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Comment | Coming home to roost — Column
at 06:01:29
I’d only just managed to discard those dark seasons to the outer recesses of my mind. You’ve chillingly brought it all flooding right back. A brilliant and depressingly accurate summary. |
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Comment | An odd turn of events - Transfer deadline
at 09:20:08
Still love this quote from Barney Ronay. "Death to the transfer window and its unceasing human churn, like the opening credits of the World At War where the faces of the dead and the lost appear and then melt away into a kind of viscous human gloop.†|
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Comment | The Vargas conundrum — column
at 07:53:05
The eternal persistence of the use of Zamora is a huge part of why R’s have failed so spectacularly up front and are certainties for relegation. Whatever formation gets employed (and it’s all far too late now anyway), it should not include a man so unsuited to modern football, so clearly washed up & crocked it’s beyond laughable. And this short-sightedness from both Redknapp & Ramsey, along with the recent omission altogether of the one pacy striker we potentially have in Vargas, has hurt us immensely.
Vargas’ impressive record for Chile being a million miles away in style - therein lies the problem. None of our coaches has recognised how to use this asset, along with other assets we have had at our disposal this season. |
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Comment | The merry-go-round — preview
at 09:13:12
Talking of Savage, I see our own resident twotter gobshite has been at it again, this time taking a swipe at Jordan Henderson in a ‘completely irrelevant to what you’re supposed to be concentrating on at QPR’ self-defeating rant. Presumably this is something that has been festering away from some previous handbags. Every time his performances start to just slightly thaw my attitude towards him, off he goes again reverting to type. Vile man. Call Steve Black asap and then fck off please… |
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Comment | Unheeded warnings lead to heart-breaking late winner — report
at 13:45:42
Verdict on Ramsey? 4 central, and very slow, defenders pitted against Soton’s obvious pace. Also, the absence of Isla & (to a lesser extent maybe) Vargas in the starting line-up yet the inexplicable inclusion of hapless Traore instead who was, quite predictably, appalling. I had high hopes that Ramsey & co would give us a better chance with his/their selection, despite correcting a couple of the Redknapp positional anomalies we’ve all been tearing our hair out over. Very disappointed with what the committee came up with - and torn over who should actually be in charge although I really don’t see any messiah coming in to turn this round at this late stage. Wait for absolutely the right candidate I guess and re-build again next year. Just hope that massive thug Pearson drops with us at least - what a tool he is.
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Comment | Travel-sick QPR choke on Giroud's red mist — report
at 07:53:41
...and Happy Xmas Clive. Thanks for your eternal commitment and impressive endurance - LFW first port of call for me every time.
Now - where to stuff that leftover stuffing, Hoilett. Care for another Almond, Traore? |
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Comment | Austin slays old club, then sees red as QPR move out of bottom three - report
at 08:08:30
Another desperate home win squeezed out as we cling to survival hope. Dunne & Green immense as is becoming the norm. Fer having more good games than bad and seems like his heart is well in it when not just required to sit deep away from home.
Heaton’s Harald Schumacher-inspired boot straight into the meat & two veg combined with a left hook to the face was, frankly, astonishing. No antics however, no screaming or pleading - how impressive was Charlie ‘hard as nails’ Austin to just pick himself up like a drunk boxer and shake himself down, re-setting his own jaw while making a mental note for the future Turf Moor fixture? Nice one ref... or Mr McGoo.
Meanwhile Ed Vargas, who we don’t seem to be getting quite the best from yet despite his abundant talent & efforts, did his utmost by applying an unusual sock enhancement - a twinkle toes tweak which seemed to bamboozle the opponents at times. Perhaps the whole squad could embrace this subtle sartorial update ((that Nike shambles can only be improved anyway) to create the hypnotic illusion of more pace & guile in the team? |
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Comment | Awayday blues add pressure to Burnley 'three pointer' - preview
at 00:01:59
I heard a Cty fan today, on Talk Sport, saying that they had performed better without David Silva and that a midfield with him in it holds them back (top six problems, don't you just love 'em). The misguided fool (according to the listening experts) preferred a more direct 'get it up there quickly and forget the pretty triangles' approach which has been liberating Aguero enabling him to get amongst the money shots in recent outings. Oh, to have such a dilemma...
The principle of left-field removal of a shoo-in, either by choice or injury forcing of hand, might mean we thrive, hit a new formula, a more potent pattern. Mutch - where are you? Of course one would never compare Silva to Barton in a million millennia but you get my point.
Rangers improvement this season largely happened when gob was out of the side. |
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Comment | 'Modern day penalty' robs QPR of Chelsea scalp - report
at 11:13:22
NorthernR -
No problem with you praising our own away support on Saturday - that was not my point, and I generally really enjoy your writing & passion for R’s - which is why I just think you, of all people, should be able to rise above the level of essentially: 'our supporters are better than your supporters’.
