So, there we were in the pub, me and the lad and Roller, discussing all things QPR when someone shows us the line up on his phone. I look at it, look at the lad, look at Roller and then ask the guy if I can have another look as I must have mis-read it!! I hadn't mis-read it!! Roller and I tried to put together the likely line-up and arranged to meet up at half-time. Oh my days! Now, 3 at the back I quite like, so I have nothing against Redknapp trying that out against a God-awful Blackpool side and considering the amount of injuries we have. But why, in the name of all that is ****ing sacred did he play Aaron (Rangercol is faster than) Hughes as one wing back and Benoit (couldn't give a toss) Assou-Ekotto as the other? It defies all belief and trumps anything that the tactically bereft Hughes ever managed to do. Play Yun as the left wing back and start Simpson as the one on the right and then you're in business. But no, Yun sits on the bench after being MOTM against Boro because Harry prefers the "names"!! We get to the ground, still with a feeling of bewildered confusion and everyone around us is talking about the starting 11 in confused tones. As to the first half, well it was just about the biggest pile of poo that I've ever had the mis-fortune to sit through. Rangers were completely disjointed, with Hughes on the right barely getting a touch and BAE strolling around the half way line with, it seemed, no intention to get forward whatsoever. We had Dunne or Hill bringing the ball out of defence and the ball pumped up towards the flailing, wrestling Zamora who never won a thing and looked liked a man drowning in a sea of treacle. Their goal came from a corner that was clumsily conceded by Hill. The ball was swung across and went right through the six yard box to two completely unmarked Blackpool players, one of whom managed to scramble the ball home from about a yard out. The crowd grew more and more unsettled as the half unfolded. We were watching a tactical disaster unfold in front of our eyes. Blackpool were simply awful and yet, at times, we managed to make them look like Barca as they passed the ball around our confused looking players. Redknapp then made a change on 39 minutes. I thought he had seen the error of his ways, but as it transpires, Hughes was yet another injury victim and had to be replaced by Simpson. The effect was almost immediate as Simpson got on the end of a deep cross with a splendid diving header that the keeper pushed away well for a corner. Hughes simply would never had been anywhere near that advanced position. With boos ringing out across Loftus Road the players trudged off for their half time tactical up-date from that font of all knowledge Harry!! The half time chat with Roller was one of bemused disappointment as Roller tried to raise our spirits by declaring that we would score 3 in the 2nd half. We departed with our spirits duly lifted. Hoilett was introduced at the start of the 2nd half for YET ANOTHER INJURY, this time to Onuoha. Redknapp had decided to ditch his wonderous 3-5-2 and revert to a flat back four, with Simpson and BAE as the full backs and Hill and Dunne in the centre. Hoiletts effect on the game was immediate as he ran at players and tried to make things happen. At last Rangers were playing some better football, with the anonymous from the first half Morrison linking up well with Hoilett and Simpson. For all their possession though, Rangers didn't really look like getting a goal. Hoilett tried and tried, but his shoooting was way off the mark. Morrison was getting on the ball more and more and had a couple of shots easily saved. Zamora was replaced by Maiga and I have to say that everyone around us was chuckling as Maiga entered the fray. But to be fair to him, he showed some nice touches as he linked up the play far better than Zamora had done. Keane too, whilst looking rather short of confidence showed some nice touches and worked hard. Eventually Hoilett's persistence paid off as yet another tricky, fast run at the Blackpool defence was finished off by a great low drive from the edge of the box. Relief all round!! I think everyone in the ground thought we would go on to win it, but as much as we huffed and puffed we couldn't find that winning goal against a side who were doing all they could to run the clock down. Morrison had a great shot deflected just wide and then saw a powerful drive well beaten away by the keeper. However the best chance fell to Maiga right at the end after the only decent cross BAE had put in all game. There it was, right on Maiga's head, six yards out. Unfortunately he completely mis-timed his jump and managed to flop the ball into the keeper's arms off his nose or something (Oh for Charlie!!!!). More boos rang out as the final whistle blew. Redknapp truly had fluffed his lines with that starting line up. Hoilett was man of the match and should have been started. Yes, I know we're third and should be pleased, but with just an ounce of tactical awareness from our dinosaur coaching staff I believe we would be right in there with Burnley. An opportunity missed. Player ratings and comments: Green - 7 - Virtually nothing to do other than pick the ball out of the net, although he possibly could have come for the corner. Hughes - 3 - Offered nothing. Hill - 6 - Mr reliable as ever, but not a playmaker on the ball as he came out of defence. Dunne - 5 - Looked an accident waiting to happen and almost let Blackpool in at the death as he got wrong side of the forward and was then left for dead, only for the Blackpool lad to blaze his shot high and wide. Dunne desperately needs a rest! Onuoha - 6 - Really had very little to do. BAE - 4 - Our new Bosingwa. The crowd were constantly booing him and he obviously can't be arsed to play at this level with this club. Lazy and casual, he never wanted to break sweat. Would have been a 3 if it hadn't been for that cross to Maiga near the end. Carroll - 6 - Tried to get his passing going, but every time he looked up, especially in the first half, he swas zero movement ahead of him. The morons in the crowd were on his back, but there was nothing on for him till the 2nd half when he linked well with Hoilett, Simpson, Morrison and Maiga. Henry - 6 - Does exactly what it says on the tin! Protected the back four well at times. Morrison - 7 - Tried and tried to get the breakthrough in the 2nd half. Some good efforts on goal and link up play. Keane - 6 - Worked hard and showed some neat touches. Looks very short of confidence. Zamora - 4 - No change from Bobby. Spent all his time wrestling with the centre half and winning naff all. Subs: Hoilett - 9 - Turned the game on its head. Ran at defenders with pace, linked up with Morrison well, allowing Simpson to get forward on the right and scored a cracking goal (bet he's on the bench next game!!). Simpson - 7 - Looked understandably rusty, but tried and tried to get things happening down the right. Made Hughes look like a parked bus in comparison. Maiage - 6 - Surprisingly good when brought on, but really should have scored the winner. Thoughts?
