| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:24 - Feb 22 with 3376 views | HAYESBOY |
GA mentions his playing style in the Offy interview. And as many people have assessed, he states that you play to the strengths of the players you have to work with. |  |
| Smells like a trout farm in here |
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| (No subject) (n/t) on 09:29 - Feb 22 with 3345 views | Burnleyhoop |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 23:39 - Feb 21 by daveB |
Unfortunately what les has tried to do is the realistic way, we just haven't done it well enough [Post edited 21 Feb 2023 23:42]
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That’s a bit of an understatement Dave.
The last eight years has been an overly expensive, incoherent mess. We have chopped and changed managers and styles constantly and whilst I understand and appreciate the attempt by Les to go the academy/development route, we are now left with a squad of crocks, academy kids and loan signings that are getting their arse’s handed to them on a weekly basis.
Time to ditch the fantasy and get back to the reality of what the championship is about. An extremely physical and demanding slog that needs a squad of fit and able bodied men slogging it out 2/3 games a week. The occasional appearance of players like Eze, Chair and Willock bring that bit a flair and skill we all crave and can be match winners, but only if the rest of the team are competing and winning their battles.
We now need Gareth to save our season and in conjunction with Les et al, review our strategy going forward and maybe balance some pragmatism with the idealism. |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:34 - Feb 22 with 3333 views | qpr1976 |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:03 - Feb 22 by Northernr |
The 'QPR way' thing is a guy who's badgering me on Twitter about it and what a travesty this appointment is.
As ever, Twitter is poor for this sort of thing. Reading that post, we're basically on the same page.
If Ainsworth does go for the full 'artless' (I agree BTW) Wycombe approach then he'll run into problems here medium term. |
I agree with Brian regards Jago/Sexton 70’s style of play. There’s been similar, eg. Venables, briefly under Di Canio/Magilton, and success under Olly & Warnock.
I suspect we (the Club) inadvertantly promote ‘the QPR way’ with the historic No 10 legacy. Marsh, Bowles, Currie, Stainrod, Byrne, Wegerle, Buszacky, Taarabt, Eze, Chair. We do Love a Playmaker - Some more so than others. | | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:42 - Feb 22 with 3304 views | Burnleyhoop |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:34 - Feb 22 by qpr1976 |
I agree with Brian regards Jago/Sexton 70’s style of play. There’s been similar, eg. Venables, briefly under Di Canio/Magilton, and success under Olly & Warnock.
I suspect we (the Club) inadvertantly promote ‘the QPR way’ with the historic No 10 legacy. Marsh, Bowles, Currie, Stainrod, Byrne, Wegerle, Buszacky, Taarabt, Eze, Chair. We do Love a Playmaker - Some more so than others. |
What we don’t like is getting battered every week trying to crowbar 6 number 10’s onto the pitch. | | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:45 - Feb 22 with 3298 views | joe90 |
The big question for me is how this team will respond to Wild Thing.
The evidence suggests we'll continue our free-fall. There are certain factors in the short term that are out his control, such as injuries. However, from what I've picked up from his interview is that he's flexible in his approach to how he plays/sets up. I think this will be key to motivating what remains of this team.
I'm looking forward to Saturday (you have to dream) but I also think we as fans need to be measured in our response whatever the result. WT has a tough job on his hands, instant results would be great, but I think we'll need to be patient. |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 10:13 - Feb 22 with 3213 views | Superhoop83 |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 08:48 - Feb 22 by Wilkinswatercarrier |
We had a discussion at work about the possession type football, and we all came to the conclusion that only top top players can do it, namely Man City, Barcelona, etc etc.
We have Championship players and they play at this level for a reason. The only season I thought it worked reasonably well was Warburtons first season, and it's no coincidence that we had Eze and Bright in the team who both now play st a higher level.
Personally I want to see us going forward quickly, hard working players, with a sprinkle of flair. A bit like those teams of the 70s, 80, and early 90s. Or Warnocks tenure.
It's not much to ask! Is it? |
Your post has reminded me of the early 90s when the ball was played out to Sinton, Impey or Sinclair. The crowd would get going every time and it was a joy to watch us pour forward. We had something similar in Ollie's first stint in charge with Cook, McLeod and Ainsworth on the wings.
