Match Day Thread QPR v Brighton

From what Ollie said after the game wishing him well, maybe he will be going. But he showed skills that we really need if only he could do that further forward and at speed, so I hope he gets more games with us and the match fitness he obviously needs.

 

I'm still not convinced that we should be playing a 5-3-2 formation, particularly at home. The way we play it, it is too defensive: we sit back too much, we lack width and we seem outnumbered in midfield. When we went behind, and following the substitutions, we seemed to switch to first 4-4-2 and then, with the last substitution, to 4-3-3. This more attacking formation, plus the introduction of Freeman, meant we were easily the best side in the last 20 minutes. We had a header and a shot from about 6 yards, both of which should have been buried. Why can't the team play 90 minutes like they played the last 20?

Murray seemed to fall over the ball for the free kick leading to Brighton's excellent second goal but the ref was feeling generous, just as he was with the ludicrous Brighton time-wasting later in the match.

I pray that Ollie sees this part of the season as a time to see all his players in action and to experiment a little because, otherwise, his tinkering is killing us. Wszolek was one of our best players when we signed him for the long-term but subsequently he's been in and out of the side. Freeman should be the first name on the team sheet. Had he been with us all season, he would be rivalling Smithies for Player of The Season.

Morrison played far too deep and didn't make an incisive pass during his whole time on the pitch. He had just one decent run which ended in a poor pass. I suspect he was played to give him his big chance because Freeman has been far, far superior in recent games and it is hard to understand why Morrison would be preferred. On this form, there's no way he should be retained for 2017-18.

Onuoha had some good moments before he made a fairly typical mistake and gifted Brighton the first goal. This happens far too much. Lynch is till trying to make length-of -the-pitch Hollywood passes which his limited skill level renders impossible. He should stick to the basics, at which he performs quite well. He was not the only culprit who insisted on hoofing the ball up-field in the general direction of Smith who won quite a few headers, which is just as well as he seems incapable of using his feet and has the mobility of a man twice his age.

The last 20 minutes may be enough to give us hope for next season but there's still a lot of work to do, some new faces to be found and greater consistency is required. But for those two glaring misses late on, we could easily have beaten a very good Brighton side.

 

First time I saw Freeman apart from highlights was against Derby, when he was bad. But ok, so were most, and he did ok when he came on last night.

 

Freeman has been a revelation. Excellent on the ball and real trier - a fantastic signing.