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Comment | That Swindon Town match report again – Report
at 16:35:45
Cracking, report, Clive, sharing all my frustrations. It's the hope... etc etc. This entire game was a blueprint for the LFW glossary.
NEGATIVE: One of Stephan's 'strengths' was his ability to 'manage' three game week's. If playing the same team twice in three days is 'strong', I would not like to be privy to his weaknesses.
STRENGTHS: Exactly this time last season we WERE Norwich - five points from safety. So I will settle for where we are now, in terms of overall progress. |
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Comment | The nillest nil nil that ever did nil – Report
at 00:51:03
Cheers, Clive, your frustration is palpable. Just on Nardi, I feel you are being unduly lenient. If he made those errors that you mentioned because he is not a very good keeper, then fair enough and all the more justification for being dropped for Walsh. If he made them because he couldn't be arsed to try his hardest after being dropped, then that is extremely unprofessional and unacceptable. I came to teaching late (50) and for several years until I got a permanent contract, I worked in various schools as a substitute (I think you call them supply) teacher, filling in for sick leave or maternity leave or whatever. On more than one occasion, it became clear that the Principal didn't rate me, or there was no possibility of my contract being extended. But I didn't allow this to affect my delivery of the lessons to the students, or the forward planning meetings that I knew I wouldn't be there to implement. It simply would have been unprofessional of me, and the same applies to Nardi. Of course we all wanted to be needed and feel valued, but life doesn't always work that way and sometimes you just have to get on with it. |
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Comment | Town’s four-star Halloween fright night leaves Rangers reeling – Report
at 21:11:06
Cheers Clive, depressing stuff. The dropping of Field is now coming home to roost. Yes leaving out N-D, the mad lad and Smyth, removed most of the pace, (bar Burrell who is proving me wrong I'm happy to admit), but the solidity that Field provides in the middle of the park. the 'unseen' mopping up he does, has being badly missed in recent games. So he is not that adventurous, prefers to play sideways or backways, that's fine, let Madsen do the creative, positive stuff and Field the ugly stuff, breaking up the play, interrupting the oppos 'flow'. Jimmy is also being found out at RB and needs to be moved back to centre back and play Morgan at RB until the Jan transfer window. |
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Comment | Life in the jumble - Preview
at 11:05:27
Cheers Clive. We don’t tend to do chaos well, so hopefully we don’t get dragged into something unsavoury. It might be an opportunity to push for the promised land, but my first instinct is to look over my shoulder. |
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Comment | Millwall deliver QPR’s latest reality check – Report
at 23:47:22
Cheers Clive, very measured response in a hysteria driven (virtual) world. Tad harsh on Frey, set up a wonderful chance early on. But do agree with the overall thesis that he and Kone can't operate at the same time. Think when Chair is fully fit, JS will revert to one striker anyway, with Chair tucked in behind and Burrell the impact sub. |
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Comment | Possession, nine-tenths of the problem? – Analysis
at 23:16:48
Thanks Andrew, usually any hint of a chart gives me a headache, but you made this very easy to follow. Basically the data is confirming what our eyes have already told us. One thing I haven’t managed to grasp is how you measure ‘control’ in percentages. It it easy when you quantify it as possession, but as we know, we are much more in control without the ball, so how do you gauge that exactly? |
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Comment | Overtaking National Express coaches – Report
at 00:21:01
Cheers, Clive. Whatever about the 'extended highlights' , how you got 2000 + words out that dross is remarkable. I don't actually agree that, two many changes caused the result. The performance caused the result, just as it did on Saturday when we had our 'first team' out. I believe our problem is attitudinal as a collective, rather than individual selections. Quite simply, we frequently 'can't be arsed' and this is a problem on-going for years. The moment we let our tempo drop we fail to win (if it's Oxford/SW) or get thumped (Burnley/Coventry). The moment we up the intensity and desire, we win (Stoke/Sunderland). People talk about consistency - that's the consistency JS needs to achieve, consistently playing at a high tempo. I always reckon with QPR, you know withing 5 minutes of the game starting, how it will unfold, and sadly that was all to true last night.
Still, 5 games unbeaten and still unbeaten at home - baby steps. |
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Comment | QPR take their ‘adaptable’ approach to Disneyland – Preview
at 22:59:25
Hi Clive, thanks for both the detailed interview with JS and the preview. Being very busy at work, so not on much. For Stephan’s ‘adaptable’ approach, read Marti’s ‘pragmatism’ Nardi was (is) no more adept at playing out from the back than Walsh. Dunne became a RB primarily as an ‘outball’ The one essential difference from last season is that have a young, fit, aggressive striker for the first time in a decade, who additionally (who’d have thunk it) seems to score goals. If we can master Moore -Cook might be the man for the job - (and score a minimum of 2 goals), I believe we can win the game. And Stephanie can prove he is a MANAGER not just a coach. Bibs 1 Kone’s 2 |
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Comment | Familiar learnings and fresh frustrations as QPR lose at Watford – Report
at 21:29:48
Thanks, Clive. The thig is, you say the supporters all know the drill, having watched Marti's team over the past 18 months. But the majority of the players do too. Surely they, especially the senior players - Dunne, Cook, Field and Chair - must have a say? Surely they know that two in the middle - especially when one of those is Madsen - means we will be over-run and they allowed an input during training, when formations are being tried. I know injuries have played a big part both directly and indirectly. Dunne's return frees up Morgan and Varane should be free to start against Coventry and both are a significant up-grade on Madsen. But again, IF he only plays two in there, then ANY two will be out-numbered and struggle against a three man midfield. It hasn't worked in the past, WE know that, but the PLAYERS do too.
