LFW Vox Pop - QPR fans have their say
Friday, 10th Oct 2008 14:23

In our latest vox pop four Rangers fans have their say on tactics, ticket prices and transfer targets.

A terrific start to the season followed by a slump in form and we now find ourselves mid table. What have you made of it so far and what do you expect from the rest of the season?

Bklyn I’ve found it difficult to gauge how we’ve been playing so far this season. The start of the season was a mixture of league and Cup stuff. First 5 games were made up of teams you’d hope we could beat (even allowing for our cup record), and one (Sheff Utd) who we were unacceptably poor against. From the Bristol City game up to the Villa game we did play well – unlucky to loose at Coventry. Last 3 games the wheels seem to have come off in quite a bad way.

I’d say there are at least 4 reasons for all this:
1) Dowie is still figuring out his side, who to play, what formation to use when (Blackpool and Brum being completely ass-backwards!), what formations the players can handle.
2) Players are going up and down in form, especially Ledesma, Parejo, Rowly and Dexter. Ledesma was so on fire during the first 6 games that any of the problems listed in No. 1 were just glossed over – he was mustard. Parejo’s taking time to settle in it seems – he may not be that happy to be here, who knows? I don’t. Rowly has not responded well to being on the bench or losing the favoured CM role he was thriving in under LDC. He needs to be moved into that role and get back to form. Dex has had a dip, no doubt about that, but so has his supply – Mahon and Legs together lack creativity.
3) We need full backs who can use the ball a bit better, especially at right back. Take a look at the Blackpool game: rather than being up the pitch in an attacking position Ledesma was square of Ramage waiting to pick up the ball and then move forward. That needs sorted.
4) Ticket prices, boutique philosophy – its pissing us all off and lowering an already mediocre attendance. Everybody knows it.

TGGGRRRS In many ways it's what I expected, though I thought we'd probably attack more than we have done. Leaving aside off pitch disasters that are engulfing the club I would on the whole be accepting of what’s gone on, but I feel Dex needs a partner up front, I am unsure whether we can make anything more than fifth or sixth, and would in normal circumstances accept this, however price rises have made me, and others, angry so we demand more. Leaving this aside I expect us to pick up a bit and aim for play offs to tenth at worst. It's off field that has soured things for me, had they been reasonable on prices, and that I'd be more tolerant.

WatfordR The slump when it came certainly took me by surprise, not so much the results, but the dramatic drop in performance. It has disappointed me that Dowie has made basic errors in team selection, like dropping Connolly when he and Stewart had looked so good together (even allowing for his 1 game ban), and messing Rowlands about in midfield to accommodate Legs and Mahon. The 4-4-2 at Brum was just so obviously not going to work, and was a real opportunity missed to take all three points. Having said all that, we are still just one point out of the play offs, and I still believe the squad we have right now is plenty good enough to make top six.

Windsor If you had said we would be 11th in the league at this stage of the season I would of said that would be a fare reflection on who we have brought in during the close season but starting so well the form in the last four games has been really disappointing. The 4-4-2 system we played against Barnsley and then Sheffield Utd didn't really work and the change to 4-5-1 I think suits us especially away from home unfortunately it seems most clubs have worked out Dowie’s tactics and the fact our back four will give you a least one golden chance in a game.

I think the potential of the squad is better than last season but for some reason I still feel we haven't really improved on last season. We are still making the same mistakes but we’re not taking the chances we create. I don't want to be to critical of Dowie because I have to admit I didn't want him as our manager so it’s hard not just jumping on him about every mistake I have perceived him to make but he needs to make up his mind if he continues with his negative tactics (Mahon and Leigterwood in the middle) then I don't think he will last till after Christmas. I would love him to throw caution to the wind and just go for it. Let’s go 4-3-3 and try and out score the opposition if it works great if it doesn't then at least it will be entertaining. Hopefully going forward we will pick up again a win will probably help our confidence and maybe if he can find some balance in the midfield a push for the play offs maybe on but as predicted by many on the message board I see us finishing mid table.

