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Post by blatantfowl on Feb 14, 2019 2:08:55 GMT
So we look towards a cup game against Prem opposition this week to save something from what could become a nothing season.
I find winning 2 cup games scant reward for our patience. This is a season of zero progress. Last season we blooded youngsters, cut the wage bill, brought in cheap players whose value could grow and achieved mid table. For this Holloway got the dogs abuse when we hit a bad run and the sack after achieving all the targets that were set. Stick with the plan and we would have kept on that steady upward trajectory, albeit slowly.
But we ditched that plan for the promise of someone who would better develop the youth. These are the youth players developed or acquired and given first team opportunities by the previous guy.
4 games into the season we ditch that plan as well and sign 4 prem level loans and free transfers. These additions have been the main reason for improved results. I see some comments particularly bemoaning the absence of Rangel in our current slump. For now, Steve is not suffering the level of vitriol meted out to his predecessor.
We appear unlikely to be able to retain the 4 big hitters next season and they have kept our young players out of the team. They had already featured in the first team, some them are now out on loan to ready themselves as we no choice but to use them next year. Why were they ready for first team action last season then this season they are not but next season they will be first teamers again. What’s the point of this wasted season? The loans will have helped achieve no more than we did last season, a lower mid table finish. 2 wins a cup run doth not make.
Fingers crossed for Friday night. A win might let us at least call it a cup run. For now it’s all we’ve got and next season we are going have it a lot worse if Steve is unable go return to the original plan and make our youngsters a viable unit.
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Post by spanishal on Feb 14, 2019 10:35:34 GMT
So we look towards a cup game against Prem opposition this week to save something from what could become a nothing season. I find winning 2 cup games scant reward for our patience. This is a season of zero progress. Last season we blooded youngsters, cut the wage bill, brought in cheap players whose value could grow and achieved mid table. For this Holloway got the dogs abuse when we hit a bad run and the sack after achieving all the targets that were set. Stick with the plan and we would have kept on that steady upward trajectory, albeit slowly. But we ditched that plan for the promise of someone who would better develop the youth. These are the youth players developed or acquired and given first team opportunities by the previous guy. 4 games into the season we ditch that plan as well and sign 4 prem level loans and free transfers. These additions have been the main reason for improved results. I see some comments particularly bemoaning the absence of Rangel in our current slump. For now, Steve is not suffering the level of vitriol meted out to his predecessor. We appear unlikely to be able to retain the 4 big hitters next season and they have kept our young players out of the team. They had already featured in the first team, some them are now out on loan to ready themselves as we no choice but to use them next year. Why were they ready for first team action last season then this season they are not but next season they will be first teamers again. What’s the point of this wasted season? The loans will have helped achieve no more than we did last season, a lower mid table finish. 2 wins a cup run doth not make. Fingers crossed for Friday night. A win might let us at least call it a cup run. For now it’s all we’ve got and next season we are going have it a lot worse if Steve is unable go return to the original plan and make our youngsters a viable unit. Can't agree we have nothing to fightf for, we are now 18th and in the relegation zone. We are not yet safe and frankly I'd be happy with a nothing season.
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Post by londonranger on Feb 14, 2019 14:22:22 GMT
Chances of us beating Watford are slim to nil.
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Post by harr on Feb 14, 2019 17:11:06 GMT
Well the incentive should be there for us and anything’s possible but I guess it’s there for Watford. They will know if they beat us they just have to avoid Man City and Chelsea v Man U winners in QFinal draw. Sure they would fancy there chances at home with any of the other 5 teams left in the draw as nobody would be any better than them in League positions apart from maybe Wolves. Would be even more weird if Man C drew say Man U/Chelsea in last 8. Give some lower teams a right day out at Wembley semi finals
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Post by egranger on Feb 15, 2019 15:37:52 GMT
Well the incentive should be there for us and anything’s possible but I guess it’s there for Watford. They will know if they beat us they just have to avoid Man City and Chelsea v Man U winners in QFinal draw. Sure they would fancy there chances at home with any of the other 5 teams left in the draw as nobody would be any better than them in League positions apart from maybe Wolves. Would be even more weird if Man C drew say Man U/Chelsea in last 8. Give some lower teams a right day out at Wembley semi finals Exactly Harr and why can’t that team be us? 😉
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Post by egranger on Feb 15, 2019 15:46:40 GMT
Whilst I have been disappointed with recent results I am optimistic for the future with Lumley, Furlong, Kakay, Eze, Chair, Smyth, Oteh and Osayi- Samuel at the club next season. Have I missed any? We should have enough in the tank to stay up this year. I think we have reason to look forward to next season.
