Let's get the good news out of the way. Based on our performance today I can safely book my end of May long weekend. That will be a cycling trip to Mont Ventoux and I'll spend two hours on a very small seat that makes your butt hurt, although I'll be moving slightly faster than Joel Lynch at full sprint. In the process I will be subjecting myself to gut wrenching agony with the distinct chance that I may not make the summit, in which case I will be utterly devastated. Can anyone think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon?
Onto the bad news. That feeling of disappointment that comes from watching QPR get outplayed by a team in the relegation zone. You know it well, that feeling you get when we've done well away from home and you've repeatedly watched all the highlights and read all the stories you can on how well we've done and you can't wait to get to Loftus Road to see us in action. That feeling of we could do better.
Like the Brentford game, we started slowly and went 1-0 down at the first attempt Hull made. Teams have figured out that with Freeman playing on the left we're effectively using a 4-3-3 structure and are exploiting the space in the vacant left wing area. Hull pressed and harried us and didn't allow us much space or rhythm and we struggled to make any headway, even with the bulk of possession. Their first goal was a simple set of passing moves to open our defence for Bowen to run in and slot the ball home. Credit for the assist should go to Lumbering Lynch for being too slow to close him down and then showing him the way to goal. Their second came from a corner and was a shambles. Everyone seemed to be intent on pushing at the Hull players rather than watching the ball. With no one jumping for the ball it just needed a slight contact to nudge past Lumley. Looks like our defenders will be back to basics for a Monday morning defence boot camp.
At two down it felt like there was a long and painful afternoon ahead, sat in a cramped small seat watching Joel Lynch being out sprinted by the Hull forwards. But a quick response from Pav to get a goal back lifted spirits. We had figured out that their left side was as good as ours and started to pass the ball to hooped shirts, and some neat passing moves that created threats every time we had the ball forward. With Pav, Angel and Eze now warmed up it seemed we were the more likely team to score. As the pressure increased on the right, Bidwell and Freeman started to get more space on the left and we started to stretch the Hull defence. We forced the Hull keeper into action and he needed to make two fantastic saves to deny Wells and Eze. Then the woodwork rescued Hull from an equaliser after a smashing 30 yard Rangel strike.
Half time 2-1 to Hull. We'd recovered from Derby and Brentford to win, what would be different this time? Hull made a double substitution at half time to shore up their left side of defence and that paid dividends as they weathered the first fifteen minutes of pressure and we failed to capitalise with a goal. Schteve gambled by replacing Cameron for Hemed. With our defensive screen removed, Hull dutifully scored and at 3-1 it was pretty much game over. The last role of the die were throwing Matt Smith and Osayi-Samuel into the mix. BOS did well in his cameo, getting loose on the right to create the melee that resulted in Freeman's goal.
Match Verdict. Not good enough to for the playoffs. Overall rating today is 6/10 as a team. A final Freeman free kick that just missed the upright epitomized our performance. Good, but not good enough.
Referee Analysis: 3/10 Idiosyncratic performance and didn't do anywhere near enough to stop Hull wasting time for throw ins, goal kicks and fake injuries. Best moments were giving a drop ball for a non-free kick and then playing a Hull advantage where they failed to score and bringing the ball back to the original free kick at the half way line. He did seem keen to make the rules up about tackling as he went along. Our man was ably supported by a linesman at the Loft end who was unclear on the offside rule and equally unsure about the difference between ball to hand and hand to ball when clearing goal bound efforts. This only added to the frustration of an afternoon when our overall performance was not up scratch.
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
Another International Break
A strange but compelling time to be a QPR supporter. We've moved on from worst ever start to a season to within a game of the playoff places. In between we've fluffed a chance for a Big Cup Game and failed to show up at Swansea. The season turned with a classy win against Millwall, with the best display of football from us for some seasons. Stuffing the Villans and the determined draw against Derby shows that team moral has improved and there is a desire to win. Heading into the international break, we're just 2 points from a playoff spot. Be still my beating heart.
Against Brentford, touted as the best team we'll play all season, we started brightly but struggled to get into the game. Finishing second best at 1-0 at half time. Then an amazing burst of three goals in ten minutes buried Brentford and had the ground rocking as the "ole's" rang out. Loftus Road at its finest, passionate, fiery best. One of those Saturdays when nothing else matters. One of those Saturdays that you don't want to end.