It has been said that Iain Dowie doesn’t know his best starting eleven – if you were picking the side what would it be and why?

Bklyn: Well, no point including Vine, sadly, so I’d say, in a 4-4-1-1:
-Cerny - as starter I suppose, though I’m not convinced that Camp’s on good terms – he deserves a level playing field at least
-Delaney - we need another LB though
-Gorkss - played well a couple of times, should be used more in my opinion, (for Hall see Legs’ description)
- Stewart - been on great form, finally matching his physical abilities with some mental ones, hope it stays that way
- Connolly – out of position, yes, but should play as RB until we get a better one than Ramage (then go back to CB). Ramage seems like a lovely fella but that’s not enough
- Cook – but I’m looking for more from him
- Mahon – Legs can be great on his day but inconsistent
- Rowlands – plays well when given a run in the middle, highly erratic out wide, we need more ‘ball retention’ – the ‘Legs and Mahon Wall of Last Ditch Tackles’ must be torn down.
- Ledesma/Parejo – see later
- Buzz – in the hole behind the striker – GGOOOAAALLLLLL
- Dex – gets a lot of stick but he’s the best we’ve got in that position and his service has been appalling last few games

Quick word on the young foreign starlets: we need to see more consistency from Ledesma, obviously. Whether it’s the weather, the women of West London or a natural dip in form he needs to get his head down and sort it out. Parejo is a problem for Dowie in my opinion – lots of murmurings that Flavio wants him played, but from what I’ve read and seen his favoured position is in the middle where I have Rowly. Dowie is not going to take a risk of having him over-run so he isn’t going to play him there, not for a long time at the very least, so he has to either play him behind the striker (which should really be no problem), or out wide (which he’d probably curse and moan about greatly and Ledesma and Buzz are better at anyway), or on the bench. Watson would have been a far better choice for us than Parejo at this stage in his career – I’d like to see him with us in January. And where the fuck is Tomassi?

TGGGRRRS Camp, Connolly, Stewart, Delaney, Ramage, Cook, Rowlands, Buzz, Mahon, Blackstock, Agyemang. Possibly this leaves us slightly short on the right hand side, but I think Rowly can play there and support Ramage a bit, and he can move inside as and when with Buzz and Cook, doing the creative bits.

WatfordR No surprise to LFW message board regulars that I’d continue to play 4-2-3-1, the squad is set up to play that way successfully. I’m not going into the rights and wrongs of Camp v Cerny, you can’t alternate goalies, and as Cerny is in possession, I’d stick with him. I’d play Connolly and Stewart as CBs, which pretty much limits us to Ramage at RB and Delaney at LB. Central midfield of Tommasi and Rowly, think neither Legs or Mahon really have the discipline to play the holding role, and Tommasi is getting good reviews from the reserve games. Sadly it doesn’t look as if Vine will be fit until the New Year, so Cookie has the LM to himself. Ledesma on the right, and alternate Buzz and Parejo in the hole behind the striker, Dex.

Windsor Can I not have a starting 15 so I can fit all our midlfielders in? I would go Camp in goal over Cerny - I feel more confident in camp I think the back four does as well. How many times against Birmingham did back four put the ball out rather than laying it back to Cerny? I think his hesitation at coming for crosses upsets an already fragile defence so Camp all the way for me.

There isn't too much choice in defence is there to be honest. I’d go Connolly RB, Hall CB, Stewart CB (he has impressed this season and if we can build his confidence and work at his concentration I see potential in him to be better than Shittu) Delaney LB. I feel sorry for either full back as lets be honest they aren't really full backs but centre halves playing full back so why Dowie is asking to try and cross from the deep is beyond me. I would then have a holding midfielder playing just in front of the back four in. I’d would go for Mahon over Leigterwood in this case. Mahon seems more consistent and goes about his midfield work without anyone really noticing. Then in front of the holding midfielder id have two CM with Rowlands and Ledesema, with cook on the left and Buzsaky on the right pushed up as almost 2 extra strikers with Blackstock on his own.

