I'm usually one of those suspects but in all honesty, I have lost so much interest this season it's unreal. Not going to comment further as this season has just been completely boring.
https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/h...arre-referee-rant-after-defeat-to-reading-fc/ I forgot to mention this... It was bizaare, and how much this affected Bidwell who can tell. Barrow went down injured in a clash and lay pole-axed at our end (it was a knock, no sign of a head injury....remember it was 90 minutes and they were already down to 10). Ref gives us the free kick which is taken quickly. We work the ball up the other end, Barrow was not moving, a few of our players dallied on the ball unsure what to do, but carried on, Ollie was bellowing at them (it seems from the article, to kick the ball out) but it got to Pawel on the right hand side, he ran into the penalty area and was hacked down)... By the time the penalty was discussed Barrow was up and hobbling back towards his team. Then there was about 5 minutes in which Reading players surirrounded the ref and our players about playing on, then there was the booking of the Reading player for punching the ball out of Bidwells hands. Bidwell stood holding the ball all this time, there was no discussion that I saw, so I thought he was the designated penalty taker (I was surprised with both Mass and Freeman and Scowen on the pitch). Oliie said."To top it off, we miss a penalty. I've had some words to say about that because I've got a defender who's shouting about taking a penalty more than the forwards on the pitch. I pay them to score goals, I pay defenders to defend so I'd like it the other way around really". Says a lot about our forwards... I would like to see the penalty again, but it looked a decent hard shot but at a saveable height but not far enough away from a very large keeper. Shame Ollie said...."I thought he [Coote] had an awful game. Not just for my team, but for both teams; I thought he was awful." I tend to agree with that. I am still rather annoyed about our goal at half time. The second yellow card for Kormagant was right, but other than that he did not instill confidence and was very very picky, broke up the game
To be honest, I thought that perhaps Holloway had learnt his lesson and found his team and formation (its only taken how long, and how many games!) and I was beginning (what, really, shock horror) to wonder if he was the best of a range of bad options. But he has brought me firmly back to reality - here we go with the tinkering all over again. He’s looking clueless again - and it drives me crazy tbh and is ruining the prospects for our club and team. People have been less ‘connected’ this season and that even shows on this message board ... very little football talk over the international gap and a mass of “Off topic” discussions at the top of our football board.
He is very up and down imo. He set us up really well at Villa, then corrected well at Fulham. Yet got it wrong with Washington and Cousins yesterday and tried to correct too late.
I'd like to see that again, but we got a free kick just 5 seconds before the added minute was given. Commentators were wondering if we'd even get to take it. We did, but nothing came of it directly so it was no big surprise that he blew when the ball was initially cleared from their box and came to Smyth. We were unlucky there and a few times yesterday.
Ollie did not tinker SW Ranger...... Look at the team that finished at Fulham...... Smithies; Furlong, Ned, Lynch, Bidwell; Cousins, Luongo, Freeman, Wszolek; Smyth, Washington The ONLY change was Scowen for Luongo...which to me makes absolutely sense....bearing in mind Luongos international duty and loyalty to the Fulham team In the words of a friend " Tinkering is in the eye of the beholder" (Thank you Simon for this insight)
He did though. What was that formation? I still don’t know. Wzolek popping up on the left, right and centre and flattering to deceive in all three. Cousins floating around doing nothing in defence or attack like a Jenas tribute act. Smyth not really on the wing and not really up front. He tried to be clever IMO as he tends to when we’ve had a few good results. Play our strongest team in their positions and we win that game comfortably IMO.
I tend to agree with the usual adage 'Don't change a winning team' but I think the international break negates this and kills momentum anyway. Beth has rationalised the changes perfectly well not that, that will be enough for some.
Ollie is damned if he does, damned if he don't. He essentially plays the team that made the comeback against Fulham...and he is tinkering He rewards hard work, continuity and team spirit and Ollie gets it in the neck. All this team needs to have gone 10 places higher in this league, was a natural goalscorer, who given half a chance would have put it in the net. We have no-one like that our strikers need 10 chances(or more) for each goal. And no I do not know where you get one of those either
Most frustrating feature of our performance yesterday was our lack of movement for so much of the game again The possession statistics probably support this - loads of possession but going sideways and backwards We started very slowly and looked overwhelmed from the off. Reading constantly wanted to get the ball wide, particularly down our left, and we looked lethargic and ill at ease until they scored. Very good shot from Aluko, but he was allowed so much time to run at Bidwell, pass him and then set up the shot Other than their goal Reading offered absolutely nothing which makes the defeat and our performance all the more disappointing. Reading's timewasting and, frankly, blatant cheating (how many of their players tried to get the game stopped by falling to the floor at the slightest touch?)was very annoying Much as I like Freeman he does sometimes act like the best player in your school team and want to go round the entire opposition team before trying to make a pass. Several times he failed to look up and see team mates in good positions However starting Washington and Cousins is unforgivable - they were both poor yesterday and are at best squad players. I also hope that we don't have to rely on Lynch being a regular starter next season. There is a decent player in there somewhere but he has an alarming tendency to keep switching off at vital moments. His yellow card for a blatant trip was a prime example where he felt compelled to bring the Reading player down after he'd been passed with ease Let's just hope that we're back on it tomorrow. I really want to beat Norwich
Interesting that even the most considered supporters have now given up on Washington. And in a game with so much possession and so many chances you really do have to look at your centre forward and wonder how he can still get it so wrong. As many have observed, persecuting a player going through a crisis of confidence can make things worse but this situation is much more than that. Personally I still believe - as I have from the first time I saw him - that he has the style and attributes of a League 2 striker or perhaps the lower reaches of League 1 and can still have a decent career in those environs. But pretending he will ever cut it in the Championship or even above is unfair on the player, our club and most of all those of us who pay to watch.
Ref the team selection Bircham has provided some answers. Apparently Eze has been ill, Matt Smith couldn't do two games in a weekend and Manning played 2 u23 games for Ireland in the week. Both manning and Luongo only returned to training Thursday.
https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/qpr-coach-reveals-ebere-eze-14479060 This explains a lot and highlights our problem with the main striker....also remembering how bad conditions were last night Sylla has just come back from a serious injury. Matt Smith cannot play two matches in a weekend (???!!!) Eze was ill Oteh has not been playing much at all so suspect he is injured too Smyth and Conor were the last two standing
Hmmm.. “statistics and damn lies” ... team that finished vs team that started... one change vs four changes. Smyth played internationally too, and not locally in Fulham. Again all views and opinions, but would have preferred our top striker starting and our best midfield player and replace them as soon as the game is under our control. Too often we are left chasing games back. Let’s hope we do better on Monday and get back the points against the hated yellow budgies!
Beth, The delay in taking the penalty was very long due to Reading’s gamesmanship. From the stream, Bidwell did not look confident when he finally got the ball and I was not surprised that he missed. In situations like this, a good Captain could (should) reallocate the kick to a player under less stress. Alternatively, a forward could (should) volunteer himself to resolve the stress issue. Take a look when the full reply is available on the Offy.
Smith had about 10 days without a game and if he really still couldn't manage 90 minutes yesterday, Sylla was on the Bench. If that had been done, come Monday Sylla with some minutes under his belt may have been more ready to start if it really was too much for Smith. Then there is Oteh who scored for the U23s last week think it was. But what do I know. Just hope Washington isn't in the start 11 again Monday, or Cousins.
What fools.. https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2018/4/1/17160926/reading-fc-qpr-home-kit-fake-hoops
Plenty clubs have "the same shirt", why bother. They should be more concerned about how bad they can make a blue and white hooped shirt look so bad
