QPR-Millwall Match Thread

[Macmoish]

Surprised Martin does not Start...Would have bet anything on that

[Marc]

Free agent, hasn't plated for a while. Won't be fully March fit

[robindubois]

Did not think Martin would start - cannot be match fit yet although Critchley says he is great shape. But could make an impact as a second half sub . No point taking the risk of throwing him straight in , pulling a hamstring and out for the season knowing our luck with injured loan players.

Pity though - it would be good to see him get stuck into the Millwall defenders with a bit of muscle.

[Macmoish]

QPR Losing... 0-1

[harr]

Another shocking display .. playing like a relegation team since the end of October.

Willock is our best player he has to be starting every match.
Chair does not convert enough from the chances he gets.
Let’s see what Critchley can do in the second half but I’m not too confident he has the team on his side …. Now we will end up winning 2-1
Get Willock on!

[nomar]

Every week now

[blatantfowl]

Oh god that’s 0-2

[nomar]

Feb 11, 2023 16:42:36 GMT blatantfowl said:

Oh god that’s 0-2

Are you even surprised at this point?

[blatantfowl]

Yessss Chrissy Martin gets one back

[harr]

None of these players are playing for Critchley
The club needs a clear out now , there’s too many behind the scene getting big bucks at the Club that’s going backwards.
Other heads need to roll.
We are going to finish lowest level for years, shocking since October.

Just keep looking at results of Cardiff, Blackpool, Wigan and Hudds, they’re the only four I’m confident we can finish above.
Thankfully only one of them won today.
As for Les’s Psychologist 🙄nice one.

[londonranger]

Result seemed clear to me. Millwall are tough. We aren't

[harr]

It’s like coming down Mount Etna

[harr]

Almost like a record player on repeat now …

[evenlode]

There are calm heads on this site but surely everyone has to now start getting very concerned. A 3.5 year contract to a manager who has 50 games management experience is akin to putting an apprentice in charge of an established company..there’s only going to be one outcome. The already broken record of post match interviews smack of I haven’t got a clue so I will trot out the well worn cliches… time on the training pitch, concentration levels, more clinical finishing. The harsh facts are he hasn’t got the experience and the championship is a bloody dangerous playground for him to be trying to learn. On our current trend the 10 point gap we have got over the bottom 3/4 clubs could be gone by the end of March and the one definite is that if we drop into the bottom 4 we WILL be relegated as we have no leaders, grafters or bullies in our squad to fight our way out.
It’s for that reason we now have to piss away the 1.5 mill we got from Beale to pay NC and his crew off tomorrow.
Face facts, we are in severe danger, we’ve plummeted from top to 16th and the last 8 years clearly demonstrate that we never finish a season strongly!!
If Les and the board want to play Russian roulette now then on their heads be it… but if we drop we won’t be bouncing back any time soon .
Take responsibility, admit to a poor decision, get an experienced short term manager in to guarantee we stay up and will kick player arse and start again with the search for a manager that will command respect from our squad of players.

[harr]

I get the feeling if we don’t get a result Tuesday they will panic and cut their losses.
Anything but a win against Sunderland and he may go.
With a 10% win ratio he already owns the lowest ratio for many years maybe all time.
Let’s face it, I can’t see us getting much off Boro or Blackburn in this form and today he even thinks that performance was ok.
I think they might want someone fresh in for March against Rotherham,Blackpool and Birmingham
A 3 1/2 year deal at this point looks as ludicrous as the 4 year one they offered to Kakay in 2020.

I really hope we can get a win but our defence at the minute is utterly clueless so who knows.
Rather than a fortress at LR it’s a charity shop.

[hitmanrangers]

Very concerned now after another poor performance. I think NC has 3 games now to safe his job. If no win then we need experience man in for short term working alongside our next permanent boss. Warnock and Derry spring to mind!

[harr]

Surely we can get another 2-3 wins and a few draws to get us another 10 -11 points .

[nomar]

We may genuinely be lucky in that by the end of the season there will be three worse off teams than us. But, at the current rate of things, in 4 games time we are going to be in the bottom 3.

Once there it’s hard to see any recovery from that position with this team.

