Adel Taarabt played a huge part in getting QPR promoted as Champions from the Championship last season. He was far and away the best player in the division, scoring around 14 goals and making many more. He was also, quite rightly, voted the Championship player of the year. He was the classic, maverick No10 (although he wore 7) that QPR have loved to have over the years. A sublime talent. Taarabt is, though, his own worst enemy. Petulant, immature and badly advised by those close to him. He sulks when things go against him and isn't a "team player". He reminds me very much of Stan Bowles!! Many of us wondered how he would fair in the Premier League! In the early games he was far from his best, undoubtedly suffering from the combination of Ramadan effecting his fitness and the team not being good enough for the Premier League. He was unlucky with a couple of efforts that struck a post and if one of these had gone in, it's arguable that his season could have "taken off". After the transfer window purchases the team dynamic changed completely. Better players were brought in, along with a very forceful character in Joey Barton. These purchases were crucial to QPR staying up and have given the club a fighting chance of survival. More purchases in January would also help the cause. However, Adel Taarabt's confidence has dipped alarmingly since the new players arrived. I would liken it to the amazing drop in form of Rooney at the World Cup, going from a great talent to looking almost like a Sunday league player (although Rooney's drop in form was for totally different reasons!). Today, Adel did indeed look like a Sunday league player. He was truly awful and it was almost inevitable that he was going to be taken off at half time. This followed a report that Adel had gone to Neil Warnock and asked him to stop some of the senior players (Barton inevitably being among them!) giving him such a hard time. Now, I can hear you all now saying "if he can't take a bollocking, get rid!!". I understand that sentiment, but we saw last year what kind of man-management enabled Adel to shine. This year, it looked as though Warnock would again try to build the team around Taarabt, playing with the same formation etc. Then Joey Barton arrived and that all went out of the window!! Taarabt was immediately stripped of the captaincy and the under-mining of our one true game changing talent had begun. From that moment, Taarabt has looked shorter and shorter of confidence with every game, admittedly doing himself no favours along the way with his sulking etc!! Today against Spurs, Adel looked like he was scared stiff to try anything, playing the ball away almost as soon as he's received it. A sure sign of a drastic lack of confidence. He knew if he tried any of the wonderful skills that took all our breaths away last season that Barton and a few others would be all over him as soon as it went wrong!! At one point he took a corner which he looped horribly to the corner of the penalty area. This had nothing to do with the league he was playing in (it could have happened on Hackney marshes!!) and everything to do with having zero confidence. Those that argue that he isn't good enough for the Premiership are wrong. Adal Taarabt has had his confidence completely undermined by team mates who may well regret missing out on the talent he has to offer. I predict that this is now the end of an era as far as Taarabt and QPR are concerned and that he will leave in January. We can only hope that enough quality is brought in to replace him. As for me...I'd rather watch Adel every week than 11 Joey Bartons!! Sadly though, I fear Adel's appearances will be few and far between. JOB DONE JOEY!!?
He has been doing those looping corners since he arrived at the club.Who told him he was good at taking corners,they either dont get off the ground or he puts them out of touch for a throw in.
Total bollox! He doesn't train properly, he doesn't act professionally and he is the sole architect of his own downfall. He was over-indulged in the Championship because he had the talent to outwit Championship defences. It doesn't work in the Premier League where his limitations have been cruelly exposed. Even if he were to score the odd goal or produce the odd magical pass it would soon be followed by another boorish strop, a lack of commitment to the team and another dose of 'me, me, me!' To blame Barton or any other team-mate for his shortcomings is typical of the whingeing attitude that has got him where he is now...
Why does he attract so much sympathy,we played most of last season with ten men because he couldnt be bothered chasing back or tackling when he lost the ball. Hes not Messi, hes a better than average morrocan whose time is up !.
That's an interesting post Ruislip!! What's being Morrocan got to do with anything? Would you not be so against him if he was a different Nationality?
Passionately argued Col and I have some sympathy. But we just don't have the time to let him get his confidence back playing for the first team. And I suspect his ego won't let him try hard in the reserves. I love our maverick number 10s, part of our clubs identity, but I don't ever remember Stan going through a loss of confidence / form like this. He had off days and got the crap kicked out of him by real hard men every week, but I don't ever recall an 'I'm bigger than the club' attitude. He was happy as long as Jim Gregory subbed him for bets and booze. And he didn't earn the equivalent of £25k a week or whatever Adel is on. Whether Adel is getting the right treatment from Warnock or senior members of the squad I don't know, but he has clearly believed his own press (partly our fault) and that means he has to deliver or at least work hard. He isn't and must take the flak.
Youre so right,Morrocan has got nothing to do with it.Personally i dont care what nationality colour or creed they are as long as they give 110% to the club,unfortunately he does not and I dont understand what drives people on here to defend him so much.
Yep, fair enough. By the way....Stan was often in the bookies 15 mins before KO. Hardly a "team player".
It's because he's got more talent and potential than Jamie Mackie can only dream of. Even though Jamie makes up for a lot with his non-stop running and fighting, we need an Adel or someone with his skill to survive in the PL.
Different era different rewards, not really comparing like with like. Stan wouldn't last 10 minutes in today's game without a radical attitude rethink. But I have a total blind spot for Stan, and I respect yours for Adel.
But who can we get with that skil- Modric would fit the bill very nice, but I can but dream he'll come to us! A replacement for Adel's skill will not be easy to find, maybe easier to get him going again.
col, have just been on Twitter(i know your a big fan) and Adel asked for feed back on his game, needless to say he got a lot of ****. After initially being a bit narky and cracking the ****s he eventually apologised, admitted he found it hard to day and wasn't himself.
I still think he'll come good, we all hope he does, but I wouldn't start a game with him. Bring him off the bench as an impact player with 20 mins on the clock. Start as we finished against City next week, Bothroyd was very good, thought Bartons delivery at corner's was exceptional, SWP showed some great touches. Then get Adel on with licence to go for it.
Why is everyone saying Mackie hasn't got the skill of Adel. They are chalk and cheese with different skill sets and cannot be compared. Mackie has tremendous strength and ability to run and harry and score do you remember last autumn!!!. I think we can all accept that Adel is unique: he has unbelievable dribbling and passing skill, that surpasses everyone else at the club.....but for one reason or another.................fitness, motivation or confidence...he doesn't/can't use it at the moment. He has two months to get his mojo back or I am afraid its bye bye...it has to be (money-wise). Keeping him till summer and we will be giving him away with green stamps
