struggling to adapt after finishing second in League One last season.
The Midlanders, who suffered relegation the last time they visited Loftus Road in 2005, have lost six of their last seven league games, but Dowie is backing Calderwood to reverse their fortunes.
"I know Colin well and he'll be smarting a bit with what's gone on this season, but it takes time to settle into this league," added Dowie.
"They've got two centre-forwards who have caught the eye in Rob Earnshaw and Nathan Tyson and they've also got a number of good young players there like James Perch and Lewis McGugan, so there's a good balance.
"We'll treat Forest with the ultimate regard and do our homework all week. I'm sure Colin will be fine and I'll wish him all the best after Saturday."
Apart from long-term absentee Rowan Vine, Rangers have no injury concerns, but defender Damion Stewart is likely to be rested after a gruelling international double header.
Kaspars Gorkss is expected to play his second game in four days for Latvia on Wednesday night against Israel, so Matthew Connolly is the prime candidate to step into central defence alongside Fitz Hall.
Dowie is likely to change the side around again three days later when QPR make their first ever trip to the Liberty Stadium to take on Swansea City (kick-off 7.45pm).