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Post by Roller on Feb 16, 2019 12:30:40 GMT
I've been meaning to reply to BF's opening post, but haven't had a proper opportunity until now.
Recently I've sent a few messages on the lines of "We've lost 5 matches on the bounce, are playing 3-5-2 with the same unsuitable wing backs and are focusing our attacks around Matt Smith's head; remind me why we changed our manager?" You'd have to know me well to sense the irony in my comment. There is no bigger fan of Ian Holloway than me and I admire what he has been through and given to this club, but we are talking chalk and cheese with Ollie and McClaren in terms of structure, organisation and shape.
I wrote an article a few issues ago for AKUTR's (issue 344 for anyone wise enough to buy it and foolish enough to keep it) where I predict that the set of accounts just released were going to show losses of the magnitude that they unfortunately do and go on to offer an opinion of how that will affect next season which I think we can all agree is going to be very, very demanding. After weighing up the seemingly contradictory events which led up to the beginning of this season such as Ollie being sacked after fulfilling his brief, McClaren being appointed to help develop the youth players and then pretty much ignoring them and the board sanctioning expensive loan signings in the one season where we had the opportunity to actually make some headway into our FFP nightmare I came to the conclusion that, having looked at how bleak the following season looked, the board had decided to hire McClaren and free up as much resource as possible to make a tilt at promotion.
When I was at Harlington pre-season, McClaren made it perfectly clear that he was going to make some loan signings and West London Sport revealed that we were looking to bring in both Wells and Hemed over a week before we got demolished at The Hawthorns. Those loans signings were not a reaction to our poor start to the season, they were always part of the plan. As for McClaren being engaged to develop the youth, I think that was a bit of a smoke screen. He impressed the board with the way he organised the first team when Redknapp was barely able to play golf, that is why they went back for him.
For a while it looked as if the plan may actually have a chance of succeeding, but Luongo's trip to the Asian Cup at the same time as Cameron's injury and Well's dip in form seem to have put paid to those hopes.
As for our academy graduates, Lumley, Eze and Furlong are now firmly bedded into the team. The others are probably learning more playing away from the club rather than too many thrown in together; Smyth, in particular, seems to have made a good start at Accrington winning a penalty and scoring a goal against Sunderland last night. My God, we are going to need them next season when the loans have gone back to their parent clubs and we've said goodbye to most, if not all, of those whose contracts have expired: Bidwell, Lynch, Hall, Wszolek, Cousins, Rangel, Baptiste, Shodipo and Owens.
Do I therefore see this as a wasted season? No, I think it was worth taking the chance, however remote it always was.
