 | Forum
Reply | Julien Stéphan, I mean, come on...
at 11:31 5 Oct 2025
Think you misunderstood how Clive and others were using that phrase. It wasn’t to say that he was only capable of being a bibs and cones guy. It was used to describe the role he was being asked to do, initially. However, since Cov, he’s seized control and we’re doing it his way now. So, now, he’s far more than that. He is arguably indispensable.
And do not, Clive and others (myself included), were very positive about his appointment based on his record in France and those journo interviews. |
| Forum
Reply | Julien Stéphan, I mean, come on...
at 08:43 5 Oct 2025
He definitely took control firmly after the Coventry game. Before then he was following the game model. And since then, he/we are not (when it comes to first team). I have no doubt the game model is still very relevant for the player trading activity.
The 7-1 gave him the ability/power/justification to make significant changes to the way we set up, and play out. He could hardly be challenged on that after such a result. He has then delivered results and we’re rolling with the Stephan way.
It wasn’t the case that up to then the game model was loose and he was controlling it. He was following it. Now he is not. There were lots of people at Heston who heard him talk about how it would be “his way” after Coventry…
I’m glad he had the balls to do that. The 7-1 might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Edit: I should add, I think it is encouraging and shows a new maturity that Nourry allowed him to change things (hopefully empowered him). However, it would have been hard to argue to stick with it as it was, but still, encouraging. I’m not sure what this means for De Souza though… [Post edited 5 Oct 8:58]
|
| Forum
Reply | Julien Stéphan, I mean, come on...
at 00:22 5 Oct 2025
He seized control after the Coventry debacle, we’re doing things “his way”, and we’re seeing something close to his Strasbourg set up…and quite different to our previous game model.
And we’re a lot better for it. Fair play to him. Doing a great job. |
| Forum
Reply | COOK
at 00:14 5 Oct 2025
My view is Cook is still the best centre half defensively. Starts for me. His partner should depend on the oppo.
For Millwall, I’d play Morrison alongside for a side like Ipswich or S’oton, I’d play Mbengue. |
| Forum
Reply | Madsen
at 17:33 4 Oct 2025
Wasn’t there today, but, fair play, it sounds like he played very well. Good on him. Keep it up for the season, please. |
| Forum
Reply | Shipshape and Bristol Fashion Match Thread
at 17:31 4 Oct 2025
Cook was back to his old self against Oxford. Two games running he’s been the stronger of the centre halves. Think he’s played himself into starting and it’s one of Morrison or Mbengue. |
| Forum
Reply | Shipshape and Bristol Fashion Match Thread
at 16:56 4 Oct 2025
Get in! Great result.
Let’s not miss the fact that both our goals came from crosses, on the outside of the full back (not inverting or cutting back in), in good areas. Width! 442 requires it when you attack. Hopefully that was Stephan’s message at HT. |
| Forum
Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 16:27 4 Oct 2025
Get in!
A cross from a wide area! From getting past the full back on the outside. A cross out across the 6 yard box!
More of that, please, Rangers. [Post edited 4 Oct 16:29]
|
| Forum
Reply | Shipshape and Bristol Fashion Match Thread
at 16:04 4 Oct 2025
Yeah, agree. Field isn’t near his best currently. I do think he is the sort of player who needs games to gradually work himself up to his best level and stay there. But I’m not sure Varane is any better or playing better currently. Hayden’s game time has been a bit confusing, if I’m honest. |
| Forum
Reply | Shipshape and Bristol Fashion Match Thread
at 16:02 4 Oct 2025
It was my big gripe with the Oxford performance.
If you’re going to play a 442 variation and the have your centre forwards crowded it and passing lanes closed off through the middle by the oppo, YOU HAVE TO GO WIDE. That requires wingers hugging the touchline and trying to beat their men on the outside, before slinging it in or pulling it back.
Our wingers are inverted. It makes the pitch small and easier for the oppo to crowd us out. |
| Forum
Reply | Shipshape and Bristol Fashion Match Thread
at 15:58 4 Oct 2025
Hmmmm….i’m struggling to see where he’s better than Field. Think Field is much better defensively and off the ball, and, whilst Varane has shown last season he can be better on the ball, I don’t think he’s shown that this season. Indeed feels a bit like he’s going through the motions and playing very safe. Hopefully he can it up.
