Another late match report here, can never seem to find the time to do it earlier than Sunday evenings. THE MATCH First off, I wasnt too happy with the starting eleven. I knew Zamora would have to start as AJ is injured, but I was hoping SWP wouldnt have. Speaking to a supporter on the train who we normally travel up with he tried to get me to give both another chance, but as far as I am concerned that ship sailed a long time ago. But nevertheless I want them to do well. As has been the norm this season we are taking games to our opponents early on and forcing them onto the back foot. Ipswich was no different and we had a number of early chances through SWP (who actually put a nice shot on goal! Shock!) and Austin. Ipswich were a tough nut to crack though, well organised and chasing us down quickly. As Derry had said to Onouha before the game, it was clear their main tactic was to hit it long, and get chances from the knock downs. We did struggle to deal with a few of these, namely Dunne putting a few wayward headers which left us with a couple of problems. But it was a frustrating half from our point of view. Second half was pretty much one way traffic, bar a few breakaways from Ipswich. We had shot after shot, and missed several decent opportunities with a poor shot or poor final ball. It looked like it would be one of those days really, much like the Huddersfield game. Harry brought on O'Neil for the injured Hoilett who had a great impact. Injected some urgency and intelligence into our attacks which was much needed as it seemed they had worked out our tactics for the game tbh. He carved out a number of opportunities but they still went begging. Then, just as it seemed Harry wasnt going to do it, he did. He brought on a youngster by the name of Tom Hitchcock. Who? the Ipswich fans shouted. I think they know now! With moments left in the game, he popped up at the far post to nick the three points, cue madness in the stands! THE RATINGS GREEN - 8 - took serious stick from their fans, but dealt with everything well. Dunne put him under pressure with several pass backs but he cleared them all well, bar one! Also made a brilliant save at the Loft end which was right in front of us. It looked to me as if it was going in but he got a hand to it. HILL - 7.5 - not his best position, and against a better winger he may struggle but was first to every ball and dealt with everything thrown at him. Supported the winger ahead of him well and put in a number of crosses. Always fighting and positioned himself well. DUNNE - 6.5 - perhaps a little harsh, but he did put Green under pressure needlessly at times and made a few poor headed clearances. But obviously not completely match fit so that needs to be considered. However, he did work well with Onouha and made several runs forward. ONUOHA - 8 - cleared everything, and was not to be beaten. Defended very well throughout and I dont remember a mistake as such. Made a few good runs forward as well. SIMPSON - 7 - did ok, made several good clearances when he was under pressure and dealt with most of what was thrown at him. A few crosses could have been better, but overall solid enough. BARTON - 8.5 - MOM - was everywhere, got stuck in and sprayed the ball around very well with some brilliant long range passes. I actually think we need him to stay. He is class in this division, and despite what has gone on before he is giving his all for the cause. A constant battler which is what we need. HENRY - 7 - a few times he pondered on the ball again and lost it, but a good fighter and I do expect him to be a good player for us. HOILETT - 8 - as previous games all our good attacking play goes through him. a constant threat and he is willing to take players on, cross, shoot and get stuck in. looks a completely different player now, and key to our chances. hope his injury isnt bad. he pulled up when in full flight chasing a ball down. SWP - 7 - despite my dislike for him I thought he did well enough, but still lacks in key areas which means I think we need better. He ran all day, and got stuck in but he cannot trap a bag of cement, and is pushed off the ball to easily. He does infuriate me at times when he forgets to take the ball with him, and shoots despite 3 defenders being right in front of him so it gets blocked. It is simple stuff. But the only time he manages to go down the wing rather than cut back, what happens? It leads to a goal. Says it all for me. ZAMORA - 4 - seriously do not understand what he gives the team. really. he did win a few headers but overall was poor as usual. As I said earlier his chance has gone a long time ago, and he is only playing as we have nobody else. Austin had to run for two players today as Zamora just doesnt move. Cannot hold the ball up for long enough, and doesnt seem interested in winning enough headers. AUSTIN - 8 - had several chances, and was unlucky not to score at least twice. as I said above he had to run for two players today and worked his socks off. looks a class striker with his hold up play, intelligent movement and passes. only a matter of time until he scores a league goal. SUBS: O'NEILL - 8 - superb impact. looks intelligent, and always running around. looked very sharp indeed and i wouldnt be surprised to see him start. When he came on for Hoilett, he went to right wing, and SWP moved to the left. O'Neill caused no end of problems and made several intelligent runs to give Ipswich something to think about. Looks a great signing for sure. JENAS - 6 - cant say I noticed him enough to say too much tbh! But if I didnt notice him is must mean he didnt make any mistakes! HITCHCOCK - 7.5 - dont normally score subs who have less than 10 mins gametime as its unfair, but he deserves it! looked so keen to run and work hard when he was out there, and made several good passes and runs into space. then we all know what happened at the end. What a feeling he must have had, every rangers fan's dream! Superb! THE FINAL WORD Well we certainly got lucky to end up winning the game just when it looked like a point would be the outcome, but that is what champions are made of. There is no doubt that we deserved that though, despite what Mick McCarthy says - we battered them in that second half. They were wasting so much time from about 65 mins so they got exactly what they deserved. They clearly came for a point as they had very few chances, and barely committed men forwards in great numbers. I think a lot of teams are going to be like that this season at LR, so we need to learn how to break teams down. My concern at the moment is lack of depth. You can see by our bench how we are lacking in options for creativity and goals. That needs addressing in this window as it is a long hard season. I will be worried if we dont sort these issues. But today it gave a chance to Hitchcock and my god did he take it.
