I'm bored of this current stule, for me its driven from a need to have good possession and pass completion stats. Its been happening for a few years (and not just QPR). It results in players never pushing that risky (or even 50/50) pass, instead just opting for the simple guarenteed pass. Leading to the same back and sideways passes. We very rarely play balls into space for attackers to run on to or even in front of them. If the ball does go forward its always to a player with their back to goal, they then either have to turn into a defender or play it backwards. It produces stale, no ambition football. I'd be happy if half our passes didn't come off, if the other half got us into good positions. Currently its 15 safe passes followed by a panic ball from our final third.
I agree 100% but, at the moment, even those "safe" passes are going astray (See Tim and, today, Stefan). But us starting to be more ambitious and getting the occasional goal counts for nothing if the defence continues to leak like a sieve. The two goals conceded today were awful: for example, for the second, they won the header (yet again) around the six-yard box and headed it back to the far post where their men were queueing up, unmarked, to poke it in the net. Yet, if you look at our defensive players, individually, they are pretty solid: Paal and Dunne played pretty well today - as individuals - and Dickie and Laird had their moments as well but, as a unit, well.... Surely, this must be down to the coaching or lack thereof? How can four decent individuals be such a shambles as a unit?
I agree about the defense. I was in line with their first. Not sure what was worse, the fact their attacker was unmarked for so long waiting for the ball or the fact thst had Paal just taken a step forward he would have been offside. The second looked worse, at the time I thought Dieng should have come off his line. Looking at the highlights I have no idea which of the defenders was worse. It definately looks like we are missing a leader at the back, a boss to take control.
Were missing leaders all over the pitch,we're a soft touch who get bullied..you have to earn the right to play good football.
The only fight and passion shown from our lot today was by Armstrong. You have to love his commitment but sadly he's not very good.
Agree totally , we have needed a top defensive coach for ages. Warburton didn't concentrate on defensive frailties and didn't even bother with practicing from defensive corners. Nothing has altered since he went, if we're not going to bring in a decent manager who knows how to set up a cohesive defensive unit, then the club should've appointed a defensive coach. Whoever Critchley has brought in obviously is just as clueless as his predecessors. Regarding more expansive passing, tge sad truth is we don't have players with the ability to do it. You can say it's all down to confidence, but the quality of passing has been **** for ages, even when we were winning games it was poor.
I think theres a player in Armstrong and certainly enthusiasm. Sir Les was awful for his first few years, he survived because Wegerle scored loads and took the pressure off. In these days of internet, twitter and need for instant results I wonder if Sir Les would have been given enough opportunities to make it.
The cookie cutter possession tactics of the previous two managers were a minor success when our creative players were at their best but always brittle. These days that style is still ingrained in the squad but the manager doesn't get it and the players aren't up to it. The three Ds of Dickie, Dunne and Dozzell typify where it's all going so wrong with the majority of games taken up with their useless and often risky parade of slow sideways passing. This is manna to high energy teams like Luton and Millwall but any opposition with a decent press laps it up. By the time we tried something different today it was all too late. I don't think this can change without a major clear out of the current squad but with the injury list growing that may well be done in League 1. Depressing. The club have f#*%*d up big time.
There was at least the highlight of Chair for once taking the early option to cross and finding Martin for the goal. Dykes has never seen one of those crosses.
Did you notice how, for their goal kicks, Millwall generally pushed everyone up-field in a small group, and we followed them, then one of their wide players would quickly drop back on the wing and receive a short-ish pass from the goalkeeper? Not once did we follow them back. Result: they had clean possession about one third of the way up the pitch, unopposed. Simple but effective, especially when the opposition are asleep. I thought our manager might get our boys to stop that in the second half. Did he hell.
There was a lot to be annoyed about today but in order this was it for me Idiot shouting FU Millwall Willock situation ,totally unacceptable/unprofessional. Timing of subs.3 on 60 minutes for me. Our defending for both goals Laird crossing from 20 yards out never from the byline Route marched around W12 although I thought police got it right, I saw no aggro Not seeing Nathan Jones's post match interview
I saw Derry was sacked by Palace, get him on coaching staff, at least hes got some spirit & passion!!
Was it Chris? I don’t get to see the complex interplay from my seat…. today was the best I’ve seen from him by far, no worse than anyone else, but still hardly impressive, especially in terms of end product. He had his back to play and was static a lot of the time, which wouldn’t be seen on TV, very little movement off the ball. And rather spoiled by the bizarre basketball handball during which he injured himself, calling to be subbed. I thought Martin did well when he came on, got up their noses, proper CF lay offs, and a goal. Obviously he’s a deeply average player and past it, but he knows what he’s doing. Dozzell looked okay at the end, when Field had pushed forward and suddenly he had a clear role to move the ball forward quickly, and he did it…for the last ten minutes. Laird and Paal, who were great 20 games ago, seemed to be pushed further forward today, but to little/no effect. We played 4 at the back and 2.5 defensive midfielders, and we still let in soft goals with players out of position. But it’s the complete absence of leaders on the pitch, anywhere, always which is most noticeable. There was no evident response to going behind, only after we let in the second and they really sat back did we seem to have any energy. There’s no character, personality, spine, resolution in this bunch of players. I don’t care if they are upset that Beale left. They get one go at this, are paid handsomely, they need to ****ing pull themselves together and sort themselves out, sharpish. I pity any manager having to work with these jellyfish.
From what I was today Johansen shouldn't start Tuesday and Martin should do so I say make Martin captain as he showed a lot of balls to me and may liven a few up.
“QPR head coach Neil Critchley told BBC Radio London 94.9: The goals we conceded were really poor goals. We need to improve at both ends of the pitch.” Sorry but I’ve heard this for the last three or four matches. Start walking the talk for f*cks sake. Own it and do something about it.