Key players for us were Lumley and Pav. Lumley is an exciting young prospect and one who should have a long career between with the Number 1 jersey on his back. Pav makes our right hand side stronger, faster and more effective.
While we struggled to get hold of the game in the first half, we let Brentford through a gap and Lumley parried Benrhama's shot straight at the divisions top scorer Maupay who duly put the rebound away. In the second half, Lumley made some smart saves to keep Brentford out; his positioning is very good and at 6'5" his ability to drop full length at speed is high quality and a hallmark of the saves he's made this year. McClaren's decision to pick Lumley was inspirational and a big contribution to our seven defensive shut outs. You can hear Lumley shouting at the back four throughout the game, he dominates his box and his positioning and shot stopping are impressive. All good traits, but the trade of a keeper is a difficult one with fine margins between success and failure. I'm sure Lumley will learn to push the ball De Gea or Castillas style out of the danger zone when parrying shots.
Pav was man of the match in the second half with his running and desire. His tenacity in winning the ball and supplying the cross for Wells to snaffle the third goal was first class. Watch Pav and you will see he's always looking for his team mates, looking to see what the best option is. He's willing to run the channels and create chances or to pull defenders towards him. Pav will also drift in between the centre backs, like the goal against Villa, and at the Championship level this is a nightmare for your average defensive lump who needs help from a couple of tug boats to make a turn.
Leistner and Lynch are now a solid midfield pairing with a good understanding building and allowing Lynch to look like a decent footballer. The addition of Angel on the right gives our defence a solid look that we've lacked the last three seasons. Along with Bidwell, they might not be the fastest unit but they've contained some lively attacking players so far.
On a down note, our left sided defense of Freeman and Bidwell is a weak spot. Too often Freeman is caught out of position and struggles to get back on the cover. This leaves plenty of space for teams to exploit and is the one area that we need to improve.
Now Schteve has a team on his hands that's capable of mixing with the better teams in the Championship. Let's hope we can build from here after another annoying international break is over.
Against Brentford, touted as the best team we'll play all season, we started brightly but struggled to get into the game. Finishing second best at 1-0 at half time. Then an amazing burst of three goals in ten minutes buried Brentford and had the ground rocking as the "ole's" rang out. Loftus Road at its finest, passionate, fiery best. One of those Saturdays when nothing else matters. One of those Saturdays that you don't want to end.
Key players for us were Lumley and Pav. Lumley is an exciting young prospect and one who should have a long career between with the Number 1 jersey on his back. Pav makes our right hand side stronger, faster and more effective.
While we struggled to get hold of the game in the first half, we let Brentford through a gap and Lumley parried Benrhama's shot straight at the divisions top scorer Maupay who duly put the rebound away. In the second half, Lumley made some smart saves to keep Brentford out; his positioning is very good and at 6'5" his ability to drop full length at speed is high quality and a hallmark of the saves he's made this year. McClaren's decision to pick Lumley was inspirational and a big contribution to our seven defensive shut outs. You can hear Lumley shouting at the back four throughout the game, he dominates his box and his positioning and shot stopping are impressive. All good traits, but the trade of a keeper is a difficult one with fine margins between success and failure. I'm sure Lumley will learn to push the ball De Gea or Castillas style out of the danger zone when parrying shots.
Pav was man of the match in the second half with his running and desire. His tenacity in winning the ball and supplying the cross for Wells to snaffle the third goal was first class. Watch Pav and you will see he's always looking for his team mates, looking to see what the best option is. He's willing to run the channels and create chances or to pull defenders towards him. Pav will also drift in between the centre backs, like the goal against Villa, and at the Championship level this is a nightmare for your average defensive lump who needs help from a couple of tug boats to make a turn.
Leistner and Lynch are now a solid midfield pairing with a good understanding building and allowing Lynch to look like a decent footballer. The addition of Angel on the right gives our defence a solid look that we've lacked the last three seasons. Along with Bidwell, they might not be the fastest unit but they've contained some lively attacking players so far.
On a down note, our left sided defense of Freeman and Bidwell is a weak spot. Too often Freeman is caught out of position and struggles to get back on the cover. This leaves plenty of space for teams to exploit and is the one area that we need to improve.