Since the last vox pop we have had a mid season price hike and the club have now rejected ticket discounts offered by Man Utd and will charge fans £40 plus £3.50 booking fee to support us at Old Trafford. What have you made of all the recent goings on off the pitch?

Bklyn: It’s difficult for all of us who’ve followed Rangers for decades to see what’s happening to the club. A classic case of ‘be careful what you wish for’. A couple of years ago we were all day-dreaming about which rich git we could talk into taking us over – “Surely Richard Branson has a few spare quid” we’d sniffle to each other. Well, we’d all thought our dreams had come true but they haven’t. We didn’t get a sugar daddy, we got a horrible loaded step-father who wants to lock us in the garden shed (or equivalent bronze/silver/gold area) while he rogers our mum! Our mum being the club we love, I may have gone a bit far there, but you get the point I hope…

Personally from what I’ve read and seen of Flavio he’s consistently struck me as an arse – Billionaire’s Club, perm-a-tan, dismissive comments re supporters’ money, daft tarts he hangs around with, monogrammed slippers, happy eaters for luxury yachts – just some generally arsey stuff. “Well”, I said, “he may be a rich tool but he’s our rich tool”. At this point though, something has got to give. I know we’re all hoping that there’s a way out of this. Maybe Mital can buy out Bernie and Flav and deal with everybody more fairly? Maybe Ali Russell will crawl back to Edinburgh? To be honest I’ve got too much to say about all this. It would turn into an even more massive ramble if I let it. Suffice to say, it really wouldn’t take that much more of this shit over an extended period for people to start giving up. What’s happening at the moment is just ridiculous. MAN FCUKING ‘URE ARE OFFERING TO SAVE SUPPORTERS A BIT OF CASH AND THE CLUB’S KNOCKING IT BACK! It’s embarrassing.

TGGGRRRS Disgraceful really, I can understand Man United more though. Let’s face facts people are still ringing up to buy them, to not sell them over the counter is disgraceful and something I think we can see more of. These guys may well be rich, but they are hungry for more. I honestly don't know what the answer is. I won't pay £40 for a "Gold ticket" against Derby, or anyone else in Championship though. I think the thing with Briatore is he is interested in money, glamour and celebrities, he really doesn't care about people "spending £20 on a ticket” and probably cares little more for people on £40 either, simply he believes we will do whatever we can to see Rangers and he may well be proved right. If we sell out at OT, we can't complain the club turned down the discounts.

WatfordR Can’t really blame the fans for getting increasingly upset with the way this is all being handled. If you don’t talk to the fans and tell them what is happening and why, then they will draw their own conclusions, and you get exactly the sort of bickering and infighting we are seeing now. Sadly we now probably have more QPR fans groups than solvent international banks, and the egos involved with each group appear to be every bit as inflated and out of touch with ordinary fans as those of our Board and owners, leading to the well intentioned but ridiculous 10 minute silence protest idea. We’ll never be able to represent fans interests while all these groups remain. I firmly believe Ali Russell takes most of the blame for what has transpired this season, and should be sacked for gross incompetence, and that the club have much to do to rebuild the relationship with the fans.

Windsor Well the board did say they would make mistakes didn't they!! On Friday night I happened to watch Harry Enfield’s new comedy thing. In that he has a boutique owner in Notting hill selling rubbish to idiots for over inflated prices and treating them with contempt. Very funny until you realise it’s exactly what's happening at the moment. I did wonder when they took over if they truly understood football and more importantly English football its rather clear that they do not understand it at all or they are being poorly advised. Instead of realising that the main reason we are not selling out at HQ is the price and if they looked at bringing it down they might match the attendances of League 1 and previous seasons but no instead they just jack up the prices even more. If this continues then we will be struggling to beat the 10,000 mark in future games and the club have only themselves to blame.

