Match Day Thread QPR v Sheff Weds

Hardly comparing apples with apples there though sb.

 

Ollie keeps changing his WiFi passwords.

 

He's tweeting like a good'un at the moment.

 

What Ollie is doing is beyond inept and I am rapidly losing all faith in the man.

 

Onwards n upwards training ground youth players blah blah am I close?

 

I was very critical after the Bristol City game because we were second best all game to a team that had long been in the relegation mire. Today, as Nines has said, we gave it a go and were the better team in the second half, putting Wednesday under quite a bit of pressure and creating quite a few half chances which never quite resulted in a shot on goal. Smith had the most awful miss from about 7-8 yards with a header in the 85th minute.

I thought we started with 5-3-2 when the opposition had the ball which, as you would expect, morphed into 3-5-2 when we were attacking. However, the defensive part of that formation, 5-3-2, really isn't working for us and, when we inevitably go behind, Holloway shakes it up and we look better. I am surprised that Holloway is persevering with 5-3-2: we've had probably one clean sheet in the last 20 matches: Plan A isn't working and, perhaps, we should start with Plan B, which has generally looked better. To be honest, I couldn't tell you what the formation was when we were bringing on subs and chasing the game. It all got a bit chaotic. And doesn't that speak volumes?

Their two goals were very soft. The first was an attempted clearance in the penalty area by (I think) Bidwell which cannoned off one of our own players, straight to one of theirs, who slotted it home. For the second, we allowed them a couple of free headers, the second of which, from a narrow-ish angle, somehow squeezed past Smithies. Does anyone remember his last save?

As for the players, Freeman again looked excellent, although some of his passes were going astray, particularly in the first half. Our latest CBs, Perch and Bidwell, did OK, although (surprise, surprise) the former was booked late on for a wild lunge. Lynch is till trying - and failing - with his Hollywood passes. Mackie was Mackie and he rushed around with some effect. Luongo was much better than against Bristol City and had a decent game. Cilla was worth a start and looked more effective than Smith (who only got 15 minutes, to be fair). Lua Lua kept falling over and, frankly, looked a bit of a clown. He had one shot which was a decent chance but it nearly took the roof off the Loft stand. Manning had a quieter game. Petrasso seemed mystified by what he was being asked to play and his confidence must have taken a huge dent when he was subbed at half time. Nice man management that, Ollie.

A broadly entertaining game which we could easily have drawn. I wonder what would have happened if we had started with a more overtly attacking formation and round pegs in round holes....

 

Yup.

 

After a long night out in the city I fell aslepp on the underground and was woken by the driver at West Ruislip. It was the last train. I had to hitch hike home!

 

Among Holloway's match quotes:
“It’s just very frustrating. It would be nice to get three points..."
No $hit, brains. How about trying a cohesive, and focused, team unit and settle on the best formation for the players we have (and that you intend to keep/build upon for next season), so we are not left to chase the game and have to 'give it a go' every match... oh and stop the other team from scoring.

 

I read he also spoke about how big teams like Wednesday and Saints had gone down to League 1 on their way to recovery, like it's no big deal if we do the same.

 

Hardly what we want to be doing. I do think that Holloway could do with speaking less and thinking more

 

I'm finding it hard to understand the positive comments about this game. Wednesday looked a very ordinary outfit on this showing and yet we were second best from the off, letting them completely run the show tactically and with only the unquenchable enthusiasm of Jamie Mackie offering anything in return. Wednesday seemed happy to let us have more of the ball in the second half safe in the knowledge that we had no idea where the goal was regardless of how much time we spend in their half.

Luongo had one of his typical Jeckyll and Hyde performances. He was totally dire in the first half, always managing to be where the ball wasn't, failing to link up the play or provide an option for the man on the ball and every touch going backwards. He was much better second half, breaking up the play and providing some decent forward balls. As well as the glaringly obvious business of still needing a consistent striker I strongly believe Luongo's position is central to our success or failure going forward. If it is the manager's tactics which are stopping him being effective then that manager needs to go. If, as I suspect, it is the mentality of the player himself then there is no place for him in the side.

Finally, what is it with Smithies? Several more bad mistakes yesterday. Ever since he signed that new contract he seems like a shadow of the best goalkeeper in the league which we saw earlier in the season.

 

Neither goal was Smithies fault yesterday QPAAAARGH
The first one richochet off Perch's back and it fell to a Wednesday striker.
For the second, he made a fantastic save to keep Wednesday out, but got no help from defenders and was beaten by the second.
He made a bad punch but that is all I remember


I have said consistently I am sure he will not be here in September...we will have sold him as we have cover in Ingrams and Lumley (and the polish giant keeper too). His money wil be used to fund a striker and a CD. He has nothing to repay us, and has signed a new contract, so we can get top money for him (from Bournemouth perhaps)

 

Agreed, but he got nothing in the air all game which gave their big guys free reign and that attempted punch in the first half was verging on the comical. Add to that his kicking which was well below par and it was another performance way off his pre-contract best. Having said that I still hope you're wrong about his departure. He's the best we've seen for some time.

 

Nice goal we scored.

 

Went to the game, and frustration cancelled out any enjoyment I might have had. It seems typical Holloway to put out a team that will be valiant losers. Odd team selection meant we were poor in the first half and thus always chasing the game. Petrasso does not look like a first team player to me, though since he was played out of position, I won't judge on that showing.

I know he has his fans, but Luongo is so inconsistent, I'd get shot. And Perch. Freeman on the other hand looked dangerous at times and was one of the few shining lights. Lua Lua isn't back to his best after injury, but he's one of the few players that give me some hope.

Good to see Gerry Francis at half time, and given a great reception - and interesting, that when he stated that LF, Holloway etc would take us back to the Premier promised land, there was barely a whimper from the crowd. No one believed it.

 

Stange that Clive or nowhere else I have seen mentions the goal, other than how nobody could see it go in the centre of the goal. It was a very nicely worked move looking at it on the highlights posted just above, played at speed on the ground with Luongo, Manning with a lovely back flick, Mackie and then Cylla's alert and good finish. Deserved some credit that!

 

Been out of town for the last few games, so was thinking of going to the Forest game - although starting to think doing bugger all might be more fun. Anyone else thinking of making a day of it?

 

It's my eldest lad's birthday and we're going.