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Post by bowranger on Dec 4, 2020 16:38:04 GMT
Thanks you lot, very much appreciate it.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 3, 2020 10:54:45 GMT
Aw, thanks very much! Super appreciate it.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 2, 2020 18:59:48 GMT
Totally understand where you are coming from. It is the fear of what could happen that impacts on our thinking. Relegation would be a disaster. But we look very good at times and it is hard to legislate for individual errors, especially when several have been down to one of our best players (Dickie). Last night he scored and then passed us into trouble, and yet he is one of the best ball playing defenders in the league. I also feel that we have a goalkeeper who can keep us in games, that has not happened since Smithies. Dieng will have a rough patch, but the basics look good. So as 75 said above, time for strong nerve.....and hope. But if we did grind out a few one nil victories, all the talk would be of the play-offs, such is our league, but I would certainly enjoy the points! Yes we have a good keeper agree. Looking good is one thing and is great but getting those 3 points is another. I’m not in slightest worried about play offs, more concerned about hovering around or just above the relegation spots. So many individual lapses and errors at critical times, giving sloppy goals away, careless red cards , irrational sending offs in the first 1/3 rd of this season. Is it because we have younger players who are maybe a little more naive or are we lacking guidance from coaching staff here? I have no idea but these lapses have already cost us 10-15 points this season. I think some are brain farts but by and large a lot of what we see as lapses are just representative of the development and quality of players we have - both at our club and across the division. Loose balls, iffy decisions and whatnot define a lot of matches at this level. Dickie as a microcosm ballsed it up for a goal, but also showed his quality with a headed goal - a chance City may see as a lapse from their defence getting bullied and not dealing with a CB up for a cross. There's more to all of this of course but it's the risk thing again. League one players making a step up, or players making their first steps in this division will sometimes make mistakes, those are the waters we swim in. It's frustrating, it should hopefully improve given more time, more minutes, but they aren't going to be the full package off the bat. I guess the same as the BOS we know now isn't the one we knew in 2018 and Dom Ball isn't the same guy who could barely get a kick in a crap Rotherham side etc.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 2, 2020 12:14:48 GMT
Dunno, would take a few ground out 1-0 wins at the minute. If you concede sloppy goals most weeks as we do, you rarely come away with three points like we have so far 4 times. We wont score as many this season but still leak and so have one of the worst goals against tallies again already, just like last year only last year we scored more thro Eze,Wells,Hugill etc. Totally understand where you are coming from. It is the fear of what could happen that impacts on our thinking. Relegation would be a disaster. But we look very good at times and it is hard to legislate for individual errors, especially when several have been down to one of our best players (Dickie). Last night he scored and then passed us into trouble, and yet he is one of the best ball playing defenders in the league. I also feel that we have a goalkeeper who can keep us in games, that has not happened since Smithies. Dieng will have a rough patch, but the basics look good. So as 75 said above, time for strong nerve.....and hope. But if we did grind out a few one nil victories, all the talk would be of the play-offs, such is our league, but I would certainly enjoy the points! Yeah, similar take and I definitely feel for where Harr's coming from. 100% agree there is a lot of tightening up to be done. My watch word for a lot of this stuff (not in response to Harr, just generally) is on timing and recruitment. When people bring up Pulis, it's about working with the available parts and changing the footballing philosophy on a club level. Currently, we are on a path where the first team plays a variety of 4-2-3-1 focused on ball retention and playing out from the back. That's linked to a wider 'identity' project that goes all the way through the club, from the kids to the U23s. The goal being that the next crop are drilled in a way that means they play a certain way and can hopefully slot in when eventually called upon. The goal being somewhere like Brentford where they are 10 years into a process that we are about 5 years into, with incremental year on year improvement. It's the basis of recruitment and development. So I'm always weary when the likes of Pulis get brought up, or there's talk of 'back to basics' 4-4-2, cos the possible short term gain could mean massive long term pain. I look at the players we have and wonder, even if with the most cynical of managers, could you turn that into a gritty, grindy outfit? Could Barbet and Dickie form the heart of a deep lying, head it and kick it into touch defence? Would Willock, Carroll etc fit into a midfield that's essentially bypassed? Does Dykes or Bonne have the conversion rate to be relied upon to feed on scraps? Are Niko and Kakay full backs who can do a sit back role? I don't see it. If you wanted to do that, you'd need a totally different recruitment process, a different layer of players.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 2, 2020 9:55:01 GMT