Right now, I’d have to say we look like a team sleepwalking into League 1.

[hitmanrangers]

I think we can get the points in the end but will the Board wait for the last 6 games to get them? I can’t see how we get out of this major slump without some change, but don’t have the answers! Maybe a change in system needed? 3 left footers in centre midfield, all of similar type, just doesn’t cut it for me. Tim has been out of form so understand why you would rest a young, inexperienced player who is clearly struggling playing in a team with zero confidence but why not start with Willock in central role behind the front line? Dozzell, Johansen and Field as a combo has never worked in the past. Is Amos injured again?

[londonranger]

Agree with evenlode. Cratchley in his interview seems to me to give the impression that he doesn't know what he is doing nor does he have any idea what to do next. Not brimming in confidence rather scared to death.
My feeling is if we don't beat Sunderland and I cant see that happening he should be let go. Then the question is does Ferdinand and company ltd know what their doing.\?

[harr]

Since losing to Birmingham and when Beale got tapped up.
L D L L L L *W D L D D D L D L. * Critchley
15 matches 9 points
If we repeat this form we will end up with 48 ?
48 seems a bit close for comfort, the bottom teams are going about a point a game at the minute but could change.
Surely we are due another win but are the players actually responding to Critchleys instructions ?

[evenlode]

Hitman , harr, nomar i jokingly said Id take 1/2 points from our feb fixtures… I didn’t expect to be proved bloody right!! I thought we’d get 6/7 points out of our previous 8/9 matches but the facts are we haven’t and more worryingly haven’t even looked close to getting them. The players have spat their dummies out once they got wind of Beale leaving (and that was 5/6 games before he actually went). And the outcome of it all is they got a manager with only 50 games experience!
They have very unprofessionally made their point to the board that NC is not the solution by their woeful, totally inadequate efforts.
I’m in the camp that surely we can find 3/4 wins but right now there is nothing I can see that’s going to make them happen..a scrappy 1-0 win (3 points I agree) isn’t going to suddenly bring about any change in attitude.
There isn’t one leader in our squad that is going to sit the squad down and question them on their attitude and professionalism .
And alas it’s clear NC doesn’t have the credibility or the balls to do it himself

[harr]

The players should be taking a good hard look at themselves.
Sadly the players got wind of what was going on the minute MB went up to Glasgow to watch that game and talk to whoever he talked too.
Something leaked from that to the players or the players just realised he was off.
That affected us over his last four matches, they didn’t care and he didn’t care as he was off.
The Manager though is supposed to lift the players when he starts, to get some authority to get some belief back in them in.
We went to Preston and got a good win, apart from the Sheff Utd match , there is not one other game in Critchleys tenure that I would say we deserved to win.
Swansea and Huddersfield we started off ok then just gave up and caved in halfway through .
Luton, Cardiff,Hull, Millwall were dreadful and most of the Reading game we were but salvaged a point with a bit of fight.

For me Balogun needs to be back in the team, even that is probably not enough now.
What a mess and to think the same thing happened last year is beyond belief, we are a shambles at the minute .
The players confidence is shot to pieces, today you Have Critchley saying that performance was ok and acceptable, was it ?
It will be a lottery if we beat Sunderland or not, more of luck than judgement.
We can’t afford to pay him off though on that crazy deal.

I noticed today some of the really pro leaving things the way fans of the club are starting to change their Minds, , there was a swing after todays game and people with a solid belief of , oh it will come right are starting to sway.

[Marc]

Feb 11, 2023 22:01:06 GMT evenlode said:

Hitman , harr, nomar i jokingly said Id take 1/2 points from our feb fixtures… I didn’t expect to be proved bloody right!! I thought we’d get 6/7 points out of our previous 8/9 matches but the facts are we haven’t and more worryingly haven’t even looked close to getting them. The players have spat their dummies out once they got wind of Beale leaving (and that was 5/6 games before he actually went). And the outcome of it all is they got a manager with only 50 games experience!
They have very unprofessionally made their point to the board that NC is not the solution by their woeful, totally inadequate efforts.
I’m in the camp that surely we can find 3/4 wins but right now there is nothing I can see that’s going to make them happen..a scrappy 1-0 win (3 points I agree) isn’t going to suddenly bring about any change in attitude.
There isn’t one leader in our squad that is going to sit the squad down and question them on their attitude and professionalism .
And alas it’s clear NC doesn’t have the credibility or the balls to do it himself

How many games experience did Beale come with?

