Funny you should say that about Gregory because he's one of a select group who's actually a decent Manager with good players at his disposal but useless with lesser players. Just look at his record at Villa. Top six finishes if I can recall but when he took over at Derby and us, he couldn't do sh*t.
**** me. We are a divided bunch on Hughes aren't we? I meant to cause no argument, but I am not convinced by Hughes AS A TACTICIAN. No more or less than that. I remain unconvinced, that doesn't mean I know nothing about football, I played Sunday League NOT Premier League, have supported QPR for over 40 years and will ALWAYS do so. I just cannot get my head around his tactics. I appreciate he knows more about football AND all of us on here, but FFS why didn't he start Tarbs OR have him on the bench, Why bring Cisse o with 5 mins to go etc?
Did well with B'burn, Wales and City. Didn't turn us around last season the way I thought he would but he did keep us up in the end so mission accomplished to be fair. As for this season, I think we've got to give him time. I must say I am very surprised by the anti-Hughes sentiment on here. I certainly didn't see that kind of stuff coming until maybe if after 10 games we was in the bottom three. Still, its good to have different opinions.
Good post. Now we are getting somewhere. I cannot stand all this 'Hughes is ****, you know nothing' or 'Hughes is great, you know nothing' childishness. I would like a proper debate on this. I accept your point about Blackburn and possibly Man City, but he substituted Hill for SWP in the first game, and I cannot understand why he didn't start with Taarabt and bring Cisse on earlier today.
Taraabt isn't who we need when our defense is going to take a battering, we need 11 workers. Cisse languishes on the floor when he thinks he's been fouled, and isn't as defensively minded as Zamora/Johnson.
But surely Taraabt would have kept their defence/midfield busy. Cisse would have relished the opportunity to put them to the sword as well. AJs legs have gone, and Zamora would have been a better target man for Cisse.
I take your point, but I feel Taarabt would help us retain possession better, thus reducing some of that battering.
This! I agree! And for Hughes to not make a single change at the half absolutely confounded me. He had an opportunity to mix it up, seeing as Citeh were, as everybody pointed out, not at their best; however, MH made his too late, again, which, I suppose, I did expect.
Yes, that substitution in the first game was bizarre. But what Manager of ours in the last 10 years - actually, ever! - didn't make some bizarre calls at times? Olly made some baffling decisions during his tenure but he still turned out to be a good Manager. That first game was just a mare, from the Management right down through all the players, everyone just had a bad day. As for today, I can totally see why he didn't start Taarabt. The boy is a loose cannon and away from home he's a total liability right now at this level. If rumours are to be believed that he left the Ground like he did at Fulham last season then Hughes' suspicions of his immaturity are correct. In fact, if he's done that I'd sell the cu*t. As for Cisse coming on earlier, he showed in the first two games - especially at Norwich - that he's not up to speed yet this Season. He was rightly dropped today for being a lazy cu*t that kept getting caught off-side at Carrot Road last week. This Manager demands a certain work-rate from his players and if they ain't doing it, they get hooked. Pure and simple. For what its worth though Sheff, I didn't agree at all with his tactic of parking up for the first 25 minutes. That to me is suicide. You might as well have a go and see if you can score a goal or two. My verdict: Work to do!!
Imaz. Are you saying MH is taking percentages of fees. If so that is a serious allegation and you should present your proof to the club. Spell it out, who has taken what, how much and when? You are on very dodgy ground unless you have proof.
He's been peddling that nonsense for a few days now and when I asked him to clarify he wouldn't, saying that it was libellous and instead dug up some 6 year old document from God knows where, which was some sort of rant against the Capitalist nature of Soccer. I could get in trouble for this but I've said it once and I'll say it again: That guy has an agenda. If anyone's involved in murky stuff around here its him.
Good points being raised at last. The first game WAS a mare, but I think we could and should have turned it around at half time. That for me, was a mistake. He had 15 minutes to get the guys going and didn't. Then he added to the problem with that weird substitution. What Taraabt did last season is inexcusable, but he is not the same player as he was and would have given Citeh something to think about, especially when they were wobbling. We all see things differently, but in short I agree, there is WORK TO DO.
When we are 1 goal down, Taarabt or Hoilett are exactly the player we need on the field, not someone like SWP who works hard but has zero attacking threat.
MH has now got 2 weeks with the boys before we face Chelsea. I really hope we can gel before then and stick it to the scum. Our season starts then. Come on U Rrrrrrrrrrrrs!
Which Chelsea come into off the back of a thumping from the 4th or 5th best team in Spain. Bring it on.