Thats a pretty fair summary. We need to look forward to Bournemouth now, but that was yet another wasted opportunity.
So you've calmed down a little then mate! I reckon you've given a very fair assessment of the match, but will add that you predicted exactly how our "wing backs" would play before the match started and were very unhappy with Hoilett's exclusion. I stuck my thoughts elsewhere but I'll copy them to here as well, they are pretty much in accord with your own. When we saw the team sheet in the pub before the match we really struggled to work out the formation. I concocted a 4-4-2 with BAE on the left in midfield and Keane on the right, Col went for the wing back option which proved to be right. I'm sure he will expand on this in his match report, but he was horrified; Hughes as a full back is bad enough, but as a wing back was hopeless. As for BAE, to be honest would anyone be upset if they never saw him in a hooped shirt again? He may have great technique in trapping loop high balls, but does nothing else. As for the three at the back, their total confusion allowed two free men at the back post for Blackpool to score, and which ever tactical genius thought it was a good idea to have Dunne to be the deep-lying play maker should never be allowed in Harlington ever again. Simpson coming on for Hughes made a considerable improvement just be him being willing and able to run forwards; he actually looked like a footballer. Hoilett made a massive improvement immediately running at their defence, and he linked up nicely with Morrison who had been very quiet in the first half. Zamora was totally absorbed by his wresting match with the Blackpool defence rendering him completely useless, so much so that even Maiga was an improvement. I thought that Carroll have another decent match although others around me did not. He linked play together nicely and always made himself available for the ball. I felt sorry for him though, virtually every time he looked forwards he would have seen nothing but a bunch of mannequins giving him no viable options. A lot of our attacks were focused through the heart of their defence which require either a modicum of luck or very precise passing, neither of which are our forte. Going wide on the right through Hoilett and Simpson we looked more dangerous but neither had the conviction to take on the last man. Blackpool really offered nothing, and our second half improvement warranted the draw, but, yet again, it was another bewildering performance from selection through to execution. I had said to Col as soon as Leicester had won at Burnley that we would go and f**k it up, why do we have to make everything so difficult?
Good report Col, was trying to figure that team selection out myself when I seen it on twitter, but couldent figure it out. I am waiting until home leg of playoffs til I travel over again. That will be a totally different Qpr I hope!
It seems we're constantly being set up not to lose rather than actually win, even against abysmal opposition like Blackpool who were there for the taking. How Harry can justify playing that tosser BAE in any position sums up everything that has been wrong with us this season. Yun showed his worth at Boro but has been frozen out again and must be wondering what he has done wrong. Sussex says look forward to the Bournemouth game but I fear we could come unstuck there, they're on a roll and playing a decent passing game, we may be made to look what we are, very ordinary...
Cheers Col and Roller. Seems like the front fell off once again. Were BAE and Carroll getting stick from the crowd right from the start? What about Zamora? It makes for a really unpleasant afternoon if the poor fare on the pitch is matched by toxic idiots in the crowd. TF was bigging up the fans on Talksport this week, but I'm afraid I disagree with him, I'm beginning to think our fans, once truly outstanding, are part of the problem. Patience has been sorely tested over the last 3 years both in terms of results and performances, but you get what you deserve. Contrast with Palace fans, who have been magnificent all season and I am sure contribute a huge amount to their excellent home form - a team that on paper should be adrift at the bottom of the Prem, with a well organised and professional manager (who I hasten to add I would not see as a QPR manager) and a furnace of a stadium basically outfought one of the best teams in Europe yesterday......remind you of anything?
The groans started from their first mistakes, the outrage took a little longer. We all seem to have players that we are more tolerant of: I'm more willing to give Carroll a break because I can see he is trying to do the right things, the fella in front (you know the one Stan) moaned at every misplaced pass, but always encourages Barton when he does the same. You are right though, our patience is now wafer thin and the cheers turn to groans far too quickly. I'm as guilty as anyone.