We will play much worse than last night and win................. Yeah. It's a hard sell at the moment as we are treading water money wise and everything has to operate on the hope that players step up. For our crop of cheap or young buys, you've got to hope that for every Freeman, BOS, Eze, Manning and Furlong we bring in and polish up, you get the same results over time with Chair, Willock, Dickie, Bonne, Kelman, Dykes, Niko and Bettache etc. Some will make it, some won't. It's a market necessarily defined by risk because people who are proven at this level are predominantly out of our price range - or if they're affordable, they're older (like Adomah). And logically, that's going to mean inconsistency. Agree with you that I'd take this over Pulisball every day of the week. It's frustrating when things don't come to plan in the moment, of course. I was annoyed after last night and still am. But I always think back to the start of the season when we see the players who have gone, the upheaval and all the predictions saying we'd just be happy to stay up, somewhere in midtable, with people putting a shift in. Predominantly, that's what we are doing. And with the games coming so thick and fast, it can change massively week to week. Weeks ago, we had talk that we were definitely going into a relegation scrap and no one had any hope. 2 weeks later, we are 13th and no one is saying a word about it. Another defeat and it all comes out again.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 2, 2020 9:06:42 GMT
Every season we finish in the lower half of the league, well if thats what management wants and can afford so be it, But what did they do with the 19 million they got for Eze. We lose money by simply existing to the tune of about 8-9m quid a season (not including covid situation). Owners put in around a million monthly to keep things ticking over. So a good chunk of that money goes into keeping us existing as a football club. Then some of the money was reinvested in the squad this season - Bonne, Kelman, Adomah, Willock, Dickie, where with some of them, alongside existing young players, we develop them to sell on for a profit, like we did with Eze. Feel like this is trotted out monthly, the club are really really open about what the financial plan is and where the money is going.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 1, 2020 22:08:44 GMT
What a joke result , QPR do my brain in with frustration. Sadly it pains me to say it but our defence is one of the weakest in the League still  just like last season, nothing changed on that front. Thing with us at the moment is that, if we are summing it up in a real general way, we are pretty easy to score against at the best of times, but scoring seems to take a huge amount of effort. 90 minutes of high energy on good form, we will score goals. But the moment that drops or the opposition adapts defensively, like in that second half, scoring seems to take a herculean effort. Meanwhile, you feel we could leak one at any moment. We can win when we're at 100%. What we rarely manage is winning when we're at 70-80%. Like City were tonight. Frustrating innit.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 1, 2020 21:50:12 GMT
Sooooo frustrating to lose that. Second half not as good but still created decent chances and kept missing them. Yeah agree. In terms of chance creation, you got to convert more than that. We were poorer second half but we find it really hard to unlock teams when they pack the middle and go more compact. City only really did that when they had the lead to protect and that lead doesn't happen if Dickie doesn't create the chance for them. Mimicking Sinton here but he's right in saying that in situations like that, we end up playing in front of rather than through opposition lines. And when that's the case, you've got to put the chances you've got away. Both BOS and Bonne had decent chances in the second half and didn't capitalise. Great first half, but concede the second and we wilted when we couldn't find a way through the disciplined banks they threw up in front of us.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 1, 2020 20:51:58 GMT
Da Silva subbed at half time after not being able to live with BOS.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 1, 2020 20:27:16 GMT
Absolutely peppered their goal, Dickie with the well-deserved goal. Then Wells scores a tap-in against the run of play, 1-1.
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Post by bowranger on Dec 1, 2020 9:22:03 GMT
Or Furlong!
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Post by bowranger on Nov 30, 2020 14:26:18 GMT
I work in games and it's a big hobby of mine, though I'm ropey on the PC building side. Lemme ask a few friends and will get back to you.
Couple of pointers/qs. Are they looking for something pre-built over component parts? The latter is a bit cheaper and more customisable, but maybe not ideal if it's a starter - it's a lot easier to build a PC than it used to be but something to bare in mind. If they're into that sort of thing, could be a nice project!
