Looks bad, I'm sure Marti said it was a soft tissue injury in the sole of his foot. He'll be a big miss.
Just thinking is this becoming the best midfield we have had in years and years, especially defensively Field Varane and Morgan.
At the moment I’d still be starting Saito and Smyth ahead of him. Consensus of those at the game I spoke to was that he’s a long way off his best. Except for the first five minutes we were poor again first half but much better in the second. The absence of the Danes meant we looked a lot more determined and aggressive. Kolli impressed with his effort and hold up/lay off play, deserved his goal, with the added bonus of Smyth looking up and cutting the ball back well. Loved Frey, charging around and never giving up. Preston were very weak, absolutely no threat apart from the goal. I’m afraid I still think this team has it in it to go ten games without a win. Doesn’t mean it will happen and there is plenty of dross in this league to give us a sense of making progress. When was the last time we had a home game on Boxing Day? I’m sure in the past they tried to have local(ish) derbies on Boxing Day to make it easy for the fans, but Swansea? **** off. I’m trying to figure out what the transport options are for the Watford game with its charming lunchtime kick off.
Field has certainly flourished. Varane is developing very nicely indeed and Morgan is 18, going on 25. Best for quite a few seasons.
One train an hour for me for Watford. The police presumably won’t allow vaguely risky fixtures on Boxing Day so these teams in the arse end of nowhere have to play someone. Coventry v Plymouth. In a serious country you’d have some combination of Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol C and Plymouth all playing each other. Norwich v Millwall Watford v Pompey Our game obviously. Bristol City v Luton Football nothing without fans etc.
Went to a Liverpool boxing day game once In the school end with some Chelsea supporting mates They must have been away that day Was a bit of fun
Here you go Santa's report from the arctic this morning https://not606.com/threads/queens-park-rangers-loftus-road-21-12-2024.415877/
Had one of my rare days/weekends on the beers and took in Burnley v Watford (Watford were pleasingly abysmal with a scoreline which flattered them and took crap numbers). Encouraging on top of the results to see the stats and xG very much in our favour against a team in decent form. I still don’t think this squad is deep enough or has enough goals to be more than mid-table and there’s again going to be an overhaul in the summer with players out of contract but there’s the basis of something good. Quite a healthy mix of youth, players at their peak and experience. We’ll be ok.
Thought this was Kollis best game, he really put himself about and played with 100% commitment. So exciting we have young players stepping up. Kolli at 19, Morgan who was excellent at 18 and even Varane who’s playing like a seasoned pro at only 23. As Dunne said, we need to be looking up the table, not down.
Did anyone else notice that when Woodman was having one of his many near death experiences and receiving treatment Field, and I think Morgan, helped themselves to a drink from the keepers bottle. And then Field emptied it and threw it behind the goal. Quite funny when Woodman found it and he took a lot of stick from the crowd in the Lower Loft from then on. Have to say I find this anguish about time wasting a bit tiresome. Some in the crowd moaning about it when it wasn’t even happening, and I’ve seen us just as bad as Preston were yesterday, in recent away games. I thought some people near me were in danger of an aneurysm they were so angry. But they didn’t notice or mind when Smyth took about 4 minutes to deliver one of his tremendous ‘long’ throws.
It’s another of many things the PGMOL/FA have made a big song and dance over pretending they’ll clamp down on before doing nothing. Referees should clamp down on time-wasting early and give second yellows so it actually matters. Absolutely no need for set pieces including throws to take minutes. Oooh let’s place the ball and have a little chat about who can take it before blasting it into the wall which the goalkeeper also needs an age to organise. Get on with it.
I agree about the time wasting. For years we’ve moaned about PNE particularly doing so, but they will have had numerous managers in those years and it’s unlikely all those bosses would all be identical advocates of dirty gamesmanship. Anyway, we can do a good job of it too, when it suits.
Don't forget Liam Morrison who is only 21. We've yet to be beaten when he's started in nine games. I still can't believe we've attained such a good player given his pedigree.
In the widespread reluctance to attribute any of the blame for our being bottom of the table to Cifuentes, a lot was made of the supposed poor quality of the Summer signings. However, Nardi, Morrison, Morgan, Varane and Saito have all proved to be good signings in my opinion. Dembele also looked exciting before fading and then getting injured. Only Celar and Madsen have been disappointing, I would say. Defensively and in midfield, I think the squad is fine, and it's only up top that we remain short, but anyone playing as a lone striker under Cifuentes is going to struggle. I think Kolli paired with Frey would be interesting.
Some, yes. Do you not? I find it odd that we were stone bottom, playing dire football and no one would brook any criticism of the manager.
No. I like Morgan. Think we’ve had some luck there as I doubt the plan was ever to call upon him and he’s come good at least for now. Could kick on and be brilliant or could be a short-lived thing as happens with young players. The strength of this team always was the centre-halves and defensive midfield. We got ideas above our station and looked soft. Play ugly and to our strengths and we’re reasonably good. The cycle will continue with people wanting a more expansive style and it going wrong until we again revert to being horrible.
Just edited my last post. So, with the club bottom of the table and playing horrible football, you attach; no blame to the manager? Very odd.
We may have discussed this several times before and almost everyone disagreed with you which made you double down and moan about him more.
