Match Day Thread QPR v Wigan

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QPR999

QPR999

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QPR will be hoping to pick up their first points of the season when coming up against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

It’s unquestionably been a poor start to the campaign but the R’s have another chance to get off the mark on Saturday in what is still an extremely early part of the season.

History favours Rangers in this fixture and, of course, the unforgettable play-off semi-final victory over the Latics in 2014 is still fresh in the memory of many QPR supporters.

Having been promoted as champions of League One last season, Paul Cook’s side have made a great start to life in the Championship. Wigan are positioned in 8th position following their 3-0 victory over Stoke during the week.

They have bolstered their squad with the additions of Josh Windass from Rangers, Joe Garner from Ipswich and Callum Mcmanaman from Sunderland but arguably their most important business has been keeping hold of their prized asset Nick Powell.

But you have to go back to 2003 for Wigan’s last win at Loftus Road, where they were 1-0 winners thanks to a Nathan Ellington strike.

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From the Treatment Room
QPR

Out: Darnell Furlong (knee)



Wigan Athletic

Out: Dan Burn (foot), Darron Gibson (groin),

Doubtful: Joe Garner (fitness)

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You What?
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Borrowing time

Friday, 24th Aug 2018 20:23 by Clive Whittingham

QPR, with four defeats from four games to start the season, are now hanging their hopes on loan deals from Premier League reserve teams as a vibrant Wigan team arrive in W12.

How are you finding it so far?

Mr Steve says Saturday’s game at home to Wigan Athletic is “our toughest test so far”. Given that we lost one of the (by default) lesser tests 7-1 last Saturday, that’s a concern.

It did give me brief, glorious hope though. Hope that I’d dreamt the last seven days. “Toughest test so far,” is the sort of thing managers who’ve made a good start to the season say to keep expectations under a bit of a lid. “Well, we’ve done well so far, but don’t be counting your chickens just yet because this Wigan team are bang at it…” That sort of thing. Telling us a newly promoted side coming to our ground will be our “toughest test so far” at the end of a week in which we’ve played twice, lost twice, scored once and conceded ten doesn’t really sound right does it? Maybe this was all a figment of my alcohol, stress, anxiety-riddled imagination. But no, it’s all there on the Soccerbase.

Read the rest here ...
https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/48535

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Nines, Athough there are many options for the 1st team set up, I think that you have McClarens favourite 4-3-3 formation and may be spot on with the selection. :)

So much for playing and developing the youngsters!

Btw, does any one know the status of Hall? Any chance that he might make a comeback this match to steady the defence?
 
rangercol said:
Cheers nines. Still toying with the idea of going today.
My concern with 4-3-3 is the lack of width, hence a lack of supply to our new centre forward.
Click to expand...

If we want width and wingers, then it means 4-4-2 or more probably 4-2-3-1. As we have no wingbacks or surplus of central defenders, then I disregard this option.

4-4-2 option

------------------------------Lumley---------- -------
--Rangel (Kakay)-----BFG----Baptiste------- Bidwell
---Wszołek ------Luongo---- Scowen----- BOS (Freeman/Eze)
-----------------------Wells---- Hemed-----------------

If we play our natural wingers of say Wszołek and BOS, then we need to pick two from Luongo, Scowen, Freeman and Eze for the central midfield position. Not an easy choice or decision.


4-2-3-1 option

------------------------------Lumley--------- -------
--Rangel (Kakay)-----BFG----Baptiste------ Bidwell
---------------------Luongo----Scowen-------------
---Wszołek ---------Freeman (Eze)--------BOS (Freeman/Eze/Wellls)
-----------------------------Hemed-----------------------------

This is probably a more balanced team which will be more defensively sound. However, a choice of striker will need to be made. I guess it would be Hemed as he plays well with his back to goal and can hold up play.

Whatever the fomation and players, big decisions need to be made. If it works, then great, but if not, then will be much scope for complaint.

As we are frail and lacking confidence, plus Wigan are very offensive, I would bot be surprised if we start with a more defensive 4-2-3-1 (4-5-1) option and play on the counter attack, and move to 4-4-2 as a plan B or should we take the lead.

I am very interested on what McClaren will chose to do, as well as his match tactics.
 
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Have a fab day chaps and let's get a win. Only 2 more weeks and back to see my Rangers!
After Tuesday I thought Wigan would give us a bashing especially how they are playing however we need a response. Let's hope that the new striker curse that normally goes against us will for once work in our favour.
Come on you R"s!
 
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Bit of caution here lads. New signings going straight in? Could be fine.

I regret to say I'd settle for the draw just now even though I've predicted a win on the predictor thread.
 
rangercol said:
Cheers nines. Still toying with the idea of going today.
My concern with 4-3-3 is the lack of width, hence a lack of supply to our new centre forward.
Click to expand...
I think the formation lacks width with the players we have available, it’s not inherently narrow.

Remember in the olden days when we used to play 4-3-3 with just one proper winger in the front 3, one who could actually switch wings effectively during the game, and a right back who knew when to do the overlap at the right time, and lots of players comfortable in a fluid formation, moving around a lot? Bring back the real Dave Thomas!

I like 4-3-3 and think (probably falsely, in a classic case of making the facts fit the hypothesis) that most of the great teams of the past which I loved played it, or a version of it. But if it’s not going to work with the level of player - talent, intelligence, flexibility - that we have in the squad we have to try something else. Hopefully we now have a couple of strikers who will score if we get the ball to them in the right place, whatever formation does that while protecting the defence is fine by me in current circumstances. I suppose that is the first decision a manager needs to make - does he coach his players to play in a shape and style of his choosing, or does he adopt a shape and style which best suits the players he has? I suspect ego of most coaches will push them towards the first option, and I honestly thought McClaren was a good enough coach to do it, but it appears not.
 
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QPRski said:
Nines, Athough there are many options for the 1st team set up, I think that you have McClarens favourite 4-3-3 formation and may be spot on with the selection. :)

So much for playing and developing the youngsters!

Btw, does any one know the status of Hall? Any chance that he might make a comeback this match to steady the defence?
Click to expand...
I thought McClaren preferred set up, to the extent he seems to have a set up, is 4 2 3 1. Seems to be what we have at least started games with.
 
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