Long throws and right back woes - Knee jerks

Saturday, 31st Oct 2015 20:18 by Antti Heinola Antti Heinola provides his usual six talking points from Griffin Park where QPR surrendered a solid first half to an insipid second and slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Brentford. Pragmatic Ramsey I feel for our Head coach a bit. With a defence not only unable to keep clean sheets but unable to even keep a clean sheet for half a match, he finally made us more sensible and more compact. Two clean sheets resulted and a bit of stability achieved. But Brentford was always going to be a different story. A team desperate to beat us, a great atmosphere, a nearly-London derby, an opposition with pace and attacking intent. But for the first half, things largely went to plan. Brentford played some nice stuff, but never really penetrated; their only chance came with a characteristic fumble from Rob Green. Meanwhile, it took us a long time to become an attacking threat, but finally, in the last 10-15 minutes of the half, we did. Matt Phillips got a bit stronger, Jay Emmanuel Thomas was involved, Daniel Toszer was winning the ball nice and high. And most importantly, Massimo Luongo was buzzing around to great effect. To hit the bar and the post in such quick succession was nothing but bad luck. Had one gone in and we had been 1-0 up at half time, it would not have been pretty, but it would have been extremely effective and another step forward in making us a tougher, uglier proposition. But it was not to be, and we paid for it after the break. We weren't unlucky to lose, far from it, but the first half was decent if uninspiring and we really should have been a goal up at the break. We weren't, Brentford capitalised, and no matter what Ramsey did, we never looked like getting back in the game. He now faces a real challenge to try and knit together a more pragmatic approach while still making us dangerous going forward. The last 20 After Brentford scored, this was where the game was truly lost. On 75 minutes, I started counting. We did not, unless I missed it, manage more than one accurate pass in a row from then until the final whistle. That is devastatingly rubbish. Especially for a team that has shown at times this season that they can put some very good passing moves together. We didn't just fail to threaten, we failed to threaten to threaten. Brentford played very, very well after the goal, but poor Charlie Austin and Emmanuel-Thomas were left as little more than bystanders as the rest of the side failed to even get the ball into the box, or provide them with a pass that was a bit better than a 50-50. Ramsey did try - he switched to a 4-4-2 for the first time this season, but it had no effect - in fact, it probably had an adverse effect, because we were even less threatening than we had been before. Junior Hoilett was never in the game. Austin looked keen, then willing, then downcast. Toszer summed it up with a trademark shank from distance right at the end. Where are those incredible long-range mortars his YouTube video promised us? On this occasion, Ramsey changed things and changed them early. But nothing happened at all. A real lack of belief there, as if everyone was waiting for Phillips, JET or Austin to save us with something incredible, rather than trying as a collective to dig themselves out of a hole. Luongo And this is related to the above really. While Ramsey gets plenty of deserved stick, I still think the majority of the signings have been decent - especially the headline ones. And I really like Luongo. For me, the reason things got worse when he went off (and I understand why he took him off to get Hoilett on the left wing) was that he is so key to the way we try to play. While Chery can drift out of games and Phillips blows hot and cold, Luongo constantly looks for the ball, constantly shows for it, and usually uses it intelligently. I'd still like to see him played further back and to have him dictate our play a little more. Once he was withdrawn that link between forwards and defensive midfield disappeared. JET and Austin were more isolated, not less. Toszer frequently had few decent options ahead of him. That ability to knit play together was gone. I appreciate it's early in his career still, but we have to find a way to use him to the best of his abilities. At the moment he's shoe-horned a bit into that position, and seems to be first option to be subbed, regardless of how well he's playing.

Long Throws Long throws, apart from when Delap was doing them at Stoke, are the most overrated 'weapon' in the whole of football, ever. Fairly easy to defend, especially if you're expecting them; very difficult to score from because they usually drop short. Our constant use of this as almost our best hope is starting to grate. That our only in-form scorer is taking them makes it even worse. Abandon this crappy nonsense, now. Right back

