QPR find themselves in something of a rut as the hectic Christmas period approaches.

The Hoops are on a run of six games without a victory, and have recorded just two wins in their last 15 league fixture; a statistic which quite simply is relegation form.

Which begs the question, should Ian Holloway’s position be under pressure?

It’s a lot more complicated than simple statistics.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Ian Holloway, Manager of Queens Park Rangers during the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Brentford at Loftus Road on November 27, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The challenge facing Ian Holloway at QPR is one which won’t be envied by any manager in the Football League.

He’s been faced with clearing out the over-paid squad members from previous regimes, building his own team, blooding youngsters and with pennies in which to do it with.

As a job, that’s too much for one man to handle, and that’s why the likes of Les Ferdinand, Gary Penrice and Chris Ramsey are in place to ease the burden.

In terms of building a mentality based on teamwork and hard-work, there’s no-one better at Championship level to do it, and that’s evident in the way that the team approach each match.

Tactically, Holloway would admit that he’s not the most astute, but when teams come up against QPR they know they’re in for a tough game.

Performances haven’t been anywhere near good enough of late, and it seems that confidence in the squad has dipped, but the most important detail is that the team are still battling for the manager.

Football is a results-based business and so ultimately a manager will live and die by the amount of points he picks up, but the fact that the squad are still fighting says that there’s still more to come from Ian Holloway.

The hierarchy at the club know of the challenges they face, and as they’re bound to have learned, change isn’t always the answer.

While I don’t think Ian Holloway’s role is necessarily under threat at present, it would be if results don’t improve over the next few weeks.

The fixtures come thick and fast during the festive period, and while QPR sit six points clear of the relegation zone at present, they could quite easily drop into the bottom three if the winless run continues.

One thing is for certain; the next four weeks are crucial, not only for Ian Holloway’s future, but for the club.