Personally, I would like to see us go with five in midfield. Disregarding Hoilett's injury for the moment, I'd have SWP and Hoilett on the flanks with Barton, Henry and Jenas in the middle.
If our lack of depth results in more performances from Hitchcock, Sutherland, Ehmer, Harriman and Sharif it isn't necessarily a bad thing. All should be given some game time this season although not over exposed. If Redknapp was trying to show TF how thin the squad was, it may have back fired; if he is actually intending to blood a number of the youth players (which has not been his Modus operandi over the years) I doff my cap to him.
Interesting Judo - similar to mine in lots of respects. Fail to see how one can justify giving Hoilett 8 and SWP 7. Hoilett made some nice runs, sure, but SWP delivered the final ball that counted once, and should have counted (Austin hitting the bar) another time. Sure, Hoilett's runs look nice, but it's the chances that SWP created that counts. It's a no brainer for me, Hoilett gets a 7 for being a threat that could have delivered, SWP gets an 8 for delivering. I think people's natural bias against him gets in the way.
Hoilett's decision making against Huddersfield was his major weakeness, in my opinion. He's played well but I feel that and his final ball really need improving.
Just got back from break in Dorset and watched highlights on QPR player ... SWP played good on what i saw and as they are the highlights he was involved in them. Time to bury the hatchet against SWP as sorry Judi but he is a class act IMO and I always will have faith in him. Already we are watching him grow because he is in a winning team Time to encourage .. BZ will slam one in soon and wouldn't blame him for turning his back on the fans ... again he won a few headers and deserves his place iMO ... just his presence can be enough for these chance fall to other players ... he makes space for others and people just don't get it. He is always targeted by the opposition for tight attention because again BZ is a talent for others around him IMO Brilliant report Judo as usual and better than Col?
How do you think you can judge the game on what you saw on QPR player? SWP and BZ were as poor as ever. QPR player doesn't even show Barton's 40 yard free-kick pass to pick out SWP before the goal. I get BZ - he is ****e.
Cheers Judo, I agree with your points about Zamora. I really wish for him to do well, but yet again he failed to impress. I'm not sure it is exactly that Harry see's in him. He has no movement, doesn't win headers or hold the ball up and more importantly hardly has a shot, let alone a goal. When was the last time he scored? I realise that he is carrying an injury and Harry was limited in his choices up front, but that was all of his own doing. Harry let DJ Campbell, Bothroyd and Mackie go before adding additional strikers. Although he has brought in Austin, it's not enough, what with the injury history of AJ and Zamora. Surely a fit DJ, Jamie and Jay would of offered more than a labouring Zamora. It is pitiful and frustrating having to watch him. You, I and many others of this board have questioned the policy of the midfielder acquisition fixation agenda above the non-existent simple one of signing a forward or two.
