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Comment | QPR take their ‘adaptable’ approach to Disneyland – Preview
at 22:59:25
Hi Clive, thanks for both the detailed interview with JS and the preview. Being very busy at work, so not on much. For Stephan’s ‘adaptable’ approach, read Marti’s ‘pragmatism’ Nardi was (is) no more adept at playing out from the back than Walsh. Dunne became a RB primarily as an ‘outball’ The one essential difference from last season is that have a young, fit, aggressive striker for the first time in a decade, who additionally (who’d have thunk it) seems to score goals. If we can master Moore -Cook might be the man for the job - (and score a minimum of 2 goals), I believe we can win the game. And Stephanie can prove he is a MANAGER not just a coach. Bibs 1 Kone’s 2 |
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Comment | Familiar learnings and fresh frustrations as QPR lose at Watford – Report
at 21:29:48
Thanks, Clive. The thig is, you say the supporters all know the drill, having watched Marti's team over the past 18 months. But the majority of the players do too. Surely they, especially the senior players - Dunne, Cook, Field and Chair - must have a say? Surely they know that two in the middle - especially when one of those is Madsen - means we will be over-run and they allowed an input during training, when formations are being tried. I know injuries have played a big part both directly and indirectly. Dunne's return frees up Morgan and Varane should be free to start against Coventry and both are a significant up-grade on Madsen. But again, IF he only plays two in there, then ANY two will be out-numbered and struggle against a three man midfield. It hasn't worked in the past, WE know that, but the PLAYERS do too.
Similarly, playing out from the back, doesn't suit us. That is one of the main reasons why Dunne's conversion to a full back has succeeded. Not so much for his defensive capabilities (which are adequate) but because he provided a vital 'out-ball' up the right channel, when we had finally finished piss-balling around the edge of our box and the keeper had to hoof it. There was a certain (albeit perverse) logic to us trying to work our way up the pitch (painful as it was to watch at times), due to our well-documented lack of pace up front. This has been addressed this season, with Poku, Burrell and Kone all much speedier than what we had at our disposal last season. But we are not taking advantage of this, thus far anyway. Once again, the PLAYERS know we struggle playing out from the back. How many games doe Stephan have to lose before he decides 'ok let's go a bit more direct and stretch the oppos defence with our speedy attackers'
I get he's learning on the job, but most of the players already know what works and what doesn't. Don't they have a say? |
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Comment | Burton’s Burrell added out of the blue – Signing
at 15:36:15
Thanks Clive and Greg. No going to labour this any further, because there is no point. But for us to get all excited about Burrell and being so sniffy about Kelman is beyond ludicrous
Anyway, best of luck to the lad |
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Comment | End of Term Report 24/25 – Attack
at 00:14:08
Cheers Clive. RE Kelman, a lot depends on who becomes the next manager and how much they are influenced by Nourry |
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Comment | End of Term Report 24/25 – Goalkeepers
at 13:47:26
Cheers Clive, a very fair report on Nardi, who I felt also tailed off in the 2nd half of the season. Difficult of course with a very unsettled back line, but bailed out more than once by his defence and HATES crosses. Too old to change now also, or it would surely have been coached out of him. Now that he has been found out, expect a full season of the oppos dropping crosses in our six yard area.
I really like Walsh and would love to see him get a run, but failing that he clearly needs to go out on loan to a top Div 1 keeper.
Feel you are a bit disingenuous to Bergovic and have let your dislike cloud your professional judgement. Sure he made errors - Rotherham a classic - but the trouble with keeper errors they nearly always result in a goal. he played a major role in our survival last season imo. His saves v Preston at 0-0 and Leeds at 1-0 were vital and the outcome could have been different in both games. They are just two instances off the top of my head.
Like most QPR players I suspect neither Nardi or Bergovic are as good/bad as we make them out to be. The vast majority of our players are 'ok'. |
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Comment | More injuries and home woes for QPR against form Swans – Report
at 20:54:45
Thanks Clive, it's been a looong season and with the vast majority of them, your reports and previews have made the dross much more bearable. Not wishing to dig out any one player, because they were all poor, but I was particularly disappointed with Morrison. I guess he really missed Edwards beside him, because he looked very ordinary indeed. Anyway two to go and we ARE safe and have been for some time - unthinkable last November. Cheers again. |
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Comment | Big week – Preview
at 00:28:57
Thanks, Clive an incredible piece of prose, laying bare all our short-comings, past, present (and future?) Of the entire piece, the only sentence I didn't agree with was; Zan Celar scored two goals he’ll never score again as long as he’s got a hole in his arse. I thought they were two quality goals as I said on a post at the time, nothing fluky of 'gimme' about them. Hugely ironic and the epitome of our entire injury-ravaged season that he had a season -ending injury in the very next match. I think their is a player in there, IF we play to his strengths - I also think Frey played better when he had genuine competition for the one place up front. After Celar got injured, Kolli stepped up and provided that comp, but lately -nothing. Thanks again, fabulous work. |
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Comment | Look at us (hey, look at us) – Preview
at 22:22:11
Cheers Clive, a lot of sense in what you have said here. Despite beating Oxford 2-0, I was genuinely alarmed by our first half performance, which was the worst I had ever seen. By all accounts our first half at Bristol City was just as bad a few days later, but I was fortunate enough to miss it. We took four out of six, as we began our slow road to recovery and I can honestly say their performance v Oxford hasn't crossed my mind since. (be interesting to see them play each other now - I expect it would be a far higher quality game).
