The transfer window reopens in just over a month and QPR manager Harry Redknapp simply must invest in some new defenders if the club are to stay in the Premier League.
While they somehow secured a thrilling victory over relegation rivals Leicester to climb off the bottom, the frailties at the back were clear to see throughout.
There were some mitigating circumstances. Veteran defender Richard Dunne, who has been inspired in recent weeks, was serving a one-game ban for picking up five yellow cards.
Without the Irishman organising things, Rangers looked like they would concede every time Leicester went forward.
Queens Park Rangers - the latest match in pictures
Queens Park Rangers - the latest match in pictures
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1/102 Liverpool 2 QPR 1
Steven Gerrard celebrates his match-winning goal against QPR
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2/102 Liverpool 2 QPR 1
Steven Gerrard saw his penalty effort saved by Robert Green
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3/102 Liverpool 2 QPR 1
Leroy Fer scores QPR's equaliser
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4/102 Crystal Palace 3 QPR 1
Wilfried Zaha opened the scoring, tapping home at the back post.
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5/102 Crystal Palace 3 QPR 1
James McArthur bundles in a Yannick Bolasie cross to double the lead.
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6/102 Crystal Palace 3 QPR 1
Joel Ward curled a shot past Robert Green to make it 3-0 at half-time, two minutes after McArthur.
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7/102 Crystal Palace 3 QPR 1
Matt Phillips celebrates after scoring a brilliant goal, but it was too little, too late.
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8/102 QPR 1 Arsenal 2
Alexis Sanchez celebrates his goal for Arsenal
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9/102 QPR 1 Arsenal 2
Olivier Giroud puts the Gunners ahead
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10/102 QPR 1 Arsenal 2
Gabriel goes off injured in the 36th minute
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11/102 Hull 2 QPR 1
Charlie Austin eased the pressure on QPR with a well-time equaliser before the break.
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12/102 Hull 2 QPR 1
Joey Barton added to Rangers' woes with a foolish red card after lashing out at Tom Huddlestone.
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13/102 Hull 2 QPR 1
Nikica Jelavic blasted Hull ahead in a vital relegation battle with QPR.
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14/102 Southampton 0 QPR 2
Bobby Zamora (right) celebrates scoring QPR's second
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15/102 QPR 0 Southampton 1
Sadio mane celebrates with his Southampton team-mates after his late goal against QPR
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16/102 QPR 0 Southampton 1
Sadio Mane scores a late winner in Southampton's 1-0 victory over QPR
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17/102 QPR 0 Southampton 1
Southampton defender Matt Targett is carried from the field after suffering a neck injury
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18/102 QPR 0 Southampton 1
Clint Hill jostles with Sadio Mane
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19/102 QPR 0 Manchester United 2
James Wilson scored United's second to seal the win
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20/102 QPR 0 Manchester United 2
Marouane Fellaini celebrates with his Manchester United team-mates
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21/102 QPR 0 Manchester United 2
Marouane Fellaini scores to put United ahead
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22/102 QPR 0 Manchester United 2
Rob Green keeps out an effort by Radamel Falcao
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23/102 Burnley 2 QPR 1
Scott Arfield curls the ball past Rob Green to put Burnley into the lead.
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24/102 Burnley 2 QPR 1
Charlie Austin was fouled and then got up to score the penalty - his 13th goal of the season
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25/102 Burnley 2 QPR 1
Danny Ings slots home the crucial winner
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26/102 Burnley 2 QPR 1
Harry Redknapp's team fell to their 10th straight away defeat
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27/102 Burnley 2 QPR 1
Adel Taarabt (right) made his return to the QPR team after a row with Redknapp earlier this season.
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28/102 Burnley 2 QPR 1
Sean Dyche's team picked up a crucial win over their rivals at the bottom of the division.
