Win shouldn't paper over the cracks

Blimey, thank god for the return of Charlie Austin!

THE GAME

Well it was a case of two different halves for QPR - first half we were woeful, worse than Watford, and in the second we improved and eventually scraped through to get the goal back, then the winner right at the end after sustained pressure.

Surprisingly we actually started well - having a shot in target within 40 seconds. But as I said, first half we were atrocious. We didn't look a team, and at half time myself, Sussex and Nines were discussing that none of them seemed to be playing for Harry, or indeed themselves. It was a shambles. We lacked any sort of willingness to make something happen. Doncaster were by far the better side and they passed it around us with ease at times with some great one touch passing - we made them look like Barcelona. Their goal was from Benayoun giving up in midfield standing still claiming for a foul. We fully deserved to be 1-0 down.

Second half saw a change with Johnson replacing Benayoun, and it allowed us some support for Austin, and someone else up there to receive a ball. In the first half Donny showed us how to pass and move, in the second we seemed to up our pace much more which stopped them doing that. Also adding AJ in meant their full back couldn't afford to get as close to Phillips which allowed him more time and space on the ball. We eventually got the scrappy goal back which then signalled a lot of sustained pressure for Doncaster to defend - which they did. They did get back into the game and frustrated us (time wasting from the 48th minute!!) but after another change (Traore for Kranjcar) we forced more chances - then thankfully Austin headed home one minute from time - that will serve them right for time wasting.

THE RATINGS

GREEN - 6.5 - thought he should have done a bit better for their goal but other than that and a few poor kicks he did what was needed.

ASSOU-EKOTTO - 6 - not his best game but he still tried to make a positive influence going forwards but was caught out of position a couple of times.

DUNNE - 5 - thought he was poor to be honest. looks a bit shaky on the left hand side and was given the run around by Robinson - their striker. Struggled to win the aerial challenges as well.

ONUOHA - 5.5 - not much better than dunne - 3 awful passes straight to them in the first half and both struggled to form a solid protection for green.

SIMPSON - 5.5 - his worst game for us I felt - first half he struggled and was caught out of position a number of times - poor passing as well. improved in the second and got forwards much more - eventually crossing for the winner.

BARTON - 6 - struggled in the first half - a number of poor passes and we never really had control in the middle. the midfield just went AWOL at times. improved in the second - showing his fighting spirit to win a number of challenges and clearly came out for the second half in determined mood.

O'NEIL - 6 - certainly was much better than Carroll alongside Barton but suffered from the same sort of game - struggled in the first half, but much better in the 2nd. However, in the first half he did have a few good moments where he turned with the ball to create opportunities.

BENAYOUN - 6 - would have had another .5 on his score but for the awful moment for the goal. just stopped when he lost the ball. but did have a positive influence in the first half, but at the same time went missing in a few of the times Donny attacked - as did the rest of the midfield. worked very hard and overall did run with the ball well.

KRANJCAR - 5.5 - finally played in his 'best' position in the middle behind the striker - but he failed to deliver again really. had a shot in the first half that he again put wide which he really should have at least hit the target with. clumsy in possession and often reacted late to someone closing him down. poor 1st touch.

HOILETT - N/A - can't believe this bloke - injured yet again with a hamstring and replaced after just 12 minutes.

AUSTIN - 6.5 - worked his socks off again with little support until AJ came on. he won many headers for flick on's which the likes of AJ and Phillips didn't gamble on enough.

SUBS:

PHILLIPS - 6.5 - played most of the game with Hoiletts injury. one thing that frustrates me is when Simpson has the ball he always runs inside leaving Simpson without the option to pass it down the wing. But he did show some creativity and was there to score the equaliser.

JOHNSON - 6 - I thought he made a difference and gave them something extra to think about in defence which we lacked in the first half. He makes runs which often go un-noticed, but they create space for others. Sometimes other players are not on his wavelength and miss good chances to pass to him.

TRAORE - 6 - does the correct thing a winger should do - stay on the wing and leave the full back with the option of passing to you - which BAE did a few times. Showed great pace and desire to get on the ball, but poor technique let him down a few times.


THE FINAL WORD

Well, as the title suggests, we shouldn't let the win paper over the cracks in our performance. In the first half is was appalling, and I was questioning the desire in the team, and if they are actually a happy camp under Redknapp. Things were not looking good. Everything in the first half was wrong.

Thankfully HR at half time made the correct sub by bringing on AJ (well surely even HR could see we needed him!) which did change the game - although we did still struggle in the second half against their quick pass and move. They really taught us a lesson in the first half with their passing - but you could see a change in attitude at half time with the way we started - there was an increased pace to our play and desire to get on the ball and run at defenders. Something we just don't do enough.

