Match Day Thread QPR vs Sheffield United

Very disapointed to start of the season but 44 matches left to improve. Didnt saw the preston match but watched yesterdays match and it wasnt all that bad. Do we have to play Lynch? Some difficulties with the defence over all. Midfield were good attackwise but medicore defencewise. Strikers should be more active and hope the helps come from possible loanie soon. Ingram was couple times helpless when he put the ball back to the pitch but couldnt do anything with the Sheffield u goals. Freeman was quite good isuppose, but do we have a next qpr-star coming in Eze??? For a long time im not have seen someone who can pass the ball, dribble, has pace and can shoot the ball properly. Future star. Finally having seen that penalty incident i cannot know why he did award a penalty from that???? Well, hope we could have one of those this season too.

 

Just seen the high lights. For the pen, their player clearly thinks the whistle has gone against him!

Very poor decision indeed.

I know it's edited but we had some good moves with the usual lack of cutting edge up front.

 

My thoughts on yesterday........very worrying!! We were poor and imo lost to a team that will also struggle. Yes, plenty of time to improve but we were bullied and lost to experience as they sat back and realised if Eze and Freeman did not have the ball no on else could hurt them.

Apart from one or two moves (good one for the goal) we played like individuals and could only pass to each other unless along the back line....and that is McLarens job to sort that and quickly. He must find a way that Freeman and Eze can get on the ball throughout the game no for one half.

Positives.....Eze is Gold....Freeman had a good half and the youngsters should grow.

Negatives....Smyth...I know hes young but seriously...just running out of defence like a headless chicken was actually embarassing at times. He lost the ball contiinously when we were under pressure. Got a little better but not surprised he was hooked. He also got bullied and because he is small needs to release the ball as loses every 50/50. Im sorry if Ive been over critical but his performance was NOT good enough. Hopefully, he will improve..

The nucleus of the team is the same as end of last year but look like they havent played together much.....

Atmosphere (Hardly any singing) with just 14k there was poor for first game of season as well....which does not help the team.

Hopefully, they will improve as that performance will see us lucky to get a point as there are 20 better teams coming to Loftus Road this season

 

I reckon we need to get Manning on the pitch at some point soon to kick one or all of Luongo,Scowen.Freeman, Smyth up the bum.
He was involved in some of our tidiest play 2 years ago and has had little chance since. (Apart from his own c*ck up)
Time for a little bit of pressure on the midfield dream 3 for a place in the team.
or we drop Smyth for Manning and see if it makes us tighter with more composure and passing

Smyth has talent though but I admit he tried to do too much in his own half Saturday (though that was the only place he touched it)
Leave Eze plus 1 up front and shuffle something behind them

 

We had a very good 20 minutes or so. Eze was brilliant, and going forward we were hot for that period. But the youth don't do 90's yet.

 

Really? Was Eze that good? Wasn't there so can't comment..The boy has talent, there's no doubting that, he just needs to learn when and when not to turn it on

 

Yes, Eze was very good going forward, operating in their half which he did a lot more than at Preston. Think he had 6 -8 decent shots on goal, mostly in a twenty something minute period in the 1st half. 1 went in, a couple needed good saves. He and Freeman were both very good in that period. Eze showed his inexperience at times, like with unnecessary fouls at the end which only helped them play out time. He''s not Adel in his prime, but if we had the likes of Derry and Ale playing behind him, Freeman and Pawel or say Routledge in an attacking 3, we might pick up some points.Scowen and Luongo need to up their games from Saturday.

 

I think you have to accept that to get the best out of him he’s going to make the odd mistake or poor decision. We desperately need this kid on form and it’s an unfair burden on a young player, but he’s the one we need to drag us up to the dizzy heights of a 21st place finish.

 

He's an exceptional talent imo mate.
I was there on Saturday and he was our most gifted player by quite a distance. Freeman played well and he tries to make things happen, but Eze has a wonderful first touch, a bit of pace and the ability to beat players with ease. He also scored and had nearly all our other attempts on goal.
We won't have him for long and really need to find a way to get him on the ball as often and far forward as possible.
It is a lot to ask of one so young though.

 

I think it would help Scowan to have help alongside him. Luongo is better further forward imo, but if he's the only one good enough to play there then needs must.
As you say, playing two holding would release Freeman and especially Eze to be more attacking and hurt opponents in the final third.
Also, two holding would offer more protection to the entire back 4.

 

The report from LFW (not by Clive but still very good)

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/48422/controversial-penalty-sends-qpr-to-sheff-utd-defeat-–-report

Controversial penalty sends QPR to Sheff Utd defeat – Report
Sunday, 12th Aug 2018 19:49 by Jordan James Foster

Queens Park Rangers lost by the odd goal for the second consecutive weekend as they were punished by Sheff Utd for another naïve performance.

Steve McClaren’s post-match comments were overall positive, a complete contrast to many of those in attendance with the general gist being that the team are showing signs they are picking up the things he is trying to implement and it being an improvement on the dour showing at Preston.

Rangers were out-thought and out-fought last weekend at Deepdale, as they struggled to create any real chances before Preston's expertise in gamesmanship allowed them to see out and kill off the Championship opener.

 

That is good to read. Was not able to be there but the edited highlights made him look very good. Not able to go to next home game either so my first will be the Tuesday night against Bristol City. Will go to the Posh game just to see us dumped out as usual but not counting that as a real game!!

 

Mmm.....agree with much of this.
He clearly isn't convinced about Eze, which I do disagree with. I also disagree that Eze is one paced. He doesn't have lightening pace, but he certainly has a good change of pace, whilst his first touch and overall ability is better than anything we've had since Tarrabt.
He's also wrong to say that Eze is in a similar position to Adel in the Championship. Adel had no defensive duties and just concentrated on making things happen. Eze is expected to track back from the left and, whilst he clearly needs to work on this, I would prefer him in the genuine No10 position.

 

Col, I agree with your comments.

I personally rated Eze as an "8" and for me he was my R's Man of the Match. I gave Leistner a "7", and all the other players a much lower rating.

I was also surprised by the Eze comments in the article which seemed rather negative. However, I interpreted them as possibly "controlling expectations" on Eze and not putting too much pressure on him. Otherwise, when he does put in a "worse" performance the social media lynching squad may be after him.

If so, then it may be a good tactic, but the result is that the report did not reflect my impression watching the match (on TV).

 

Did Freeman play as a proper number 10?

 

Nope. We played 4 behind Sylla, with Freeman and Luongo in the centre, Smyth on the right and Eze on the left.
I suppose Freeman was more in a 10 position than Eze, although they did interchange at times.

 

Another sensible report from LFW which is worth a read:

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/48426/

Good lads, poor results – Knee Jerks
Monday, 13th Aug 2018 15:02 by Antti Heinola

Antti Heinola is back for the new season with his six talking points from Saturday’s home defeat to Sheffield United.

A defeat that somehow seemed or felt inevitable, and that's been reflected in the largely negative response to the game since. And yet, there were some positives, and a little bit of hope, plus we lost because of an absolute joke of a decision. At the same time, a defeat at West Brom is fairly nailed on, and once you start a season with a series of defeats, it's very hard to recover, as Hughes found out a few years back.

 

If Eze is capable of growing into a proper 10 role we should give him the chance and have some patience with it.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head there mate. I would much prefer to see Eze released of chasing all the way back to his own area. It's a catch 22 though cos we need all players working hard at the moment but I believe this kid is much better facing the opposition than not.

 

So will all this talk of Routledge allow Eze to move inside as a number 10?