| Yesterday's game 13:18 - Dec 13 with 1929 views | NW5Hoop |
1. That was a very good first half. JFH appears to have told the team he wanted them to press high, and do everything much more quickly. So the passing was crisp and early, which opened up spaces and allowed the midfield to bring the wide players into the game more frequently, and in better positions. The high press stopped Burnley settling, and allowed us to regain the ball more often than usual. It was a lot less boring to watch than usual.
2. I rolled my eyes at the lack of a striker, again. But the way they played was actually focussed to turn that into a positive, for a change. For one thing, a partly fit Austin could never have played at that first half intensity. And I'm not sure it's in his game even when fully fit - he's a goalscorer rather than a chaser and a presser (not to say he doesn't do that, but it's not his natural game). I think the amount of shooting from distance was about that - shoot early and often and there's a chance you'll get something (under Martinez, Wigan had the highest number of goals from outside the area, because they shot more often, which was a tactical thing owing to the lack of a high quality striker).
3. All the midfield were excellent in the first half. I can't have been the only one marvelling at Karl Henry's transformation into a visionary passer with quick feet and a range of passing.
4. Second half was a different story. I sit too low to know if Dyche had reorganised (though I could see and hear him changing his defensive instructions once Austin came on), but they came out a different team. And so, sadly, did we. I wonder if they are so used to playing so torpidly that they couldn't actually maintain that for 90 minutes (Dyche said he didn't think QPR would be able to press for the whole game), but it was back to the old ways in the second half. Though we still might have snatched it, and wouldn't have been embarrassed by a win on the game as a whole. It'll be interesting to see what they're like a month from now, when what Hasselbaink wants has been thoroughly drummed into them. Dependent, of course, on them being willing to have it drummed into them (I'm sure Ramsey wasn't saying, "Go out there lads, and play slowly, and concede sloppy goals.").
5. Faurlin had a shocker in the second half, with mistake after mistake. It looked like the pace of the first half really told on him. He should have been subbed, really, as a mercy.
6. Both full backs did well, I thought. Best performances from a pair of QPR full backs in a while. OK defensively, and making intelligent supporting runs - it was so nice to see QPR with two players having the option to cross on either wing. |  | | |  |
| Yesterday's game on 18:05 - Dec 13 with 1696 views | MrSheen |
Faurlin ran the game from three-quarters of the way up the pitch for the first half hour, but he was noticably forced back and snuffed out by Burnley from then on, to the point that he almost never received the ball over half-way in the second and was reduced to playing hopeful long-balls to isolated front players. Although he plainly ran out of steam, he didn't get much help.
Fer copped a lot of criticism around me. It's not that he doesn't make any effort - he snapped back with quick hard tackles a few times after he had lost the ball - but he is clearly completely out of touch and confidence (assuming he has some ability). He takes too long to make up his mind and is very easily brushed off the ball. But Phillips looked a fish out of water too, unsure whether to stay central or help the full backs. Although he looks more dangerous on the ball than Fer, he didn't really contribute much more. And what does Sandro do apart from tackle? Not much yesterday. Konchesky got the ball a few times out wide and had to dawdle in possession until someone decided to help - usually Henry. Credit to Burnley's full backs too, I doubt we'll see better this season, Mee in particular. I'm surprised he's still there.
I thought the last 15 minutes would have been a great opportunity for Luongo, as someone who can knit together a deep midfield and an isolated attack by running with the ball. I trust he will get a chance to show Jimmy what he can do. |  | | |
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