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Yesterday's game

Discussion in 'Queens Park Rangers' started by rangercol, Feb 5, 2012.

  1. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    Well....where to start?
    At the start of the game the place was really buzzing with the excitement of all the new players being on view and that excitement grew even more as the team was read out...Adel to start!!
    For the first 30mins we looked pretty good and the goal was beautifully worked, starting with a nice ball from Adel into Cisse, who moved it on to SWP who laid the ball perfectly for Zamora to apply a cool finish. We were looking good and, more to the point, Wolves were simply awful. We were heading to 3 points, of that I have no doubt.
    Then....disaster!! And this particular disaster could be season defining. A bad tackle from Johnson on Cisse. I must admit that, watching it live I thought it was a worse tackle than it actually was...a definite yellow, no more! But, as soon as I saw Cisse raise his hand I said to my two sons that he could be off! And he was. I would argue that the law is wrong when a dangerous tackle is given a yellow and a pretty benign reaction to the same tackle can be given a red! However, the players all know the rules and that they can't raise their hands. Cisse was stupid and could cost us dearly. He's human though and, following his apology I for one am not going to continue to vilify him.
    After the sending off Wolves obviously had much more of the ball and it felt like Norwich all over again. The equalizer came from another bad pass from Barton. He had space and time and simply needed to retain possession, choosing instead to try a "hollywood" ball which struck a Wolves player and led to their counter attack and goal. Again, it appeared to me that Young could have done better, but it was a good finish.
    The 2nd seemed to be only a matter of time in the coming and so it did. Wolves suddenly looked like Barca with their 1 man advantage with O'hara spraying the ball all over Loftus Rd. For 20 mins they really battered us....BUT, credit where credit is due, we really gave it a go for the last 20 mins or so and looked likely to get the equalizer, led by the superb Taarabt, who pushed and probed, hit a close free kick and was only denied one of his 25yard specials by a superb save!! I know I shouldn't say this to those who doubted Adel but, as so many were doubting him..............I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!
    I thought Cisse and Zamora were looking a very promising partnership and we looked very good going forward with Taarabt being the best player on the pitch by many, many country miles!! Onouha looks a good defender too.
    Negatives for me....the main one being Cisse's red card costing us the 3 points and possibly more lost points over the next 3 winnable games while he's suspended! Taiwo looks very ponderous, but I'm hoping this is due to a lack of match fitness. Barton simply being unable to retain possession.
    Player ratings and comments:
    Kenny - 7 Couldn't fault him for either goal, but I worry about his kicking every time the ball is played back to him.
    Young - 6 Looking a bit dodgy lately and possibly could have done better for the first goal. Went off with what looked like a hamstring problem...not sure how bad it is!?
    Ferdinand - 6 Looked a bit shaky at times and I don't remember him winning one header against Fletcher.
    Onouha - 7 Does exactly what it says on the tin...looks a good defender, simple as that.
    Taiwo - 5 Looks very unfit to me. Very ponderous and doesn't seem inclined to jump up to head a ball. He's built like a brick out-house though and his distribution was a couple of classes up on Hill. Not convinced about him yet, but he clearly needs game time.
    SWP - 6 Often flattered to deceive (as ever), but made the first goal with a lovely lay off.
    Barton -6 Worked hard but gave the ball away too often (as usual). Was at fault for the first goal and the new, better behaved Joey has led to us having half the player he was....no biting tackles and an almost care-free attitude from our so-called skipper. I'd drop him when Diakite is here.
    Derry - 7 Looked pretty solid to me and retained the ball better than Barton.
    Taarabt - 9 Simply the best player on the pitch. Worked hard when they had the ball and was superb going forward. A great free kick and even better shot from distance. Another shot just over the bar with the outside of his foot and many insightful passes, one of which should have been buried by Anton and another which Hulse never looked like getting on the end of. Class...pure and simple and he could be the difference between staying up and relegation!!
    Zamora - 8 Good finish for his goal and showed very well as the target man. Needs to work on his chest control though, as a few bounced off him. Looks a good upgrade on Bothroyd.
    Cisse - 4 Looked very lively and will be sorely missed for 3 games due to his stupidity.
    SUBS:
    Hulse - 3 Simply awful. Should have got on the end of one of Taarabt's passes, but never looked interested enough to get anywhere near it!
    Traore - 8 Looked very good when he came on.
    (EDIT) Forgot Hall - 6 Looked a bit shaky when he came on and if Young's injury is serious, our shortcomings at centre back could come to the fore again, will Onouha moving to RB!
    Mark Hughes - 8 I was very impressed with the way MH managed to fit Adel into his favoured 4-4-2. When we lost the ball, Adel, to his credit, worked hard to get back onto the left and tackled back too. In possession Taarabt was given licence to roam and linked up superbly with SWP, Zamora and Cisse. We looked well organised and Wolves looked totally ineffective till the sending off changed everything!
    All in all, we look far too good a side to go down now, but we all know there's no such thing as being too good to go down! Cisse being out for 3 games is a big blow and could just define our season, in the wrong way!! Hope I'm wrong!
     
