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Fine Lines 10:58 - May 8 with 2469 views

t's hard to know where to start with yesterday, they should have been 3 up in the first five minutes and we did next to nothing to stop them playing through us, it was just so easy. We had so many chances to put a boot through the ball and clear it for the second goal but fannied around and just stood off them. The 3rd and 4th goals were just pathetic. 4-0 flattered us in the end, it could and should have been 7 or 8.

The goal kicks were doing my head in, Lynch and Ned split to the edge of the box so Smithies kicked it to one of them and instantly they were closed down so they passed back to Smithies who was then closed down and he'd kick it long. We did that 4 or 5 times in the first half with the same outcome every time. It was obviously a tactic from Holloway to play out from the back but when it didn't work the first 2/3 times then for gods sake change it but no one seemed to have the brains to do anything different. that was only a small thing but it drove me mad.

The only positive of the day was the performance of Josh Bower when he came on who looked very bright and direct but even he was played in two different positions in his 20 minute spell, it all just looks a mess.

I think when you consider what JFH and Ramsey were sacked for it's incredible that Holloway is going to stay on but I can't see him being here at Christmas. We have some good players at the club and we're doing a lot of things right these days but there is a fine line between a good team and a relegated one and we are treading that line at the moment.

Every QPR side I've seen relegated had potential to be a decent side with some good players in it and none of the managers were dreadful to start with they all made bad decisions and lost key games to turn a decent team into a relegated one and we look like we are heading that way again.

In 96 we had a team who with a bit of luck in some games and if we had scored all of our penalties that season would have finished mid table, in 2001 it was a poor QPR side but still had the likes of Peacock, Crouch, Langley and Carlisle in it, all players you'd want to build good team around but it didn't work. Same with the two Prem relegations, we didn't have terrible players it just never quite gelled and we lost games early on that killed us.

When you look at this squad today we have a lot of individuals who are decent players who I'd want to keep but we are a long way from being a good team and if we start badly next season I fear for us.

This squad to me looks similar to how we did when Warnock took over, some good players in it but if we get it wrong in the summer we'll go down. Warnock's promotion team had a lot of players who were already at the club who almost went down such as Gorkss, Connolly, Buzsaky, Leighterwod, Helguson and Adel but he went into that summer with a plan and brought in players to make them a good team. If Warnock hadn't added the Derry, Hill and Mackies that summer I think that QPR side could easily have gone down the year we won the league.

We could easily do that again this summer as in the likes of Ned, Lynch, Robinson, Luongo, Freeman, Smith and Wsoleck we have good players but we're not a good team.

Holloway could easily turn this round and have a good side next season but I'll be honest this looks like a side more likely to go down than up to me and yesterday needs to be a massive wake up call to everyone at the club that this isn't good enough and they need to a very good transfer window to ensure next season is not an absolute disaster.

Fine Lines on 11:11 - May 8 with 2430 views

simmo

Both Lee Cook and Andy Sinton have spoken about Bowler and picked him amongst the best in the youth team. Good to see him being elevated and another potential option to add to Shodipo, Furlong, Manning, Lumley, Eze, Comley, Hamalailen, etc as genuine contenders for squad places next season.

The emergence as youth has been a really strong positive this season, let's hope it continues.

ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead

Fine Lines on 12:43 - May 8 with 2314 views

BrianMcCarthy

Dave, I mean it as a serious compliment when I say that I consider you the most rational and reasonable poster on this board, so it worries me when even you are worried about the management lasting.

I really haven't seen enough of the last eight games to have a valuable opinion on Holloway's position. The last time we were on the box a lot was when we were the form team in the division and. a lot has clearly happened since then.

I'm going to keep my powder dry as I 'm really not qualified to comment on recent performances. But your post and a few others from the calmer posters have me wondering what would be best.

	"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Poll:	Player of the Year (so far)

Fine Lines on 12:46 - May 8 with 2300 views

Dorse

Fine Lines on 11:11 - May 8 by simmo
Both Lee Cook and Andy Sinton have spoken about Bowler and picked him amongst the best in the youth team. Good to see him being elevated and another potential option to add to Shodipo, Furlong, Manning, Lumley, Eze, Comley, Hamalailen, etc as genuine contenders for squad places next season. The emergence as youth has been a really strong positive this season, let's hope it continues.

I'm with you there - the youth prospects at the club are the best we've seen for years. When you think of the amount of unmitigated crud we've seen signed for fees and salaries that defy all logic at the expense of developing talent it simply blows my tiny mind. Just a few comparisons:

Cesar - Lumley, Dieng
Traore - Hamalainen, Kakay
Bosingwa - Furlong
Barton, Mutch, Sandro, Park (and others) - Manning, Comley
Krancjar / Fer etc - Shodipo, Bowler, Eze

I'm not saying these lads are Prem / Champions League standard but I would be far happier to see them in the side than some of useless, preening w ankers we've had in the hoops over the past few seasons.

'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!'