I'd love to believe that R's supporters are more intelligent & cultured (as per dixiedean's comments above) - ''The thinking man's team' as we were affectionally known a long time ago - but I'm not that deluded. We have the same proportion of knuckle scrapers as most clubs around the country - just read some of the forums if you want that borne out. And dixie, I'm sure there are many Cardiff & Millwall fans who would take great exception to being described as nothing but low-life. I do share your sentiments on mature debate though:) |
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Comment | 'Modern day penalty' robs QPR of Chelsea scalp - report
at 08:51:41
Your report on the game is accurate as always Clive, and it was good to see the continuance of the new R’s attitude, with proper commitment and so on. Despite the result, we can all be satisfied with those aspects. But I don’t get this cheap shot of knocking the opposition’s supporters. Strikes me as a sycophantic nuzzle up to our own oh-so-loyal but occasionally incredibly aggressive followers (as pointed out at Saints recently)?
Football supporters are essentially the same for every club. Those that travel away inevitably make more noise, as we have witnessed many times at an often quiet Loftus Road. Villa fans, just recently, outsung us for example. Home supporters tend to be cattle-prodded, made to sit & behave, are more family orientated, and generally have their longer-term status threatened should they get too vociferous. Away mobs are given more leeway and naturally garner a noisy siege mentality when travelling. You can bet that Chelsea fans will make themselves heard in Madrid this week. Mourinho’s own criticism of the Stamford Bridge malaise was merely a thinly-veiled attack on his own players, using publicly the excuse of a tepid atmosphere as blame for an element of coasting in the game.
If R’s suddenly were flushed with success, we would see an outbreak of new attendees too - as would any and all clubs who start achieving well above their previous level. Jealous of what they have over there? Just a bit I think. |
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Comment | Out of form QPR pick up another defeat, and injury, at Southampton — report
at 07:22:12
How depressing to hear about the charged atmosphere and vitriol spewed forth. There is always the danger, when you attend a football match, that you’ll get stuck next to a retarded gibbon or two unfortunately. One good argument for bringing back standing I suppose - in the old days you could simply move off and park yourself somewhere more palatable. |
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Comment | Clattenburg in charge of Saints trip - referee
at 22:38:54
Agree that he was exceptional in the Wigan game which makes it all the more surprising that he missed such an blatant foul on Rafael up at Leicester just a few days ago, compounded by a very soft penalty decision against the same man moments later which arguably changed the entire course of that match.
Let’s hope he’s back on form this coming weekend then.
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Comment | As much as things change… - report
at 09:22:35
"On Wednesday night Harry Redknapp selected Ale Faurlin from the start, fresh back from his second ruptured cruciate knee ligament injury in as many seasons etc etc."
Seems your worst fears have been realised with the incredibly sad Faurlin news today. Maybe it would have happened no matter what but "F**king amateur hour." indeed... :( |
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Comment | A horribly familiar sinking feeling — report
at 09:15:07
Thanks for articulating my feelings about R's fitness & preparation plus Harry's on-going dubious selections & tactics. What does Carl Serrant ('strength & conditioning') actually do at Loftus Road?
Got a real sense of the seething anger in your report which we can all empathise with. We clawed ourselves into this league by the skin of our teeth and then, when we arrive in exalted company, produce that dross. Utterly embarrassing. I wonder how the whole of Derby feels. |
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Comment | Fer continues QPR’s promising summer, while threatening Faurlin’s place
at 06:49:45
In, Out, In, Out, Shake it all about…
I’m much happier with the squad today than I was at any stage over the last 3 years - a younger, more promising group to get genuinely excited about - but players come and go at such an alarming rate these days it’s becoming more difficult for me to believe that any of them (no matter how talented) care that much about playing for the R’s, and therefore to experience a proper fan>club ‘belonging' culture.
An across the board disease, a symptom of a fast turnover, fleeting attention-span modern age - accepted. Loans were needed last year, and this - also accepted. But only months ago, we had Ravel scoring up at ‘Bora, Benayoun showing up, BEA mincing about picking his nose, Doyle, Keane and Jenas all looking lost or a bit vacant, Tarbs disenchanted, and Cesar counting his wad along with SWP and other disenfranchised bench warmers.
I understand it, and how cash is king - it’s a short career - but I’d prefer to see rules which mean a player really does have to see out a contract and stay for the full term, fight for his place, show some real commitment (which applies to the club too course). It won’t happen I know. Agents building in all kinds of contract stipulations which allow players get-outs as soon as their new club is struggling, or not qualifying for elite CL places, means that passion & desire to ensure your team succeeds need not be installed in the psyche. It if all goes tits-up, no worries - a move on is guaranteed.
Basically, I miss the 70s. If I look back at those team sheets, they don't change much from season to season. Go ahead, call me old-fashioned… |
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Comment | A way to win - report
at 17:58:31
Great detailed, accurate & evocative report as always Clive.
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE - A QPR DISSECTION. PART 2
A blog about the trials & tribulations of being a lifelong Queens Park Rangers supporter.
This is the concluding part to a piece I wrote back in April. Includes Bobble Z’s redemption, Harry Houdini, bonkers BBC man, the Lone Ranger & a whole host of financial vexation!
http://qpr2014.recoil.co.uk/qpr-2/
For those that missed the first part - start here :
http://qpr2014.recoil.co.uk/qpr/
You RR’sss!!!! |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 53 | | Comment Votes: | 11 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 64 |
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