I pretty much agree with this. The ones that were occupied were as quiet as the empty ones such is the fayre being served up
I like to think my opinion is fairly balanced but at the risk of upsetting the optimists my take was, despite the win, this was one of our poorest performances of a very poor season and this against an awful Barnsley side who are surely going down. We were tactically inept even by IH standards and he has somehow managed to emasculate a midfield that looked to be one of the best in the division earlier in the season. I lost count of the number of times defenders had to roll the ball back to Smithies because there was no one coming to collect from midfield. The only option on Holloway's playbook appears to be for them to chase upfield to watch the inevitable punt going over their heads. The other depressing thing from yesterday was the underlining yet again of our lack of natural goal scorers. Washington was back to his toothless worst and the lack of composure when clean through on the keeper in the last 10 minutes was as predictable as it was dreadful. If you insist on a bright note from a cold and depressing day it was probably Lynch who put in a very confident performance.
Does how we play matter any more? Except of course to the people who actually go to games and have to watch it. Seems to me that this season now simply about scraping enough points together to stay up and hoping that other teams **** it up even more than us. How long this hand to mouth existence is sustainable is another question. Some clubs exist like this virtually all of the time, and their supporters are resigned to it, with no expectations. QPR fans aren’t like this on the whole. We have glimpsed, however briefly, better things and have demands (however daft and unjustified) that remind me more of Arsenal fans than anything else. Permanently being a bit **** but somehow struggling through doesn’t work in a QPR context. If we see the same again next season, no progress or even identity, expect sub 10,000 crowds as the norm.
I haven't bothered this season. Might be inclined to if I lived round the corner, but leaving at 8am and getting home at 10pm, spending £150 in the process to watch the crap we've had to put up with over the last few seasons doesn't appeal any more.
I tend towards optimist but completely agree with you. It was nice to get the win but it was victory in a minor skirmish while we're in danger of losing the war.
Stupid thing to say. A huge proportion of QPR fans have only seen us struggle in the Prem on 3 occasions. most of the time has been Championship or League One. Plenty of fans were going to games back in 'crap years'. To judge people by empty seats is wide of the mark and an ill-informed generalization. Re the game I missed everything yesterday as I was working but happy with the result and at this stage do not care how crap we may have been or bizarre tactics. Points on the board and 10 clear of relegation is all that matters.
I care, I really care... and I have sat through the premiership years (especially the Redknapp years) when our team did not care as much as I did. I sat through JFH year when our game was to not lose and try and get a lucky 1-0. At the moment we have honest players who are trying their best. We are under big financial constraints. Yesterday was not the worst performance of the year (of the ones I have seen Millwall and Forest away were worse, I suspect last week at City may also be up there too). If we had won 3-0 after playing with 10 men....which we should have...we would not be even talking like this Yes we cannot continue like this, hand to mouth, however we first have to survive, re-establish ourselves get out of the gutter before dreaming again for the stars. Lets survive this season first (which in the preseason poll was all that we all wanted anyway). It is a bit of a dogfight and if we stay on the "topend" of the dog fight...which is where we are now then lets see what the summer brings forth
I do quite like our team these days. Say what you want but there’s not one guy playing for QPR these days who acts as if we’re beneath them and doesn’t try their best. Some fans really need to get off the players’ backs sometimes. Holloway is fair game to an extent IMO as he often underperforms in his role. However I’d have taken being ten points off the bottom three if you’d offered it to me in August.
I fear we won't progress under the helm of Holloway, but other than that, tend to agree with your post Beth
Those moaning about yesterday's gate should remember that we were getting sub 10,000 gates when we were in the Premier League in the 90s and the old First Division in the 80s. I certainly remember matches against the likes of Coventry, Wimbledon and those sort of lesser teams being very poorly attended. I fear if we do go down that's likely to be the norm for us. Unless, of course, we start playing sexy football...
I remember in 87-88 being able to get into the Loft for any game by a ticket on the gate. Best of my recollection never felt full. Also got into away games the same way, including Highbury and WHL. Quite liked the spontaneity of it.
That was always the way I went to games back then, just rock up, pay at the gate and in you went. Although you can get a ticket on the day for some games this season. If we continue to lose support they aren't going to turn you away...
Not Wumming, just don’t understand it. At home we have won seven out of fifteen home games including beating Wolves, Sheffield Utd (when they were going well) and Cardiff. We’ve had a fantastic comeback against Brentford and almost did the same earlier against Fulham. We’ve got a team who rarely give up and who look like they want to play for us. Like I say, I don’t understand why fans would stay away. There are, of course, different reasons for not attending, but because we are not very good doesn’t feel right. I agree that sometimes Holloway’s substitutions are baffling, like taking off our best crosser of the ball to be replaced by our best forward at receiving crosses and I often disagree with his team selections or set ups, but this has always been the case regardless of who the manager is. I still go every week hoping for a win and a good game and enjoying the company of family, friends and other like-minded fans. I can’t imagine a time when I wouldn’t be looking forward to the next match.
