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Like a lot of you, I’m sure, Ive spent the past 24 hours genning up on our man Marti. I’ve ingested so much tactical technical knowledge that it’s oozing from my cerebellum and trickling out of my ears. Inverted fullbacks, asymmetrical number eights, oscillating presses, semi-permeable through balls, gaussian set-pieces, roving pentacular midfield nano-presses, throw-ins! throw-ins that reach your team-mates!
I’m prepared to be patient and for there be a period of transition, but serious question, how much effective knowledge, which can be immediately applied, can he impart to the team in the four full days between being appointed and his first game away at Rotherham on Saturday?
I’m fascinated to know how we’ll line up Saturday and who will be the personnel. I’m just wondering how much info he can expect to give them in such a short space of time without people’s heads exploding.
Those in the know have said he’s half been expecting to be appointed Rs manger for some time so he’s been keeping an eye on our performances (his ribs must be aching) so possibly he has an immediate plan in place. I just wonder how much he can expect to transform the team in the space of four days? Just asking cos we could do with the points.
Any ST holders on the automatic cup game scheme? Have you been notified of anything? Is it being uploaded on e-season ticket or paper-one sent in post? I’ve heard zilch. Asking cos if it’s been sent in post I’ll go through all my unopened junk mail and bill-looking letters rather than contact the box-office.
Sorry to bring up a QPR request and interrupt the convos on ULEZ, Celtic, Steely Dan (FFS), Karl Read (whoever he is) and the Women’s football 😆🙏🏼
Following on from Ned Kennedy’s wish to have more players with animal surnames here’s a creature-based starting XI. This was more difficult than I expected but does have four Rs connections.
Tom Heaton Mark Beevers Morgan Fox (Go Foxy!) Bobby Finch Dan Gosling Geoff Pike Chris Eagles Troy Parrott Geoff Horsefield Steve Bull Andy Shr-Impey
Squad/ Squid keeper: Billy The Fish
Peter Bonetti ‘The Cat’ nearly made it. But if he’s in so is ‘Mad Dog’ Martin Allen.
Saudi Third-Division side Al-Shukup. Money has played no part in this decision.The training facilities are top-notch. I’m a big fan of sand. And Elvis does the club song. Just too good to turn down. Seeya.
In the spirit of Shoot’s League Ladders (which I never ever managed to complete) here is part 1 of the 2023/24 Championship Emoji Collection. Starting with QPR and the 5 nearest clubs.
Collect daily to build an interactive map of the Championship 23/24. This collection is exclusive to Loft For Words and is not available in the shops.
When did people start using this? I mean why not …
GERBIL - Generates Enormous Respect Best In Land SLUG - Sporting Leviathan Usurping God STOAT - Statistically The Optimum Athlete Today OWL - Obvious World Legend CAMEL - Certainly A Most Excellent Legend FLEA - Fcuking Legend Endof Alright DUCK - Da Undisputed Classy King BISON - Badass Init Should Of Noticed IBEX - Is Best Even Xylophoning COCKROACH - something something something something something of absolute champion heros
GOAT - Greatest Of All Time. I think you mean worst acronym of all time .
I noticed against Sheffield United we defended corners and set pieces with all 11 players behind the ball. I’ve never understood this. This isn’t a criticism against Critch - Sheffield United did it too. In fact most teams do it. Why? I feel as if all of football is under the spell of an analytics messiah-dweeb who has come up with data to prove that if a team defends a corner with all 11 players in the box there will be, let’s say, a 44.67% less likelihood of them conceding. Maybe so but if the defence does clear the ball there will be a 0.0% chance of mounting a counter attack and a 99% chance of being put under pressure again.
I wouldn’t leave one man up top, I’d leave two. One central on the half way line (Ilias) and another player with pace (hello Jamal) a few yards deeper and wider. The opposition would then most likely leave 3 men back to cover resulting in less attacking players for us to defend from the corner.
Packing the penalty area creates other problems too - randomness - if the ball is on the deck it gets pinged around like a pinball machine in a penalty area full of limbs … see Sheffield United’s equaliser.
I noticed the bloke before with the wart initially had all men back behind the ball for corners etc. and then changed tack after a handful of games leaving a player or two around the half-way line.
Of course what would help either scenario is if we just marked up properly but I still firmly believe defending with all players behind the ball at set-pieces, though appearing to be sensible and safe, is actually a false security and counterproductive. And it winds me up rotten.
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