v QPR (a) - 25/2/23

[DeeCee]

1 hour ago, Shirley Crabtree Wrestler said:

We always come down to earth with a solid bump after a run of decent form, so no reason to expect anything other than a reverse at Loftus Road on Saturday. Ainsworth won't have had much time to put his marker on the players he's inherited, but suffice it to say there is enough on paper at QPR to more than give our lads a game.

Positives - we are not conceding many goals, and appear to work hard to deliver JDT's system these days, so not expecting a tonking

Negatives - everyone knows we can't score for sheet, and our squad is paper thin AND we can be bullied into lapses at critical times, so more than likely the wheels might come off due to the new manager bounce thing..

Other considerations: We have a small matter of a 5th round tie at Leicester next Tuesday, for a place in the last 8 - nice opportunity for some fringe players to stake their claim to a regular spot in the first 11, against vastly superior (on paper) opposition.

Back to Saturday:

Heart - QPR 1 Rovers 2

Head - QPR 1 Rovers 1

Hoops - QPR 7 Rovers 0

C'mon Rovers, Heart me up!

Or for players to hide to make sure they aren't injured for the Leicester game. Cynical, sorry.

[bluebruce]

11 hours ago, ben_the_beast said:

Critchley has had a shocker and the whole club looked lost. They've got some quality players, but like us lacked a striker and brought in Chris Martin, whom I'd have liked us to sign once the window slammed shut.

Their whole club looked lost, yet they still managed to sign a reasonable striker. Fancy that.

[Paul Mani]

Same team, bar Carter for Ayala. Fingers crossed Diaz on the bench instead of Vale and ready to come on with 20 mins to go, for Gally and get the winner!

FWIW - watching Brittain on Tuesday only cemented my opinion that he’s the best fullback we’ve had at the club in years. But for injuries, he’d be held in the same esteem as Hyam, if not better. Which is high praise since I rate Hyam the best CB we’ve had since Nelson and Samba!!

JRC magical at RB, and the little tactical move to switch to a three in defence when we have possession and tuck him into midfield is working at treat. The ball he played to Sorba for the goal on Tuesday night was filthy!! Keep proving folk wrong, Joe!

Szmodics is a good player too. Looking forwards to him getting a run and showing people what he can do.

praying Gally can shake these horrific performances off to play himself back into form. There is a handful of a player in there somewhere, we need him fast!!

[arbitro]

Loftus Road is probably my favourite away ground as it's compactness and steep stands really lends itself to make it atmospheric, more so than any other ground in my view. You are right on top of the pitch and can really get involved in the game. Hopefully we get a good following and a result to make the journey home and days after enjoyable.

With the wind in the right direction we can win it but I'd take a draw.

[AllRoverAsia]

The game has been selected for international TV

https://m.livesoccertv.com/match/4364306/queens-park-rangers-vs-blackburn-rovers/

[B16Rover]

For me if we are having Costello cut in side which I do think works with the back 4/back 3 shift then surely we play him left back (cutting onto his right - despite the defensive risk) and have Britain at right back to utilize his drive down the wing and crossing ability. 

 

May be an issue in that Britain and Thomas play a similar game (both want to beat a man on the outside and play a ball in) however 

[ben_the_beast]

34 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

For me if we are having Costello cut in side which I do think works with the back 4/back 3 shift then surely we play him left back (cutting onto his right - despite the defensive risk) and have Britain at right back to utilize his drive down the wing and crossing ability. 

 

May be an issue in that Britain and Thomas play a similar game (both want to beat a man on the outside and play a ball in) however 

However we set up it will be huge having them both available. We all know we can be pretty impotent going forward at times. Some creativity and ability from both full backs will be a welcome step forwards and hopefully bring a bit more balance to the side. 

I thought it was striking on Sorba's debut that all of our attacking went down his flank. We were constantly feeding it into him. A big part of that was both JRC and Carter as the right centre back being more comfortable on the ball. My hope is that they both stay fit and it helps us stretch the pitch. They're both competent enough on the ball to retain it when stepping into midfield, creating overloads. 

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

They'll be bang up for it and Ainsworth will get them giving their all for the shirt as a minimum. I'm predicting a lot of grit not a lot of quality and a hard to watch 0-0 

[superniko]

If we do win on Saturday, we'll be on 55 points from 34 games, the exact same as last year (albeit way worse goal difference). 

Match 34 last year, we lost 1-0 to Sheffield United after the red card and Khadra(?) missed penalty (we won 2 of the next 10 after that!)