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Post by bowranger on Nov 29, 2020 11:36:35 GMT
Only saw the last few minutes, but there’s no shame in losing 2-1 to Brentford. This is where we are right now and in a much better position than I thought we’d be a month ago. Yeah, pretty much agree. I know you don't win prizes for effort or style, points are points, but it does make a difference in terms of the experience as a fan. Last time out at Brentford away, we were cack. Just not at it. On Friday, we were well in it and few moments go our way, it is a different result. Always disappointed when we lose but can hold our heads up for much of that performance. It's still a marker of progress.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 28, 2020 10:12:07 GMT
Live on Sky - usual result after a decent performance Three thoughts 1. When will we get a decent ref. Watford game our man thrown to the ground - definite penalty not given - likely cost us 2 points. Brentford - Dykes hauled down by their last man looked in the box to me (biased) - definite red card and a penalty not given likely cost us 3 points or at least 1. No doubt we have got away with some as well but have also suffered some soft decisions against us. Kane - 2 yellows last night - by the rules ok but if they were 2 yellows mean red the Dykes foul was 100% red. 2 games, potential 5 points lost makes the difference between mid table and a play off position. 2. I want to see Kelman get on the pitch soon - must be able to give him at least 30 minutes sometime in December. No harm in in trying - seems a natural goal scorer so 15 minutes at the end last night would have been great and if he scored on Sky, up goes his value. Yes they have to learn their trade but no harm with the odd rare talent learning on the pitch with us, Sibley, Francis Busby etc etc........ The alternative is likely leave him on the bench this season - loan him out next season, get one good season for us then the big boys snap him up. Good for a bit of finance but we miss 2 seasons of a goal scorer doing his job for us. 3. Left back - Wallace I think is just past it physically after his injuries - his brain probably knows what to do but his body does not keep up.. Nico - half a dozen games in and some are writing him off already, after a couple of years of the same fans screaming for him to play. Give the guy a chance - it's a big step up. If no signs of him making it by January hit the loan or transfer market but get off his back now he needs encouragement not criticism. Manning is gone, Manning did not want to play for us anymore without more money. Forget him and move on. 1. The standard of Championship officials continues to be poor, where as in the Prem, I think that behave differently now, knowing all their decisions will be tested by technology and so they just defer. 2. I understand your point. Throwing Bonne on for Hamalainen was just that, the last throw, it could just as easily have been Kelman - especially with hindsight. Then having lost Kane, we were playing two at the back anyway. 3. Left back is still a challenge and at best it is a work in progress. I guess much will depend on who we sign in January. As Hector does not get a kick at Fulham and we failed with a late loan deal last time, that he may be on his way. That may facilitate a move for Barbet to left back - I think he is less risky there although he has had a couple of decent games recently. As I said above, I think that Hamalainen is much better when operating in a decent left pairing, but the opposition in the last few games have targeted our young full backs at times.= and I think Nico was lucky to get away with a 50/50 penalty shout on Tuesday. Particularly agree about Niko and his pairings. He looked a lot more vulnerable when Willock went off. Like you say, work in progress. Cribbing from opinions over on LFW but for Toney's headed goal, Niko rightly got some stick for letting the striker get ahead of him, but also, why is he Niko's man? Does seem weird to me - surely you'd stick Dickie on him?
