Match Day Thread Sheff Wed v QPR

Looks like we have a midfield we have been looking for for sometime. We are managing to get opportunities in front of goal and taking some of them - but clearly need to be more cut-throat to build a cushion... because our defence needs to improve. It's good we still have Hall to come back in the middle, but we need to improve our full-backs/wing-backs if we are going to improve the team overall.

It's been a good start, but if we are going to improve the team right now we need to focus on the defence. I would like to see us with a settled back 3 or 4 to work together - I believe we would see a great improvement then. Especially with the work rate from midfield to support defence we could be a very tight unit.

 

Interesting to read the comments on here. Who actually went? I simply ask because many on here seem to have seen the same game that their manager saw. Rangers had a good following who were rewarded for their efforts by a very good team playing some fantastic football against a team who have been in the Play Offs 2 years running. The views of the Wednesday fans walking back to my car (two different pairs) I chatted to mirrored my own. They were second best all afternoon apart from a 15-20 minute spell at the start of the second half and they thought we deserved to win.

Call it a fluke or give credit to their players if you prefer instead of Holloway but the tactics were spot on. They worked hard for each other as a team and played ball to feet almost the whole game. Passing was short and crisp on the deck and players ran into positons where they could receive the ball. Mackie is not many people's idea of a dream player but he does manage somehow to come out of tackles with the ball still at his feet rather than the opponents. When he occupies two sometimes three of their players it inevitably frees up space for others.

I saw the Wednesday game last year as well. What a contrast. Last year JFH thought we played really well because we had masses of possession without actually ever going anywhere with the ball or trying to put the ball in their box. This year whenever we attacked we went forward as a team and by the conclusion of the move had several players in the strike zone.

Last year many of our fans booed the players off because they felt cheated out of their money, a sentiment I myself had. This year we gave them a standing ovation at the end. There are obvious weaknesses in the defence which have been mentioned and I hope that Hall will be able to return in the very near future. The Chief is an accident waiting to happen as he can't seem to help having at least one disastrous lapse of concentration each match. I don't share in the universal condemnation of Perch but do think that Furlong is a better bet and Bidwell just seems a poor player with limited skill and vision every time I watch him play. If Robinson ever manages to have a run of games without injuring himself the position is his for the taking. I haven't mentioned Lynch at all because he's not too bad and we have nobody else that we could afford. I can't understand why the knives seem to be out for him at the moment because he is in the ****tu mould, the type of committed big defender who gives his all that we have always seemed to have over the years.

Luongo was a colossus in midfield and Freeman a tricky skilful playmaker. Scowen slots in perfectly into the DCM role which had been occupied without any particular distinction by Karl Henry. Happy to forgive him his one moment of comedy when he fresh aired the ball while trying to pass it into the box. I've been one of Washington's critics although I always accepted that he was never given a chance to play his natural game. Yesterday he convinced me because of his sheer work rate and ability to bring others into play.

The only criticism I have of Ollie is that he waited far too long to bring subs on. The players had given more than 100% and Freeman and Mackie in particular were dead on their feet midway through the second half. I was right behind the centre of the goal when Lua Lua missed the one chance he had. It was not an easy one because you have to give full credit to their goalie who came out like lightning and narrowed the gap he could put it in - a couple of degrees was all it would have taken for the ball to nestle in the back of the net. Had that gone in we would have won and deservedly so. Armchair critics and the Wednesday manager could then have told us how they couldn't believe we managed to avoid getting slaughtered.

Finally a word for the young woman running the line at the away end. Brilliant. While decisions often involve very fine margins my view and that of everybody around me was that she got it right every time in spite of some blatant cheating diving and bullying by Rhodes and Hooper and a packed stand of Wednesday fans behind her giving her grief. Particularly impressive was the fact that she was always directly in line with the last defender. How many experienced PL linos can you say that about?

 

#brokenrecord

 

I was there with my son as per usual

Excellent summing up YH - your observations certainly match my thoughts

 

I like the fact that players are already talking of togetherness in the changing rooms (oo-er, missus, part 68). Good performances, and especially winning, can become a habit borne of great spirit and confidence in much the same way as bickering, blame culture and recrimination can only deliver defeat.

Long may it continue, as that way lies players helping and supporting each other, covering, pitching in and resisting capitulation. Clearly only two league games in, but the signs are good. Let us hope that the inevitable first poor performance still delivers three points and the first defeat is shrugged off and not stewed over.

 

Must admit I didn't think the Ned mistake was quite the howler it's being made out as nor did I think the Lua Lua miss was all that horrific, Connor had a similar effort last week that didn't draw any criticism. Anyway it's nice to finally have something positive to talk about.

 

My goodness, am I an expert or what?

 

Answer: Or what.

 

No, Ninesy, you're the genius. You seem to make time for so much Rs related, then save the odd life here or there too. Respect.

Me? I just add, multiply, subtract and divide all day. Rather like a Protozoa.

 

I've read this three times and I can't find the pun.

 

If you take the first letter of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 13th, 21st, 34th (and so forth) words, and replace each with a different letter, then rearrange them, add some more letters from ABC's Lexicon of Love, add some punctuation and spaces, then invoke de Moivre's Theorem, you get a pun of an order so mirthsome it'll make your pasta unfurl (or something). Rather like Python's funniest joke in the world, only crap.

 

I might add that Stanleyparkerbowles put me up to it.

 

I think we played well. I think we are currently exceeding expectations. I think that both the defense as well as attack can improve, but I am more than pleased with the team effort and results.

Howeve, I dislike the identification of individual players. Both Ned and Luondo had issues with controlling their feet. Luondo is dismissed as a comical moment, whilst Ned is classified as an accident waiting to happen. One could easily say the Smithies did not save the key shot on goal and cost us two points.

There are improvements to be made, but even with these mistakes, had Lua Lua hit the target and scored with probably his first touch of the ball, then we could even have won.

I am more than pleased at where we are today. As already mentioned, I think the TEAM is exceeding expectations and has the potential to improve.

 

Mirrors what I saw watching the stream, and why despite it being a good point on paper, I was disappointed at the end of the 94 that we hadn't won.

 

This from a Sheff Wed fan
http://www.owlsalive.com/rambles/2017/08/13/ramble-wednesday-1-1-qpr/
Seems like we aren't the only club where not a lot happened in the summer - discontent - and off field distractions. A good read though and balanced.
I must admit, I was surprised to hear Hi Ho Super Rangers on the stream, such was the quality of the stream, I couldn't tell.
Also, really liked the Sheff Wed kit, it used to be my school team kit in 1972/3, when everyone in small town Wales was wearing Leeds, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool based on recent FA Cup Finals - the only full matches we got to watch on TV in those days.

 

The air kick was really disappointing on Saturday as it led to their goal.
All players make mistakes. Whether Ned makes more than average, I do know know.
There might be stats out there somewhere.