[harr]

The big difference between Beale and Critchley is motivation.
Beale is a larger than life character, 100% on motivation and tactics and a big voice which lead the players the vision.
From the outside to me Critchley is 100% the opposite , doesn’t seem the sort of coach that would lay into the team after a dire first half and we have had quite a few games where we played crap for 45 then continued for another 45 exactly the same.
Obviously my assessment is only from the outside and he may well different to this but his post match interviews don’t seem that that there is enough passion and enough is being done to change things.
He thought that performance yesterday was acceptable, sorry I didn’t, we were the home team but started off lethargic and going through the motions.
The only thing in Critchleys favour is they can’t afford to pay him off so let’s hope by some miracle he gets a win against Sunderland as I can’t see it at Boro or against Blackburn, then by that point our cushion might be 5-6 points then we will be playing the bottom teams and they will be 6 pointers.
As a team we have been shocking since November, the players need to take some of this blame also.
Where are our leaders in there getting the players motivated and up for this club, I guess with loan players this can happen but to many in there not just bothered.
If we were giving 100% every week and getting beat then fair do’s but come on these performances have been crap.

Just hear the Southampton boss has been fired, guess we will be linked with him now seeing as he built the Luton team.

[robindubois]

Feb 11, 2023 20:54:03 GMT harr said:

I get the feeling if we don’t get a result Tuesday they will panic and cut their losses.
Anything but a win against Sunderland and he may go.
With a 10% win ratio he already owns the lowest ratio for many years maybe all time.
Let’s face it, I can’t see us getting much off Boro or Blackburn in this form and today he even thinks that performance was ok.
I think they might want someone fresh in for March against Rotherham,Blackpool and Birmingham
A 3 1/2 year deal at this point looks as ludicrous as the 4 year one they offered to Kakay in 2020.

I really hope we can get a win but our defence at the minute is utterly clueless so who knows.
Rather than a fortress at LR it’s a charity shop.

Interesting thing is the rot started under Beales last 5 games so is it the managers or the players?. 

Martin showed quickly what a bit of experienced rough can do. The only thing that will tighten our defence is if Balogan plays - the Dunne/Dickie partnership is a 2 goal start to the opposition but to be fair when we give the ball away so stupidly in front  of them they are exposed. Amos in for Dozzell is a must and maybe Tim I has learnt his lesson and can come back in. In short we are light weight and after our early success teams worked out quickly how to stop Chair (and Willock if he plays) and that cuts out our goals. What betting Willock will miss the rest of the season - and where is our Brighton loanee set to become transfer from Brighton? According to Beale he was brought in as a Willock replacement and to be honest I do not think I even know what looks like.

Even Seny is not at the same level as early season - not surprising with the defence in front of him. Since the  World Cup he does not seem to dominate his area like before, saves that he used to push out of play or hold are now pushed out for opposition tap ins. Player confidence and spirit at an all time low now - only a win will start to change that.  Still believe we have teh ability and will survive - maybe a surprise win against Blackburn or Boro will turn the tide.

[rickyqpr]

