A lot of well able sides in this year's prem. Probably more than any of us thought. As things stand, same owners, managers and players, are we really likely to climb the table and stay up this year? Remember, I'm saying, as things stand and not if things get better one way or another - meaning there are at least 3 consistently worse teams than us who simply haven't met the quality we have to date. For me, the answer's NO. We've miscalculated the level and failed to set a balanced defence and cutting edge strike force. Hence too many goals conceded and not enough scored. Also, despite some excellent patches, too much possession lost through poor passes. Your thoughts?
Totally agree. i said before the season I didnt think there was enough goals in this team - and 6 goals in 7 league games is very poor - 3 of those are zamora, and two are taarabt. Add to that a leaky defence then that is a recipe for bad results.
Really think that TF and his syndicate have for the most part got it right. Things off the pitch seem to be progressing very well. On the pitch is a different matter however. I genuinely believe that it will come good for us but MH has for the first time in his managerial career left himself exposed. There are 2 things I would like to mention; a. Our squad and team are not as strong as some on here like to think. I ask you this, how many other Prem clubs would play BZ, SWP, Mackie, Anton, AJ, Onouha etc etc. We do have about 5 quality players rIMHO but our team let alone our squad is average. b. MH has got his tactics very badly wrong so far. Football is a game that can only be won by scoring goals. Some of MHs selections so far have been baffling to say the least. I worry that he is now paralysed by fear. Afraid to pick our best players for fear of being too attack minded. I think he is caught in a vicious circle. I'm unbelievably frustrated at the moment. Most but not all of my pre-season optimism has not gone. I do see some positive signs there but we need points on the board quickly. For now MH has my support. I give him 4 more games before I too look for his head.
Have to agree with you Brix, as things stand there aren't three worse sides than us, you just have to look at the table to see that. I think everyone related to the club was guilty of underestimating the quality of teams around us this year, the management, the players and us fans too. The reality check came on the first day against Swansea and we've been trying to get up to speed ever since. The silly thing is I think our fortunes would vastly change if we could manage one simple thing: cut out the defensive instability and mistakes at the back. As good a keeper as Cesar undoubtedly is, he's never going to be able to stop 100% of the shots on his goal. Defence needs to step up, and fast.
You're right..............but, if Hughes were to play the correct players in their correct positions, we would at least have Taarabt and Hoilett in the attacking third and NOT Park and SWP!! Brix....you are right about the strength of the league this year, but, if, as you say, everything stayed the same, I would fancy us to just about finish above the likes of Reading, Southampton and Norwich. Would be mighty close again though and could just as easily go down! We SHOULDN'T be anywhere near that position with the players we have though and that's why I'm so pissed off with Hughes to date.
We have totally misjudged the opposition, at present there are not three inferior teams and as it stands, we are goung to be relegated. There are teams with inferior players, but as a group we remain largely shambolic more often than not. I really did not expect us to be here at this stage of the season.
Think im with you brix. The need for a quality centre half was obvious to the majority but wasn't and hasn't been addressed! Granted we bid for Dawson but that was too little too late and so we signed a midfielder who can fill in at the centre half spot. The likes of reading and norwich would be teams to get 3 points from if you were a team seriously going for mid table positions. One we lost to in the cup and the other totally dominated us yet we snuck a draw with a penalty that never was! Its fine saying we drew with the European champs and were unlucky against spurs but a win against either the west ham or norwich would have been much more better!
Think im with you brix. The need for a quality centre half was obvious to the majority but wasn't and hasn't been addressed! Granted we bid for Dawson but that was too little too late and so we signed a midfielder who can fill in at the centre half spot. The likes of reading and norwich would be teams to get 3 points from if you were a team seriously going for mid table positions. One we lost to in the cup and the other totally dominated us yet we snuck a draw with a penalty that never was! Its fine saying we drew with the European champs and were unlucky against spurs but a win against either the west ham or norwich would have been much more better!
every game so far apart from spurs we've started on the back foot & leaving too much to do, agree brixton we have miscalculated left it too late in getting a good centre half should have tried for dawson earlier but in the end got m'bia but still not settled yet, also thought we were one striker short knowing injury concerns over johnson & zamora & that has proven right. still think we will survive but come end nov & no change in fortunes then i think the board should have a rethink in managerial dept, hope hughes can come good & looking at table it only needs couple of wins or one would help to get us on the move, we seem to start playing well when two behind & it can't keep happening, you say with have injuries but so do other teams & they get on with it, we've enough back up players to cope with it. to me he's playing wrong system & team, why play swp when you've got hoilett? & mackie should get moe of a look in oh onwards & upwards i hope.
We have to get the injured players back and Hughes has to learn from his mistakes. Norwich and Saints are awful, we deserve to go down if we finish below them.
S'pose it's worth trying to understand the miscalculation bit. If we'd started with this lot last season, we might have done better than we did. That suggests a better standard across the board this term. Should Hughes and all his contacts have seen this coming and compensated for it?
As someone posted elsewhere on this board 80% of clubs bottom at this stage of the season in the last ten years get relegated.
'' To live without Hope is to Cease to live. '' Dostoevsky, Fyodor Sorry Brix, but your post makes no sense. You state that....''Remember, I'm saying, as things stand and not if things get better one way or another- '' Then what you're saying is that this is the final table. Chelsea are Champions, QPR, Norwich and Reading are down. Surely we must have hope within us all that things will get better. As things 'Stand' then we are condemned... A dead man walking. Even David Blunkett can see that. If the defence can tighten up a bit and all of our sometimes possesion can find that cutting edge things will change. Minor shifts are needed to turn our season around. Never ever, ever give up me old mate. Never give up!
Thanks for that Nines, I'm a bit jet lagged but spent a few minutes reading and re- reading Brix's OP, and couldn't make sense of it reading it literally. Only someone who has abandoned all logic and rationality could deny what you are saying Brix! Mind you, on the QPR Not606 board, we may have a few candidates...... Understand what you are getting at though Brix - I think the team has more quality and potential than quite a few others, but that is meaningless unless delivered against. The divison does look stronger, but there is no one in Norwich's team, for example, that I would want at LR, only Bent at Villa, No one at Reading, and I could go on ... But of course if these and others can play consistently to make the whole better than the sum of the parts, as West Brom seem to be doing, then they are all capable of staying up. So it comes down to management, just when I was trying to avoid yet another MH debate......
If we play to our potential...there are 3 if not 6 worst teams than us Swansea and Norwich are attempting to rival us in results Southampton and Reading are not much better Aston Villa, Wigan plus the team that starts well then plummets Keep the faith.....Come on u RRRRRRRRRRRs
Nice post SB, I think it nearly always comes down to management. Warnock had the lads eating out of the palm of his hand in the Championship but signing Barton undermined that and he lost the dressing room. With Hughes I'm not so sure where we are. I think he alienated Taraabt but then Adel can fall out with himeslf, he doesn't need anyone to help him! Hughes just seems uncertain of the players and formations / positions hence the SWP/JSP obsession but we've got to win at some point, that much is certain. Problem is when? Can't see us getting much from Everton or the Arse