Give me some of that excitement over the p*ss poor fare we've been watching this season, expect for the occasional spell when Chair combined with Willock and when Laird seemed to give a toss. [Post edited 22 Feb 2023 15:41]
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| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 10:16 - Feb 22 with 3202 views | robith |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:24 - Feb 22 by HAYESBOY |
GA mentions his playing style in the Offy interview. And as many people have assessed, he states that you play to the strengths of the players you have to work with. |
This is the key for me
From a manager's point of view, football isn't figure skating, you don't get points for style.
Fans imo will tolerate a lot if the results are good - Spurs style of football has been like acid in my eyes all year, but none of my Spurs mates cared when they were winning. Now it's unacceptable to them.
Likewise I can understand managers having a concept of tactics or style that might be disproportionately effective, but I don't get managers who are like "it has to be this". That rigidity imo leads to Spain having a corner in the 119th minute of a World Cup quarter final and playing it back to the keeper.
A bit of business w*nkery - I work in advertising strategy but all strategy follows the same flow. You need a diagnosis of your challenge, a guiding principle for turning those weaknesses into strengths, and coherent actions coming from that principle
It's clear to me what Gaz's strategy was. He's got no money at a tiny ground, unfashionable club. He's got a talented analytics guy but no wider scouting unit.
It therefore makes sense to me his guiding policy was to create a "robust" team, because the upside to identifying and affording those kinds of players with his team is surely much higher that the risk of being a Poundland Pep. Direct, crossing and sH**housing are therefore the key actions to make it work.
He's been at Wycombe so long it's hard to know therefore if that's his ideology or just his strategy.
In the short term though, I think it's probably the best time Ainsworth could've got the job. Expectations are low so he'll have more rope than if he started in the summer and got off to a rocky start. It's a team who have become crushingly undirect and low on confidence. It's a job tailor made to his strengths right now |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 10:34 - Feb 22 with 3137 views | Paddyhoops |
Wild thing will have my full support until the day he leaves. Didn’t get to many away games back in the day but will remember the Rushden and Diamond double as long as I live .
My brother was over from . Two incredible goals.
The cult of Gareth was created in the lower leauges. which goes to show you we have legends created at lower league as well as the top tiers.
He’s a class act and I’m pretty sure he will be this time round. | | | |
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| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 10:35 - Feb 22 with 3136 views | ngbqpr |
Brilliant thread.
This is my 50th season. I don't think there is a 'QPR way' - but generally I think our fans like entertaining, attacking, progressive football (Warbs / PBBC / Critch all mentioned 'front foot football' tho didn't always manage to deliver it).
All the best Rs teams in my era have had a brilliant number 10 (and one thing I do love is how we've continued that tradition on, even if the outside world think it's just Rodney and Stanley); and / or pacy wingers / full backs. We also appreciate a midfield maestro like Masson, Wilkins or Faurlin.
Ollie got it when he talked about the guys carrying the piano - he realised the likes of himself, Waddock, Derry, Bircham etc were necessary, but not the star turn.
In terms of centre backs, it is possible to balance the no-nonsense (Wicks, Hazell, Macca, Gorkks) with the pacy (Parker, Maddix) or cultured (Roeder the prime example).
I agree possession for possession's sake is dull; and it's really only at elite level that you can risk ball playing defenders. BUT what you can have is defenders who are comfortable bringing the ball forward when the opportunity allows - Rob Dickie v1 was a great example.