Similarly, playing out from the back, doesn't suit us. That is one of the main reasons why Dunne's conversion to a full back has succeeded. Not so much for his defensive capabilities (which are adequate) but because he provided a vital 'out-ball' up the right channel, when we had finally finished piss-balling around the edge of our box and the keeper had to hoof it. There was a certain (albeit perverse) logic to us trying to work our way up the pitch (painful as it was to watch at times), due to our well-documented lack of pace up front. This has been addressed this season, with Poku, Burrell and Kone all much speedier than what we had at our disposal last season. But we are not taking advantage of this, thus far anyway. Once again, the PLAYERS know we struggle playing out from the back. How many games doe Stephan have to lose before he decides 'ok let's go a bit more direct and stretch the oppos defence with our speedy attackers'
I get he's learning on the job, but most of the players already know what works and what doesn't. Don't they have a say? |
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Comment | Burton’s Burrell added out of the blue – Signing
at 15:36:15
Thanks Clive and Greg. No going to labour this any further, because there is no point. But for us to get all excited about Burrell and being so sniffy about Kelman is beyond ludicrous
Anyway, best of luck to the lad |
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Comment | End of Term Report 24/25 – Attack
at 00:14:08
Cheers Clive. RE Kelman, a lot depends on who becomes the next manager and how much they are influenced by Nourry |
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Comment | End of Term Report 24/25 – Goalkeepers
at 13:47:26
Cheers Clive, a very fair report on Nardi, who I felt also tailed off in the 2nd half of the season. Difficult of course with a very unsettled back line, but bailed out more than once by his defence and HATES crosses. Too old to change now also, or it would surely have been coached out of him. Now that he has been found out, expect a full season of the oppos dropping crosses in our six yard area.
I really like Walsh and would love to see him get a run, but failing that he clearly needs to go out on loan to a top Div 1 keeper.
Feel you are a bit disingenuous to Bergovic and have let your dislike cloud your professional judgement. Sure he made errors - Rotherham a classic - but the trouble with keeper errors they nearly always result in a goal. he played a major role in our survival last season imo. His saves v Preston at 0-0 and Leeds at 1-0 were vital and the outcome could have been different in both games. They are just two instances off the top of my head.
Like most QPR players I suspect neither Nardi or Bergovic are as good/bad as we make them out to be. The vast majority of our players are 'ok'. |
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Comment | More injuries and home woes for QPR against form Swans – Report
at 20:54:45
Thanks Clive, it's been a looong season and with the vast majority of them, your reports and previews have made the dross much more bearable. Not wishing to dig out any one player, because they were all poor, but I was particularly disappointed with Morrison. I guess he really missed Edwards beside him, because he looked very ordinary indeed. Anyway two to go and we ARE safe and have been for some time - unthinkable last November. Cheers again. |
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Comment | Big week – Preview
at 00:28:57
Thanks, Clive an incredible piece of prose, laying bare all our short-comings, past, present (and future?) Of the entire piece, the only sentence I didn't agree with was; Zan Celar scored two goals he’ll never score again as long as he’s got a hole in his arse. I thought they were two quality goals as I said on a post at the time, nothing fluky of 'gimme' about them. Hugely ironic and the epitome of our entire injury-ravaged season that he had a season -ending injury in the very next match. I think their is a player in there, IF we play to his strengths - I also think Frey played better when he had genuine competition for the one place up front. After Celar got injured, Kolli stepped up and provided that comp, but lately -nothing. Thanks again, fabulous work. |
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Comment | Look at us (hey, look at us) – Preview
at 22:22:11
Cheers Clive, a lot of sense in what you have said here. Despite beating Oxford 2-0, I was genuinely alarmed by our first half performance, which was the worst I had ever seen. By all accounts our first half at Bristol City was just as bad a few days later, but I was fortunate enough to miss it. We took four out of six, as we began our slow road to recovery and I can honestly say their performance v Oxford hasn't crossed my mind since. (be interesting to see them play each other now - I expect it would be a far higher quality game).
We are were I hoped we be before the season began, indeed our results over the last 5 games are how I expected our entire season to be: Lose a couple, win one, lose one, nice big win. I think this will pretty much be how it plays out for the season and that's fine by me, as the kids and the Championship novices gain vital experience for next season. Hell, I might even enjoy it! |
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Comment | Saito San for the little engine that suddenly can – Report
at 20:57:51
Cheers Clive and hats off to you and your comrades for covering such a distance in the space of 4 days. Thankfully you were all rewarded with two from two.
Watched the game on Sky, which as we all know, gives a different perspective to being there live. Couple of things I saw differently than you. I thought Morgan was quiet ineffectual, just as much below par as Kolli, Chair. But while we have genuine options for Chair and Kolli - and without question Saito and Lloyd swung the game our way - we don't for Morgan; Madsen is clearly not the answer and Marti believes Dixon Bonner is not ready (at 24). For this reason, Morgan remained on longer than he should have - this is not a criticism, he's a kid, and will have ups and downs as he develops - but it allowed Hull some dominance in mid-field late first half and early second. Marti knew he had the manpower to fix the Chair/Kolli subdued performances and did so with devastating effect, but not so Morgan. This shows how influential the kid has become in a few short months, but also shows that we don't have an adequate replacement when he is a little 'off' - maybe that is the area of strengthening we should focus on in the final days of the window?
The second thing is I feel you are being a tad harsh on Ashby. While he made some errors, he was by no means alone in his sloppiness. I was texting a friend while watching and had made just this observation in the moments PRIOR to Ashby coming on. We looked like a team believing our own publicity. Not quite showboating, but little flicks and tricks and less committed in the challenge. You are right in saying the arrival of Ashby and Madison exacerbated our sloppiness but the malaise had set in a little earlier.
As I have said a few times - and our brilliant run, highlights rather than dispels the notion - we are a very good team when we are bang at it, and quickly descend to mediocrity when we are not. |
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