Now Schteve has a team on his hands that's capable of mixing with the better teams in the Championship. Let's hope we can build from here after another annoying international break is over.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Remind me. Which football team is playing in this game?
Saturday afternoon, QPR playing away at Bolton; we're up North and we're on the road. My aspirations are a slightly better result than the Birmingham game: namely play well, score a goal and get a point. Grabbing three points will be an unexpected bonus.
While listening to the game, I kept hearing words like "in control", "defending well", "practicing the dark arts" and I suddenly felt the need to check that this is QPRs official live commentary and that it's Andy Sinton using these words. We were dominant in the game, had managed to keep the Bolton crowd quiet and seemed much improved since our trip to Brum.
Key change to our formation is the addition of Hemed and Wells up front. They are quick and sharp, but you expect that from players of their quality. The big difference now is their ability to keep pressure on defenders and press from the front. The running from Wells was fascinating to watch on the highlights. Looking for flicks from Hemed and working himself into good positions and really should have scored a goal.
Freeman seems to have settled into a role that works for him; his goal was the classic run from central midfield to slam home Well's cutback ahead of the lunging Wheater. We've not seen enough of Freeman in the box and hopefully this lifts his confidence to score more goals.
Eze is astonishing with his close control, ability to take about players with a shift of his hips and spot a killer pass through traffic. A perfectly weighted toe-poke that started the move for the Freeman goal was classy; suddenly 4 Bolton players were on the wrong side of the ball with a rampant Freeman bound for the box. Eze's goal was earned due to his alertness and balance allowing him to get to the ball first and emphatically dispatch it into the bottom left corner.
Ten minutes into the second half, we're away from home and look more likely to finish with all three points. We have a team of players who are playing with purpose and seem to be clear on the system of play. There is a distinct fluency to the team and the boos are starting to be heard from the home fans.
But of course, this is QPR and we have form for letting leads slip. We duly get penalised for Joel Lynch getting too friendly with one of the Bolton players. Magennis manages to fire through the wall and underneath Joe Lumley. Added to the madness, there's a Keystone Cops moment where one of our players falls down behind the wall.
Cue the Bolton team rising from their sick beds and playing like they're possessed. We defended well and the excitement stopped from my usual second half doze.
Well done to the team, good to get an important away win on the board. Looking forward to seeing them in action against Millwall.
While listening to the game, I kept hearing words like "in control", "defending well", "practicing the dark arts" and I suddenly felt the need to check that this is QPRs official live commentary and that it's Andy Sinton using these words. We were dominant in the game, had managed to keep the Bolton crowd quiet and seemed much improved since our trip to Brum.
Key change to our formation is the addition of Hemed and Wells up front. They are quick and sharp, but you expect that from players of their quality. The big difference now is their ability to keep pressure on defenders and press from the front. The running from Wells was fascinating to watch on the highlights. Looking for flicks from Hemed and working himself into good positions and really should have scored a goal.
Freeman seems to have settled into a role that works for him; his goal was the classic run from central midfield to slam home Well's cutback ahead of the lunging Wheater. We've not seen enough of Freeman in the box and hopefully this lifts his confidence to score more goals.
Eze is astonishing with his close control, ability to take about players with a shift of his hips and spot a killer pass through traffic. A perfectly weighted toe-poke that started the move for the Freeman goal was classy; suddenly 4 Bolton players were on the wrong side of the ball with a rampant Freeman bound for the box. Eze's goal was earned due to his alertness and balance allowing him to get to the ball first and emphatically dispatch it into the bottom left corner.
Ten minutes into the second half, we're away from home and look more likely to finish with all three points. We have a team of players who are playing with purpose and seem to be clear on the system of play. There is a distinct fluency to the team and the boos are starting to be heard from the home fans.
But of course, this is QPR and we have form for letting leads slip. We duly get penalised for Joel Lynch getting too friendly with one of the Bolton players. Magennis manages to fire through the wall and underneath Joe Lumley. Added to the madness, there's a Keystone Cops moment where one of our players falls down behind the wall.
Cue the Bolton team rising from their sick beds and playing like they're possessed. We defended well and the excitement stopped from my usual second half doze.
Well done to the team, good to get an important away win on the board. Looking forward to seeing them in action against Millwall.