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Post by rickyqpr on Feb 16, 2019 12:40:00 GMT
I've been meaning to reply to BF's opening post, but haven't had a proper opportunity until now. Recently I've sent a few messages on the lines of "We've lost 5 matches on the bounce, are playing 3-5-2 with the same unsuitable wing backs and are focusing our attacks around Matt Smith's head; remind me why we changed our manager?" You'd have to know me well to sense the irony in my comment. There is no bigger fan of Ian Holloway than me and I admire what he has been through and given to this club, but we are talking chalk and cheese with Ollie and McClaren in terms of structure, organisation and shape. I wrote an article a few issues ago for AKUTR's (issue 344 for anyone wise enough to buy it and foolish enough to keep it) where I predict that the set of accounts just released were going to show losses of the magnitude that they unfortunately do and go on to offer an opinion of how that will affect next season which I think we can all agree is going to be very, very demanding. After weighing up the seemingly contradictory events which led up to the beginning of this season such as Ollie being sacked after fulfilling his brief, McClaren being appointed to help develop the youth players and then pretty much ignoring them and the board sanctioning expensive loan signings in the one season where we had the opportunity to actually make some headway into our FFP nightmare I came to the conclusion that, having looked at how bleak the following season looked, the board had decided to hire McClaren and free up as much resource as possible to make a tilt at promotion. When I was at Harlington pre-season, McClaren made it perfectly clear that he was going to make some loan signings and West London Sport revealed that we were looking to bring in both Wells and Hemed over a week before we got demolished at The Hawthorns. Those loans signings were not a reaction to our poor start to the season, they were always part of the plan. As for McClaren being engaged to develop the youth, I think that was a bit of a smoke screen. He impressed the board with the way he organised the first team when Redknapp was barely able to play golf, that is why they went back for him. For a while it looked as if the plan may actually have a chance of succeeding, but Luongo's trip to the Asian Cup at the same time as Cameron's injury and Well's dip in form seem to have put paid to those hopes. As for our academy graduates, Lumley, Eze and Furlong are now firmly bedded into the team. The others are probably learning more playing away from the club rather than too many thrown in together; Smyth, in particular, seems to have made a good start at Accrington winning a penalty and scoring a goal against Sunderland last night. My God, we are going to need them next season when the loans have gone back to their parent clubs and we've said goodbye to most, if not all, of those whose contracts have expired: Bidwell, Lynch, Hall, Wszolek, Cousins, Rangel, Baptiste, Shodipo and Owens. Do I therefore see this as a wasted season? No, I think it was worth taking the chance, however remote it always was. Spot On Roller. For the first time for a long time, I believe that we are being managed correctly. The planning for next season has been there ever since Lee Hoos took over. I think we have proper cash forecasting now. I hope and trust that they know exactly what has got to happen this Summer. I hope that we continue to back Hall and give him a contract that we can afford and in return he shows loyalty back. I fear the rest will have to depart. We need a left back and something in the striking department and I pray that we have something in mind - all within the forecast and that we can survive next season and go again with some balance the following year.
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Post by blatantfowl on Feb 16, 2019 21:27:17 GMT
I had not known the loans were pre planned so that’s a fair point. I don’t think we needed them all and would have preferred to have kept manning here as a better replacement for Luongo while absent.
I am not seeing the progress in maclarens appointment, only an ill advised use of very limited resources.
Yesterday, we had 2 unmarked players in our box at a set piece. Either a failure to prep or players forgetting to do their jobs in the heat of the moment. It’s avoidable.
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Post by powerpump on Feb 17, 2019 2:28:40 GMT
Fact:
We are currently in 18th position in the league. Last season we finished in 16th position.
"No progress".
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Post by Roller on Feb 17, 2019 9:43:44 GMT
I had not known the loans were pre planned so that’s a fair point. I don’t think we needed them all and would have preferred to have kept manning here as a better replacement for Luongo while absent. I am not seeing the progress in maclarens appointment, only an ill advised use of very limited resources. Yesterday, we had 2 unmarked players in our box at a set piece. Either a failure to prep or players forgetting to do their jobs in the heat of the moment. It’s avoidable. The sections I've highlighted depend on what the objectives were. If it was to purely finish a few places higher up the table then I completely agree with you. However if my theory about this being a serious attempt at promotion is correct, then I don't. Manning was recalled before Luongo went away, but disappointingly McClaren doesn't appear to rate him. I do wonder if he will be moved on in the summer.
