QPR boss Iain Dowie saw Dexter Blackstock sink former club Southampton with a double and then urged the striker to hit the 20-goal mark and fire his side to promotion this season.
Blackstock, who left the south coast for west London two years ago, opened the scoring after just 40 seconds and took his tally for the season to five with a cool finish in the second half.
"Any striker wants to set a target of 20 goals," said Dowie, who was in charge of Crystal Palace when Andrew Johnson's goals took them into the Premier League.
"Andrew Johnson has an innate ability and Dexter is the same. All I'm doing is trying to get the best out of him but if he continues to develop he can be a very good centre-forward.
"Dexter should be delighted with his goal return, and I liked the second goal - it was a confident finish of a man in form. He's in a good vein of form and he should enjoy it."
A 4-1 defeat was harsh on Southampton, who were reduced to 10 men on the half-hour when Ollie Lancashire, a 19-year-old defender making his first senior appearance, was sent off for a foul on Damien Delaney.
But they somehow got back on level terms after the break with a well-taken goal from rookie midfielder Adam Lallana.
However, Damion Stewart fired Rangers back in front in controversial circumstances, with the centre-half appearing well offside as Martin Rowlands' free-kick came over to him,
Blackstock pounced again in the 77th minute and substitute Patrick Agyemang made the game safe in stoppage-time.
The win took Rangers, backed by super-rich owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, up to fourth in the Coca-Cola Championship and among the early promotion front-runners.
"I've heard us called millionaire's row and that's the perception of the club," added Dowie.
"But I'm not disrespectful to the other teams in this division. Let's see what happens. We've got a long way to go and we're pleased with our start but there's lots we can improve on."
Dowie felt the sending-off of Lancashire, for a tackle in the corner of the pitch that was more clumsy than malicious, was unwarranted and was impressed with the club he spent four years with as a striker.
"If that happened they'd be off every week," he said. "And the fact it's his debut as well - although it's a poor challenge and poorly timed.
"But in some ways it affected us more than them - they got better and we got worse.
"You have to say they play with a freedom and inhibition. They popped the ball about and Lallana was a threat throughout."
Lallana's goal was straight out of the Total Football preached by their Dutch boss, World Cup finalist Jan Poortvliet.
Morgan Schneiderlin collected the ball from goalkeeper Kelvin Davis and fed Lallana, who sauntered forward 40 yards before exchanging a one-two with Simon Gillett and burying the return ball past Radek Cerny.
"It was frustrating and disappointing, but I'm proud of the boys," said Poortvliet, who started with nine players aged 22 and under.
"With 10 men they did a great job and never gave up. But the second goal killed us."