Hoilett would be in my starting line up for you guys every week ... when teams come with a set-up like Blackpool you need skilful pacey players to be able to either get behind them or draw them out of their 'well organised' defensive banks ... would appear that they came to yours with the same strategy they employed at ours a few games back ... same initial impact, a Goodwillie goal on a rare foray into your half opening the scoring then all backs to the wall and defend for your lives ... it took some wizardry from our fast emerging new French talent, Riyad Mahrez, to put them to the sword, a stunning individual goal when he weaved in from the touchline taking them on before a wonderful strike and then a stunning cross from the other flank for Wes Morgan to nod in, having again taken on and beaten his man ... ... now you'd think your management team might just have watched that game in their prep? ... hence my reference to Hoilett ...
Thanks for Col & Roller for your "eye witness" reports - with no commentary or stream this match was played in a vacuum relying on BBC/Bet365 score updates. When I saw our starting line-up I thought that Yun, Simpson & Hoilett should have been included - I really think with those tactical changes we could have won this match, but what do I know?
The modern QPR fan only sings when he's winning, actually come to think of it there's not much singing even then.
I presume Simpson didnt start because he didn't want to rush him back from injury. God knows why hoilett didn't start, he was great when he came on. Carroll was really decent yesterday- moving the ball about well. Bae had a poor game but the vitriol he receives is ridiculous. It was A game of two halves, awful in the first, decent in the 2nd but left ourselves too much to do. We do look a significantly worse proposition without Barton although Henry played well IMO.
Thanks Colin and Roller for your descriptions of the game, and Kilburn I agree entirely with your comment. Arry's team selection lost us those 2 poiints which would have given us a shout for an Auto. It's sad to read the crowd are on the players backs and not supporting. That must also be costing us points at home. BZ, Carroll, BAE etc won't play better with fans on their backs but they may given loud and continual support. Knock them on here if necesary not at the match!
I had Henry down as MOM. Carroll also had a decent game and retained the ball a lot better then against Wigan. I felt the team generally looked very jaded after the Wigan game but settled down and played some decent stuff second half. Keane and Zamora offered very little up front and it looked like our best hope of scoring was with a shot from outside the box. Eventually after enough attempts one flew in. BAE was very poor when in decent crossing positions down the left hand side. Suk-Young would have been a much better proposition with his strong runs and better crossing. Hopefully the fact that we have no midweek games this week will work in our favour with the chance to get some of the injured players back and ready for Bournemouth next week which will be a tough game as they are in excellent form.
This was what I posted on Report. I think it complies with the reports from Col & Roller. After watching what I thought was the best game this season Rangers treated us to the worst half of a match this season. It may have been ok to play three centre halfs if either one of the wide (forward playing full backs) knew how to play that position. At least Hughes tried to get forward (he didn't suceed) but that left us with even less width than we usually have. We used only fifty yards of the width at most & gave Morrison no space to play in. Even worse was the pace we played at. It was as if we were on a funeral march! The second half was improved due to Simpson & Hoilett injecting some pace but the balance of the side was still wrong. Reverting to a back four was fine but Junior played in front of Danny which left the lethargic BAE as the our only man on the left. As Simpson spent most of the half in our attacking third, wouldn't it have made sense for Hoilett to have been moved to the left? When he plays at left back Clint Hill is far more dangerous going forward than leaving us with a statue in that position. I'm convinced he cares less than Bosingwa did! Another strange happening was that Maiga gave us more in his time on the pitch than Zamora & Keane did combined. Due to the selection of the team, tactics & formation we wasted two substitutions in putting this partially right. If playing with wing backs Danny Simpson & Suk-Young should have started, or playing with two wide men it should have been Junior & Petrasso. On tuesday I saw a team that fought for every second of the match. Today I saw a side that expected just being on the pitch would be enough. Sadly, this all stems from the lack of urgency that our footballing management pocess. Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/38692/black-pool-thread-team?page=1#ixzz2xRd0KDf2
Thanks for that Col. been stuck in the Hunter valley Vineyards this weekend and seen nothing. Quickly flicke through some replies but cant be arsed reading the negative stuff right now as i've had a great weekend, my team didnt lose, we're almost guaranteed a play off spot & Simpson is back... Not sure what all the negativity is about right now, but in my book we are doing better than expected & in with a shout of play offs... I'l leave it to you guys to go on a downer !!!
The crowd sing when the players put a shift in, they are not happy clappy mugs who cheer the likes of BAE swaning around without a care in the world. Redknapp selections and tactics bewilder the players who are shaking their heads from the start which doesn't help. Everyone on here was thinking wtf, imagine being in that team hearing the team talk. A new manager will give us a team to be proud of win, lose or draw. Oh how I've missed that.