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29/102 QPR 1 Swansea 1
Wilfried Bony applauds the Swansea fans as he leaves the pitch
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30/102 QPR 1 Swansea 1
Leroy Fer celebrates after putting QPR in front
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31/102 QPR 0 Crystal Palace 0
Palace's caretaker manager Keith Millen reacts on the touchline
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32/102 QPR 0 Crystal Palace 0
Palace's Fraizer Campbell goes flying in the box under a challenge from Queen’s Park Rangers’ Joey Barton late in the game
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33/102 QPR 3 West Brom 2
Charlie Austin heads in his third goal to win the game for QPR
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34/102 QPR 3 West Brom 2
Charlie Austin celebrates scoring his second for QPR
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35/102 QPR 3 West Brom 2
Charlie Austin bundles home his second goal
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36/102 QPR 3 West Brom 2
Charlie Austin rushes back after scoring his first goal of the game against West Brom
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37/102 QPR 3 West Brom 2
Joleon Lescott celebrates scoring a rare goal for West Brom
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38/102 QPR 3 West Brom 2
Joleon Lescott heads West Brom in front against QPR
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39/102 Everton 3 QPR 1
Ross Barkley celebrates after opening the scoring for Everton against QPR
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40/102 Everton 3 QPR 1
Kevin Mirallas of Everton scores Everton's second goal with a deflected free kick
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41/102 Everton 3 QPR 1
Steven Naismith of Everton celebrates scoring Everton's third goal
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42/102 Everton 3 QPR 1
Joey Barton congratulates Queens Park Rangers' striker Bobby Zamora after he scored a late consolation
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43/102 QPR 2 Burnley 0
Leroy Fer celebrates scoring the opening goal
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44/102 Chelsea 2 QPR 1
Gary Cahill attempts to head in a Chelsea corner
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45/102 Chelsea 2 QPR 1
Oscar opened the scoring with a brilliant shot, Cesc Fabregas providing the assist
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46/102 Chelsea 2 QPR 1
Oscar curled the ball with the outside of his foot into the far corner
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47/102 Chelsea 2 QPR 1
QPR striker Charlie Austin scored a cheeky back-heel to draw Rangers level with their local rivals
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48/102 Chelsea 2 QPR 1
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is not impressed after seeing his team pegged back by the side at the bottom of the table
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49/102 Chelsea 2 QPR 1
Chelsea players mob Eden Hazard after he first won and then converted the penalty that turned out to be the winning goal
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50/102 QPR 2 Aston Villa 0
QPR celebrate the opening goal against Aston Villa
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51/102 QPR 2 Aston Villa 0
Zamora and Lowton in action
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52/102 QPR 2 Aston Villa 0
Rob Green makes a useful intervention
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53/102 QPR 2 Aston Villa 0
Yoon Suk Young makes a tackle
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54/102 QPR 2 Aston Villa 0
Charlie Austin celebrates his second goal of the game
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55/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Richard Dunne puts into his own net to open the scoring.
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56/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Leroy Fer reacts to a missed opportunity
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57/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Charlie Austin in action
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58/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Alex McCarthy sees the ball hit the back of the net
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59/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Raheem Sterling, who played from the start, in action
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60/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Mario Balotelli failed to find the back of the net again despite some great chances
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61/102 QPR 2 Liverpool 3
Steven Caulker scores the match winning own goal at the death
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62/102 West Ham 2 QPR 0
West Ham players celebrate the win at Upton Park
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63/102 West Ham 2 QPR 0
Diafra Sakho heads in West Ham's second
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64/102 West Ham 2 QPR 0
Nedum Onuoha puts the ball in his own net
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65/102 Southampton 2 QPR 1
Graziano Pelle celebrates scoring for Southampton
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66/102 Southampton 2 QPR 1
Graziano Pelle reacts after missing a simple chance for Saints
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67/102 Southampton 2 QPR 1
Sandro limps off with an injury, just days after hurting his knee by sliding to celebrate a goal in training
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68/102 Southampton 2 QPR 1
Armand Traore, Steven Davis and Leroy Fer compete for the ball
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69/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Niko Kranjcar celebrates his late equaliser
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70/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Niko Kranjcar equalises for QPR with a superb free-kick with just two minutes remaining
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71/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Peter Crouch slams home to give Stoke the lead again
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72/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Robert Green is helpless to stop Peter Crouch's goal
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73/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
QPR players celebrate after their equaliser
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74/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Steven Caulker and Leroy Fer celebrate the goal
