Match Day Thread QPR vs Stoke

Andy Belk has been here for 16 years apparently. I wouldn’t say we’ve been a roaring success since 2008 and the players who were the foundation of the one bit of success in that time wouldn’t have been picked by any algorithm.

 

Wish I had your optimism Turkish but I just can't see anything changing, except maybe the manager. It's clear reading between the lines from Martis post match interview that all is not well. He told them what was needed in the summer and someone has brought in a load of ****e, using our budget for probably the next 3 seasons.
There comes a time when effort has to be rewarded over ability and if we don't have another striker at the whole club who can't hit a barn door from 12 yards then we truly are ****ed. This team is going down due to a mixture of things. Piss poor decisions, piss poor recruitment, lack of quality, poor players and a stubborness from Marti to try anything different. Even the young Morgan coming on looked so out of his depth. The injuries obviously play a part but only a part. Chair has not been the same, didn't look fit, Colback I'm not really bothered about if we are pinning our hopes on him then we really are in bother. JCS is a miss but as a club we always knew he would miss more than he plays. Frey would be fed on scraps as per usual and Dembele has shown glimpses and been moved all across the 3 behind a lone striker.

 

Warburton's interview was quite revealing. Les & co insisting he used the academy more whilst Warbs insisted none were good enough. He backed that up present day by saying not one academy player from that period has made it at this level or higher, or even into the QPR team.
I'm presuming it's much the same as we insist on playing guys like Celar and Madsen although I don't think the set up suits either player. This is where I start to agree with Stroller. If he has to use these players then set them up correctly.
One up top at home when you've only got an own goal in your last 5 games is crazy. To keep playing this way is madness. Why keep doing the same thing and getting the same results.

 

I think it’s fair to give them a run of games especially when we have such a scarcity of options up front. Madsen was better yesterday in the first half just by being vaguely competent and noticeable. He won a tackle at one point I’m fairly sure as I was drifting off but heard a sarcastic cheer. With the ball down the other end.

For his own good I’d take Celar out the firing line midweek and perhaps bring him back for Watford against whom I think Lloyd would just get eaten alive if picked from the start.

We’re stuck with these guys in the short term at the very least. It’s a ridiculous situation to be in but you just have to hope they come good as no one available is exactly smashing the door down to be included. How **** must Dixon-Bonner be to not be in this team in his supposed prime.

 

It was the best I've seen from Madsen and yet he was still crap. I'm not sure he has another level. It could be argued that he played a couple of good passes but that's what he's supposed to do. Personally I think Marti will persevere with Celar. If only he could partner him up with someone from the outset rather than being 1 or 2 nil down. For all Lloyds effort and endeavour he really isn't the answer to our problems and sums up the lack of quality in this squad.

 

I thought Celar did more than Lloyd sorry.
if you really want to get depressed compare Smyth’s run across the penalty area and shot with Saka’s on match of the day
I thought Madsen was our best outlet quickly up to attack and we lost shape when he went off.
For all his terrible crossing yesterday we are always better when Smyth is on the pitch

 

I think it’s harsh to say he was crap. I’ve seen people say he was our best player which is pushing it but he was fine. You want your star signing doing more every week but when you’ve spent a few days in the desert you aren’t turning down tap water even though we’d like some delicious San Pellegrino.

Lloyd at least gets fans onside and will give defenders something to think about, gives an outlet Celar doesn’t which away from home is more important. Celar’s confidence must be shot- you either put an arm around him and tell him how good he’ll be or you rotate a bit bearing in mind we’re going in Watford with a day’s less recovery. Cardiff is a real chance- they‘re fodder just as Stoke are. Avoid the weekly defensive howler and play with the belief we did in the first half and we’ll be ok there. We won’t of course.

 

As both Smyth and Saito are mobile and track back I would try 442 with Lloyd and Celar next game, Dembele and Sam holding the middle.
It can’t be any less effective

 

And that last sentence probably sums up our woes in my opinion. Smyth is always is a danger until he's not. He's league 1 standard at his very best.
As for Madsen, after a piss poor corner where he looked too weak to lift it over the first man, he was taken off and we immediately scored (or they did for us). More luck than anything, maybe.

 

Dembele is currently on life support unless you mean Varane. Seeing how easily our midfield is bypassed already I can see that ending in tears but at this point I’d be open to bringing back the ‘WM’ formation.

 

Celar did more than Lloyd???
Just by once making a defender jump for a header Lloyd did more than Zan (No shots on target) Celar.

I'm not saying Lloyd is the answer. and last year Armstrong was also not the answer, but both make the defenders actually move.

The one upfront system is idiotic, our midfield is non-existant and our only goal hope is from an opposition defender becoming totally confused at seeing a spherical object near a goal.

Celar is lacking confidence, and last year so was Dykes. They are strikers who want to score goals, receiving balls in the box. Not a head height punt 40 yards from goal with no other players in sight.

The system doesn't help strikers, having another striker within the same postcode probably would.

However to be infront of the opposition and battling to receive the ball would also help. This goes for a number of players but for me the lack of battle/desire to win the ball appears especially noticable in Madson and Calar.

 

Spot on

 

Celar’s most positive contribution was running away from the ball to create space for Smyth to predictably smash the ball over the bar under minimal pressure twenty yards out.

 

I feel sorry for Celar. Not sure if he’s useless, out of his depth, devoid of confidence or just not getting enough delivery/support. Possibly some or all of those I guess. Either way, he’s a relatively young fellow in a foreign country ( does he speak English?), facing a potentially hostile crowd. Life must be tough in all the circumstances. I hope he comes good or if not we move him along before his confidence is completely shot.

 

Yeah, I feel sorry for him, too. The booing as he was subbed won't have helped. I think he has to be better than we've seen, but he seems totally bereft of confidence, something that seems to run through the squad. There also seem to be little on-pitch arguments going on between various players, which is a bad sign too. I'm sorry, but these are things the manager should be dealing with.

 

Yes Varane

 

The booing of Zan Celar as he trudged off the field for his substitution was a brutal moment on a human level. It’s not his fault he’s not good enough for this level, or that we’ve recruited him believing the opposite. Otherwise, the crowd stuck with its team, and pointedly its manager. Marti Cifuentes seemed to make a point of doing a full lap of the pitch at full time, beating the his chest and thanking the fans for the response. That, and his post match press conference, has us awaiting some white smoke in W12 once again. Judging by the reaction here, the general consensus seems to be the club is about to point the gun at the wrong person, again, having given the gun to the wrong person, again.

 

Excellent copying.

 

thanks