We are were I hoped we be before the season began, indeed our results over the last 5 games are how I expected our entire season to be: Lose a couple, win one, lose one, nice big win. I think this will pretty much be how it plays out for the season and that's fine by me, as the kids and the Championship novices gain vital experience for next season. Hell, I might even enjoy it! |
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Comment | Saito San for the little engine that suddenly can – Report
at 20:57:51
Cheers Clive and hats off to you and your comrades for covering such a distance in the space of 4 days. Thankfully you were all rewarded with two from two.
Watched the game on Sky, which as we all know, gives a different perspective to being there live. Couple of things I saw differently than you. I thought Morgan was quiet ineffectual, just as much below par as Kolli, Chair. But while we have genuine options for Chair and Kolli - and without question Saito and Lloyd swung the game our way - we don't for Morgan; Madsen is clearly not the answer and Marti believes Dixon Bonner is not ready (at 24). For this reason, Morgan remained on longer than he should have - this is not a criticism, he's a kid, and will have ups and downs as he develops - but it allowed Hull some dominance in mid-field late first half and early second. Marti knew he had the manpower to fix the Chair/Kolli subdued performances and did so with devastating effect, but not so Morgan. This shows how influential the kid has become in a few short months, but also shows that we don't have an adequate replacement when he is a little 'off' - maybe that is the area of strengthening we should focus on in the final days of the window?
The second thing is I feel you are being a tad harsh on Ashby. While he made some errors, he was by no means alone in his sloppiness. I was texting a friend while watching and had made just this observation in the moments PRIOR to Ashby coming on. We looked like a team believing our own publicity. Not quite showboating, but little flicks and tricks and less committed in the challenge. You are right in saying the arrival of Ashby and Madison exacerbated our sloppiness but the malaise had set in a little earlier.
As I have said a few times - and our brilliant run, highlights rather than dispels the notion - we are a very good team when we are bang at it, and quickly descend to mediocrity when we are not. |
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Comment | A mist opportunity as Foxes hit QPR for six – Report
at 23:50:28
Great report Clive, I get your frustration. One caveat; at the end of your piece, you mentioned that McClaren lost a lot of credit by losing the next league in the immediate aftermath of his FA Cup defeat. It is worth mentioning that the general consensus on the reason why QPR crashed and burned so spectacularly in the second half of 2019 is because he had flogged the same players to death game after game and they ultimately completely burned out in the New Year.
I am (partially) in the camp of those that believe we should be pragmatic about our team selection as we are not going to win the thing anyway - or get close even. I say partially because if I was a mid-table Prem team, Fulham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Aston Villa. Even Nottingham Forest or Newcastle, I would be going hell for leather to win the thing and give their fans something to remember. But us, with our tiny patchwork squad? 2, maybe 3 bad results between us and being sucked back into a relegation fight? No. If we can continue to gradually built and get ourselves back into the prem in say five years from now. And then, if we can become an established Prem side in say another five after that. Then yes, by all means give it a go, Until then... |
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Comment | Late heartbreak for improved QPR at Carrow Road - Report
at 00:04:32
Excellent report I didn't see it as I was driving (forgot it was 12.30 ko) My son had some ap on his phone -'live scores' I think - and he was following the whole game ang giving me a running commentary. I nearly crashed the car and turned the air 40 shades of blue when they equalised - this from a game I expected to lose at least 3-0 |
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Comment | Norwich out for revenge, QPR looking for a response - Preview
at 19:22:43
Cheers Clive, It should be obvious to Marti, that without Cook and Morrison, that if we cede 70+% possession, then a reversal of the result at HQ will be the best case scenario. It should also be clear that if we get stuck into them as we did at home, then they may not be able to cope with that and we might get something out of it. It is essential that we play on the front foot from the get go. If we lose that way, then so be it, at least we gave it a go. But no more week submission like Swansea please. |
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Comment | QPR’s unbeaten run crushed in Swansea Christmas horror – Report
at 00:32:53
Excellent debut report, Jamie - far superior to that which was reported on. I know whenever I publish pieces for the first time, I am tempted to edit and edit and am never fully satisfied with it. Dunno how long you spent on it, but final result was quality. |
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Comment | Field the world, lets them know it’s Rangers’ time – Report
at 21:48:04
2,751 words are all well and good - but what about the ratings? I am glad you highlighted the poverty of the first half. Brian, another voice I seriously respect was very unhappy also. I found it so shocking that even the result - while greatly welcomed - failed to lift me. While we recognise - and welcome - Marti's new found (or re-discovered) pragmatism, there has to be 'horses for courses', if we can take the game to Watford (our best performance imo) then surely to god we can dominate Oxford? |
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Comment | Best case, worst case – Preview
at 21:50:22
Thanks for the preview, Clive - a busy time for you. Hard to imagine anything but a Watford win, but I have a feeling Celar will score again. So either 2 or 3-1 to Watford. You know when your team is playing badly, you just assume that other teams are in a similar situation and mostly form is cyclic. But the two stats you have delivered this week; that only two teams have lost more games than us in the last TEN Years and then the fact that we are 30% worse off in our third game of three away from home are depressing and bleak. |
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Comment | Celarbrace drags QPR’s team, fans and striker back from the brink – Report
at 22:34:19
Excellent Clive, the relief is palpable. In the first half I was chuckling away at how shockingly bad both teams were. Second half, I was still laughing at how deep we were and how many more chances Cardiff would miss before they would inevitably score and probably win 3-1. Then around the 75th minute I began to take it seriously and it was a loooooooooong 16 minutes before Celar's miracle strike. |
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