With a more solid foundation and JDT, you'd have to fancy us to not fall apart as much as last year. Win on Saturday and I can't see those last 2 games of the season being dead rubbers (Home to Luton, Away to Millwall)

We were on 55 points from 34, only won 2 of the next 10 then still had a chance going into Bournemouth and Birmingham (our final 2). Looking back I think it's a toss up between Sheffiled United away and Coventry away that made me feel most sick last year.

Edited February 23, 2023 by superniko

[ageoftherover]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

The game has been selected for international TV

https://m.livesoccertv.com/match/4364306/queens-park-rangers-vs-blackburn-rovers/

Sweet. Looks like Saturday's going to be a late one then.

[booth]

The ball that JRC played in the build up to the goal was pretty special. Perhaps JDT is the manager JRC was waiting for?

[J*B]

3 hours ago, superniko said:

If we do win on Saturday, we'll be on 55 points from 34 games, the exact same as last year (albeit way worse goal difference). 

Match 34 last year, we lost 1-0 to Sheffield United after the red card and Khadra(?) missed penalty (we won 2 of the next 10 after that!)

With a more solid foundation and JDT, you'd have to fancy us to not fall apart as much as last year. Win on Saturday and I can't see those last 2 games of the season being dead rubbers (Home to Luton, Away to Millwall)

We were on 55 points from 34, only won 2 of the next 10 then still had a chance going into Bournemouth and Birmingham (our final 2). Looking back I think it's a toss up between Sheffiled United away and Coventry away that made me feel most sick last year.

Coventry away for me. I’ll never forget how predictable that game was as it played out and how Tony did absolutely nothing to turn it into our favour. 

[ben_the_beast]

29 minutes ago, J*B said:

Coventry away for me. I’ll never forget how predictable that game was as it played out and how Tony did absolutely nothing to turn it into our favour. 

There are so many games that made me sick last year that I can't bear to go through them 

[Sweaty Gussets]

https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-ainsworth-qpr-wycombe-26301662

Ainsworth saying he would have only left Wycombe for Rovers or QPR

[Aqualung]

7 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

The game has been selected for international TV

https://m.livesoccertv.com/match/4364306/queens-park-rangers-vs-blackburn-rovers/

Does this mean it won't be on Rovers TV? 

[Herbie6590]

Some pre-match nonsense from me for our good friends @LoftForWords should you fancy…

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/59683

[yankfan]

Hard pressed to see where a goal comes from 0-0 draw

[bigbrandjohn]

1 hour ago, Herbie6590 said:

Some pre-match nonsense from me for our good friends @LoftForWords should you fancy…

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/59683

Great write up. Some of those results beggar belief. 

[jim mk2]

How are ticket sales going? 

[WacoRover]

2 hours ago, yankfan said:

Hard pressed to see where a goal comes from 0-0 draw

I could see this, & I wouldn’t be devastated if it happens. I love great defending, & lately, I’ve been impressed with Pears & Co. 

 

[47er]

First match with a new manager. Bad luck that. Bound to be a factor and Ainsworth is a motivator.

QPR on a dreadful run--we've always been kind to clubs in these circumstances.

Suspect we will lose it.

[smiller14]

18 hours ago, ben_the_beast said:

There are so many games that made me sick last year that I can't bear to go through them 

Coventry was a sickener, but in the second half of the season alone:

• Hull (a) - a tepid, lifeless performance when in a good position in the league
• Peterborough (a) - nothing needs to be said
• Reading (a) - another lifeless display vs a poor side
• Swansea (a) - vs 10 men we had Giles whipping in crosses, however inexplicitly spent most of the game playing Buckley as a false 9
• Bristol City (h) - the penalty miss summed it all up 

The fact we aren't far off last season's points tally (and could level it this weekend) is encouraging. Last year we were currently in the midst of a meltdown that never really subsided, so confident we will better last year's points haul. 

[47er]

10 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

confident we will better last year's points haul. 

If we do we have a very good chance of finishing 6th, we were 8th last season.

[smiller14]

18 minutes ago, 47er said:

If we do we have a very good chance of finishing 6th, we were 8th last season.

Agreed!  We were 6 points off last year - realistically (in the unlikely event the points totals matched last year), we'd need 7 more to take goal difference out of the equation. 

I am nevertheless positive. I must admit there have been times this year I've been despondent, as some of the bad performances have been bad to the point of having no redeeming features or glimmer of positivity. However, unlike previous years, we've generally bounced back. It's been a strange one - we're either a pub team or incredibly well drilled and organised. 

[Mattyblue]

That Sheff Utd away game was when I first got the sinking feeling that we were going to bottle it.