In terms of the "academy boys" debate (whether ours or loaned)...the FA ripped up its coaching rule book around 2010 and started again - tbf, with a system that has delivered the likes of Foden, Bellingham, Sancho, Saka etc.. They openly nicked a lot from the likes of Spain & Holland, but what they saw as their USP (which they dubbed 'the English DNA) was always looking to move the ball forward quickly - as Brian says above, ideally on the deck - but not faffing around with it (Russell Martin must have missed those days when doing his badges). [Post edited 22 Feb 2023 12:40]
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| (No subject) (n/t) on 10:45 - Feb 22 with 3105 views | daveB |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 01:16 - Feb 22 by Boston |
...therefore, you try something else. |
I don't think you try something else, I'd keep going with it but do it a lot better. That may well mean Les moves on and we get someone else in |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 11:00 - Feb 22 with 3061 views | daveB |
style of play is all about balance, my favourite QPR teams are 89/90, 92.93, 03/04 and the Warnock season
All of them were direct at times, no fear of playing off a target man and getting flair players on the ball in the final third, good full backs able to get forward and a playmaker in midfield who can spray a cross field pass to open the game up with his eyes closed. Thats pretty much what we did in 2021 when we had a brilliant year then for some reason went away from that a year ago | | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 11:14 - Feb 22 with 3011 views | qprphil |
TBH, I don't care who is in charge, or how they do it, I just want some wins. As I've mentioned before, I don't post that much as I don't go to games now, but 70 yrs this year a Rangers fan, my last game was home to Wigan in the Premiership which we wom 3-0 I think. I think a winning team attracts fans no matter what style of football they play, I've seen it all at HQ over the years. My favourite time going was, Bowles. Givens, Francis, etc, never missed a match. | | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 12:49 - Feb 22 with 2773 views | PeterHucker |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 08:46 - Feb 22 by BrianMcCarthy |
No apologies needed at all, my man. As you know, I like when you or someone says something that makes me think, so I'm not saying I'm right here. I'm just concerned. I hope it's unfounded.
To answer your question, for a start, let's get this out there straight away - we've only ever played Total Football once in my lifetime and that was under Jago and Sexton. So I don't think we are a Cryuffian club and I don't think we should pretend that we are. I personally love Cryuffian football but partly because it was never and should never be about possession for possession's sake - Cryuff believed in "hunting" and "pressure". Cryuff liked pace on the ball.
Like you, I find Russell Martin's slow, ponderous play boring. And, like you, I was sometimes frustrated by our football under Warburton, for instance, when we forgot to put pace on the ball. So I'm no possession fundamentalist. My favourite goal of recent years is Eze's goal at Stoke - back to front, on the deck, hard work off the ball, nice feet on it, lovely finish, and all so damn quick.
I'm not sure there is a 'QPR way' and I hope I haven't used the phrase. However, I do think that Rangers (in our better periods) are associated with attacking and attractive football. On the deck, movement, passing. We have rarely gone 100% down the road of ball-playing centre backs so there has always been a pragmatism to go with even our most attractive forward play.
I enjoyed Holloway's first spell - wingers, nice hold-up play, everyone could pass the ball.
I loved Warnock's 2010/11 - Faurlin bossing midfield, wingers, Routledge, support from the full-backs and Taarabt the cherry on top.
I thought Gerry's first spell was hugely entertaining - Wilkins bossing midfield, wingers, support from the full-backs and Ferdinand the cherry on top - though it's worth noting that towards the end of Francis's first spell we did go long a good bit and the crowd hated it.
All of those teams were solid and pragmatic at centre-back.
So, I don't mind a mixture, but I do think there should be non-negotiables - everyone should look to pass, move, support, we look to play the ball forward and on the deck wherever possible. Wherever possible! I do think that in the games that I've seen Wycombe play their football was long, rudimentary and artless (imho, of course) and I do think that large portions of the Rangers support would bore of that very, very quickly.
I hope that Ainsworth can coach and produce a more varied style as a minimum while here at Rangers, though I'm unsure that it would be as a simple as flicking a switch and saying "now I will coach a different style". |
Just dropping in to say how much I like hearing Brian & Clive’s considered views on our beloved Superhoops. |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 12:52 - Feb 22 with 2761 views | themodfather |
I have not real every comment but maybe some appeasement for fans but we needed to do something and if the whole board went we would sink like a lead balloon , Gaz did a good job on tight budget at Wycombe and if derby weren’t do lucky he would have kept them up in the championship but EFL melted . Let’s hope to get asap to the 50 pts and crack on from there . | | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 13:38 - Feb 22 with 2591 views | R_from_afar |
The very best teams can mix it up and play a variety of styles. If you only have one style, it's easier for opponents to plan ahead and stifle you.
Teams like Real Madrid can cut the opposition to ribbons with swift and clever short range passing but will go longer at times, especially if under pressure in dangerous areas.
