After QPR slumped to a humiliating 4-1 loss to Preston North End at the weekend, their fans must be desperate for some of their stars to return. 

The Rs are now without a win in their last four Championship games, highlighting the players that are in absentia currently, and surely giving manager Steve McClaren a picture of who his most important players are.

It is no coincidence that during QPR's lean spell in the league, central midfielder Massimo Luongo has been aware with Australia in the Asian Cup. Likewise, Geoff Cameron has been out for almost two months now, and without those two, The Hoops look a shell of the team that rapidly climbed up the league table over the first half of the season. The club issued a statement last week saying that the American may feature before the end of the month, but that surely cannot come soon enough for either McClaren or the fans.

The defensive solidity of Cameron and Luongo allows players like Luke Freeman and Ebere Eze much more freedom in attack, and as a consequence, QPR's performances are far more impressive. Josh Scowen and Jordan Cousins lack the composure that the Australian and American have, and are far less reliable.

QPR sit in 14th place in the Championship, in a mid-table battle that is very tight indeed. However, the top six are slowly pulling away from The Rs, as sixth place Derby are now seven points ahead. QPR just need to ride the storm until they see their midfield rocks return.