We couldn't hit the proverbial at the moment... http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thefootballtacticsblog/2011/09/goal-shy_qpr_in_need_of_format.html
WTF!! is someone paid to produce this? If he's not paid this bloke has a nasty case of Aspergers Syndrome. Little charts of where individual players touched the ball!!! This contributes to society how? Methinks we are taking this game a little too seriously, and it's beginning to get in the way of my enjoyment. On the other hand it could just be a job creation scheme. While the economy collapses we all have the chance to put 'Football Statistician' on our CVs.
It seems to me that QPR are a bit of a marmite club for most pundits. They either love us or hate us!! Having said that, there are a couple of valid points in this article. I've also been saying that the 4-2-3-1 system is going to struggle at home as the away team denies space and sits deep. It will be more effective away from home imo. 4-3-3 or a variation of that may work better at home, but then we may not have the amount of ball possession that the present formation gives us!! Bit of a conundrum!!
Maybe it's because I like the analytics, but I thought it was a fairly decent article. I was worried before the game on Sunday that mid-table and lower teams will start to come to Loftus road and play for a draw after our performances against Newcastle & Wolves. A change of formation with 2 up front at home may be the answer. 4-2-3-1 works fine away from home for all the reasons noted in the blog. And I believe Bothroyd will come good. But I think we've got to overwhelm teams that come to LR to defend or we can expect more of the same this season. After Sunday I expect all mid-table teams to come to LR with the same game plan. We've got to have something different to throw at them.
Tons of detail and analysis here for what amounts to some fairly simple and obvious conclusions: We are not doing well at supporting the lone striker Despite his excellent hold up play, the lone striker is not doing at all well at putting away his chances 4-4-2 would now be an obvious experiment at most clubs but it is not NW's preferred tactic Even if NW wants to go 4-4-2 he is faced with a massive problem about who to leave out. Oh, and the Taarabt diagram confirms the excellent work rate we saw from him on Saturday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thefootballtacticsblog/2011/09/goal-shy_qpr_in_need_of_format.html Decent read, surprised they covered us in such detail!
i think we are wasting so many chances it getting daft for god sake someone stick the ball in the net oh the right end please
I totally agree Cayman. Playing one up front is working well away from home, but at Loftus Road I'd like to see Campbell starting alongside Bothroyd. The problem then though is who to leave out in midfield....?
In fairness Jay has been holding the ball up well and the main problem is the 3 behind are either staying too wide or too deep. When the ball is out to the left, the right hand one of the three should be coming into the center. The central one should be running on passed Jay for the flicks but doesn't this seem to be happening. Perhaps just early days and people getting used to it but basically not getting enough bodies in the box quick enough. This is demonstrated by how many touches Adel, Shaun and Joey had in the box. If there is a lone striker, yes he has to be putting the ball in the back of the net but he is not really being helped either. Personally when at home, I would be looking to drop either defensive midfield pair (tough choice), Joey replacing one and playing DJ, SWP and Adel instead. Away probably the same as we are.
Despite my scorn for the initial article (just can't believe that someone spends their time doing that kind of chart building) the discussion on here is as usual good. I think Neil has a real challenge - is he confident enough in the back four not to flood midfield? Does he fancy a defence minus Gabbi and Traore without a wall of five in front of them including two disciplined holding players, against Zamora, Johnson and/or Dempsey next week? Taking the risk will be his biggest decision - he knows that we will be competitive against most teams and play nice football with the current formation, but, at home especially , may struggle to score. Personally I would keep current shape (afraid of carnage if we go 4 4 2) but ask Tarbs/SWP to alternate in playing closer to Jay, especially at home.
I think away from home SB it'll always be the 4-2-3-1 thingymajig. Even at home I'd stick to how we are, it's not as if we aren't creating chances, even against Bolton we created a few in the first half. I don't like the idea of dropping either Faurlin or Derry for an extra striker, I think they're both integral to our season.
He won't change this week, this formation is far more effective away from home. As you say with Traore and possibly Gabbidon out he'll want to keep good cover for the defence. I do think we may go 4-4-2 at home with Derry making way for the additional striker, I thought HH and DJ looked a potential partnership in the later part of Sunday's game.
I know HH did well when he came on against Villa, but I really don't think he's better than Bothroyd when it comes to holding the ball up and laying it off. Bothroyds general technique is far better imo. Also seems like people are forgetting some of the absolute shocking misses from HH the last couple of seasons, the amount of near open goals from 6 yards out he seemed to miss was criminal! If it has to be 2 up front at home it's Both and DJ every time for me.
