I see an improvement in some areas however last night Ned seemed to be up to his old tricks. Still too many misplaced passes and wasted opportunities. Maybe we are just not as good as I thought?
I've been very critical of Bidwell and I'll always view him as a very, very limited player. However, I must praise him for his performance last night. I don't think he could have done much more with the header that went out to baldy-big-nose and I'd blame the weak defending before that deflected cross went over. Plus, Bidwell's fantastic crunching tackle near the end together with his last gasp clearance after the last minute save from Smithies showed that he is very much a 100% trier. He gave everything all game. He deserves much praise for his attitude and commitment.
Fantastic spirit, grit and determination from the Team last night. I feared for the worst after 39 seconds but I was proved very wrong. Just one point- Nedum Onuoha. Please pass the ball on front of players, not consistently behind, stopping any forward momentum. Nearly always looks afraid of losing the ball, so inevitably passes back to Smithies or sideways. Otherwise, I was really proud to see the commitment and work rate. We gave them a proper shock, you could see it in their faces and their hissy fits. Loved it, Urrrrrrs!
Loved that tackle, with their man rolling around the floor looking for a booking. The lino, rightly, just blanked the protests and gave a throw-in. Bidwell is limited, but he is the kind of player whose commitment will keep supporters on his side.
He's not Kyle Walker but he's a solid Championship left-back. He was Brentford's captain IIRC and still only 23 which I think people forget or never knew.
I'm not necessarily sticking up for him but he might be under specific orders to be the one who plays it safe at the back. At any rate, he's far from the main problem at QPR.
Personally I'd be far more comfortable with Lynch and Hall at the back, though Lynch is far from ideal either.
Just goes to show how frustrating that burton result was after picking a good point last night, didn't notice perch too much last night & that means he had half decent game doing the simple things?
People are getting a bit carried away. We had a decent first half but totally ran out of steam after 50 minutes and were lucky not to be overwhelmed again. Fitness is still a factor for us I think, particularly playing the way Holloway demands. On the plus side the manager made good use of his subs for once and Lualua is now looking like a good loan. Another top performance from Smithies and he is surely the best keeper in the division by some distance. I can only assume that the reason why he is yet to be given an extended contract is that he and his agent now know his worth and are demanding a salary that stretches the budget. This should be a priority IMO.
Thought Perch did exactly what was required of him, keep it simple with the ball and press the opposition. Both he, and Grant Hall are quietly effective in that role if required.
Connor might not have hit the ground running but I don't think even the club thought he would, and was always seen as work in progress.... goals talk but his selfless 'sprinting' (mackie'est) to chase down their defenders in their half during the final minutes was inspirational and exactly the commitment we rs fans expect... we should repay him with a little respect and appreciation, well done connor son!
I think this is right. I'd probably pick Hall and Lynch ahead of Ned in a flat back four, but then again Ned's speed helps out a fair bit. Not really much to choose between any of them, although I've been quite impressed with Hall as a sweeper.
He was far more than just nuisance-value last night, though. I would have made him MOM for his first-half performance alone, scoring a goal and setting up good chances for others. His attacking effectiveness dropped off in the second half, but, as you say, he never stopped unsettling their defenders.
