Post by rickyqpr on Feb 28, 2023 10:02:47 GMT
Watching our team has been the craziest I can remember.
Last Autumn, it felt so good, we were never giving up, conjuring another goal from wherever. I suppose there is always a counterbalance, but watching now, it is hard to see where the next goal, let alone the next point is going to come from.
From here, I think it will go one of two ways. We are either going to just sink like a stone (as now) or we will get lucky and build on that luck. I am beginning to think that the stone is now more likely.
I have watched the games, the players, the bad luck, the same errors, the heads go down and then today seen the accounts – almost the final straw that says that even if we survive this season, financially and on the pitch, then next year is going to be a breach unless we have a fire sale this Summer. The realization of how bleak it is, very saddening.
It has been at times bewildering, but I would observe the following.
• Our model, based on the Eze business example is looking very flawed post Covid. The market for Championship players has collapsed.
• Under Warburton, we gave it a go and spent money that we could ill afford – and now those purchases are looking every bit a mistake and valueless.
• Under Beale, we strapped in and enjoyed the ride – and at times rode our luck. But I believe that the system he deployed was found out long before he departed. Playing advanced full backs with only 2 at the back (especially when it was Dickie and Dunne) was exploited – and has continued to be, throughout Critchley’s time.
• Beale’s decision to depart was partly due to him realizing that he could not succeed at QPR – the club backed him with his own signings, but he wanted more – the accounts show why he was stopped – so he started looking around, leaving behind his children for another woman. The children wanted daddy back and blamed mother.
• Beale left us with loans who just want to go home. Losing form and downing tools. Roberts was supposed to be available 3 weeks ago, but did not feel quite right. He is in the video training with Ainsworth, and yet still not in the squad. If he was available, we probably have to play him under the terms of the loan, so we have to pick players who do not give a toss.
• Our defence is woeful, making individual and collective mistakes. Dickie and Dunne are better in a back 3, but we do not have 3 available most of the time because Balogun and Clarke-Salter are sick notes, we let Masterson go out on loan. Kakay looks ok going forward, but his defending is not Championship standard. We only have one left back. Dickie has been dreadful – once our best player. Dieng is in his poorest run of form since he won his place in the team. We are regularly letting in 3 goals a game with a squad devoid of strikers, we are sure to lose – it is not rocket science.
• Midfield – this should have been the season for Dozzell to step up – he hasn’t. Johansen is another year older and injury prone, it seems we have to select Iroegbunam irrespective of form. Amos is in his final year with us and needed games – he has been injured throughout and was not chosen to come on Saturday even when on the bench. Field is the only star at the moment.
• January saw Bonne depart and Chris Martin arrive. Given our finances, you can see why.
• Injuries – we have lost some big names this season. For the last few weeks, we have been missing 8 or 9 key players through injuries – especially lengthy hamstrings. A club of our size cannot cope with that, unless the youth step up. It would seem that our youth is not good enough, again Armstrong was not even on the bench Saturday. Our current injury list includes: Laird, Balogun, Clarke-Salter, Chair, Willock, Dykes, Roberts, Richards(?) Amos (?) & Armstrong. That list is pretty incredible, but couple that with a complete lack of form and confidence, although we often start well, it is all so fragile, and not very good teams do not have to work very hard to beat us.
• If, and a big if, we are to turn this round, then it may come down to players returning from injury or that little bit of luck that has been missing for weeks – we used it all up under Beale. But the accounts leave us in little doubt, that relegation would be a disaster for this club, because a points deduction in the lower tier would leave us looking up to teams like Derby, Plymouth and maybe even Leyton Orient. So, I truly hope that fortune will smile on us. Very worried though.
Last Autumn, it felt so good, we were never giving up, conjuring another goal from wherever. I suppose there is always a counterbalance, but watching now, it is hard to see where the next goal, let alone the next point is going to come from.
From here, I think it will go one of two ways. We are either going to just sink like a stone (as now) or we will get lucky and build on that luck. I am beginning to think that the stone is now more likely.
I have watched the games, the players, the bad luck, the same errors, the heads go down and then today seen the accounts – almost the final straw that says that even if we survive this season, financially and on the pitch, then next year is going to be a breach unless we have a fire sale this Summer. The realization of how bleak it is, very saddening.
It has been at times bewildering, but I would observe the following.
• Our model, based on the Eze business example is looking very flawed post Covid. The market for Championship players has collapsed.
• Under Warburton, we gave it a go and spent money that we could ill afford – and now those purchases are looking every bit a mistake and valueless.
• Under Beale, we strapped in and enjoyed the ride – and at times rode our luck. But I believe that the system he deployed was found out long before he departed. Playing advanced full backs with only 2 at the back (especially when it was Dickie and Dunne) was exploited – and has continued to be, throughout Critchley’s time.
• Beale’s decision to depart was partly due to him realizing that he could not succeed at QPR – the club backed him with his own signings, but he wanted more – the accounts show why he was stopped – so he started looking around, leaving behind his children for another woman. The children wanted daddy back and blamed mother.
• Beale left us with loans who just want to go home. Losing form and downing tools. Roberts was supposed to be available 3 weeks ago, but did not feel quite right. He is in the video training with Ainsworth, and yet still not in the squad. If he was available, we probably have to play him under the terms of the loan, so we have to pick players who do not give a toss.
• Our defence is woeful, making individual and collective mistakes. Dickie and Dunne are better in a back 3, but we do not have 3 available most of the time because Balogun and Clarke-Salter are sick notes, we let Masterson go out on loan. Kakay looks ok going forward, but his defending is not Championship standard. We only have one left back. Dickie has been dreadful – once our best player. Dieng is in his poorest run of form since he won his place in the team. We are regularly letting in 3 goals a game with a squad devoid of strikers, we are sure to lose – it is not rocket science.
• Midfield – this should have been the season for Dozzell to step up – he hasn’t. Johansen is another year older and injury prone, it seems we have to select Iroegbunam irrespective of form. Amos is in his final year with us and needed games – he has been injured throughout and was not chosen to come on Saturday even when on the bench. Field is the only star at the moment.
• January saw Bonne depart and Chris Martin arrive. Given our finances, you can see why.
• Injuries – we have lost some big names this season. For the last few weeks, we have been missing 8 or 9 key players through injuries – especially lengthy hamstrings. A club of our size cannot cope with that, unless the youth step up. It would seem that our youth is not good enough, again Armstrong was not even on the bench Saturday. Our current injury list includes: Laird, Balogun, Clarke-Salter, Chair, Willock, Dykes, Roberts, Richards(?) Amos (?) & Armstrong. That list is pretty incredible, but couple that with a complete lack of form and confidence, although we often start well, it is all so fragile, and not very good teams do not have to work very hard to beat us.
• If, and a big if, we are to turn this round, then it may come down to players returning from injury or that little bit of luck that has been missing for weeks – we used it all up under Beale. But the accounts leave us in little doubt, that relegation would be a disaster for this club, because a points deduction in the lower tier would leave us looking up to teams like Derby, Plymouth and maybe even Leyton Orient. So, I truly hope that fortune will smile on us. Very worried though.