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Post by harr on Feb 17, 2019 11:00:11 GMT
Fact, without those four loans Hemed, Rangel , Wells and Cameron we would be in the bottom three. My guess if three of them didn’t get injured we would still be in the top 10. I’m just hoping now they start returning now (Hemed already back)we can pick ourselves up again and finish in the top half.
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Post by terryb on Feb 17, 2019 15:22:33 GMT
Fact, without those four loans Hemed, Rangel , Wells and Cameron we would be in the bottom three. My guess if three of them didn’t get injured we would still be in the top 10. I’m just hoping now they start returning now (Hemed already back)we can pick ourselves up again and finish in the top half. Certainly not a FACT harr. Without the THREE loans, plus the signing of Rangel, we may have been in the bottom three. That is not a given though with Ipswich, Bolton, Rotherham & Reading in the division! Let us hope that our current outgoing loans return ready for The Championship. A lot of them will be regulars next season. I'm not expecting contract extensions to be offered to Lynch, Hall, Bidwell or Cousins unless they are prepared to take a sizeable decrease in pay. IF, they are not good enough to keep us up, we may as well have been relegated this season & saved some expenditure.
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Post by harr on Feb 17, 2019 16:17:59 GMT
Fact, without those four loans Hemed, Rangel , Wells and Cameron we would be in the bottom three. My guess if three of them didn’t get injured we would still be in the top 10. I’m just hoping now they start returning now (Hemed already back)we can pick ourselves up again and finish in the top half. Certainly not a FACT harr. Without the THREE loans, plus the signing of Rangel, we may have been in the bottom three. That is not a given though with Ipswich, Bolton, Rotherham & Reading in the division! Let us hope that our current outgoing loans return ready for The Championship. A lot of them will be regulars next season. I'm not expecting contract extensions to be offered to Lynch, Hall, Bidwell or Cousins unless they are prepared to take a sizeable decrease in pay. IF, they are not good enough to keep us up, we may as well have been relegated this season & saved some expenditure. No Terry it’s not a given that’s true because Ipswich and Bolton are really awful enough but without Wells goals, Cameron in midfield and Rangel in defence, I would reckon we have 5-10 pts less without them easy. Surprised if we would have 30 by now. Look how bad we looked after those first four games.
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Post by blatantfowl on Feb 17, 2019 17:08:56 GMT
Certainly not a FACT harr. Without the THREE loans, plus the signing of Rangel, we may have been in the bottom three. That is not a given though with Ipswich, Bolton, Rotherham & Reading in the division! Let us hope that our current outgoing loans return ready for The Championship. A lot of them will be regulars next season. I'm not expecting contract extensions to be offered to Lynch, Hall, Bidwell or Cousins unless they are prepared to take a sizeable decrease in pay. IF, they are not good enough to keep us up, we may as well have been relegated this season & saved some expenditure. No Terry it’s not a given that’s true because Ipswich and Bolton are really awful enough but without Wells goals, Cameron in midfield and Rangel in defence, I would reckon we have 5-10 pts less without them easy. Surprised if we would have 30 by now. Look how bad we looked after those first four games. Yes after 4 games we were awful without those 4 prem players so how come we managed without them last season? Other than the departure of Ned and Jack and the arrival of Toni it’s the same squad. Manning was coming along nicely then gets sent to Rotherham where he made an excellent start. Why not nurture his progress? The prem incoming players are a sticking plaster for the current season and one we won’t have next season. Some plan! 🙄
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Post by harr on Feb 17, 2019 21:27:06 GMT
Ned and Robinson were a big loss though. Personally I would have liked Manning to have stayed with us for the season and hated the fact he went to Rotherham. Smyth I thought might also stay but some of the others were not ready for the Championship and I think it was right the others went out on loan again to try and bring them on with League One and Two games rather than U23. As much as we all want a team full of youngsters you have to get the balance right or you will drop another Division if they aren’t good enough. I admit we haven’t progressed this year as I thought we might have after we got Wells and Hemed in but three out of four of them got injured and that really hurts a little squad like ours. We might still finish above where we finished last year but need to starting winning again but wit these next three games its a big ask.
