ELIJAH Dixon-Bonner is looking to build on his first full league game for QPR in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Rotherham and become a regular in the starting XI.
The 22-year-old midfielder former Arsenal and Liverpool youngster played the entire game under Marti Cifuentes and his performance earned praise from the new manager afterwards.
QPR went ahead early in the second half through Ilias Chair, a lead Dixon-Brewer was unfortunate not to double when Millers keeper Victor Johansson saved his angled shot.
Georgie Kelly drew Rotherham level on 70 minutes to ensure the spoils were shared, a result which at least stops a run of six straight Championship defeats.
And now Dixon-Brewer is aiming to establish his name on the team-sheet after being forced to wait patiently for a chance to stake a claim just over a year since arriving at the Hoops following his release from Anfield.
He told QPR TV: “It fell really good – it has been a lot of hard work in the making.
“I’ve just been eager to get the opportunity and show what I can do for the team.
“I felt like I played my part today and overall we had a really good result, so hopefully there will be more to come from me and the team.
“Firstly, I just gave a lot of energy in and out of possession, and I felt that I showed my quality when I can get on the ball and try and make things happen.
“I was unlucky not to get the ball in the back of the net at the end when the goalie has made a good save.
“I just feel like my game is in a good place and I can really help this team going forward.”
Asked if QPR supporters can expect to see him more regularly in the blue and white hoops, Dixon-Brewer gave a forthright response.
“I hope so,” he said.
“I’m putting in all the work I can.
“There have been times where I feel like I could have got the nod and I haven’t, but that is part of football and it has only made me better – it is just more practice and more hard work to go.
“I really like the new gaffer. We are getting on really well and you can see that the boys are liking it, the style of play.
“You saw glimpses of it today. Hopefully I’ve done enough and we will see going forward.”
Dixon-Brewer was one of five changes to the starting line-up made by Cifuentes and already there was a noticeable difference from how the team had been playing under Gareth Ainsworth.
The midfield ace said: “That’s part of being a footballer, you’ve got to be able to adapt.
“The style of play actually does suit a lot of players in the team, getting the ball down and wanting to play and stuff like that, but then still out of possession having that grit and desire to still do the hard parts of the game.
“We’ve adapted really well. Today was going great and then we just conceded on a set piece, which is obviously painful, but I feel this is the start of positive things to come for sure.”
The result keeps Rotherham a solitary point above QPR in the table and leaves Cifuentes’ side six points from safety.
Despite the undoubted positives from the display, Dixon-Brewer pointed out the mood in the dressing room was one of frustration at the final whistle.
He said: “We are low. The performance was better, it’s not a loss but we are not aiming to be a team that is happy with draws or to be happy with the situation we are in, nowhere near.
“We’ve got high aspirations for this season.
“It is a great performance and we are going to build on it, but the result we are not going to be happy with that.
“Three points is what is the most important thing for us and we didn’t get that today, so we need to get straight back to the training pitch and put things right.
“We will be looking for the three points next week for sure.”
