v QPR (a) - 4/2/2025

[Ghost7]

32 minutes ago, M_B said:

He had a shot brilliantly saved and put the penalty away. We never got near their box after he went off.

It's as if people give their marks out before we've kicked off, the Dolan and Hedges comparisons just show a lack of football knowledge.

We can all shoot at goal... beating the keeper from open play is another matter. His technique is hurried and lacks conviction. (Dolan). His efforts on goal look more like kid in the back garden stuff to me. I can't stand watching him at this level but it isn't his fault I've had to watch him so much over the past 4 years. It's due to a total lack of investment in his position. Hedges is crap too. Sadly they're both a huge reason why we've not made the playoffs in recent years... Nowhere near good enough.

[rovers11]

It's very clear where the problems lie - our attack is toothless. A consequence of a chronic lack of investment in the forward areas over many years.

It goes without saying Hedges and Dolan are playing a league above their level. Gueye and Ohashi are handfuls but will never be prolific goalscorers, and Weimann is a good sub but not good enough to start.

Duberry and Cantwell are talented players but are not suited to a defensive style of football. Kargbo did look direct and pacy in the few minutes he had yesterday. Someone who at least tries to take on defenders is exactly what we need so that was promising.

Dennis could be the answer to our problems but, if he does well, he will move onto better things in the summer and we are back to square one. 

Pears has done OK this season but is still a very poor GK imo. He's got a very good defence in front of him this season and a well drilled side which is why he's not made as many howlers, but he's an accident waiting to happen every game.

Despite being 5th in the league, I look at the bigger picture of where we are as a club right now and we're in a very poor place. No assets, ageing squad, absent owners, players coming out of contract in the summer, and no genuine attacking talent in the squad. Many of us can see that if we continue on this trajectory then we will be playing in league one in the next couple of seasons. Some may say that's ridiculous as we're currently 5th in the league, but the reality is very different once Eustace moves onto better things. 

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

30 minutes ago, rovers11 said:

It's very clear where the problems lie - our attack is toothless. A consequence of a chronic lack of investment in the forward areas over many years.

It goes without saying Hedges and Dolan are playing a league above their level. Gueye and Ohashi are handfuls but will never be prolific goalscorers, and Weimann is a good sub but not good enough to start.

Duberry and Cantwell are talented players but are not suited to a defensive style of football. Kargbo did look direct and pacy in the few minutes he had yesterday. Someone who at least tries to take on defenders is exactly what we need so that was promising.

Dennis could be the answer to our problems but, if he does well, he will move onto better things in the summer and we are back to square one. 

Pears has done OK this season but is still a very poor GK imo. He's got a very good defence in front of him this season and a well drilled side which is why he's not made as many howlers, but he's an accident waiting to happen every game.

Despite being 5th in the league, I look at the bigger picture of where we are as a club right now and we're in a very poor place. No assets, ageing squad, absent owners, players coming out of contract in the summer, and no genuine attacking talent in the squad. Many of us can see that if we continue on this trajectory then we will be playing in league one in the next couple of seasons. Some may say that's ridiculous as we're currently 5th in the league, but the reality is very different once Eustace moves onto better things. 

Well said

A collapse into League One is coming and our only chance to avoid this is promotion

[speeeeeeedie]

2 hours ago, M_B said:

He had a shot brilliantly saved and put the penalty away. We never got near their box after he went off.

It's as if people give their marks out before we've kicked off, the Dolan and Hedges comparisons just show a lack of football knowledge.

Dolan started the season well, most on here acknowledged that. Since about October he's reverted to type. 

He was poor last night and overall, it summed up his Rovers career; looked busy, bad decision making, a goal from nothing, then off after 60 minutes.

He was at his most frustrating at the start. His foul for the free kick that led to their first goal was amateur hour. Then not 2 minutes later he was driving toward their box, had a great opportunity to put Gueye in on goal but didn't pass it and instead ran into 2 defenders on the edge of the box.

