Henry was good when not receiving the ball under pressure, he was looking for a pass and spotted the keeper off the line and went for it, apparently Barton was laughing his arse off. We do need strikers but our build up play was not as good as Orients who built up play well and moved the ball more purposefully when around our box, we arrive in the opponents box and make it up when we get there. Creativity in the middle may be a better place to start. (ducking for cover) Henry/Barton is not attacking enough but is usually a solid base, but we still shipped 2 though. Not sure if a n new system was called for when we struggled to score under the old one, and seem to be conceding more under the new. Don't like it, Simpson/Traore as wing backs I don't think will work, both have issues in that position, Simo can't cross and Traore is a shocking defender. Back to the drawing board. Edit: Traore needs to look up earlier when bombing forward as he miss the chance to make the killer early pass/cross, happened twice last night.
From what I saw the back 3 were playing much too far apart, the wider two almost as full backs. Width of the penalty area please, let the wing backs cover the outside channels. Van Gaal, who runs this formation regularly, reckons it will take Manchester United 3 months to get it right. I don't think we have the luxury of 3 months, keep them on the training ground day and night.
Traore getting skinned week in week out is something I don't want to see. He may shine this year but I do worry when given defensive duties as they seems to affect his head. Best playing wide in a 4 in the middle.
SB you may have a point as they were rooted when Orient score their equaliser, Covering too much ground? Either way I don't rate this system with these players.
Worry about Yun defensively as he's untried at the top level. Do you play him away at Hull or Home to Man City, personally I'd have picked BAE for those games. That position needs cover and quick.
Well, that's "no tactics Harry" for you. Players who'd played under him have stated that he doesn't do tactics, just prepares players attitudes. But there's nothing we can do but watch. I don't hate Harry but I just wish he'd see the importance of tactics. I hope Rio or someone can help him out with this. Hoddle had been mentioned. We might need someone like that.
I said (to a random stranger at the game) last night that there's no way we have enough time to completely change the philosophy of football at QPR into the 3 at the back formation. Changing from 442 into 4222 or 451 is possible and doesn't take too much adjust and learning. But 3 at the back is so radically different that it requires so much changing and learning. We never looked good in it last season and we haven't looked good in it so far in pre-season. I feel quite sure that we're only employing it now to fit to the players, rather than fitting the players to the right system. What I mean by that is that I recon Harry is trying to use this system because he's promised certain players first team football and has to now fit them in. You need to look at your team and say "how can I get the best out of them." I don't think Harry is the worst manager but I don't think he's addressing the problems at QPR properly. We need someone with a real smart mind to come in, look at the situation and mastermind a combination of the players talents and getting them to work together in a great system that suits the team and league. And we need someone to adjust tactics per every game, based on the opponents.
Although he has a number of international games under his belt playing for South Korea, including recent World Cup matches - pretty good practice compared to what the rest of the team has been putting in. I would be more than comfortable playing him against Hull. Agree we need cover in that LB, LWB position.
Yun can be a decent player but I do worry he was a Tony purchase and as such may always struggle to make the position his, even when we dropped BAE last year Harry didn't blood YSY as much as he could have, for obvious reasons, promotion push etc, but he still chose to move Clint over more often than he selected Yun which speaks volumes.
Do you think it's true that Harry simply doesn't like to play players he doesn't know/didn't sign, if given a choice?
I really disagree with that. Traore wasn't good defensively before, but he's done well at that since the winter - he was excellent in the final when moved to the LB postion. he is concentrating better, and he is very good in the air. On the other hand he always looks lost in midfield. He is good coming forward from the back where he can use the space to get up speed and get his crosses in. There isn't the space in crowded midfield for him to do this, his ball control is not good enough / tight enough to keep the ball there, and he doesn't get the room to get his speed up. His aerial prowess is mainly wasted there too. Definitely a LB for me - possibly left side of a back 3, but he's no midffield player.
TBH Oslo He's got his head together I'd really like to see him make an impression in the top flight this time, hopefully he will because he is a trier but he was still part of the arsenal defence that shipped 8 in 90 mins and he not excised that performance from my memory yet. The beard has got to stay without it he's like a naked virgin. I think Harry does like to pick "his" players, obviously when he arrived most of the first team will be given a chance to convert to fundamental tax avoidance, remember his defence of Boswanka laughter another olive branch snapped. Sign up quick and you're in the club. Clint/Hoilett/Green weren't his but he clearly rates them. Dally like a fat Moroccan and you have little to no chance.
