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Post by gladstoneparkranger on Jun 30, 2017 8:06:21 GMT
Looking at the fixtures , this coming season looks the toughest ever ! .. After two very average seasons I'm worried for us.
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Post by Macmoish on Jun 30, 2017 8:19:30 GMT
I think the money for the relegated clubs is getting ever bigger.
Money available to QPR is ever smaller - and with FFP - even if owners want to throw money at us, probably restricted
And I don't to be honest think Holloway is that great a manager.
So while every season has surprise Clubs getting promoted - or just failing to. I don't think we will. "Certainly" not top 2... Probably not top 6. But the beauty is that no one actually knows. Good start/run...Confidence ...A couple of signings who actually are massive successes...A goalscorer....
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Post by harr on Jun 30, 2017 8:25:44 GMT
Think this league was always tough. Think the world has gone crazy, Bournemouth spending 20 Million on a player and there capacity is a little over 10,000. Joke of it is, fans used to slate QPR by the amount they spent.
I guess it wasnt the amount we spent that was the real issue but the dross we bought for that amount of money.
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Jun 30, 2017 11:49:12 GMT
It is tough, but it was always so.
We struggled to convince when we were promoted from League 1- only Warnock's arrival and Amit's wisdom in letting him run the football side of things improved things for us.
Today our squad looks weaker in most areas than back then - and teams coming down have bigger bucks to spend.
I think we're probably at a similar level of expectation as we were around 2005/6, and needing the kind of key players we ultimately found in Taraabt, Derry and Hill.
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Post by sharky on Jun 30, 2017 13:15:19 GMT
Pre-season with only one new signing, FFP hanging over our heads, a terrible record at the end of the last season, a manager who looks out of his depth and a hard opening month fixture list. Is this the toughest Championship ever? Not sure that it is but it sure feels like it!
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Post by londonranger on Jun 30, 2017 14:50:34 GMT
KEEP CALM and CARRY ON.
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Post by harr on Jun 30, 2017 15:28:01 GMT
I wouldnt be surprised if you see 2-3 QPR deals go through next week. Im quite pleased the Gladwin has moved on, think its best for all parties. Good luck.
Doughty has a chance to prove himself at Posh, really hope it turns to be a good move for the lad and he can push on with his career.
Love us now to offload Caulker JET and El Khayati to free some more cash up. I think these three will be trickier. Expect Borysiuk will be announced he is going next week.
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Post by sharky on Jun 30, 2017 15:34:10 GMT
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Post by londonranger on Jun 30, 2017 18:08:12 GMT
LOL
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Post by Roller on Jun 30, 2017 21:39:24 GMT
Toughest Championship ever? No.
Last season Newcastle and Brighton were the runaway favourites leaving only one place for everyone else to fight over. I don't see any certainties this season, it is far more open.
Sunderland have given themselves a great chance by appointing Simon Grayson who has impressed me since his Blackpool team gave a thoroughly professional away performance at Loftus Road back in 2008(?), but who really wants to predict the three promoted teams?
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Post by gladstoneparkranger on Jun 30, 2017 23:34:24 GMT
Toughest Championship ever? No. Last season Newcastle and Brighton were the runaway favourites leaving only one place for everyone else to fight over. I don't see any certainties this season, it is far more open. Sunderland have given themselves a great chance by appointing Simon Grayson who has impressed me since his Blackpool team gave a thoroughly professional away performance at Loftus Road back in 2008(?), but who really wants to predict the three promoted teams? That's one way of looking at it but without some Stella acquisitions think we look in the weaker teams as also no obvious faves for relegation.
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Post by harr on Jul 1, 2017 22:20:57 GMT
We seem to be spending nothing or a Million on a player. Wolves just bidding 14-18 Million for a player to play in the Championship.
I know what I prefer, carry on doing what we are doing.
FFP cant do bugger all cos its just a farce what some of the Championship teams are spending now.
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Post by rousdonhoop on Jul 2, 2017 6:58:42 GMT
at the moment we have one of the weakest squads in the division, short up front and a lack of guile in midfield. Add the fact Holloway at the helm and it could be a tough season. Let's see what the next few weeks bring in before we start bricking it. Wolves splashing out big time
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Post by Roller on Jul 2, 2017 8:09:46 GMT
I don't think that we are as weak as others do. I think a team of
Smithies Furlong - Onuoha - Hall - Robinson Manning - Luongo Wszolek - Freeman - Ngbakoto Smith
Would compete with anyone in our division.
