JFH on Sky Sports after the WBA game said we were up for it against WBA but against QPR we thought it was going to be easy and if we only put a 75% effort in we’d still win. Although no team would go out thinking let’s only perform to 3/4 of our capability we probably had a few players trying to preserve some energy for Friday thinking it would be a walk in the park and it backfired
I don't think Mr Bielsa would accept 75% from anyone,and the players know that. Just ex players talking tv bollox as usual.
Agreed. Simple answer is that if an opponent wants to beat us, like the Baggies, they come forward & leave space for us to run into & exploit. That allows us to look and actually be energetic. Teams like QPR & Bolton parked the bus - they didn't even press in our half! - meaning that there is no space for us to run into as they've compressed the space in their half by closing ranks. Makes it look as though we're nonchalantly passing the ball from side to side & up & down the wings without a care in the world. Wrong! We want to win. We want to run. We want to make killer passes. We want to shoot. We want to cross. We want to head. But .... we can't. Or not without extreme difficulty, and all because the opposition pack into a small space. When a team does that to you - and does it well - I don't care who you are, you ain't gonna score loads of goals. You're gonna get frustrated & take additional risks, leaving you exposed to the breakaway. It's not a new thing, it's been going on for years. Even did it ourselves over the years. We're frustrated more so now because we're always attacking. Always. All you can do is be patient, concentrate, & hope for that break.
QPR have won one game in nine, the one being against us, why? teams always raise their game when Leeds come to town, we were below par but could easily have had three goals, I said QPR would lose their next game, just like Stoke did;
100% this. And wba only really came at us because we scored after 16 seconds... if they’d scored after 16 seconds they’d have sat back and hit us on the break which is how they like to play and what they’re suited for. Roberts was brilliant. Why? He had room to play for once. We’re right to celebrate a great performance but there’s more at play than we tried hard in this game and didn’t in that. As este says, look at how bielsa approaches matches. He knows his side needs to be on it every game...They will have watched qpr throw points away against other top sides and known it wasn’t a gimme. Despite all that there you can’t completely discount what JFH says... just because bielsa is keeping them focussed, it’s hard for none ocd people to be 100% on it every game... and whatever‘s said publicly they’ll all have known how big friday’s game was. The occasion the atmosphere and coming off a loss will have put a spring in the step v wba. Main difference between first half on Friday and first half v. Norwich was who banged in the 25 yarder at the beginning of the match. Ditto if we’d taken one of the first half chances against qpr it’s a different game.
Disagree about QPR parking a bus if I’m honest, they constantly pressed us in our own half and they also pressed our keeper and defence causing causing us to kick long. Didn’t there goal come from pressing Roberts and causing him to lose the ball in our own half There was definitely no 100% effort from all our players against QPR and I’d imagine they got a speaking to after the game.
All I'm saying is that he'd have a better chance getting a game for the boys in Green. Injured or not
Although OLOF, TBF Brentford are a hard side to play against at their place. But I agree with your raise their game against us point.
There’s 31pages of a discussion so far and we’re no nearer knowing the reason. Main thing is we put it right on Friday night. Had we beaten qpr and lost to wba there would be still four teams in contention for the two autos. We will lose more games as will the others, important thing is how each team reacts afterwards
The biggy for me this weekend is Derby and Fat Frank. Last season they got 75 points and into the play iffs but then sacked the manager because they thought Derby should have win auto's. So what now for Fat frank as he needs to win 2 points per game to get the same points as last season, will they sack the fat prat?
You know what’s astonishing though about our division. Derby have been ****e all season and Bristol have been terrific yet derby only three points behind in seventh
If all sides raise their game then lets up the pace. Qpr were collecting bookings for fun. Last 25 minutes we should have gone for it like west brom match. Up to the lads now to learn quick and remember that result. 11 games and all cup finals. If we fail but put the effort in then so be it. Dont want a draw at brizzle its all or nothing for me. 6 wins and we are going to do it. Brum away and preston i would take a draw bringing our total to 87 points with five games to spare. Its fun hacking wakeys account the depressing bastard.
Thought I'd look it up. Derby after 34 games: Last season - 60pts, gd of 22 This season - 51pts, gd of 1 Us after 35 games: Last season - 49pts, gd of 1 This season - 67pts, gd of 21 Interesting. Ok, betting guys, what are Pampards odds of getting sacked then? Must be short odds, surely?