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Post by bowranger on Nov 28, 2020 10:07:10 GMT
I thought that last night showed we are not too far off of Brentford as a team & if their player had been sent off we MAY have won. What was good was to see a Championship match on Sky that was full of football being played & entertaining. I'm not sure how I would mark the referee. The non sending off was a huge mistake, but otherwise I thought he was good. My customary referree mini moan. Red card, like you say, huge mistake. At the time all I considered was "what if this was 11 v 10?" But in retrospect, I think of the chance too. Without that shove, that's Dykes, form of his life for Scotland, in one on one. We'd back him there. Instead it's a free kick on the edge of the box and well...our record of free kicks speaks for itself. It fundamentally changes the game. Example exists in the game itself - Kane gets sent off (don't disagree, Kane's second yellow is clumsy and you just don't risk those kinds challenges on a yellow) just as we are getting back into it, and it utterly deflates us. It's the inconsistencies that get me. First half, Dalsgaard gets a throw-in called against him, he screams in the linesman's face, tells him to "F*** off" so loudly that the commentators apologise for it (do always enjoy that). Nothing. Ball has a moan and chucks the ball into the ground, immediate yellow. I do whine about refs but it's not from a place of thinking they're cheats or anything. I hate VAR, I think with games going at 100 mph marginal mistakes can and will happen and I'll take that all day over micro-managing decisions like Thomas Frank has a hard-on for (for example, Toney's disallowed goal was very tight and I'd feel hard done by if that was us). But stuff where you've got near identical situations, same game but different outcomes, irk me. I don't get it. Sigh. Agree about the pace of the game, particularly in the first half. Two teams playing a technical, attractive brand of football, flying at eachother. Was exciting stuff. Brentford look bigger and more physical than last year. Not as attractive but a bit more streetwise and cynical, less of a soft underbelly, starting to grind stuff out. It's a weird thing to say, but they look worse than last year but in a very Championship way, actually more competitive?
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Post by bowranger on Nov 27, 2020 21:58:38 GMT
As an aside, it's another game where I feel the extremes of our players in the middle of the park is a bit unbalanced. Either nimble but soft like Carroll or slow but hard like Cameron or Ball. Another game where you feel we miss a meaner all-rounder who can put a foot on the ball and settle stuff down and carry it so we can adapt, like a Woods or Pearson ya know?
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Post by bowranger on Nov 27, 2020 21:53:23 GMT
Strong first half, don't think we adapted quick enough in the second, lost the middle when Brentford changed shape I think. Didn't put a foot in the ball and slow things down when Brentford had their better spell.
Kane challenge was clumsy on a yellow, shouldn't have happened. Though of course, Brentford should have been down to 10 men from the first half. Pivotal moments too. Brentford score a wordlie against the run of play and its 1-1 at half time. Another day and another ref, it's 0-1 and they're down to 10 men. Disappointed but didn't embarrass ourselves.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 27, 2020 20:32:57 GMT
Sorenson somehow allowed to push Dykes in the back as the last man and doesn't get a red card. Stunning.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 27, 2020 20:16:15 GMT
Yirrrrs 1-1. BOS teasing ball across the box, Dykes slams into the roof of the net.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 27, 2020 19:46:58 GMT
So Cameron has gone from starting at central defender to not anywhere any idea why? Late fitness tests, training injuries, Warbs trying to through Brentford off? Not sure.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 27, 2020 18:58:51 GMT
Yeah, on paper and form, that's pretty close to my preferred starting 11. Famous last words etc. as it's Brentford and on telly.
But yeah, I like that line up.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 26, 2020 21:16:03 GMT
John 'we know what you said' Terry says he wouldn't participate in the documentary because he has "moved on". That's exactly what a racist would say. Some things never change. Bloke is human garbage. His unwillingness to engage, discuss or show an ounce of accountability for his behaviour tells you everything you need to know about his character (or lack of). Another wrong'un allowed to prosper in football at the expense of others. scum.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 20:58:03 GMT
3-2 and 3 points! Made very hard work of the second half, just didn't hold the ball. But touched it out, got the win. UuuuRrrrsss.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:52:25 GMT
Absolutely no idea why the Rotherham defender handles that. Glad he did hahahaha.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:48:37 GMT
Third time lucky, what a belter Bright! Hahahaha WHAT a goal. He has hammered that.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:46:23 GMT
One all but Bright hits the post again! I have absolutely no idea how that didn't go in. Defender knew nothing about it.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:43:38 GMT
38 mins they get one. Blast it. Willock botches a clearance, big cross, big header. From the next attack, Willock nods wide from about 5 yards.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:22:48 GMT
Get innnn 1-0 Rs. BOS bamboozles the defenders, leaves it too long for a shot, lays off to Chair who smacks it in via a big deflection.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:17:47 GMT
BOS hits the post after a great run.
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Post by bowranger on Nov 24, 2020 19:06:01 GMT
Come on you Rs. High energy start.
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