Back up from: Ingram, Bidwell, Lynch, Perch, Cousins, Scowen, Goss, Washington, Sylla, Shodipo and Mackie. Potential break through season for: Hämäläinen, Kakay, Paul, Grego-Cox and Eze.
I'm assuming that Borysiuk, El Khayati, Bowler, Emmanuel-Thomas will be gone and Petrasso is coming up short.
We won't win the division, but I'm not concerned in the slightest about being down the bottom.
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Post by Marc on Jul 2, 2017 9:01:43 GMT
Every year, people look at the teas who got relegated from the Premier League and bemoan how tough the season is going to be. How many times has more than 1 of those teams been promoted or even involved in the play-offs? Norwich & Villa weren't and even Newcastle didn't get the easy ride most thought they would. I agree on paper and I hope it works out that way. However that is the core of the team that went through those 2 losing streaks. I cannot see that Ollie has enough management skill to get better results from the same players, but we can only hope for a few new faces and a settled team to be more consistent. I'm not sure I'd describe it as the core of the team that went through BOTH losing streaks but it's certainly the core of the team that was the form team in the Championship in March. I really don't know what happened in April but the facts are there that Ollie did indeed get better results from the same players.
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Post by Roller on Jul 2, 2017 9:42:54 GMT
Birch has admitted that they started experimenting too early on both the Podcast and during an interview on the new official website. I hope that they learned what they needed to about the players and formations during that spell and don't expect to see anything like that level of "tinkering" this season.
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Jul 2, 2017 12:21:54 GMT
Jamie Mackie said in his last #RsInPortugal video diary that the one message he took from Ollie was that above all else, he wants the players to be 'versatile' - to play anywhere he asks them to play.
Have to say, I'm a bit worried.
It might have worked for the Dutch in their 'Total Football' years with Cruyff & co playing, but does Ollie have the coaching ability - and does the squad have the playing ability - to carry that off?
The important thing will be for Ollie to clearly communicate what he wants the players to do in a way they can understand.
If things get too complicated, and performances suffer, players will lose faith in Ollie's methods - and we all know what happens next when the dressing room loses faith in the manager...
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Post by sharky on Jul 2, 2017 15:11:51 GMT
Birch has admitted that they started experimenting too early on both the Podcast and during an interview on the new official website. I hope that they learned what they needed to about the players and formations during that spell and don't expect to see anything like that level of "tinkering" this season. Of course Birch is going to say that. Not to say that means they (Ollie and Birch) didn't have a clue. I really hope he's telling the truth because if he isn't we're in deep sh1t
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Post by harr on Jul 2, 2017 15:26:50 GMT
I think Ollie averaged around a point a game since he joined us or marginally over that. So you could say JFH and even Ramsey did no worse or even better.
Whatever the reasons we went on those two losing streaks, if it carries on this season I really fear for us. But its a new season and as far as last year thats gone now, lets see how this season goes.
Our home form has to be more consistent, no just handing out the points to opposing teams.
But our budgets going to be small now and we cant expect to much I guess?
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Post by bowranger on Jul 3, 2017 8:57:54 GMT
Birch has admitted that they started experimenting too early on both the Podcast and during an interview on the new official website. I hope that they learned what they needed to about the players and formations during that spell and don't expect to see anything like that level of "tinkering" this season. Of course Birch is going to say that. Not to say that means they (Ollie and Birch) didn't have a clue. I really hope he's telling the truth because if he isn't we're in deep sh1t I don't think that's the obvious thing for Birch to say though. He's fronted up that both he and Ollie made a hash of things by experimenting too early. Saying they made a mistake and are being accountable - why would he lie about that?
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Post by Macmoish on Jul 3, 2017 10:02:57 GMT
Almost time for London's Season Predictions...
And I havent quite decided placing yet; but I'll be predicting non-promotion and probably a struggle. And Ian Holloway departing long before next Easter (or Passover!)