While I'm pleased with many of Les/Chris's signings, the right back spot has been a real issue. Perch should have been a good enough signing for that position, but he has hardly played more than one or two half-decent games. Onuoha is not much better, sadly. On Friday he was up against the impressive Alan Judge (what is it with Brentford and their players who seem to be named after players of the 80s or 90s?) and for the most part did ok, but the goal came down that side and, as well-worked as it was, it was poor defending all round. First, Onuoha was not aware enough of where Judge was and was caught square and flat-footed. Second, as Jamie Mackie said after the game, Hall, who could see Judge, failed to track his run (or at least to have given Onuoha an earlier yell) and then poor Clint was beaten at the near post thanks, really, to a lack of pace. But even apart from defending, Phillips could do with more of a hand down that side, someone who might overlap a bit. Onuoha does his best to get up behind him, but as we've always said, he's not a right back - well, not as a long term option. As a quick stop-gap for a game or two, he's adequate enough. But we need more there. Not sure how this is going to change, though. At the moment, if we're going to be mid-table and win as many as we lose, we might as well play Furlong there and try and integrate him into the team, and tolerate his mistakes as he learns. Sir Les Body language did not good from Leslie up in the stand. I don't like reading too much into things like that, but he (understandably) did not look happy at all. Was that because Warnock has been forced on him? Or because Warnock was phoning down to the bench and giving advice Les didn't agree with? Or because he wants Ramsey to be given a free hand and find his own way? Does he just not want to be sitting with Warnock? Is he worried about his own position? Or is he starting to think that he may have to replace his mate and, possibly, fall on his own sword? All very depressing. No. 2in an occasional series: Players You Hadn't Thought About For Ages: Steve Lynex. Pictures: Action Images Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Page:

1



rbala99 added 22:31 - Oct 31

Many fans of qpr have thrown the towel at the season

Myself included

It will be a miracle if we don't get relegated

The side is in relegation form for sure -1

zammo added 23:59 - Oct 31

The first half we were awful.llungo made his chances but we didn't deserve to be ahead.Ramseys on a mission to ruin us.the footballs rubbish.henry and toszer have not got a forward pass between them.why leave faurlin on the bench for these two.looks up and picks a pass .splits defences in half.still we here we have a chance of going up if we go on a run.no Chris.we are getting worse.outplayed by Brentford.we have been average and deserve to be where we are.stands on the side saying nothing.wrong substitutions.our 6ft centre forward taking throw ins.come on.we deserve better tactics then what we are seeing if he is such a great prospect.no he is not.took us down last year by taking Vargas and Isla out of the team for furlong and the inconsistent Phillips.vargas and Isla had a hand in most of our goals at home last year before Ramsey took over.then it changes and you know what happens next.the games we won last year with Ramsey in charge were to teams in bad form.even this year it's the same.think this job is too big for him at this stage of his career and he should step aside gracefully.he has a lot still to learn.honestly cannot see us being anywhere near play offs.the supporters can see the midfield with these two will create nothing.if the wingers don't get the ball we can't create nothing. -2

Tomo_5 added 00:17 - Nov 1

I know the coach sees many qualities that we as fans don't see, but I struggle with the team selection and mostly senior players who are constantly out of position and not quick enough to add value when needed. If we are in a consolidation phase then why isn't Furlong playing, why haven't we used these promising starlets? I am not enjoying being a Rangers supporter at the moment, I see no strategy, I see no gile, I just see old has beens unwinding the potential of the younger talent that we have at our disposal. Ramsey is a decent fellow but not a manager, he is a good coach and that is where he should focus. Let a good manager come in and unleash the real QPR!! 0

probbo added 09:20 - Nov 1

I can't agree the first half was 'decent if uninspiring' (poor and uninspiring maybe) and if a third of the game passed before we became an attacking threat, you have you ask what was going on prior to that? Not much from what I could see. It was an incredibly poor/average performance all round. 0

cranieboy added 16:01 - Nov 1

we're just simply not passing the ball at all, and the midfield two need to want the ball and start the play, keeping it simple if necessary just to keep possession sometimes. Ramsey needs to find a way to get the formation and player selection sorted to allow us to play a bit, possibly with Faurlin and Luongo closer together with a holding player too whilst giving the fullbacks some more cover somehow, though that may just be making sure the wide men know that they are expected to put a shift in defensively as well. 0

tc_dub added 16:34 - Nov 1

good article; i think a major problem is the full backs not offering anything when we're in possession of the ball. would love to see Yun back as at least he wants the ball and can give more options to the midfield and overlap for the wingers.



and i didn't realise how much brentford hated us :-) 0

connell10 added 16:58 - Nov 2

I just cant get over the hoof ball , it was bloody awful! 0

Page:

1

You need to login in order to post your comments