Briatore wants a boutique football club then maybe he should look at an Italian club because his business model will not work here. Football clubs, even the biggest ones, are deep rooted within communities and he is doing everything he can to out price the very community that rallied round this club when it was being raped by so many different people after relegation. The only person on the board who seems remotely bothered about normal fans is Amit Bhatia. Reading some of Tracy Stent’s e-mails to the club he seems the only one bothered enough to reply. I hope beyond hope that when the F1 season ends and Flavio has more time to spend at the club he might just see that some of his employees of messing things up in a big way that he will change people of the pitch on the flip side we could be in trouble if these decisions are directly coming from him. If they are then the protests will come thick and fast but Flavio could be a dangerous stubborn man and lets not forget even in this economic situation Loftus Road could be a very attractive proposition for a real estate investor.

Who would be top of your shopping list for the January window?

Bklyn First of all I’d like it to actually BE a ‘shopping list’ – not a ‘loaning list’. Balancing of books or no balancing of books, if supporters are getting shafted we at least deserve to see some proper investment in the playing staff. Nothing earth shattering here. We need, in order of importance, a striker, a RB and a LB. I can’t really say a lot of names spring to mind but:

For the striker I’d like to see us make a proper attempt to get Derbyshire at Blackburn – quality young player. I’d love to get Roberts in but that’s highly unlikely. In general, with all the midfielders we have, I’d rather we got someone who can play up on their own as opposed to a fox-in-the-box type. We can always tuck Buzz or Parejo in behind. Unless of course we get one of each...

I don’t know who we should get at RB or LB – don’t see that they have to be British, and there HAS to be a certain number of youngish quality full backs knocking round Germany/Holland/Wherever. In my opinion we’d be a whole different team with a couple of really decent fullbacks.

TGGGRRRS Kaka, we're a bit thin on the ground in midfield don't ya think? Seriously though I'd like another striker, Nugent pops up time and again but I'd question his attitude to be honest. I think we could do with somebody taller and stronge, Kitson's been mentioned but why not try for Ebanks Blake from Wolves? We should try and be a little more aggressive here looking at who we can get hold of to help us, and unsettle opposition. Isn't McSheffrey wallowing in Brum's reserves too, he's done it at this level and could do a job for us as well E-Banks-Blake, yeah lets get him. Only thing is whoever we buy I wanna know they can chase paper bags around the park first!!!

WatfordR Goalie. Camp clearly appears finished here, and Cerny isn’t good enough. I’d like a bit of experience here, not sure who though. Left back and right back. I’d be very happy to find a Warren Neill and Ian Dawes – “do exactly what it says on the tin” types. Tommy Spurr looked very decent the few times I saw him last year. Maybe one of the Arsenal kids, think Gavin Hoyte played RB in the demolition of Sheff Utd. Up front, I’d love to see Jason Roberts signed. Just what we need, a real physical presence who can hold the ball up and bring the midfield into play.

Windsor This is really tricky I mean who is actually out there who would make a massive difference to what we have actually got? I do think we need at the very least two fullbacks a out and out right winger and a striker. If I'm honest we might be able to pick up a few bargains in January if clubs start tightening there belts and getting rid of there squad players. Id like to see Nugent come in on loan rather than buying him out right the fact that he seems happy to sit on Pompey's bench sulking makes me question if he’s a player QPR really need. You have Lita who is strong and quick he can sometimes look like a young Les Ferdinand but more often looks more like Sammy Koejoe. With two huge centre halves I really don't see the need for two massive fullbacks. I would like to see two pacy full backs with the ability to cross the ball and a right winger in the Andy Impey style just to give us some different options. But without doubt we will go out and buy another midfielder as per QPR.