It was great to get the late winner, but we were lucky to do so - Doncaster deserved at least a draw from that. Our midfield, despite the names in it is just not performing at the moment - for large parts of the 1st half they offered no protection to the back four - getting passed through far too easily.

I hope that win proves the change in our season, as I am becoming more and more concerned at our general play and tactics. Something isn't right in the dressing room. It really isn't.

 

Krancjar really was awful again wasn't he. He makes no effort to come and get the ball when we're struggling to get it forward resulting in a huge no-mans-land in the the middle of the field which we can't get across other than with long balls. Although Benayun was certainly not blameless for the Doncaster goal it was very noticeable how he had no forward options as he took the ball across the field. This is why so many of our passes have to go sideways or back.

 

Thanks Judo.

Did you leave out AJ because he was so bad?! Or do I need better lenses? He looked lively to me, but either through his own fault or perhaps delayed passes he was continually offside. Then he got a yellow that looked close to a red, for what looked from the video SeaHoop posted to be a very bad tackle in a unnecessary situation right after we scored the winner, and which gave Doncaster a free kick and chance to level it again. For an old Pro like him that looked really stupid.

 

Oops, edited!

 

Agree with the title. There may be cracks but they are just that. Cracks that are reparable, not gaping holes (as last season) which are not. We are still third and within reach of top.

Most unusually I, too, felt sorry for the Donny fans. They did not deserve that but that is the game.

 

I really don't know how you had the awful benayoun rated higher than Simpson, one did nothing except set up their goal while the other set up our winner with a lovely cross.

 

It really was a beauty!

 

Agree with Flyer
Our goal, the winner, was an exquisite piece of football, Phillips Simpson and of course Charlie were all excellent in that move

 

Thanks Judo, a sobering read.

"Phillips Simpson and of course Charlie" a very potent trio.

Such a shame Hoilett cant seem to get off of the medics table.

But maybe Traore can get a little game-time now and with his defensive bias, can work well with BAE ??

A striker (or two) in January is a must.

 

Simpson looked poor for most of the game but to be fair does not stop trying. Nedum is essential for me as it allows us to play higher up the pitch. the gap between the forward, midfiled and defence is too wide. it allows us space to pass but we have been too slow to move the ball forward. I actually thought for the first 15 we played it forward much quicker and carved out a few chances. that early cross to the near post would have been a goal had it not gone to Hoilett ( bless him). anything we did well was when we moved it forward more quickly. I think Harry could see what was wrong from previous games but I felt the players got tighter as the half wore on. had Krankjar taken his effort then the shoulders relax and off we go.

 

Very true, in fact on twitter I had a good conversation with a Donny fan who was very complimentary about our fans as many rightly praised them and their fans. A good club it seems. I am sure they will stay up.

For me Simpson was very poor in the first half, better in the 2nd. Benayoun didn't do a huge amount wrong bar their goal and actually tried to make things happen.

Totally agree. Didn't notice it at the time, but having watched it back it was a great move, and it shows when we do attack with pace we can score.

 

Krancjar looked overweight and unfit. Worse, he didn't seem to care. As to his supposed creativity, he gave us almost nothing. I've lost count of how many shots he's had that have gone wide: he couldn't hit a barn door from 10 paces.

I disagree on Benayoun. I sat in SAR directly opposite where he cut across the field and there was someone on the right where he could have made a safe, albeit unambitious, pass. Sometimes, you shouldn't force the game.

 

I actually think greens punt was a total miskick, look how it slices off his boot, it was "triffic" after that though.

 

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...alts-qpr’s-christmas-rot-–-report

LFW report closing thoughts:

"It barely papered over the yawning cracks in the QPR performance, but if it wakes Rangers up to the value of quicker play, attacking in wide areas, and servicing their superb centre forward properly, then it could be a vital moment in the season, not only for the three points it added to their total. "

 

Thanks, I enjoyed watching that, several times - in the build-up is it Charlie Austin who receives the ball from Phillips, then passes it out to Simpson before running into the box to receive his pass for that wonderful headed goal - pretty good jump for someone with a dodgy hamstring.

 

Im not really arguing as I dont know myself but its definitely in the doubtful category as even you had to double check, its not normal to me to slice it like that, I think he was aiming much further up the field.

 

I think it was Oneill which is pretty surprising.

 

I think that kick from Green was precise and deliberate - it's the type of kick you might do if you don't want to give too much distance, otherwise he would have put his foot underneath the ball.