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Reply | Lyndon Dykes
at 10:38 7 Sep 2025
Gray was like playing with ten men for anything other than shooting/scoring. It did hamper us. Like Sainz against us last season did zero defending - really affected their ability to defend as a team. |
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Reply | Celar
at 11:37 6 Sep 2025
If I were Kone I'd be pretty pleased to have variously Burrell, Smyth, Poku, Dembele, Chair and Vale behind me. Not the shabbiest of AMs to draw on.
I also think with Hayden behind him Varane might be persuaded to come past the halfway line. He certainly has the ball skills. |
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Reply | Dyke’s screamer!
at 20:36 5 Sep 2025
TBH Brian I don't think he had much to do. We got into some good positions but we sometimes lacked a bit of composure for the final ball, it pinged around in their box or there was at least one cynical foul, so he didn't have to save much. From a distance away he looked about 173cn/5 ft 8. Maybe he's v young? |
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Reply | Dyke’s screamer!
at 20:01 5 Sep 2025
Their goalie looked very small Brian. Amazed he's reached this level TBH! |
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Reply | Dyke’s screamer!
at 18:41 5 Sep 2025
I enjoyed it too although unfortunately missed both goals as I had to get back for work. Rather like the niggle. Contrast to the matches of a few years ago where they seemed a bit too nice.
I was impressed with Saloman and McCann. Would like to see more of Hassan too. He looks like he can handle himself...Some decent pace from Coombs and Trujillo. We needed a bit of composure when getting into dangerous positions.
Very enjoyable as you say. |
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Reply | Summer Transfer Window - Patreon Podcast
at 18:21 5 Sep 2025
I don't like the term supporters because it suggests you'd support him through thick and thin, as I made clear in my post. As I say I don't like lumping people together. There are a range of opinions, it's not as polarized as that.
It's worth re-iterating why I want to give Nourry time because there are numerous posts sayng repeatedly why they don't like him. They are repeated on virtually every thread at great length. Also because some people have called for him to go which I think is premature; why should I not explain my reasoning.
I don't know all the technicalities about playing models. It makes sense to me that should be some sort of progression across the levels. Do we know for a fact that this was done without any consultation with the many highly experienced coaches across the club? Is it so rigid that Stephan cannot ever vary from it? I would say no any more than his strongly resisted counter to the suggestion he doesn't pick the team - a claim made several times on here.
There may be some people who back Nourry whatever. There are far more that counter some very limited praise with criticisms, rehearsing the same points endlessly. Of course that is their right but you cannot claim it's a balanced debate in terms of sheer volume of posts.
I don't want to see so much negativity so early in the season because it's contagious. I think last season our support massively contributed to us staying up. I'd hate that to reverse before we've given this squad and manager a chance.
I may be naive and blind by wanting to prioritise the positives over the negatives. I hope not. |
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Reply | Summer Transfer Window - Patreon Podcast
at 10:44 5 Sep 2025
I don't know if you'd put me in the category of Nourry supporter. I'm suspecting yes. The thing is that's what annoys me most about this whole debate. I'm not a Nourry supporter, never have been. I'm a QPR supporter. Why box people in? If he proved to be long term shit I wouldn't back him. QPR I've supported in the Premier, League 1 and the Championship; that's the difference.
Do I think he's done nothing wrong? Of course not. Do I understand why people are concerned? Absolutely. That's not blind faith. I just think there have been enough positive changes in areas I personally think we were weak: the DS and negotiating deals both commercially and related to playing staff to not write him off.
I have also challenged criticisms that are just based on speculation or what I see as stretching the facts.
As for the playing style I agree teams are bigger and more physical but I think it's partly down to the age old issue of what's available in our price range. If they were injury free, pacy, good attitude, technically sound, physically imposing they're like to be in the Prem already. This season we're compromising on lack of Championship experience. Last season it was that or physicality. We tried with Les injury records but that backfired with Amos, Hall and JCS (partly) although was a great success with Austin first time round.
I'm hoping we'll be able to get the complete player going forward but it's not the easiest. |
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Reply | Talla off
at 11:06 3 Sep 2025
If I were conducting the negotiations I'd probably accept a low initial fee with higher additions for first team matches played, goals and assists, plus a % sell on fee. We aren't risking anything and he didn't cost us anything. Whatever we get now and going forward is a bonus without having to invest anything further. Sounds like good business to me given that we can't keep all our academy graduates just in case.
I didn't think he showed much in first team games compared to Sutton, Kolli, Lloyd and Esquerdinha etc. |
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Reply | Rating for this Summers Transfer Window
at 03:41 2 Sep 2025
Excellent post.
I wonder having seen a decent performance from Vale that he might start in the AM position once Poku is back and bring Dembele on when defenders are tiring. Thinking being that Dembele tires early and not great at the physical side of the game which tends to be more necessary early on; later on matches tend to open out more, at least at home when he'd be more valuable. |
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Reply | Taylor Richards gone…thank god.
at 03:30 2 Sep 2025
I agree with the Mick Beale bit. See also Tyler Roberts another Beale alumni leaving Birmingham for Mansfield. I wonder how much Beale cost us, Rzngers and Birmingham with his 'eye for a young player'.
Thank goodness he left!
I do think Taylor had potential but for whatever reason don't think he'll ever harness it. |
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Reply | Dieng talks
at 03:20 2 Sep 2025
Yes I imagined that's the plan: to be able to take him out of the firing line for a bit.
Also wondered if Nardi is a contractual thing: i.e. he has a higher than usual appearance bonus/playing a certain number of matches triggers a lucrative Steve Cook-style third year?
Definitely not ITK or trying to start rumours but could provide some explanation. |
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Reply | Saito goal
at 10:03 1 Sep 2025
Yes that's fair. Certainly don't write him off! |
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Reply | Saito goal
at 07:58 1 Sep 2025
I love Chair and he seemed to single handedly keep us going at times. But he does hamper us playing it quickly as he just has to take that extra touch or go back the way he came just once more.
Also he insists on taking every dead ball even when he's having a bad day and hitting the first man every time.
I wonder if we play him against teams that give you more space where he really comes into his own and have Vale for those matches where you need to move the ball quickly to beat the high press? Just a thought and it's nice to have options. |
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Reply | Absentees
at 07:45 1 Sep 2025
Fantastic. Usually after five minutes on the pitch which meant he couldn't tackle again for the rest of the match so players would then waltz past him knowing he couldn't do anything. And he'd often do it when there was plenty of cover around. At least Field only generally gets a yellow card when there's no other option. Players would sometimes wind him up knowing he'd bite. That match where he came on at half time and still managed to get sent off for two yellow cards for arguing with the ref. Total liability.
I don't care if players are well hard if they lose their heads as much as Colback did.And when Saito does more tackles than you you can't boast too much.
But aside from that he was expensive and could hardly ever play. Good riddance! |
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Reply | Out of the darkness – Report
at 00:20 1 Sep 2025
I don't think balancing the budget and bringing in players is as simple as you make it sound. We're also rightly not privy to all the financial ins and outs. These players coming in may have been contingent on the Eze deal for instance. I'm sure we were going to sign another DM all along but Hayden won't be cheap so we may have had a downgraded version without the windfall.
They've definitely made mistakes in the squad but EVERYONE knew we needed an experienced midfielder and LB so it doesn't make sense that this was a surprise. |
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Reply | Absentees
at 20:21 31 Aug 2025
What's so nice is having decent subs to come on. Also when we have a three match week we can swap players in and out without severely weakening the team once everyone is fit. |
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