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  2. rrrrrs

    rrrrrs Well-Known Member

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    Good report col, very enjoyable. I'm very happy to admit YOU TOLD ME SO!!
     
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  3. Rollercoaster Ranger

    Rollercoaster Ranger Well-Known Member

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    Excellent as ever Col, thank you.

    I consider myself we and truly told about Taarabt, and I’m so pleased I was wrong. Obviously one swallow doesn’t make a summer but he did look so good at times. Would you try him off Zamora next week or return to Helguson assuming he is fit?

    SWP’s perfect lay off, I thought it was just a heavy first touch which fell in Zamora’s path. As for Barton, do you really think that we would drop our £80k man?

    If Young is out next week can we swap any of our plethora of left backs over as I don’t want to move Onouha out of the centre? I have heard suggestions of Mackie slotting in there if necessary, I’m not sure if that or Hall in the centre is scarier!

    Finally, good to have you back doing what you do best.
     
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  4. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    Cheers mate.
     
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  5. GoldhawkRoad

    GoldhawkRoad Well-Known Member

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    Can't fault the report, Col. Excellent.

    Doubtless there'll be the Hulse-ites who say he had a quietly impressive game. Hope HH is fit soon, because in my view if we rely on Hulse, were shafted.

    We have to take the plusses like Zamora and Taarabt and hope that, week on week, the teams starts to play as a unit consistently. Blackburn is there for the taking next week, if we can get ourselves back on track...
     
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  6. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Roller.
    It never occurred to me that SWP's pass was accidental, either live or watching it on the highlights!! I will have to take another look, but it looked like a clever flick to me!
    You're right that one swallow doesn't make a summer (as in Adel), but he surely showed that he can produce the goods in this league? He was simply brilliant at times and he worked really hard too!! I just hope that people don't get on his back again as soon as he has a quieter game etc. He is like a major new signing in midfield imo and if you asked someone who didn't know, they'd never believe Barton is the 80k a week man and not Taarabt!!
    As for Barton...maybe MH won't drop the 80k a week man....but I would, once Diakite is here!
    I had forgotten that Mackie can play right back and that may be a good solution, rather than moving Onouha...good shout mate!
     
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  7. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    Agreed Goldie...Hulse just looks so uninterested!! Totally clueless and I just can't understand what anyone sees in him now. Yes...he was a decent goal scorer...now...he's ****e!!
     
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  8. _qpr-scotland_

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    At the time I appeared to be the only one around me who realised that Cisse was gone. It's the law that's flawed but Cisse knows that and it was a stupid thing to do.

    Im reserving judgement on Taiwo for a couple of games. He's never played in the Prem before and hasnt had many games of late but looks a bit dodgy. He seemed to just run about a lot. Preferring to make his man pass the ball away than committ to a challenge.

    The real problem with with Taiwo IMO is that he's an attacking full back. With Taarabt starting on the left Taiwo couldnt bomb forward as he would've liked as Taarabt wouldnt cover him.

    If we played Traore LM and Taarabt CM like he did towards the end of the match yesterday I think this would solve the problem as then Traore and Taiwo could almost switch throughout the match who's going forward and who's staying back.



    Think you've been far too harsh on Hulse. There was a point towards the end where he chased a lost cause down in the corner and just kept going eventually succeding in penning them in and making them have the throw in rather than goal kick. Had it been Mackie there would've been rapturous applause for his work rate. Instead silence.

    Also at least two of Taarabt long shots and great chances were only possible because of Hulse's runs. Hulse peeled away from the line Taarabt was taking which dragged a defender out of position and allowed Taarabt the room to take a shot. Clever play which often goes unnoticed but apparently not by MH and his team as he keeps getting a game.
    His touch is by no means great but that will come with game time and Hughes seems to rate him so instead of making him a Fitz Hallesque scapegoat we should support him.
     
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  9. Rangers Til I Die

    Rangers Til I Die Well-Known Member

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    Good report Col. We also have Diakite coming back to strengthen midfield and if he is as good as Hughes' other signings, that will be a great boost too.
    Barton was a second or so away from preventing the red by restraining Cisse but alas too late.
    I was pleased McCarthy had the grace to admit they were fortunate cos they certainly were. It was looking like a 3 or 4 nil up to the sending off.
    Taraabt? Footballing genius
     
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  10. Rollercoaster Ranger

    Rollercoaster Ranger Well-Known Member

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    If you do watch it again watch SWP after he has touched the ball, I’m sure that his intention was to turn and shoot. Then again, who cares?