As to your "lack of football knowledge" comment, are you saying that you have more than everyone else on here who's watched Dolan over the past few years? He's not good enough, but he'll leave in the summer and will be replaced by an even lesser player. 

[alcd]

4 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

We won and looked pretty good against Preston, generally have been playing well. Last night we got well beaten but overall think we have been pretty solid losing quite a few games marginally (Bristol City, Coventry etc). 

We'll miss out on top six but should finish top half. 

The big question the club needs to ask itself is how to update the squad to win mid week games over the November to February period. It's our absolute achilles heel - if we could solve that then we might have a chance of top six. We need more high energy high fitness players - these relentless games are not won by quality (although you need a bit), they are won by who is the least exhausted and the most fit when you have played 8 games in 20 days etc.

The real issue the club needs to address is retaining the key players who've put them where they are now. Absolutely no sign and even less chance of that happening. Next season will be an absolute shit show. 

[Cherry Blue]

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Dolan started the season well, most on here acknowledged that. Since about October he's reverted to type. 

He was poor last night and overall, it summed up his Rovers career; looked busy, bad decision making, a goal from nothing, then off after 60 minutes.

He was at his most frustrating at the start. His foul for the free kick that led to their first goal was amateur hour. Then not 2 minutes later he was driving toward their box, had a great opportunity to put Gueye in on goal but didn't pass it and instead ran into 2 defenders on the edge of the box.

As to your "lack of football knowledge" comment, are you saying that you have more than everyone else on here who's watched Dolan over the past few years? He's not good enough, but he'll leave in the summer and will be replaced by an even lesser player. 

Watching on skytv i saw JE shout to him towards end of first half. To me Dolan was loutering with no one near him when QPR were attacking & JE wasn't happy. Only on occaisions is he a team player. He loves to entertain and that's his problem. 

I wanted him off at HT in which case Gueye would have took the penalty. 

Edited February 5 by Cherry Blue

[Penwortham Blue]

19 hours ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I’m in Tenerife and so can’t take any blame for tonight’s loss. Meanwhile, Jim is probably somewhere in W12 🙁

I’m half tempted to ask for you to go to the Hawthorns, Jim, statistically your luck has got to change at some point. Maybe it is our best hope as a result to counteract the Mowbray / Armstrong / Mid-week omens 🤔

[jim mk2]

Just now, Penwortham Blue said:

I’m half tempted to ask for you to go to the Hawthorns, Jim, statistically your luck has got to change at some point. Maybe it is our best hope as a result to counteract the Mowbray / Armstrong / Mid-week omens 🤔

Yes, we're going to WBA. Mind you, we went to Loftus Road thinking our losing run could not continue. 

Mowbray (and Armstrong?) and the immutable law of the ex - what could possibly go wrong? 

[Penwortham Blue]

36 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Yes, we're going to WBA. Mind you, we went to Loftus Road thinking our losing run could not continue. 

Mowbray (and Armstrong?) and the immutable law of the ex - what could possibly go wrong? 

I think your our best hope, Jim, go with a clear conscience 🤞 

[den]

Watching Gueyes heading ability in this game, especially when he dropped back into our penalty area to help out, he’s not - for our older members- exactly Mike England is he.

[Athlete]

1 hour ago, Cherry Blue said:

Watching on skytv i saw JE shout to him towards end of first half. To me Dolan was loutering with no one near him when QPR were attacking & JE wasn't happy. Only on occaisions is he a team player. He loves to entertain and that's his problem. 

I wanted him off at HT in which case Gueye would have took the penalty. 

There was a reason Trav didnt want Gueye too take the pen...hed probably have missed

[simongarnerisgod]

2 hours ago, alcd said:

The real issue the club needs to address is retaining the key players who've put them where they are now. Absolutely no sign and even less chance of that happening. Next season will be an absolute shit show. 

yes it will ,we arn`t operating like a club thats building a promotion push for next season,it`s short term and it is going to be a disaster for us

[M_B]

5 hours ago, Forever Blue said:

I’ve slagged off Hedges and Dolan quite a bit so I can’t really say otherwise, but it’s their final ball and decision making that I feel lets them down. They do both contribute a lot in other ways. 