Fine Lines on 13:11 - May 8 with 2219 views

johncharles

Fine Lines on 11:11 - May 8 by simmo
Both Lee Cook and Andy Sinton have spoken about Bowler and picked him amongst the best in the youth team. Good to see him being elevated and another potential option to add to Shodipo, Furlong, Manning, Lumley, Eze, Comley, Hamalailen, etc as genuine contenders for squad places next season. The emergence as youth has been a really strong positive this season, let's hope it continues.

It's Holloway that has given the youngsters a chance. Controversatial I know but there I've said it.

Strong and stable my arse.

Fine Lines on 13:17 - May 8 with 2184 views

simmo

Fine Lines on 13:11 - May 8 by johncharles
It's Holloway that has given the youngsters a chance. Controversatial I know but there I've said it.

Not that I am disputing, but Furlong wasn't an option for JFH as he was on loan, same with Doughty. He was also the one who gave Shodipo his break though, and Hamalailen.

Holloway deserves maximum credit for Manning, we'd have probably have lost him for nothing under the previous manager now we have a lovely little 1st teamer. Ollies handling of other youth teamers though has been shite IMO, players like Goss, Petrasso, Doughty and to a lesser degree Furlong, I can't say I approve. It's fine to include them and I don't rate half of them personally, but 45mins here and there, starting one week out the squad completely the next, it's hardly worth it and hasn't really taught us anything.

ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead

Fine Lines on 13:21 - May 8 with 2166 views

JamesB1979

What an excellent and well balanced post. What you say Dave makes a lot of sense and as has been said is also worrying. I am only recently on here but you (and Clive) seem 2 very patient fans. If you are both having concerns and that a change is needed then it really worries me.

Fine Lines on 14:17 - May 8 with 2060 views

Toast_R

Like the bloke but I’m afraid the sound bites and bull sh*t has run thin.
There are some decisions Holloway has made that I cannot get my head around, mainly the defence which has been bloody awful the last few weeks but nothing has been done to try and address that. Perch, 1st name of the team sheet every week despite playing terrible. Lynch again every week despite being terrible. I get it that it was Holloway’s idea to put Hall in front of his back 4 which seemed to work well until he got injured but since that, nothing. Perch, Bidwell and Lynch have been horse sh*t every game and yet nothing has changed. Nothing.

Then you’ve got the odd inclusion of players in certain games that clearly they shouldn’t have been thrown into. Goss at Brentford a f*cking cauldron of a game to play in and then being hooked off at half time. Morrison against top of the bloody league Brighton rendering the team completely disjointed and effectively playing with 10 men. Nice one Holloway, well thought out. The others I can’t be bothered to mention but all resulting in points p*ssed away against teams QPR should at least be competing against and every time that happened the players confidence ebbed away until you get the gutless shambles that took place at Carrow Road yesterday. Then throw the annual p*ssing the FA Cup away AGAIN at home to the blue print of how not to run a club - Blackburn Rovers, that stinks.

A shambles in end a complete and utter shambles.

The only saving grace I can find is that QPR avoided the drop so they can move on from this. Holloway couldn’t save QPR last time he took over mid way through a season but he did a marvellous job that summer in bringing in some decent players to get the club competing again. It can be done, it’s going to take a huge turnaround in form but it’s possible hopefully starting with that defence, unfathomable the amount of basic errors costing us goals every week — so frustrating to see.

Fine Lines on 16:29 - May 8 with 1946 views

terryb

Thank you Dave.

As i mentioned on Neil's report, I am in awe that anyone can string together a cohesive posting on THAT performance.

I am still struggling to understand how half way through the first half we moved Manning to the right of midfield. I can only assume this was to move Doughty to the left as his central role was not working. Thus we had a flat three that moved just far enough to be too forward when Norwich had pocession & too far back on the rare times we had the ball.

Yes, we were awful in midfield (all over the pitch really), but the three of them looked like they had no idea of their individual role or how the overall shape was meant to be.

Fine Lines on 16:49 - May 8 with 1863 views

philosopher

I'm a bit bewildered by it all. 4-5 weeks ago we were in fine form and looked to be building a squad for next year, with good Jan signings and some young players coming through. Really good away performances at Birmingham, Leeds, Reading and Newcastle. Then, as if 50 points was the target, everything seemed to change and we seemed to lose all direction. Losing Hall seemed to be a particular problem.

That said, I would still stick with Ollie. The worst thing would be to sack him and spend 3-4 weeks with the usual rumour and uncertainty, wasting away pre-season. On the other hand, as others have said, if Monk is able and willing..

Fine Lines on 20:30 - May 8 with 1706 views

daveB

Fine Lines on 16:49 - May 8 by philosopher

One theory I have, which is probably rubbish, is that at Derby he played Perch in the Hall role and we had a bad night, no one played well and it was poor but rather than stick with that he panicked and switched it to a different system at Villa and changed again for Brighton obviously thinking he can't play that way without Hall. Since then he has tried every combination possible other than that 4-3-3 with Perch dropping in to make it a back 5 when we don't have the ball and we've looked pretty crap in all combinations.

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