I wouldn’t want to see Hayden for him as Hayden looks miles off the pace to me. No surprise given the lack of a pre-season. |
| Forum
Reply | Shipshape and Bristol Fashion Match Thread
at 15:45 4 Oct 2025
Feels like everyone else has worked out our variation of 442 now and a way to negate it.
For those watching, how is Varane playing? Think he’s been poor this season and is getting an easy ride. |
| Forum
Reply | M40 pile up Witnail and I edition - Qpr vs Oxford Match Thread
at 14:49 2 Oct 2025
The changes made us no better, though. Arguably worse! And some of those players who can on have had a lot of game time in recent weeks so he might have had Bristol City in mind. I don’t mind it, and I don’t think that was the issue. We didn’t look like scoring in the last half an hour anyway. |
| Forum
Reply | Lesser spotted Clarke Salter
at 10:06 2 Oct 2025
Quite. That would indicate it’s in his head. Given how much he costs us, we need to get some psychologists in asap for him. It’ll be a drop in the ocean compared to what we’re wasting on him not playing. |
| Forum
Reply | M40 pile up Witnail and I edition - Qpr vs Oxford Match Thread
at 10:03 2 Oct 2025
The subs arguably made us worse. Varane, in particular, was very poor.
To me it was more an issue of how we were trying to play (against that type of opponent) rather than the personnel. We needed width and we seem to deliberately without out.
Contrary to popular opinion, Frey was better than Kone at holding it up and laying off and Field better than Hayden (more involved in what build up we tried - Hayden was more negative - and made a key last ditch tackle).
The issue wasn’t really them though. It was our wide players. All 4 did next to nothing. [Post edited 2 Oct 10:17]
|
| Forum
Reply | M40 pile up Witnail and I edition - Qpr vs Oxford Match Thread
at 09:35 2 Oct 2025
I thought our biggest issue last night was how our wingers were inverted all game, both the starters and the subs. It was weird.
When you’re playing a team with a mid-low block, who are crowding the middle of the pitch, you need width to stretch them left to right and make the pitch as big for you to play in. Dembele, Vale, Smyth, Saito spent the entire game inside their full back, and we seemed to be asking Dunne and RND to provide the width. It was infuriating and looked like a deliberate tactic. When Smyth came on, I thought it would change…but no, he never once went wide of his winger. He spent the entire time positioning himself inside him not out wide on the touch line. That meant there was never that out ball to him wide like there often is late in games.
I think he’s made a good start so far, but last night was on Stephen. Weird team selection and weirder tactics. |
| Forum
Reply | M40 pile up Witnail and I edition - Qpr vs Oxford Match Thread
at 22:59 1 Oct 2025
Somehow we actually got worse after the subs which is baffling and suits no one’s narrative but it’s true.
Personally I thought the entire issue was personnel but tactics. All game our wingers were inverted and narrow when we were crying out for width ad delivery from wide areas. It felt like we were deliberately asking for our FBs to provide the width. Odd. Even the subs went and played inside.
As I said, we got worse after the subs. The issue was the tactics.
Like Stephan, but tonight was on him. That’s okay. He’s allowed off days. Just annoying. |
| Forum
Reply | Players Performance assessed by television viewers as against fans at the game.
at 08:48 1 Oct 2025
I’m not wrong. The whole discussion is predicated on it being the same “like for like” fan watching at the ground or on tv. Otherwise you’re bringing in another variable. Obviously, “an idiot” watching in any format is likely to misunderstand things. Feels like there is one doing that right now.
Is “one” better able to assess player performance at the game or watching on tv? It is obviously the former. You think you can assess performance better watching on tv than you could in the ground? Really?
Is your response perhaps driven by the fact you are not in the ground much, and simply think your opinion from watching TV is more valid that someone else’s, “an idiot” in your eyes, is who was at the game.
Superbly arrogant, that. But we expect nothing less.
Maybe Clive should just sit at home and write match reports off the stream. |
| Forum
Reply | Lesser spotted Clarke Salter
at 20:56 30 Sep 2025
So rehabilitation pretty critical to get right and relatively well known then? He also had a ton of calf issues before that, didn’t he?
It’s a major f*ck up IF he has gone off after 11mins with something related to it…and that could be a muscle injury for a muscle that suffered through the rehab (wasting away) and wasn’t built back up well enough.
He has been out a very long time. It’s important to get it right. Hopefully it’s something minor and unrelated. |
| | Hunterhoop
|
Site Scores| Prediction League: | 1 | | TOTAL: | 1 |
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.