Anyone know our longest losing streak in this Division as the way these next 3-4 fixtures are we might get close to breaking it.
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Post by Marc on Feb 17, 2019 22:15:31 GMT
Ned and Robinson were a big loss though. Personally I would have liked Manning to have stayed with us for the season and hated the fact he went to Rotherham. Smyth I thought might also stay but some of the others were not ready for the Championship and I think it was right the others went out on loan again to try and bring them on with League One and Two games rather than U23. As much as we all want a team full of youngsters you have to get the balance right or you will drop another Division if they aren’t good enough. I admit we haven’t progressed this year as I thought we might have after we got Wells and Hemed in but three out of four of them got injured and that really hurts a little squad like ours. We might still finish above where we finished last year but need to starting winning again but wit these next three games its a big ask. Anyone know our longest losing streak in this Division as the way these next 3-4 fixtures are we might get close to breaking it. Robinson didn't play for most of the 2nd half of last season so I'm not sure how much of a loss he is. As for Ned, a case could be made for Leistner being a decent replacement. Yes he has made a few gaffs leading to opposition goals but Ne wasn't exactly lacking in that area. I've said it before though, it's no coincidence that our dip in form began with the loss of Rangel & Cameron and, to a lesser extent, Hemed along with Luongo heading off to the Asia cup. Our football has improved since he returned (as has Freeman's form) but we certainly haven't had the "rub of the green" lately. Hopefully, Rangel & Cameron will return soon and we get back to where we were over the Christmas period. As for next season, I wouldn't rule out a foray into the transfer market in the summer albeit not a big spending one.
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Post by rickyqpr on Feb 18, 2019 8:50:10 GMT
To me, football is all about trends. A winning streak, a losing streak. No luck at all, purple patch of luck. Lumley for some time looked one of the luckiest keepers we had ever seen - ball hits the post and he catches it. Currently, it hits the post and goes in off his backside! But the greater trend is about whether or not a club is going in the right direction or not. Sliding down the leagues (e.g.Sunderland after years of mismanagement) or building from the foundations and planning for the future. For years we have been a laughing stock of a club. Managers like Hughes and Redknapp allowed to do just what they wanted. Owners who have thought that the change of manager with a crop of new signings was always the answer. Agents linking QPR with every journeyman looking for ridiculous wages. But then came Hoos and Ferdinand. Sound to me like they know just what they are doing. Chris Ramsay signing the best youngsters rejected by the bigger teams - and then coaching them correctly. Players like Eze and Oteh picked up for nothing. An Under 23 squad that have been well worth watching - getting great results. Sending them out on loan (teams actually want them now) - Chair and Smyth getting MoM awards. New training ground on the horizon. Addressing our history and jinxes - win at Forest, 5th Round of the cup - unlucky not to be the 6th round. Wage bill slashed. Show ponies shown the door. Players now look like a team with the correct attitude.Youngsters keen to step up. Prepared to let players run down their contracts to accept lower wages - or they move on. Takes courage! Selling a prized asset (Smithies) to make sure we live within FFP - albeit very tight. Hopefully, we now have proper cash forecasting. Prepared to take some risk (loans) to avoid relegation. Great atmosphere back at Loftus Road. Wealthy owners, but limited by FFP. But where are we on the upwards or downwards spectrum? We are not a big club. Our stadium limits our earning potential. We were an early victim of FFP. We have learnt lessons that other fail to provide for. We wait to see what happens to Birmingham by way of punishment, but QPR must be ahead of the curve in getting their house in order. If you judge progress by our chances of getting back into the top flight then I understand the 'no progress' view. However, this time we are building from the foundations and doing things properly. No long looking to the cheque book for a quick fix (because we are not allowed to). But instead, a vision, a strategy and already some green shoots that the future is promising. No progress? Quantum leaps in many areas IMHO