I thought Hill put in his best ever LB performance. You are too harsh on Zamora. He won nearly every header he had going. He managed to flick the ball on well for Austin a few times but it's hard to perfectly direct a ball that's just been lumped all the way from Green. Those will eventually find Austin if he keeps reaching them. And SWP is simply not an intelligent player. Yet he had a good game and can be a decent player for us this season. I would play O'Neill and Hoilett over him but Hoilett might be out for a little bit :'(
Awww awjm, I conceded to you on the 'Solid left back' thread about Hill, but I won't on Zamora. A few misdirected headers now constitutes a good performance by this non-work horse. The only positive contribution I noticed from him was when he had one shot on goal and that ended up in the upper school end. Enough is enough.
THanks Judo, as I only saw edited highlights of this game..watched Foolham instead. Im intrested in reading others comments as a generally se the game the same as you do, with a few exceptions. BZ is a mystery to me, not sure what he does, but as a CB I wouldn't like to play 90 mins against him every week. Just add a physical dimension to our attack I suppose. Shame about Hoillett just as he's starting to fire up and AJ was always a given. Think "Arry need to get another striker in sharp, but well done to Hitchcock junior. bet he's never had sex hat felt that good...(NB, bet he's never had sex) !! 1 chance=1 goal...that's what proper strikers do....!! Deserves to be in or around the team for the next game.
Cheers Judo, great report. Have to disagree with you about SWP. He is emerging as an important player this season. Multiple assists and shots on target. I think he will do really well over the season.
Funny, I thought that SWP was trying hard, but as ever, when it gets to a one on one with the last defender or an opportunity to thread someone through on goal he completely bungles it. After the game some people thaough he was average, some though the was good. I think with a bit of confidence he will come good in the Champ, just needs to shoot on target a bit more and have one go in (maybe with a deflection!!) My only other point is that, injuries permitting, Faurlin has to be starting instead of Henry as is a much better player, and BZ should not be in the starting eleven at all at the moment until he actually puts a shift in. The man looks like he is literally decomposing on the pitch
I'd go easy with Hitchcock. One tap and one goal does not make him a 20 + goal man for us this season. How long before elements of the crowd get on his back when he's missed a couple?
Yeah, I'm not saying start with Hitchcock, maybe just rejig the starting line-up so we can put someone else with a bit of pace and ability to touch the ball either alongside or running off of Austin. Austin looks to have good link up play, but with BZ next to him it lessens the options who he can link up with! Even so, Hitchcock running round like a nutter could prob run onto a few knock ons from Austin and cause some carnage in defences round the country. You are right though, don't want to throw him in at the deep end....
... well that's all i can do and wasn't there Stroller and again can only comment on the extended highlights of 13 minutes ... as the players mentioned were involved they must have had some highlights? You are right of course can't judge anything but I believe we as a fan base are still looking to blame after the hurt of two bad seasons ... we need to get behind all the players now more than ever ... that includes me and Barton
I'm usually quite defensive of SWP as he has never stopped trying for us unlike so many. On Saturday however he truly did look like a player whose career was coming to an end. He rarely looked like beating his marker and when he did his delivery was atrocious. The goal was the exception that proved the rule I'm afraid. Zamora is another one whose career looks to be over. He simply can't jump or run any more.
What about the other ball, which put Austin clear through? The other ball which proved the rule let me guess? And by the way, how many other players on the pitch created two clear cut chances? Did Hoilett even create one when he was on? Sorry QPAAAAAGH, not an attack on you, but just don't see why SWP is getting so much stick after a decent performance.
I have just watched the highlights again on QPR player and sorry but SWP looked very good IMO and was very involved ... his ball into Austin when he hit the bar was outstanding and In what world was he not responsible for the goal he bloody made it ... If posters can't see that then they have blinkers on and need a bloody cure asap ... SWP won us that game and watch again any poster and see BZ take players out and create space in the first half. Watch the highlights ... in fact its looks clearly that people that do see more than at the bloody matches ... get a grip lads we are winning and looking solid I have just watched it again! ... first touch by SWP for the run to byline ... WORLD CLASS ... also Ipswich bloke's control first half bring the ball down while moving other way ... again WORLD CLASS touches.. Extended highlights also show great positioning and movement from BZ he even had a good shot. He looked great MOM performance Saying that everyone thinks it was O'neil and he didn't figure on the highlights. I have read all reports that talk about the young lad Hitchcock and some even asking for him to start next match!!!! ... FFS get a grip it was a ****ing tap in made by a bit of skill from SWP who didn't seem to give up Makes me so cross this slagging off stuff.