It's best not to be too predictable. |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 14:13 - Feb 22 with 2489 views | Phildo |
Thank goodness for this site. I listened to a twitter space conversation on this the other day and it made me feel..................old. |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 14:15 - Feb 22 with 2477 views | robith |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 14:13 - Feb 22 by Phildo |
Thank goodness for this site. I listened to a twitter space conversation on this the other day and it made me feel..................old. |
Speaking of which, I heard a young QPR fan went on a Twitter space the other day and started racially abusing a guy from Kick it Out. Horrible stuff | | | |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 14:16 - Feb 22 with 2474 views | TK1 |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 09:29 - Feb 22 by Burnleyhoop |
That’s a bit of an understatement Dave.
The last eight years has been an overly expensive, incoherent mess. We have chopped and changed managers and styles constantly and whilst I understand and appreciate the attempt by Les to go the academy/development route, we are now left with a squad of crocks, academy kids and loan signings that are getting their arse’s handed to them on a weekly basis.
Time to ditch the fantasy and get back to the reality of what the championship is about. An extremely physical and demanding slog that needs a squad of fit and able bodied men slogging it out 2/3 games a week. The occasional appearance of players like Eze, Chair and Willock bring that bit a flair and skill we all crave and can be match winners, but only if the rest of the team are competing and winning their battles.
We now need Gareth to save our season and in conjunction with Les et al, review our strategy going forward and maybe balance some pragmatism with the idealism. |
"The last eight years has been an overly expensive, incoherent mess."
That's still a vast improvement on the previous eight years. And as for the eight years before then, or indeed the eight years before that... | | | |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 14:32 - Feb 22 with 2409 views | traininvain |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 14:16 - Feb 22 by TK1 |
"The last eight years has been an overly expensive, incoherent mess."
That's still a vast improvement on the previous eight years. And as for the eight years before then, or indeed the eight years before that... |
It’s also reductive as the club’s wage bill has been pretty much cut in half over the last eight years so it’s quite the opposite when you consider the starting point. |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 14:41 - Feb 22 with 2379 views | QPunkR |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 09:24 - Feb 22 by HAYESBOY |
GA mentions his playing style in the Offy interview. And as many people have assessed, he states that you play to the strengths of the players you have to work with. |
Bringing up our lovely away kit again, then! |  |
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| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 15:05 - Feb 22 with 2320 views | derbyhoop |
Good summary of the pros and cons with this appointment of a true club legend.
His work at WW, given the tiny budget, has been outstanding. Judging by the things he has said, his role in making the players comfortable in their roles and the style of play has been inspirational.
On that basis alone he should have a first class honours degree in psychology. He'll need every ounce of those skills to motivate the QPR squad. Especially those who downed tools on his predecessor.
Will be very interesting to see who is "suddenly", "surprisingly" available for Saturday. I accept some of the injured have been genuine but the evidence points to "I don't fancy it" culture among many of the Beale picks. |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
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| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 15:25 - Feb 22 with 2266 views | Northernr |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 15:05 - Feb 22 by derbyhoop |
Good summary of the pros and cons with this appointment of a true club legend.
His work at WW, given the tiny budget, has been outstanding. Judging by the things he has said, his role in making the players comfortable in their roles and the style of play has been inspirational.
On that basis alone he should have a first class honours degree in psychology. He'll need every ounce of those skills to motivate the QPR squad. Especially those who downed tools on his predecessor.
Will be very interesting to see who is "suddenly", "surprisingly" available for Saturday. I accept some of the injured have been genuine but the evidence points to "I don't fancy it" culture among many of the Beale picks. |
Critchley, well aware he was on his last legs, basically said as much in Saturday's post match. |  | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 15:27 - Feb 22 with 2260 views | stantheman10 |
One good thing with GA we should be ok with ffp as Wycombe never paid a transfer fee for a player during his tenure! | | | |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 15:47 - Feb 22 with 2195 views | Superhoop83 |
| Return of Wild Thing, desperate nostalgia play or just the tonic? Column on 15:25 - Feb 22 by Northernr |
Critchley, well aware he was on his last legs, basically said as much in Saturday's post match. |
And it's for that reason that we'll never know whether Critchley could have been good for us. Maybe he alienated some of the players and maybe he isn't a very good manager but, as you've said, he opened the Ark of the Covenant when he joined us - and he should have closed his eyes. | |
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and worry about the bigger picture around may time. 