| Forum Reply | QPR Barnet XI at 15:51 30 May 2024
We really haven't had pace at QPR for 20 years |
| Forum Reply | MUSICAL TOP FIVES - You HATE!!! at 11:37 25 May 2024
It's extreme levels of ignorance to not like rap on the assumption that it's all the same. I would say there's probably more variation in Hip-Hop than any other style of music.... Bruce Springsteen made me miss a train once. Prick. |
| Forum Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Midfield (plus part two of the Patreon pod) at 19:09 24 May 2024
I get all of that and of course agree in the main, but there's been a losing mentality throughout the club for a long time, and it's shown up too often. Eustace said as much to Warburton when he joined, then Ainsworth doubled down by making out that we should be grateful just to be here, and a lot of the interview stuff with Marti felt refreshing because he seemed to be addressing exactly that - football is not about what you deserve, etc. There's definitely signs that we're correcting things, and installing a proper culture to raise the bar. The Coventry win last day was so important for exactly that reason - it's a game that should matter, and it did - a massive step in the right direction, one of many since Marti was appointed. |
| Forum Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Midfield (plus part two of the Patreon pod) at 15:21 24 May 2024
I've said this a few times already, but I think as a club and fanbase we have to start raising our standards. I know in the context of the first half of the season that the ending was brilliant, but we've been so mired in this losing/survival/ grateful to be invited mentality that we start to celebrate mediocrity. I'm not saying we shouldn't actively support the team if they're underperforming, but I think it's right to expect better and hold players to account. There's a lot to be optimistic about now but in the grand scheme of things this season was a failure - snatching survival shouldn't excuse that. |
| Forum Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Midfield (plus part two of the Patreon pod) at 14:46 24 May 2024
With so much nuance it's hard to settle fairly on a single mark, but I also wanted to avoid fence sitting by giving too many C/D D/E type scores. Most people did get a D or below, but then, it's not been a very good season... The last third we were a solid team making the most of limited opportunities and in the end did enough - but we were in a relegation fight all year, had multiple weekends where results went for us, and the first part of this season was the worst football I've ever seen - to hand out A's and B's in that context felt a little generous... That said, it's hard to argue that there were pretty good and consistent performers amongst the wreckage. Once you go through with the scores, you also have to start comparing marks and making adjustments accordingly. I thought Paal was decent - slightly more consistent that Dunne, who struggled for a lot of the season, but not quite as good as Field, who was playing to his strengths under Ainsworth and adapted by the end for Marti. So Field B, Paal B/C, Dunne C, etc. A - Cook B - JCS, Chair, Field, Andersen B/C - Colback, Paal C - Dunne, Hayden, Willock C/D - Smyth D - Cannon, Elijah D-B, Dykes, Armstrong, Hodge, Kolli D/E - Larkeche, Fox E - Adomah, Kakay, Begovic, Frey F - Dozzell U - Richards We were 2 games from relegation, and I'd be interested to hear if anyone would have pushed back about low scores if that had played out... |
| Forum Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Defenders at 14:23 21 May 2024
With end of season awards I really feel Chair suffers from his own high consistency. When he falls below his usual excellent standards, he's having an 'off day' - even though that off day is just about better than most of the rest manage at their best. Meanwhile when he is carrying the team as our only attacking outlet, running himself into the ground, popping up with a goal or assist - it's a 'business as usual' performance. 15 g/a's this season, in a team that had no scoring strikers or creativity generally - and his metrics are off the charts everywhere. The POTY might as well be the 'exceeded expectations award' |
| Forum Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Defenders at 14:40 20 May 2024
The missed games, especially for those in the building for the Ainsworth period, was part of why I was really reticent to give an outright A to anybody. In the end though our entire defence bar Paal missed about 10-15 starts - which made it easier to directly compare them. Imo only Cook, JCS and Chair got close to an A grade, but all have areas to improve for next season. |
| Forum Reply | Which will be strongest at 16:29 17 May 2024
Luton have done it exactly right - kept the better players that got them promoted and added realistic signings that would easily be top Championship players. Doughty, Ogbene, Chong, Giles, Campbell, Adebayo, Morris, Brown etc are all proven players at this level, and you'd imagine they will splash a little more money for similar if any of those move on. Will def be a top 6 favourite next season. |
| Forum Reply | End of Term Report 23/24 – Goalkeepers at 15:56 17 May 2024
'We had good conversations in my time here' 3 years worth of wages and the overriding positive is that he's nice to bump into. |
| Forum Reply | Irish Cafu at 01:42 8 May 2024
Triggering his extension makes sense for all involved and is thoroughly well deserved for Jimmy, who was crucial in the run in. It would have been interesting to see if he was extended regardless of the 1 year option though, and it also makes me curious as to who is ultimately making these contract decisions on players. Jimmy for example is not really the Marti style player he would want for his ideal system, as great a job he did at RB solving a few problems at once. But the club may prioritise other aspects of his game/personality/future value.... With no DoF but clearly a similar system in place, the retained list and future signings will be really interesting. |
| Forum Reply | Premier League Abuse at 21:12 23 Apr 2024
All I will say is that the few years we were in the PL were the least enjoyable in my lifetime. The lack of player connection, fairweather and entitled fans, bad kits, distance from the community aspects, agent feeding frenzy, all to be in a league we can't win... The upside is if you can get things right, there's a chance to have a good couple of years and do a Burnley/Villa/West Ham with it culminating in a European campaign. Along with winning the FA Cup (LOLZ), that's the dream for me. Personally if you told me we could win the Championship, take the money and then stay in this league to keep building, I'd probably bite your hand off - mainly because I wouldn't trust this ownership group to not fúck things up again. |
| Forum Reply | Begovic at 00:23 16 Mar 2024
Fúck Begovic and all who sail in her. |
| Forum Reply | Larkeche at 15:21 5 Dec 2023
He was screaming 'barely league one' for most of the times I've seen him, and it'll take more than some good cameos to change my initial assessment. That being said, I think it's fair not to judge anyone in this squad based on their time with Ainsworth... Larkeche's academy background suggests he will respond better to high level coaching and he's shown - once again - that even the basics done well are effective in this league, and he's clearly got a part to play so we can utilise Paal's versatility. That'll do for now [Post edited 5 Dec 2023 15:23]
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| Forum Reply | Rizz….. at 19:05 4 Dec 2023
That sounds like someone not knowing their audience - slang terms aren't really the place for presentations... The rest seems to be just a natural thing, one generation to the next shortens or simplifies words and phrases to suit themselves. I think a big difference here is online gaming / chat - where you commentate/communicate at speed to match the gameplay, so there's a whole vernacular created around efficiency - it's like a form of armed forces shorthand but created by kids! |
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