Chris Ramsey said on Sky straight after the game that the first half performance was poor because players were not closing down or doing the things they were supposed to do, he said it is not about formations. According to Stuart Pearce the second half change was made to mitigate the threat of Benteke and Abonghalar doen the middle by having three CB's up against them...........by moving Clint to CB and taking Nico off this also protected our left hand side which Pearce said before KO was always going to be rangers weak area. I think he called it right.
Having 5 in midfield allowed us to keep the ball much better. Traore certainly helped Hill on the left, as Kranjcar was an absolute joke in that position.
He's a strange one Austin, in many ways. One minute he plays like he's in a park team, next he's scoring. Tuesday night his pace around the park was the slowest of any, his poor control and anger at himself were very close to getting a red when he got the yellow for his studs up stamp that luckily for him got a bit on the ball. So he was lucky to still be on the pitch when he showed how deadly he often is in front of goal. Great cross from our MOM Phillips, but Austin contributed little more forward all evening.
What about Kranjcar Ozzie You defended him when he sloppily gave the ball away against Ars/Spurs for them to run up and score and yet he does the very same thing against Villa. Its just too costly at this critical juncture to have a player like that coughing up possession easily for teams to break and score. And why is he still overweight?
Entirely agree about Charlie. Most of the time I think he is somewhat overrated, and can only seem to play in a formation where he has OBZ as his hit man. He doesn't make a lot of space for himself, appears to be slow in mind and body. And then he scores 17 goals, and is keeping us in the hunt. an enigma But he certainly has a nose for the goal yes.... The more I see him, the more I fear he will not cope in many other teams, and certainly no big teams. Palace or Stoke are where I see him ending up...and they won't pander to him like we do
Bloody hell Beth that is the best post i have seen from you and couldn't agree more! Love Charlie and his goals have saved us again but i can see why he didn't get an England call up. He is good but still lacks something that would make him special. At villa 2 or 3 times he made hard work of simple balls. Would hate to see him leave because he fits into QPR so well but totally agree with your post.
I don't agree that an attacking player losing the ball in and around the opponents penalty area when making a decent attempt to break through their defence should be blamed for a goal that follows when there about 7 or 8 plus players who are there to defend it. If players get criticised for that, they may not attempt anything, and that is far worse. Of course there are exemptions like continually losing it, and being over adventurous when hanging on to a goal lead etc. But I thought Kranjcar had a decent game when he came on for Vargas against W Brom, looked in reasonable shape, and set up the 2nd goal, but he was poor at Villa, looked slow and perhaps the game came too quick for him after W Brom. I suppose it's normal that a player has some good games, and bad games, but perhaps we have had anyway too many that are variable, possibly they haven't been fit enough.
I always look back to see where possession switches. If a player makes a poor decision and gives the ball away anywhere on the pitch and it ends up in the back of the net then he is partly to blame at least. Should always be remembered though that any goal we score is a great goal, while any goal we concede is always a poor one. That is football and what managers say in every post match interview. The truth is that football is a game of mistakes - without then every game would be 0-0 and no one would watch it!
So, if Austin shoots and the keeper saves, then kicks a long punt upfield whereupon their striker scores, is it Austin's fault?
The bit that had Tweedledum and Tweedledee symbiotically respond (Stan accidentally appeared when I must've been typing my post) almost like they were poised over their keyboards in drooling anticipation of my reply to you Ozzie. One wonders whether the toy soldier club's AGM was called off or summat, freeing these individuals up for other pursuits....