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Post by egranger on Jul 3, 2017 13:24:42 GMT
We will be fine this season - it is IH's first pre-season and I think he has a good enough squad for a top half finish - we made some smart signings in January and even if we sign no one else we will be a match for anyone at the Bush - come on you R's
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Post by Marc on Jul 4, 2017 8:14:21 GMT
Latest batch of EFL fixtures on SKY. Could be a good start for us, not on SKY until a least September!
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Post by harr on Oct 10, 2017 8:35:32 GMT
Almost a 1/4 of the season in, 11 matches and 13 points 1.18 ppg = Equiv roughly to 54 in a season A good start, then tapered off. Two hugely important games against two bottom teams with only one win between them all season and Sunderland leaking 21 goals , if we fail to take say 4 points from these 2 games I will be very concerned indeed, seeing as we have one win in six.
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Post by harr on Oct 11, 2017 8:52:55 GMT
The next two games are very big indeed. I hope our boys are up for them, should be. Still to win an away game this season, wont get better oppurtunity than against these two teams thats for sure.
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Post by harr on Dec 30, 2017 0:42:16 GMT
Almost time for London's Season Predictions... And I havent quite decided placing yet; but I'll be predicting non-promotion and probably a struggle. And Ian Holloway departing long before next Easter (or Passover!) Yes, after that result and our away form, I'm worried. Are the posters that were not worried on here now concerned with what they see??
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Post by terryb on Dec 30, 2017 10:02:04 GMT
Almost time for London's Season Predictions... And I havent quite decided placing yet; but I'll be predicting non-promotion and probably a struggle. And Ian Holloway departing long before next Easter (or Passover!) Yes, after that result and our away form, I'm worried. Are the posters that were not worried on here now concerned with what they see?? Nope. Firstly. Because I've seen us play football this season looking like a top half of the table team. I admit there have been times we've looked like a relegation candidate, but that is far less often. This week we outplayed Ipswich (in 8th place?) for the second time. Secondly. Bolton, Burton, Birmingham, Sunderland, Hull, Norwich, Barnsley. They are all a lot worse than us. Thirdly. we have a very good goalkeeper & our defence is playing well. Robinson is one of the best in the division. We will not concede too many goals in the second half of the season. Fourthly. we have a togetherness & a work ethic that is second to none. Of course I'm concerned as to who will score the goals & who will play a pass to set up a chance, but this also applies to all the teams I've mentioned above. Compared to the teams we had when we avoided relegation between 2006 & 2010, we are a different class. This team will not lie down & surrender!
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Post by harr on Dec 30, 2017 11:24:39 GMT
Yes, after that result and our away form, I'm worried. Are the posters that were not worried on here now concerned with what they see?? Nope. Firstly. Because I've seen us play football this season looking like a top half of the table team. I admit there have been times we've looked like a relegation candidate, but that is far less often. This week we outplayed Ipswich (in 8th place?) for the second time. Secondly. Bolton, Burton, Birmingham, Sunderland, Hull, Norwich, Barnsley. They are all a lot worse than us. Thirdly. we have a very good goalkeeper & our defence is playing well. Robinson is one of the best in the division. We will not concede too many goals in the second half of the season. Fourthly. we have a togetherness & a work ethic that is second to none. Of course I'm concerned as to who will score the goals & who will play a pass to set up a chance, but this also applies to all the teams I've mentioned above. Compared to the teams we had when we avoided relegation between 2006 & 2010, we are a different class. This team will not lie down & surrender! Thanks Terry. I wish I had your confidence with the Ollie/Bircham combo. I agree about the goalkeeper though, he will save us points over the others for sure. There definitely is togetherness too. Its ok outplaying teams but if you dont get the points its not going to really help you climb up the table. We can only look at the current points we are taking and however you dress it up, six points from thirty is dire and we deserve to be bottom of the current form table. If you look at that list we have only beaten Birmingham and Hull in it so far. Lets see how we do at Burton and see if they take 4 points off us like Millwall did.
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Post by Lonegunmen on Dec 30, 2017 12:11:31 GMT
Ollie & Birch, I would move Bircham, what really does he offer that Ollie can't?? SIGN a FRIGGING Striker or two!!
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Dec 30, 2017 18:25:54 GMT
Can't help thinking Ollie needs someone with some nouse to help him out, I don't think Bircham is that person.
I'd move Birch to the reserves and try and bring McClaren back in (though rumoured to be in for the Sheffield Wednesday job) or Clement.
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