Tommy Smith QPR team struggling to adapt to changes, admits forward Ian Cooper Wednesday, February 29, 2012 11:55 AM Smith believes the number of new signings throughout the season has affected their form on the pitch Tommy Smith insists QPR will adapt to the changes implemented by manager Mark Hughes, but concedes that the number of new signings this season have made it difficult for the team to gel. Smith revealed that Hughes has had his side working flat out in training to address the defensive errors which have seen them lose four of the six league games he has taken charge of. The forward believes that a win over Everton on Saturday can spark an upturn in form, but admits that with 15 players signed since August, Rangers are yet to find their rhythm. “There have been so many changes, and with the new manager coming in, we’ve had to try to adapt as quickly as we can, and that has taken a little but longer than we would have liked,” Smith told London24.com. “He has changed a lot with the way we train and our approach to games. He felt we needed that bit more organisation and we’ve been working a lot on that. “But it’s about having the freedom to express yourself as well as doing your job defensively. We’re struggling to get that blend and that’s why we’re starting games a bit slowly. “Neil Warnock let players express themselves a lot more, he didn’t drill into each player the positional side of play. Mark Hughes wants to make sure you know every situation in your head before you go out there. There’s a big difference. “Away from home it’s different because you can go and set up more defensively. He doesn’t want to be defensive, but I think the reason he thought we were conceding goals is because we were a bit open. “We still believe we can survive, absolutely. We shouldn’t be in the position that we’re in. We feel that if we can get a bit of daylight we’ll be fine.” Smith, who was part of the side which won promotion last season, also believes that the influx of new players during the summer and January transfer windows have made it harder for the players to form an understanding. “You look at Norwich and Swansea, who we finished above, they’ve not made too many additions to their teams, and they’re both sitting in mid-table. “I certainly think we needed a bigger squad, maybe two or three players. But I’d like to think that the team that came up would have stayed up. “Did we need that number of new players? I don’t think so. “The new owner has obviously got his own idea of where the club is going, and that includes improving the first team.” Follow me on Twitter @QPRTimes
Tommy makes very good points here! He could well be right that 2 or 3 new quality players would have served better than the 15!
A very frank interview from Tommy; I don't think Hughes will like as much information as that being made public from one of his players while we're in the frying pan. He himself would never go into this kind of detail, but it shows the colossal task he and the team are trying to perform while we're heading for the waterfall. I do think it will turn for us and a lot sooner than we think, starting Saturday.
The problem was that we could not get 2 or 3 quality players in over the summer because of the impending takeover. Then there was a mad scamble to get more players in at the death. Still that's all history. Whether Smith seems to have prefered Warnock's way to Hughes' is immaterial. He seems to think that we shall be fine once they all click, and they are working hard to sort that out. Sounds okay to me. I just wish they would hurry up and do it!
I agree he always sounds intelligent and he makes some good, very frank points. As for the organisation versus "expression", like many things it's a question of balance and Mark has clearly shifted the balance in the direction of organisation. This is OK provided we don't end up playing like robots with the players afraid of taking the sort of chances which result in goals.
" MH wants you to know every situation in your head before you go out there." Blimey, seems a bit much. No wonder we've lost our fluency if players are too busy worrying about being in the right place at any given time. Sounds like paralysis from analysis to me. Have I understood that right? Is this normal for a manager to be this regimented and to what degree? Col, Bob? Ian Wright once said that all the tactics and planning bored him, so when he was given instructions on how and where to play he would just nod his head. But once he got out there he would just play like he did when he was a kid down the park. Didn't do too bad did he?
I think there's a balance to be struck between a formation structure and allowance for players to use their initiative. Barcelona have a basic structure and game-plan (pressing high up the field etc), but their formation is very fluid, allowing players to interchange when and where they see fit. I certainly believe that you can over-plan as a coach and players are renowned for being poor at absorbing too much info. To be fair, against Wigan we seemed to get it spot on, with Adel filling in on the left when we lost the ball, but being allowed to roam and use his initiative when we had the ball. Having said that, against Fulham the formation looked terrible!!
As Rodney said the hard part must be getting the balance right. Looks to me in general like we have lost a lot of the flair, passion and belief that we showed usually under Neil, but there have been short periods when we have looked good under MH - notably when Cisse was playing. Hope he gets it Ian Wright and very, very soon!
It's probably a case of repetition until it becomes instinct. While this is happening, it will be pretty boring for the players but they'll appreciate it once it comes naturally to them (and so will we). The flair (those who had it to start with that is) shouldn't be lost due to this either (that's innate). I see this ultimately as a positive. As I said before, I wish (hindsight is wonderful) that we'd either twisted earlier or stuck. Could mean a strong finish to the season though. Here's hoping.
Tommy Smith should be applauded for his honesty and insight into the problems we created for ourselves by indulging in an orgy of purchasing players just because we finally could. Doubt whether Mark Hughes will thank him for that contribution or Tony Fernandes for that matter. The question is how does it get put right? As you all know, I take a long term view. The problem is that both Neil Warnock and Tony Fernandes fell for that old beguiling idea that you could chuck money at the problem and buy success. It does not work. Unless of course you spend billions at it the way Man City's owners have done. However they have been remarkably patient given that for the investment they have made, they have persisted with Mancini for some time now. The same can be said for Man ure. Where would they be if they had not given Ferguson their backing through several barren years? We would have been better off spending the money on redeveloping HQ, investing in the youth academy and scouting network. Sparky seems to have started this process off. But will it be given time and resources or will we be looking to sign the next quality has-been who briefly got into the fringes of selection for England when he becomes available in the summer for a cool £10 million or so? I know which I would prefer. I will give my support to Sparky in his efforts to secure our place in the big time but I hope the lessons of this disastrous first season have been learned. Norwich and Swansea got it absolutely right. Sadly we did not.
Some great points made on this thread. I just hope that history repeats itself in that Sparky's teams get stronger and stronger as the season goes on. For instance, while at Fulham, although they started slowly, If the season started in the New Year until it ended in May, they would of finished fourth. No mean feat. I just pray that we don't run out of time.
Well a bit of a money chuck does often work if chucked in the right direction! But what I don't understand is why you don't include MH in this falling for old beguiling ideas - he's had a good chuck an all, with far from proven results!
