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Queens Park Rangers were forced to settle for a point against Bolton Wanderers at Loftus Road despite producing an excellent performance, dominating almost every statistical measure but ultimately failing to find the goal their display deserved. Rangers registered 18 shots to Bolton’s two, enjoyed 55 per cent possession and won nine corners to the visitors’ two, while their 1.82 expected goals dwarfed Bolton’s 0.19. For all that sustained dominance though, the score remained 0-0 throughout. It was a frustrating afternoon precisely because there was so much to like about QPR’s performance. There was an uncomfortable sense of having seen this script before, reminiscent of the end of Mark Warburton’s reign and the start of Michael Beale’s, when Rangers could dominate possession, create pressure and still somehow fail to put the ball in the net. For much of Saturday, it felt as though Bolton might eventually steal it late on. Thankfully for QPR, that particular nightmare never materialised, but the feeling of two points dropped was difficult to escape. Stéphan kept the team fairly similar to the side that started at Portsmouth, with Kealey Adamson coming in for the injured Boy Kemper and Richard Kone the only other change. The decision to restore Kone looked sensible given the way Bolton defended early on, with their line high enough for his pace and running in behind to be a real threat. He had the bulk of Rangers’ big chances, however, and could not take them, being denied twice from close range before being played through on goal by Harvey Vale, only for Jack Bonham to produce another excellent save. Kone was dangerous throughout, although he did not quite look at his sharpest and there will inevitably be questions over whether his fitness was perfect or whether the ongoing rumours linking him with Burnley were a distraction. His misses were costly, but it would be harsh to reduce QPR’s afternoon to the striker’s finishing when Bolton goalkeeper Bonham was simply outstanding. Bonham came into this season with question marks over whether he could really establish himself as a Championship number one, but he gave a fairly emphatic answer. He made 10 saves, the most by a Bolton goalkeeper in a league game since Opta’s records began in 2019/20, and kept the clean sheet that ultimately earned his side a point. He denied Kone repeatedly, dealt impressively with a succession of crosses and was there again when Paul Smyth appeared certain to score in stoppage time. It was the sort of individual goalkeeping performance that can turn a deserved defeat into a very valuable draw. The first half-hour was particularly encouraging. Rangers moved the ball quickly and impressively, stretching Bolton from both wings and repeatedly getting into dangerous areas. Kone’s chances came alongside opportunities for Harvey Vale and Ilias Chair, while Koki Saito was a constant threat. The problem was that QPR’s attacking fluency faded towards the end of the first half and into the start of the second, allowing Bolton to settle deeper. Rumarn Burrell, who replaced Kone after the quadruple change, perhaps suffered from the timing too, as the game looked better suited to his running when Bolton’s defensive line was higher, but by the time he arrived the visitors were sitting much deeper and there was less space for him to exploit. Stéphan responded with a quadruple substitution, and the changes helped Rangers rediscover some of their earlier energy. Dennis Cirkin and Tariq Lamptey made their debuts, Nicolas Madsen returned from injury and Rumarn Burrell replaced Kone. Cirkin immediately showed why he was so highly rated at Sunderland, bringing tenacity and aggression and making a crucial block from Kyliane Dong’s effort. Lamptey understandably looked short of full match fitness following his ACL injury but showed promise with some bursts down the right, while Madsen’s return was another positive, even if Rangers would have benefited from getting him on the ball more in deeper areas. There were plenty of individual positives beyond the result. The makeshift midfield worked well again, with Ronnie Edwards outstanding both in and out of possession at the base of it. Jake Clarke-Salter and Pierce Charles were superb on the ball, allowing Rangers to play out from the back with confidence, while Chair and Saito were dangerous throughout. Chair in particular produced a series of clever flicks and combinations, while Saito was perhaps unfortunate not to win a penalty after evading two challenges before going down under Josh Sheehan’s challenge. Kwame Poku also showed flashes of quality, although Rangers will want more from him in the final third as his fitness and consistency develop. There was also a familiar frustration in the final ball, particularly from Paul Smyth, who caused problems but repeatedly struggled to find the right delivery. Too many crosses were overhit or floated into areas Bonham could comfortably claim. Rangers could also have tested Bolton more with shots from the edge of the box; players such as Madsen, Poku and Vale need to be more willing to shoot rather than always looking for another cross or pass. Bolton, meanwhile, deserve plenty of credit. They did what they came to do and defended with real discipline, particularly once they realised they could no longer match QPR’s attacking tempo. Chris Forino was magnificent, winning almost everything aerially and repeatedly dealing with corners and crosses. The former Wycombe Wanderers centre-back was once linked with a move to QPR when Gareth Ainsworth was in charge at Loftus Road, and his performance showed exactly why Ainsworth was so keen to bring him to W12. Lewis Brunt and the rest of Bolton’s defence were excellent, while Ethan Erhahon was composed in midfield and broke up play effectively. Gaizka Larrazabal offered some excitement going forward and Dong looked lively after coming off the bench, although Bolton ultimately had very little attacking threat of their own. They were, in truth, exactly what Schumacher needed them to be, and four points from their first two games represents an excellent return for a newly promoted side. For QPR, the bigger picture remains encouraging. Four points from the opening two games is a solid return, and Saturday’s performance suggested Stéphan’s side are capable of controlling Championship matches and creating enough chances to win them. The obvious next step is turning dominance into goals. Had one of Kone’s chances gone in, this would have been a statement home victory and the mood around the club would have been even more buoyant. Instead, Rangers have to settle for a point and the knowledge that they did almost everything right apart from the one thing that ultimately matters most. If they can repeat this level of performance and start taking the chances, there is every reason to believe the wins will follow.