It's the way they're lumped together, as if people can't mention one without the other.

Dolan would bring 4 times more if they were put up for sale.

[M_B]

3 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Dolan started the season well, most on here acknowledged that. Since about October he's reverted to type. 

He was poor last night and overall, it summed up his Rovers career; looked busy, bad decision making, a goal from nothing, then off after 60 minutes.

He was at his most frustrating at the start. His foul for the free kick that led to their first goal was amateur hour. Then not 2 minutes later he was driving toward their box, had a great opportunity to put Gueye in on goal but didn't pass it and instead ran into 2 defenders on the edge of the box.

As to your "lack of football knowledge" comment, are you saying that you have more than everyone else on here who's watched Dolan over the past few years? He's not good enough, but he'll leave in the summer and will be replaced by an even lesser player. 

You didn't mention Hedges, which was the whole point of my post.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, den said:

Watching Gueyes heading ability in this game, especially when he dropped back into our penalty area to help out, he’s not - for our older members- exactly Mike England is he.

Who is ? Anywhere ?

[speeeeeeedie]

 

2 hours ago, Cherry Blue said:

Watching on skytv i saw JE shout to him towards end of first half. To me Dolan was loutering with no one near him when QPR were attacking & JE wasn't happy. Only on occaisions is he a team player. He loves to entertain and that's his problem. 

I wanted him off at HT in which case Gueye would have took the penalty. 

He was also pressing a lot on his own. He'd run toward the fullback who'd just pass it around him. Looking busy but not actually doing anything productive. 

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, M_B said:

You didn't mention Hedges, which was the whole point of my post.

I was only commenting on your Dolan line. I don't lump them together, hence no mention of Hedges. 

[M_B]

31 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I was only commenting on your Dolan line. I don't lump them together, hence no mention of Hedges. 

You misquoted me then.

[rock steady]

Eustace says "a point was the least we deserved."

Little bit delusional unless I was watching a different game in a parallel universe or something.

[Herbie6590]

The BRFCS POTM for last night’s game against QPR in association with pslsoccer.co.uk is @Danny_Batth 
Congratulations Danny…👏👏👏⚪️🔵

[wilsdenrover]

18 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Seems to happen every new year when the form inexplicably goes tits up...makes me wonder some times.

 

I think the answer is simple.
 

A lack of strength in depth and the owner’s/board’s failure to address this.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

11 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

 

 

I think the answer is simple.
 

A lack of strength in depth and the owner’s/board’s failure to address this.

It’s as simple as that really. A thin squad running out of steam, picking up muscle injuries etc. What starts out as a reasonable bench ends up full of kids.

[wilsdenrover]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

It’s as simple as that really. A thin squad running out of steam, picking up muscle injuries etc. What starts out as a reasonable bench ends up full of kids.

I can only see it getting worse.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

17 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

I can only see it getting worse.

Yeah, we’re back to conceding in the last quarter of the game and not having anything on the bench to get us back in the game. I’m on holiday at the moment so I didn’t see the game but I got a quick glimpse of their winning goal on the BBC news. Am I right in saying that the shooter had a free shot from the edge of our box ? That never happened when Tronstad was played, he was the policeman in that area.

[RoversTilliDie]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Yeah, we’re back to conceding in the last quarter of the game and not having anything on the bench to get us back in the game. I’m on holiday at the moment so I didn’t see the game but I got a quick glimpse of their winning goal on the BBC news. Am I right in saying that the shooter had a free shot from the edge of our box ? That never happened when Tronstad was played, he was the policeman in that area.

I can only see things improving, we've 3 or 4 injured players back this month. 2 mid Feburary, and 2 towards the end of the month. Get the new signings settled into the team, and it's the recipe for improvement.