    Who would you be playing alongside him? Buszaky (if fit), Derry, erm... or would you change formation? If only Faurlin hadn’t got injured.

    Mackie was excellent filling in there against Reading last season, but this time he would be under a lot more scrutiny. Who plays on the left for Blackburn? We can’t afford to lose this one.
     
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  11. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    Roller...I'd go for:
    -------------Kenny-------------
    Young - Onouha - Ferdy - Traore
    ------------Diakite-------------
    SWP ------Taarabt ------Taiwo
    -------Cisse ----Zamora--------

    MH likes 4-4-2 so he may go:
    --------------Kenny------------
    Young - Onouha - Ferdy - Taiwo
    SWP -- Diakite -- Barton -- Taarabt
    -------Cisse-----Zamora---------
     
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  12. _qpr-scotland_

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    Isnt that the 4-3-1-2 that you so slated Yappy about?!

    "Overrun in midfield" is what I remember you saying. :laugh:
     
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  13. ColdharbourR

    ColdharbourR Member

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    Mackie played well at right back last season (I forget who it was against). Reading at home? Anyway, I'd wouldn't like to see him repeat the trick in the premiership.

    Adel did look back to his best yesterday. If he does play on the left again against Blackburn he could be up against the mighty Bradly Orr!
     
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  14. ColdharbourR

    ColdharbourR Member

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    Yes.
     
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  15. BrixtonR

    BrixtonR Well-Known Member

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    Another interesting, well written and accurate report Col. Was waiting for your more comprehensive overview in preference to all the kneejerk threads lambasting the manager and various individual players.

    Two concerns about Paddy. Seems well vulnerable to cross goal shots to his left - both goals yesterday and Leon Best's the other week... AND then there's all those friggin' lofted kicks upfield that invariably end up with the other side getting the ball. Clear it by all means but simple ball to a hooped shirt ffs! Absolutely essential at this level.

    Can't fault your player ratings though. Totally agree your views on the predictably redundant Hulse (a Hughes inclusion defying any obvious sense imo - maybe I'm missing something but would certainly love an explanation... ). Rating 3 - for simply occupying a space and giving Zamora a blow.

    As for Taarabt. Promising performance which will do much for his confidence. You (and others) have indeed told us so - but without sound basis before now given the need for the right circumstances to converge in the way they have this week. Still not sure whether he's doing it for Rangers or his personal shop window BUT certainly stated his case as a prem quality player yesterday. All his talents on display at last: strength, creativity, accuracy but finally in the context of stamina and the things he was learning in the earlier part of this season - passing willingness and ability both short and long as well as the increasing willingness to track back.

    Question of atitude remains open for the time being. Will he finally humble up and accept his place and responsibilities as part of a unit; or will he persist with that arrogant holier than thou, prima donna approach that so polarises the team? Hope he's finally smelled the coffee but no doubt we'll know soon enough.
     
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  16. BrixtonR

    BrixtonR Well-Known Member

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    Caution: chickens and hatching. Let's play it safe and give Diakite the chance to bed in a show he's the new Vierra. Like Taiwo, never played in the prem and needs to find his feet before our ill-conceived expectations get the better of him!
     
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  17. Rollercoaster Ranger

    Rollercoaster Ranger Well-Known Member

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    Reading after Orr was sent off and again away to Forest. I don’t like any of the alternatives, but which is the lesser evil? I wouldn't want to see Onouha pushed out from the middle.

    Brixton, what goes on in the dressing room should stay in the dressing room!
     
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  18. ColdharbourR

    ColdharbourR Member

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    Very true. Because we so desperately need someone in Diakite's position, he will almost certainly disappoint at first. It's very unlikely he'll ever be the player I'm hoping he will be!
     
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  19. ColdharbourR

    ColdharbourR Member

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    :emoticon-0140-rofl:I'm still actually unsure as to what Brixton meant by that?
     
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  20. qpr1954

    qpr1954 Member

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    IMO two things happened which cost us the match, 1 Frimpong got injured and Wolves went 442 much better than 4411, and of course 2 the Red Card. We had no luck under NW with decisions etc. so I thought it would change with MH in charge but apparently not. If lady luck had been on our side this season we would be mid table. There is a saying that you make your own luck so lets keep our fingers crossed for a change in fortune soon, whether we make it ourselves or not.
     
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