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Post by Marc on Feb 18, 2019 10:55:20 GMT
To me, football is all about trends. A winning streak, a losing streak. No luck at all, purple patch of luck. Lumley for some time looked one of the luckiest keepers we had ever seen - ball hits the post and he catches it. Currently, it hits the post and goes in off his backside! But the greater trend is about whether or not a club is going in the right direction or not. Sliding down the leagues (e.g.Sunderland after years of mismanagement) or building from the foundations and planning for the future. For years we have been a laughing stock of a club. Managers like Hughes and Redknapp allowed to do just what they wanted. Owners who have thought that the change of manager with a crop of new signings was always the answer. Agents linking QPR with every journeyman looking for ridiculous wages. But then came Hoos and Ferdinand. Sound to me like they know just what they are doing. Chris Ramsay signing the best youngsters rejected by the bigger teams - and then coaching them correctly. Players like Eze and Oteh picked up for nothing. An Under 23 squad that have been well worth watching - getting great results. Sending them out on loan (teams actually want them now) - Chair and Smyth getting MoM awards. New training ground on the horizon. Addressing our history and jinxes - win at Forest, 5th Round of the cup - unlucky not to be the 6th round. Wage bill slashed. Show ponies shown the door. Players now look like a team with the correct attitude.Youngsters keen to step up. Prepared to let players run down their contracts to accept lower wages - or they move on. Takes courage! Selling a prized asset (Smithies) to make sure we live within FFP - albeit very tight. Hopefully, we now have proper cash forecasting. Prepared to take some risk (loans) to avoid relegation. Great atmosphere back at Loftus Road. Wealthy owners, but limited by FFP. But where are we on the upwards or downwards spectrum? We are not a big club. Our stadium limits our earning potential. We were an early victim of FFP. We have learnt lessons that other fail to provide for. We wait to see what happens to Birmingham by way of punishment, but QPR must be ahead of the curve in getting their house in order. If you judge progress by our chances of getting back into the top flight then I understand the 'no progress' view. However, this time we are building from the foundations and doing things properly. No long looking to the cheque book for a quick fix (because we are not allowed to). But instead, a vision, a strategy and already some green shoots that the future is promising. No progress? Quantum leaps in many areas IMHO Spot on, shame I could only like it once!
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Post by blatantfowl on Feb 18, 2019 13:18:04 GMT
Sorry I don’t have time to write very long replies but I enjoy reading everyone’s points.
To try and better explain my view. - I am an advocate for running the club sensibly and pleased with Hoos/Ferdinand. I saw a great plan up until we sacked Ollie and went for Steve - with Toni a decent replacement for Ned/Robinson the squad was mostly the same as last season - The evidence that we were going for promotion is conjecture. The statement on record from Steve in first press conferences was the opposite, downplaying our progress due to a rebuilding job that in his eyes was needed - we backed Steve with the funds for 4 prem players. We did not give Ollie the same backing - whether injuries or whatever the reason, the 4 acquisitions have not given us an improvement in pure mathematical terms and any other benefits in experience will be short lived if we cannot afford them next season - who’s to say we would not have been better without the 4 prem players? The argument against is that we progressed just fine without them last season. The argument in favor is our general improvement after the first 4 games. Just what is this intangible feeling of positivity?
Ultimately, I do t want Steve sacked as that would be insane. I am just balancing the argument as I don’t get what we are doing this season.The next 3 games will really flush out opinions...
