[Archived] The Championship 2013/14

[Waggy76]

i think the way to play to Rhodes strengths would have been in the 1990's with two wingers whipping crosses in. Unfortunately 4-4-2 is being overtaken by 4-5-1/4-2-3-1, ultimately meaning that a striker whilst weighing in with goals must be able to bring others into play. Ball retention and finding your 3 supporting players is vital. Otherwise it ends up in the situation of last year whereby the ball just doesn't stick and there is no way to build an attack.

I like the guy - he's honest, hard working and gives 100% - Unfortunately I don't see him as a PL striker unless he seriously develops his all round game.

I might add that £8m for Rhodes was the transfer dealings by a man who doesn't understand football. Singh thought he could solve all of our problems by buying a goalscorer, our version of a marquee signing. Unfortunately the @#/? failed to recognise that we had the most unbalanced squad in the top three divisions.

It is footballers that win matches not formations ...

In the 90s we played 442 ...If the centre forward of that day played today we could play any formation you like and we would walk the league !

[Jimmy612]

It is footballers that win matches not formations ...

In the 90s we played 442 ...If the centre forward of that day played today we could play any formation you like and we would walk the league !

All very true Waggy, point taken. However, that team was built with the intention of getting the ball to excellent crossers, once they delivered it there was only one man going to win it.

Anyway Rhodes isn't fit to tie Shearers boots. No shame in that. But we broke that transfer record with a plan to build a great team. A team that would compliment our best asset. Last season we chucked £8m at a lad who scores goals. No consideration of how he plays or how to get the best out of him, or whether he would suit our style. 'Just drop him in and we've spent that much that he's bound to get us promoted'

A shortsighted move and £8m pounds badly spent, relative to how it should have been used to create a team.

[thenodrog]

Now your for it Jimmy612! The 'JR walks on water' teeny club will have your guts for garters.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

All very true Waggy, point taken. However, that team was built with the intention of getting the ball to excellent crossers, once they delivered it there was only one man going to win it.

Anyway Rhodes isn't fit to tie Shearers boots. No shame in that. But we broke that transfer record with a plan to build a great team. A team that would compliment our best asset. Last season we chucked £8m at a lad who scores goals. No consideration of how he plays or how to get the best out of him, or whether he would suit our style. 'Just drop him in and we've spent that much that he's bound to get us promoted'

A shortsighted move and £8m pounds badly spent, relative to how it should have been used to create a team.

I couldn't agree more. After seeing him fail to make any impression on the two fourth division centre halves at Rochdale I decided to stop worrying about a top club coming in for him and start worrying about where our goals will be coming from.

[Jimmy612]

I couldn't agree more. After seeing him fail to make any impression on the two fourth division centre halves at Rochdale I decided to stop worrying about a top club coming in for him and start worrying about where are goals will be coming from.

Well one thing is for sure - if he isn't scoring goals he may as well be sat next to me for all the use he is in other aspects of a forwards game.

It's a very interesting subject. Play the guy that will score 20+ goals a season but contributes very little to the rest of the team. Or play a striker who scores maybe 15 goals but does the unselfish, ugly work that is never appreciated by the majority of fans, but you can guarantee will be hugely appreciated by his team-mates

Now your for it Jimmy612! The 'JR walks on water' teeny club will have your guts for garters.

It's surprising how few actually disagree with my comments, except Rev obviously

[Blue blood]

i think the way to play to Rhodes strengths would have been in the 1990's with two wingers whipping crosses in. Unfortunately 4-4-2 is being overtaken by 4-5-1/4-2-3-1, ultimately meaning that a striker whilst weighing in with goals must be able to bring others into play. Ball retention and finding your 3 supporting players is vital. Otherwise it ends up in the situation of last year whereby the ball just doesn't stick and there is no way to build an attack.

I like the guy - he's honest, hard working and gives 100% - Unfortunately I don't see him as a PL striker unless he seriously develops his all round game.

I might add that £8m for Rhodes was the transfer dealings by a man who doesn't understand football. Singh thought he could solve all of our problems by buying a goalscorer, our version of a marquee signing. Unfortunately the @#/? failed to recognise that we had the most unbalanced squad in the top three divisions.

Agree although having said that Huddersfield set up their team around Rhodes and it worked. Also didn't Spurs play a fair bit of 4-4-2 until recently, with two traditional wingers which brought them success?

I think we're saying the same thing - you go with a system that suits the players you have, or get in the players to suit the system. Given the generally poor quality of the championship I think 4-4-2 can work with the right players - although perhaps it is more of a 4-4-1-1 (which seems to be equally prevalent at the moment and can be success - Barnsley away last year comes to mind).

I wonder how much we - and more importantly GB - should factor in who stays or not. There are question marks about both staying, and loosing either one means losing that formation's main champion/the fulcrum of that tactic.

[Tom]

Burnley lead and I hate to say it but some of the football they play is better than the football we played last season, much more dynamic movement

I think Ings will bag 20 or so this season

As I speak its now 1-1 they still look suspect at the back

[Josh]

Burnley lead and I hate to say it but some of the football they play is better than the football we played last season, much more dynamic movement

I think Ings will bag 20 or so this season

As I speak its now 1-1 they still look suspect at the back

Ings can't stay fit, otherwise I'd agree with you

[Gally]

Both teams looking decent in that first half.