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75/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam can't keep Steven Caulker's header out
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76/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Steven Caulker equalises for QPR
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77/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Stoke players celebrate their opening goal
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78/102 QPR 2 Stoke 2
Mame Biram Diouf heads in the opening goal from close range
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79/102 Manchester United 4 QPR 0
Radamel Falcao makes his United debut
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80/102 Manchester United 4 QPR 0
Juan Mata completes the rout at Old Trafford
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81/102 Manchester United 4 QPR 0
Wayne Rooney celebrates the third
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82/102 Manchester United 4 QPR 0
Daley Blind and Sandro in action
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83/102 Manchester United 4 QPR 0
Angel Di Maria celebrates his first goal for United against QPR
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84/102 QPR 1 Sunderland 0
Adam Johnson (right) and Clint Hill both made their first starts of the season
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85/102 QPR 1 Sunderland 0
QPR skipper Joey Barton drives forward for the home side
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86/102 QPR 1 Sunderland 0
QPR midfielder Leroy Fer is challenged by Jack Rodwell in the centre of midfield
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87/102 QPR 1 Sunderland 0
Jordan Mutch and Sebastian Larsson challenge for the aerial ball
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88/102 QPR 1 Sunderland 0
Charlie Austin reacts to fire home his first ever Premier League goal
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89/102 QPR 1 Sunderland 0
Austin's goal gave QPR their first points of the season with his goal right on the stroke of half-time
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90/102 Tottenham 4 QPR 0
Harry Redknapp, the QPR manager, is greeted by Mauricio Pochettino prior to the game at White Hart Lane
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91/102 Tottenham 4 QPR 0
Nacer Chadli celebrates after opening the scoring against QPR
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92/102 Tottenham 4 QPR 0
Tottenham defender Eric Dier (C) celebrates scoring the second goal against QPR with Argentinian midfielder Erik Lamela
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93/102 Tottenham 4 QPR 0
Christian Eriksen takes a free-kick against QPR - hitting the crossbar
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94/102 Tottenham 4 QPR 0
Nacer Chadli of Spurs heads past Robert Green of QPR to score his team's third goal
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95/102 Tottenham 4 QPR 0
Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor (L) scores Tottenham's fourth goal against QPR
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96/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
The two managers Steve Bruce (left) and Harry Redknapp watch the action unfold at Loftus Road
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97/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
QPR left-back Armond Traore and Hull striker Nikica Jelavic get tangled up in the corner
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98/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
QPR's new signing Jordan Mutch tries to avoid an incoming tackle from Hull midfielder Tom Huddlestone
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99/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
Despite speculation linking him with a move away from Loftus Road, Loic Remy started in the blue and white of QPR
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100/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
James Chester makes it 1-0 to the visitors, heading home from a corner early in the second half
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101/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
Referee Craig Pawson lays down vanishing spray to mark out a free-kick at Loftus Road
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102/102 QPR 0 Hull City 1
Charlie Austin, last season's top scorer for QPR, saw a late penalty that would have earned a point for the home side saved
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It should be pointed out that this was a Leicester side that had gone 503 minutes without scoring, until Esteban Cambiasso put the visitors in front inside four minutes. They had also picked up just two points from their last seven matches since beating Manchester United.
The sight of Rio Ferdinand on the bench, despite returning from a three-game ban, also confirms just how far the mighty former Manchester United and England defender has fallen.
For centre halves Steven Caulker and Nedum Onuoha were all over the place, although they didn't have much protection in front of them.
QPR have already targeted Chelsea's talented youngster Tomas Kalas and Porto's experienced defender Rolando for the new year.
But whoever they manage to get, fresh blood is clearly required. A damning statistic of two clean sheets from 14 games this term says it all.
READ MORE: QPR 3 Leicester 2 - match report
The fact they managed to secure the three points was due to a combination of great spirit, an equally poor Leicester back-line and a lot of luck.
Jamie Vardy missed a host of chances for Nigel Pearson's men and was also unfortunate to see one second half header come back off the bar.
However, credit has to go to how the Rangers players responded to adversity time and time again.
They grafted for much of the first half to get level and were finally rewarded when Caulker crossed for Wes Morgan to put the ball into his own net.
Just before the break, Leroy Fer scored his first goal for the club following an £8m summer switch from Norwich to put the hosts in front.
All the momentum appeared to go back in Leicester's favour when Jeffrey Schlupp struck a fierce equaliser from outside the box.
But Rangers somehow rallied again, top scorer Charlie Austin heading in from close range for his seventh League goal of the campaign.
The victory means Rangers have acquired 11 points, all of which have been significantly secured at home.
However better teams than Leicester, who replaced them at the foot of the division, will punish their defensive weaknesses much more ruthlessly.
It's true they won this battle, but if they want to win the war come May they desperately need some reinforcements to arrive at the start of 2015.
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