Friday, August 24, 2018
Tell Me a Joke
I needed a laugh to pick me up after the Bristol City game, so I thought why not just ask Alexa.
"Alexa, tell me a joke".
"You're a Queens Park Rangers supporter", comes the dulcet purr from the little speaker beside the TV.
Ok, I made this up. Alexa is not capable of British irony and does not know which football team I support. However, if this did happen I certainly wouldn't know whether to laugh or fall to the floor weeping.
Watching QPR at Loftus Rd over 28 years, the Bristol City performance was the worst I have seen. And I sat through the full debacle that was Vauxhall Motors. Against Bristol, we played some good football, but Connor's miscues, including the shit pass that prevented Eze from scoring, were dreadful for a striker at any level and overall our team cohesion and desire to win seemed non-existent. To be fair, playing Connor on his own up front with Eze in the 10 position and Pav on the wing isn't a tactically astute combination. How will a 5" 6' striker who's skill is turning his defender going to cope with long balls lumped up to him or crosses into the box? Neither Eze or Connor are a back-to-goal hold-up-the ball striker.
Eze though is the player who suffers the most from the ineptitude on display. A clearly gifted player with the ability to subtly shift his weight and bamboozle defenders, an eye for a pass and capable of striking with both feet. Eze is a player that, with the right support, would be running any game at this level. Instead the System doesn't lend him that support and in the last 15 minutes against Bristol he started trying to make things happen with some outrageous punts of the ball, none of which came off. I do feel for him; at least Jesus Christ only had to use water to make wine.
Our club is seriously broken, a continual merry-go-round of managers who arrive to much fan-fare from the Club attempts to assure the Fans that QPR is serious, we're making progress, we're going to be competitive in this league. Each pre-owned manager starts with the "getting this club back where it belongs" bollocks. Their cliche riddled speeches on the importance of attitude over results have reached a point where it's hard to distinguish who said what and when. After a series of mediocre results, said manager then scurries out the back door well before their contract completes. Another dollop of compensation for another failure, a further drift towards destruction for QPR.
I can imagine Ollie having an argument with himself on Tuesday night about his precious QPR. Much like Gollum arguing with Smeagol, Ollie, proud Bristol Rover and QPR supporter, would be furious with a performance that lacked desire and ended in a loss to Bristol City but feeling vindicated that he'd done the job last year before his unceremonious dumping at the end of the season.
QPR have now engaged the services of two strikers who seem to know how to score goals and, with this article being produced just before the Wigan game, I'm not sure how they will invigorate or salvage a point in that game. I don't recall the last time a QPR result surprised me.
"Alexa, tell me a joke".
"You're a Queens Park Rangers supporter", comes the dulcet purr from the little speaker beside the TV.
Ok, I made this up. Alexa is not capable of British irony and does not know which football team I support. However, if this did happen I certainly wouldn't know whether to laugh or fall to the floor weeping.
Watching QPR at Loftus Rd over 28 years, the Bristol City performance was the worst I have seen. And I sat through the full debacle that was Vauxhall Motors. Against Bristol, we played some good football, but Connor's miscues, including the shit pass that prevented Eze from scoring, were dreadful for a striker at any level and overall our team cohesion and desire to win seemed non-existent. To be fair, playing Connor on his own up front with Eze in the 10 position and Pav on the wing isn't a tactically astute combination. How will a 5" 6' striker who's skill is turning his defender going to cope with long balls lumped up to him or crosses into the box? Neither Eze or Connor are a back-to-goal hold-up-the ball striker.
Eze though is the player who suffers the most from the ineptitude on display. A clearly gifted player with the ability to subtly shift his weight and bamboozle defenders, an eye for a pass and capable of striking with both feet. Eze is a player that, with the right support, would be running any game at this level. Instead the System doesn't lend him that support and in the last 15 minutes against Bristol he started trying to make things happen with some outrageous punts of the ball, none of which came off. I do feel for him; at least Jesus Christ only had to use water to make wine.
Our club is seriously broken, a continual merry-go-round of managers who arrive to much fan-fare from the Club attempts to assure the Fans that QPR is serious, we're making progress, we're going to be competitive in this league. Each pre-owned manager starts with the "getting this club back where it belongs" bollocks. Their cliche riddled speeches on the importance of attitude over results have reached a point where it's hard to distinguish who said what and when. After a series of mediocre results, said manager then scurries out the back door well before their contract completes. Another dollop of compensation for another failure, a further drift towards destruction for QPR.