Burnley's starting XI doesn't look all that bad, but looking at the bench they're only a few bad injuries away from a crisis.

[arbitro]

Burnley lead and I hate to say it but some of the football they play is better than the football we played last season, much more dynamic movement

I think Ings will bag 20 or so this season

As I speak its now 1-1 they still look suspect at the back

And Bolton look weak defensively too. Knight has had a Joe Cocker so far and Wheater looks cumbersome. Not sure about Bogdan in goal neither.

[meerkat]

First home game of the season, local derby, attendance 12,919

[blueboy3333]

First home game of the season, local derby, attendance 12,919

we'll sell more season ticKets than that. Perhaps!

How many did Bolton take. Whatever happened to their away support? It used to be very good back in the 70's & 80's but they've brought pitiful numbers to Ewood lately.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/02/harry-redknapp-qpr-championship

Anyone else have a serious dislike for good ol' Harry?

[thenodrog]

we'll sell more season ticKets than that. Perhaps!

I'd seriously doubt that blueboy. I've no idea where we are in ST sales but if I were to make a guess I'd estimate something in the region of 8k.

[blueboy3333]

I'd seriously doubt that blueboy. I've no idea where we are in ST sales but if I were to make a guess I'd estimate something in the region of 8k.

we've already sold 10k according to Kamy.

[longsiders1882]

A decent enough start against supposedly one of the favourites for the league. If we can add another couple of players then I'll feel more confident about having a chance of surviving another season at this level.

Was a little surprised at our defensive performance, the left back looking out of his depth to me. Still think we will lose trippier before the window closes and that will be a much bigger issue than losing Austin.

Poor attendance but I wasn't entirely surprised. Factoring in the collapse in season ticket sales, being on TV and then flogging your star striker 2 days before (along with a less than inspiring comment from the chief exec) and I guess it was to be expected. Pretty poor turnout from Bolton compared to their following in decades gone by.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

2-2,500 from Bolton but remember live Sky coverage never helped our home attendances either!

[longsiders1882]

I wasn't commenting on your attendances SG or blaming it all on Sky, just said it didn't help. Our season ticket sales have fallen throug the floor, I heard less then 6500 but not sure.

I think we averaged around 13,000 last season but I don't think we will be close this time.

[Guest Norbert]

we'll sell more season ticKets than that. Perhaps!

How many did Bolton take. Whatever happened to their away support? It used to be very good back in the 70's & 80's but they've brought pitiful numbers to Ewood lately.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/02/harry-redknapp-qpr-championship

Anyone else have a serious dislike for good ol' Harry?

Redknapp? I can't stand him. All this cockney barrow boy nonsense, public tapping up of players e.g. "Nelsen would be an immense signing, and I'd love him at my club but he is contracted to Blackburn......" and the fact he has so over rated by the sycophantic media really annoys me. Oh, and the corruption that we all suspect has happened with transfers, his return to Portsmouth etc.

[West Yorks Rover]

Redknapp? I can't stand him. All this cockney barrow boy nonsense, public tapping up of players e.g. "Nelsen would be an immense signing, and I'd love him at my club but he is contracted to Blackburn......" and the fact he has so over rated by the sycophantic media really annoys me. Oh, and the corruption that we all suspect has happened with transfers, his return to Portsmouth etc.

They don't call im ' onest arry ' for nothin !

[blueboy3333]

Redknapp? I can't stand him. All this cockney barrow boy nonsense, public tapping up of players e.g. "Nelsen would be an immense signing, and I'd love him at my club but he is contracted to Blackburn......" and the fact he has so over rated by the sycophantic media really annoys me. Oh, and the corruption that we all suspect has happened with transfers, his return to Portsmouth etc.

Agreed...and the fact that nothings ever his fault... they've just gone 1 down to Sheff W. shame.

[EgyptianPete]

I wasn't commenting on your attendances SG or blaming it all on Sky, just said it didn't help. Our season ticket sales have fallen throug the floor, I heard less then 6500 but not sure.

I think we averaged around 13,000 last season but I don't think we will be close this time.

Dare i say optimism at Ewood for a change, more than 10.000 season tickets sold, and by all accounts going to have a very healthy following at away matches, and if Bolton are one of the favorites to go up, well after todays performance i think anyone who is consistent (hope its us) promotion is defo up for grabs, IMO

[blueboy3333]

Joey Barton tweet from May:-

I'll just re-iterate for a lot of the buffoons tweeting me. I WILL NOT BE PLAYING IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT SEASON. Hope that clears that up!

playing well fro QPR today apparently!

[Guest Norbert]

Is he alongside Henry?

[rovers11]

Could see QPR struggling this season. They have good individuals but they don't player well together as a team. There attitude is questionable also.

They'll have the same problem as us last season, expensive flops who don't really care.

[yoda's brother]

Could see QPR struggling this season. They have good individuals but they don't player well together as a team. There attitude is questionable also.

They'll have the same problem as us last season, expensive flops who don't really care.

they are 2-1 up now