Just a few observations about Saturday:
First up, the journey to W12 just gets worse and worse (thanks to HS2 blocking all roads). I tried Scrubbs Lane for the journey home and that was no better., I was actually out of the house just under 7 hours to watch 90 minutes of football. It gets tougher!
It is all about opinions, but I don’t agree with probably the majority on-line. The atmosphere yesterday was good, the crowd stayed behind the team and they got a good reaction at the end – no booing. Millwall fans were their usual obnoxious selves - not complying with the minute silence.
I did not disagree with the team selection (given those available). Only 2 loanees starting. We are a an out of form, low confidence team, but in Armstrong, we had a decent outlet, but his final ball needs work. But Millwall scored with their first shot. It was our throw, right in front of where we sit, taken by Paal, very poorly, Field had no chance to trap it, and then tried to take one for the team by taking out Flemming, but missed. One ball over the top of Dickie and Dunne and we were behind.
But heads did not go down, they kept going. A second goal would surely kill us, but equally, we were still in the game. Millwall tried in vain to beat our offside so many times. But their main threat was from training ground routines, from set pieces anywhere on the ground, including throw-ons. Every Millwall player knew their role at a set piece. To be fair, we had done our homework and dealt well. By contrast, we look devoid of inspiration at set pieces. Not sure what we do on the training ground, but our throw-ons seem to hand the advantage back to the opposition – do we not have a long throw in the camp? We seem well prepared about the opposition tactics, but not much offensively.
We suffered some lengthy injuries. Ollie Burke had come on and was standing unmarked wide, with Laird not picking him up. I remarked that Burke would shortly get the second as we seemed oblivious, and he had just missed a decent chance sprinting away. After another lengthy injury (what the hell has happened to Willock now?) the throw-in routine was eventually taken (just as several times before) and we were completely asleep. Dozzell and Laird went for the same ball and only allowed it to run to the totally unmarked Burke swanning-in.
A really poor goal, both goals were, but we did not make too many defensive errors all afternoon. But we are being severely punished right now. In the manic last 10 minutes, with luck, we could have got something, but it was a lot of huff and puff.
I have watched Ethan Laird have some great games for us, but his crossing yesterday was very poor. Our back-up Kakay is no better. Paal and Field have been two of our best players, but they screwed it up between them. Johansen and Dozzell were overrun, but who is the backup? A 19 year old out of form loanee. He would have got on yesterday, but we had made 3 second half subs – due to Willock breaking down again. Our best player from October, seemingly unable to chase the ball yesterday before sitting down on the pitch.
So I am not saying that everything is wonderful, or that it is just bad luck. But I am not sure what any manager could do about events yesterday. Right team, players trying to play back into form, key injuries, 2 losses of concentration – defeat again. Where I will criticize the coaching team, is that our set pieces are so poor – but that has been the case for so long now – possibly because Chair does what ever he thinks we should do – although the only player yesterday likely to break them down.
But, my key point is that although frustrated, the atmosphere was still good, no hostility towards the team and the coaches, but then you get home and read the message boards…..
Critchley may sound boring, but have you listened to the sound bites the last 8 days from Nathan Jones? Not surprised at all that they sacked him!

[harr]

Feb 12, 2023 11:56:52 GMT rickyqpr said:

