As he prepares his side for two more games in three days, Dario Gradi has told the club's official web-site that he feels we have dropped four points over the Christmas period. The Alex have failed to take full advantage of playing against reduced teams.

Leicester played the last half-an-hour with ten men at the Walkers Stadium but held onto for a draw, whilst Coventry were reduced to nine men in mid-week after having Michael Doyle sent-off and Robert Page stretched off with a fractured cheekbone.

After using all three substitutes, Micky Adams had no choice but to cross his fingers and hope in the closing stages of the game, only for Luke Rodgers to head home a Kenny Lunt cross in stoppage time to salvage a point.

"I think we have dropped four points because we had a good chance to win both away games because we were playing against ten and nine men,' says Dario.

"We should have been better prepared for that type of situation and we will do a bit more work on it. The players were certainly better against Coventry than they were at Leicester because we dominated the later stages of that game and really should have won the game.

"The positive thing for us, is that we have moved up one place in the league table but I wouldn't say I was happy about our points return. I am encouraged because the players here always give their best and give us hope.

He added: "We need to take the improvements we have made into the next couple of games. QPR are still a big club. I remember when Dave Sexton took them to second place in the First Division.