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Post by rickyqpr on Feb 19, 2019 10:51:16 GMT
Sorry I don’t have time to write very long replies but I enjoy reading everyone’s points. To try and better explain my view. - I am an advocate for running the club sensibly and pleased with Hoos/Ferdinand. I saw a great plan up until we sacked Ollie and went for Steve - with Toni a decent replacement for Ned/Robinson the squad was mostly the same as last season - The evidence that we were going for promotion is conjecture. The statement on record from Steve in first press conferences was the opposite, downplaying our progress due to a rebuilding job that in his eyes was needed - we backed Steve with the funds for 4 prem players. We did not give Ollie the same backing - whether injuries or whatever the reason, the 4 acquisitions have not given us an improvement in pure mathematical terms and any other benefits in experience will be short lived if we cannot afford them next season - who’s to say we would not have been better without the 4 prem players? The argument against is that we progressed just fine without them last season. The argument in favor is our general improvement after the first 4 games. Just what is this intangible feeling of positivity? Ultimately, I do t want Steve sacked as that would be insane. I am just balancing the argument as I don’t get what we are doing this season.The next 3 games will really flush out opinions... It is all about opinions, if we all agreed it would be boring. But the next 3 games are indeed a big test for QPR, but even if we lose all 3 then I still think that there is much to be pleased about this season
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Post by nomar on Feb 19, 2019 17:00:54 GMT
I think progress has been made. It’s not just in terms of where you are in the league either.
The club is being run on far more sound foundations now.
Last season Smithies probably earned us 10 points on his own. This season he’s wasting away on Cardiff’s bench and could well be a Championship player again next season.
The acid test will be when Wells and Cameron return to their parent clubs (Don’t think Hemed does much for us to be honest). I’d genuinely love those two to stay with us, Cameron protects our defence and Wells is a quality striker at this level, but that’s unlikely to happen.
No doubt, though, there will be deals done in the summer, there always is at QPR.
We’re not going up and we’re unlikely to be going down, so the rest of it is what it is. The culture is definitely changing though, we’re not a retirement home for aged players looking for a pension top up and the players actually do give a toss now. So that’s definitely progress in the right direction.
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Post by nomar on Feb 19, 2019 17:22:06 GMT
Fact: We are currently in 18th position in the league. Last season we finished in 16th position. "No progress". Interestingly, had you done this post after 26 games, what would you have posted? There’s still 17 games left for us, why not wait until we finish the season and know our final league position before declaring the season a failure? Just a thought, mind...
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Post by Marc on Feb 19, 2019 18:06:26 GMT
Fact: We are currently in 18th position in the league. Last season we finished in 16th position. "No progress". Interestingly, had you done this post after 26 games, what would you have posted? There’s still 17 games left for us, why not wait until we finish the season and know our final league position before declaring the season a failure? Just a thought, mind... Indeed. I think the key word there is "finished", not a true comparison until this season is Finished.
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Post by Marc on Feb 19, 2019 18:18:50 GMT
I think progress has been made. It’s not just in terms of where you are in the league either. The club is being run on far more sound foundations now. Last season Smithies probably earned us 10 points on his own. This season he’s wasting away on Cardiff’s bench and could well be a Championship player again next season. The acid test will be when Wells and Cameron return to their parent clubs (Don’t think Hemed does much for us to be honest). I’d genuinely love those two to stay with us, Cameron protects our defence and Wells is a quality striker at this level, but that’s unlikely to happen. No doubt, though, there will be deals done in the summer, there always is at QPR. We’re not going up and we’re unlikely to be going down, so the rest of it is what it is. The culture is definitely changing though, we’re not a retirement home for aged players looking for a pension top up and the players actually do give a toss now. So that’s definitely progress in the right direction. It could be interesting if Cameron & Wells finish the season strongly. They both have 1 year left on their contracts with Stoke & Burnley. They're not exactly spring chickens so probably unlikely to be in their parent clubs' 1st team plans. I'm guessing one of three things will happen: 1. They go back and Burnley/Stoke try to get some cash for them in the summer window 2. They go back and rot in the reserves 3. We loan them again for next season after which they'll be free agents Like you I suspect, I'm not overly fussed about Hemed.
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Post by blatantfowl on Feb 19, 2019 19:52:40 GMT
The way our accounts look and the lack of parachute payments I have no idea how we would financially compete to retain Wells next season. He’d have far better options than us.