Just a few observations about Saturday:
First up, the journey to W12 just gets worse and worse (thanks to HS2 blocking all roads). I tried Scrubbs Lane for the journey home and that was no better., I was actually out of the house just under 7 hours to watch 90 minutes of football. It gets tougher!
It is all about opinions, but I don’t agree with probably the majority on-line. The atmosphere yesterday was good, the crowd stayed behind the team and they got a good reaction at the end – no booing. Millwall fans were their usual obnoxious selves - not complying with the minute silence.
I did not disagree with the team selection (given those available). Only 2 loanees starting. We are a an out of form, low confidence team, but in Armstrong, we had a decent outlet, but his final ball needs work. But Millwall scored with their first shot. It was our throw, right in front of where we sit, taken by Paal, very poorly, Field had no chance to trap it, and then tried to take one for the team by taking out Flemming, but missed. One ball over the top of Dickie and Dunne and we were behind.
But heads did not go down, they kept going. A second goal would surely kill us, but equally, we were still in the game. Millwall tried in vain to beat our offside so many times. But their main threat was from training ground routines, from set pieces anywhere on the ground, including throw-ons. Every Millwall player knew their role at a set piece. To be fair, we had done our homework and dealt well. By contrast, we look devoid of inspiration at set pieces. Not sure what we do on the training ground, but our throw-ons seem to hand the advantage back to the opposition – do we not have a long throw in the camp? We seem well prepared about the opposition tactics, but not much offensively.
We suffered some lengthy injuries. Ollie Burke had come on and was standing unmarked wide, with Laird not picking him up. I remarked that Burke would shortly get the second as we seemed oblivious, and he had just missed a decent chance sprinting away. After another lengthy injury (what the hell has happened to Willock now?) the throw-in routine was eventually taken (just as several times before) and we were completely asleep. Dozzell and Laird went for the same ball and only allowed it to run to the totally unmarked Burke swanning-in.
A really poor goal, both goals were, but we did not make too many defensive errors all afternoon. But we are being severely punished right now. In the manic last 10 minutes, with luck, we could have got something, but it was a lot of huff and puff.
I have watched Ethan Laird have some great games for us, but his crossing yesterday was very poor. Our back-up Kakay is no better. Paal and Field have been two of our best players, but they screwed it up between them. Johansen and Dozzell were overrun, but who is the backup? A 19 year old out of form loanee. He would have got on yesterday, but we had made 3 second half subs – due to Willock breaking down again. Our best player from October, seemingly unable to chase the ball yesterday before sitting down on the pitch.
So I am not saying that everything is wonderful, or that it is just bad luck. But I am not sure what any manager could do about events yesterday. Right team, players trying to play back into form, key injuries, 2 losses of concentration – defeat again. Where I will criticize the coaching team, is that our set pieces are so poor – but that has been the case for so long now – possibly because Chair does what ever he thinks we should do – although the only player yesterday likely to break them down.
But, my key point is that although frustrated, the atmosphere was still good, no hostility towards the team and the coaches, but then you get home and read the message boards…..
Critchley may sound boring, but have you listened to the sound bites the last 8 days from Nathan Jones? Not surprised at all that they sacked him!

I wasn’t at the game yesterday Ricky but was it correct that about 5-6 of the players just walked straight to the tunnel?
The bit about Millwall scoring with there first shot is a regular occurence though Ricky, I could go through the pattern of lots of games this season and they go like this , QPR 7 attacks no shot in target, opposing team 2 attacks one on target and it’s 1 Nil.
That is QPR at he minute, defence as fragile as glass.
Balogun is the only person on our books to stop that, without him the defence is not a defence.
What any Manager can do?
What most Mangers do when they take over a team is start at the back and sure up the defence.
Warnock ( and I’m not saying get him in ) would Always do this and so do others, however our defence has stayed as bad, he has not stopped it making stupid mistakes, sadly they are not believing in him yet.

[rickyqpr]

Feb 12, 2023 13:17:03 GMT harr said:

Feb 12, 2023 11:56:52 GMT rickyqpr said:

I wasn’t at the game yesterday Ricky but was it correct that about 5-6 of the players just walked straight to the tunnel?
The bit about Millwall scoring with there first shot is a regular occurence though Ricky, I could go through the pattern of lots of games this season and they go like this , QPR 7 attacks no shot in target, opposing team 2 attacks one on target and it’s 1 Nil.
That is QPR at he minute, defence as fragile as glass.
Balogun is the only person on our books to stop that, without him the defence is not a defence.
What any Manager can do?
What most Mangers do when they take over a team is start at the back and sure up the defence.
Warnock ( and I’m not saying get him in ) would Always do this and so do others, however our defence has stayed as bad, he has not stopped it making stupid mistakes, sadly they are not believing in him yet.

My honest answer is that I don't know if players went straight down the tunnel. It is always a slow meander over, and I clapped those in front of me, without checking for absentees.
I agree about sorting out the defence and the sloppy mistakes, but yet again we had injuries yesterday. Playing with Dickie and Dunne in a 4 doesn't work, but Clarke-Salter was missing again yesterday.
We had Gubbins on the bench as back up centre half. I would prefer we played with a back 3, but how often have we had 3 fit?
Balogun is an interesting one. All sorts of rumours about his absence and mystery injury - but due to be back in full training this week.
But as well as he started, he had a couple of very poor games before his injury and was dropped.
But a back three from Dunne, Dickie, Clake Salter and Balogun may be our best way out of this.

[londonranger]

In my mind we just don't score goals. or one or two here and there. Thats how you win games. By scoring more than the opposition.So we lose games. They're getting paid well. Just do the work.