I can imagine Ollie having an argument with himself on Tuesday night about his precious QPR. Much like Gollum arguing with Smeagol, Ollie, proud Bristol Rover and QPR supporter, would be furious with a performance that lacked desire and ended in a loss to Bristol City but feeling vindicated that he'd done the job last year before his unceremonious dumping at the end of the season.
QPR have now engaged the services of two strikers who seem to know how to score goals and, with this article being produced just before the Wigan game, I'm not sure how they will invigorate or salvage a point in that game. I don't recall the last time a QPR result surprised me.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
End of Season Shenanigans
When you're a QPR supporter and you reach the end of a season that has avoided a relegation battle and kept you in the same division, it's almost a dream. When that season includes the debut of a clutch of young and talented players who seem hungry for success, then dreams become fantasies.
How fitting that just days after the season ended the QPR hierarchy decided to toss Ollie out the window. This wasn't a mutually agreed cliche, it was a clinical defenestration designed to allow a new manager to be appointed well ahead of the summer break. Queue media speculation and the arrival of a second hand McLaren. We might not have a budget, but at least we have a manager. Hope runs a good race; maybe Stevie will be a wonder and not a Wally with a Brolly come the turn of the year.
Goal of the year is always an odd voting exercise. THAT Tricky Trev strike against Barnsley or the Ainsworth pints of wallop against Rushden and Diamonds. Worthy winners each of them. Then there was Adel in our promotion year banging in goals from all parts of the ground for fun, including some belters from outside the box into the top corner on several Occasion. For me, the GOTY has to be special, something that really stands out and sticks in your mind. Josh Scowen's goal against Barnsley was good but arguably one spectacular strike in a season is not unusual for a midfielder. My GOTY was Paul Smyth against Sheffield Wednesday. In that game, Smyth was involved in pretty much everything that was good and his goal was absolutely stunning. He kept himself free in the box and was first to react to a weak punch from the keeper. Trap on the left to volley on the outside right into the bottom left corner with 2 Wednesday players looking to close him down. Awesome technique and composure from a lad of 19. At least he's won the Young Player of the Year award but I expect to hear more from him next season.
The footballing world's focus is now on the World Cup, but in the meantime I'm hoping that Stevie has figured out who the ageing veterans that we can afford on free transfer are that can guide an emerging team of high quality youngsters into a Championship force. Of course, it could all go horribly wrong by Christmas and we'll be back looking for another manager will to get on the QPR House of Horrors ride. I'm hoping not.
How fitting that just days after the season ended the QPR hierarchy decided to toss Ollie out the window. This wasn't a mutually agreed cliche, it was a clinical defenestration designed to allow a new manager to be appointed well ahead of the summer break. Queue media speculation and the arrival of a second hand McLaren. We might not have a budget, but at least we have a manager. Hope runs a good race; maybe Stevie will be a wonder and not a Wally with a Brolly come the turn of the year.
Goal of the year is always an odd voting exercise. THAT Tricky Trev strike against Barnsley or the Ainsworth pints of wallop against Rushden and Diamonds. Worthy winners each of them. Then there was Adel in our promotion year banging in goals from all parts of the ground for fun, including some belters from outside the box into the top corner on several Occasion. For me, the GOTY has to be special, something that really stands out and sticks in your mind. Josh Scowen's goal against Barnsley was good but arguably one spectacular strike in a season is not unusual for a midfielder. My GOTY was Paul Smyth against Sheffield Wednesday. In that game, Smyth was involved in pretty much everything that was good and his goal was absolutely stunning. He kept himself free in the box and was first to react to a weak punch from the keeper. Trap on the left to volley on the outside right into the bottom left corner with 2 Wednesday players looking to close him down. Awesome technique and composure from a lad of 19. At least he's won the Young Player of the Year award but I expect to hear more from him next season.
The footballing world's focus is now on the World Cup, but in the meantime I'm hoping that Stevie has figured out who the ageing veterans that we can afford on free transfer are that can guide an emerging team of high quality youngsters into a Championship force. Of course, it could all go horribly wrong by Christmas and we'll be back looking for another manager will to get on the QPR House of Horrors ride. I'm hoping not.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)