Cameron has made 11 starts and 2 sub appearances. How playing a third of our games between not getting selected and being injured makes him influential on our squad and a good choice to retain next season is a mystery to me. He turns 34 in the summer and we cannot pay a big wage to the kind of injury prone old timer that would have made most of you go mental if Redknapp had signed him.
Rangel will turn 37 early next season. If we are genuinely in a situation where we need him next season we might as well ask Clint to see if he will come out of retirement.
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Post by harr on Feb 21, 2019 9:51:42 GMT
I hadn’t realised but if you take away the two Cup games, our last three League home games we have now conceded 11. That is shocking. Guess Leeds are rubbing there hands together for Tuesday night. Whatever we say about Rangel and his age, as soon as he came in the team our defence improved. A game or two after he left the team, we got worse and worse. When you have an experience pro he comes in and gives advice around as well as his own quality. Rangel is not the long term solution but when he is the team it’s better . A few years back we signed Ryan Nelsen the New Zealander, yes he was old and it wasn’t a long term fix for us but he slotted in and compared to some of the sh1t we signed at that time he was the one stand out player we signed and sadly lost. I seem to recall Dunne did ok for us too, it’s not all about having 11 kids running round the pitch. 11 conceded in three home games, pfff jokes.
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Post by blatantfowl on Feb 21, 2019 19:01:06 GMT
All 3 of Hill, Dunne and Nelson performed well as veterans and managed to play more games than they missed which is pretty good at that age. It’s fine when it happens but I don’t think any manager has a preference to be reliant on players of 35 or more. They tend to be more bit part players because their likelihood of injury is so much higher.
I want Rangel back too. He appears to make a big difference. That doesn’t mean I am happy to find ourselves reliant on injury prone old timers like him and Cameron because we leak goals without them.
It’s hardly a shock that they’ve missed so many games. This is why I am so hacked off that I seem to be a lone voice on here that this plan and strategy is rubbish and I am putting my reasoned thinking forward with little answer back other than everybody’s got their fingers crossed that the old fellas come back and save us from a relegation fight.
Defense is supposed to be Steve’s forte but we cannot currently organize a defense comprised of a majority of players who performed better the previous season under a supposedly less savvy manager.
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Post by harr on Feb 21, 2019 21:58:39 GMT
Defence has been our problem ever since Warnock left to be fair. He always started at the back , made it hard for teams to beat us then sorted the rest out. I certainly don’t want a team of old timers, otherwise I might get in it However I welcome back Rangel and Cameron if it means we pick up a few points as at the minute it’s pretty dire luck or no luck. Even if the club offered them a short term deal at the start of next year I wouldn’t be against if it fits into the QPR budget but do agree they do tend to pick up injuries more although Clint didn’t. I just hope we don’t lose our next three as nine straight losses will put huge pressure on us before we start playing lower teams and they will all be fancying a bit of us.
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Feb 22, 2019 10:38:00 GMT
While I have some sympathy with Blatant's point of view, I'm not so down on things. I was a little surprised that Ollie was sacked, he'd done OK with very limited financial support. But results apart, he was increasingly erratic (possibly part of his charm/appeal), but I think it was affecting players - and embarrassing the owners/directors at times. Shteve is certainly more 'professional' in his approach/methodology and has a backroom team I have more faith in, compared to Ollie's. Ollie had no funds as we were still carrying a BIG squad. Shifting players off the payroll allowed Shteve to bring in some decent loans - importantly, a couple of players who could score goals. Perhaps it's their arrival (and subsequent competition for places) that has fired up Matt Smith recently? I have no problem with his bringing in a couple of wise 'old heads' - or with allowing young players going out on loan and getting regular playing time. Next season they'll be more mature, more experienced and, I think, better equipped for our first team. Much as I'd like to keep Wells in particular, through financial necessity, I think we'll lose our loan players - perhaps bringing in only a couple of young and/or lower league players during the summer. Our losing streak is a concern, but we've generally been playing pretty well. I don't think relegation is likely and am optimistic for a better season in 2019-20.
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