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I have read through this and there's a lot to agree with and a bit that I don't (even though I can see the logic). However, my view for what it is worth is positive. No real surprises there: but this time I have a reason and it's not alcoholism.
Based on nothing more than the last 5 games, I think we've seen Gaz make some really clever moves in order to simply stop the bleeding. He was cute enough to see that Plan A wasn't working, Plans B and C were just different shades of the same excrement and so went for what we've been calling 'rope a dope'. Which worked.
In the same time, we've seen players' energy levels going up, tackles getting thrown about, noise level going up. He got something out of the team that I had not expected: they looked like it hurt to lose.
There will be a clear out - this isn't news. However, if he can bring together a squad like late-season 2023 QPR and get them to care, think what he can achieve with faces he has been consulted about. I think we may well start next season like we've been shot out of the Yamato's forward battery.
Nice.
You're welcome. PS - this replaces the national anthem in my house. Uuchu Senkan Yaaa-MaaaTo!
'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!'
8
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 19:59 - May 1 with 3496 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 19:40 - May 1 by Dorse
I have read through this and there's a lot to agree with and a bit that I don't (even though I can see the logic). However, my view for what it is worth is positive. No real surprises there: but this time I have a reason and it's not alcoholism.
Based on nothing more than the last 5 games, I think we've seen Gaz make some really clever moves in order to simply stop the bleeding. He was cute enough to see that Plan A wasn't working, Plans B and C were just different shades of the same excrement and so went for what we've been calling 'rope a dope'. Which worked.
In the same time, we've seen players' energy levels going up, tackles getting thrown about, noise level going up. He got something out of the team that I had not expected: they looked like it hurt to lose.
There will be a clear out - this isn't news. However, if he can bring together a squad like late-season 2023 QPR and get them to care, think what he can achieve with faces he has been consulted about. I think we may well start next season like we've been shot out of the Yamato's forward battery.
Nice.
You're welcome. PS - this replaces the national anthem in my house. Uuchu Senkan Yaaa-MaaaTo!
Well said Dorse in the way that only you can! Maybe we should get them to run out to this next season??
1
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 20:46 - May 1 with 3366 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 19:40 - May 1 by Dorse
I have read through this and there's a lot to agree with and a bit that I don't (even though I can see the logic). However, my view for what it is worth is positive. No real surprises there: but this time I have a reason and it's not alcoholism.
Based on nothing more than the last 5 games, I think we've seen Gaz make some really clever moves in order to simply stop the bleeding. He was cute enough to see that Plan A wasn't working, Plans B and C were just different shades of the same excrement and so went for what we've been calling 'rope a dope'. Which worked.
In the same time, we've seen players' energy levels going up, tackles getting thrown about, noise level going up. He got something out of the team that I had not expected: they looked like it hurt to lose.
There will be a clear out - this isn't news. However, if he can bring together a squad like late-season 2023 QPR and get them to care, think what he can achieve with faces he has been consulted about. I think we may well start next season like we've been shot out of the Yamato's forward battery.
Nice.
You're welcome. PS - this replaces the national anthem in my house. Uuchu Senkan Yaaa-MaaaTo!
Absolutely agree with this. He did what needed to be done to get through this season and finally got a tune, albeit not the most well crafted one you've ever heard, out of a group of players than looked in terminal decline.
I'd point to his treatment of Laird as some excellent man management. Dropped one game and then back in and playing well and seemingly enjoying himself again.
There's an awful lot of lazy online talk about Ainsworth, along the lines of he's one dimensional long ball merchant and "not good enough" for the slick passing style we prefer here. I think this is partly why GA made those comments about needing to reset our expectations and he's right. We aren't Chelsea, Spurs or Arsenal even though many of us are old enough to remember being better than all of them.
I prefer to listen to those who've had around 10 years with him, the Wycombe supporters who adore him. Give the guy a proper chance to build something here.
The likes of Luton, Coventry and Millwall demonstrate that clubs with not huge fan bases or finances can prosper in this division. GA I believe has the passion and motivational skills to build a team of fighters that might well punch above its weight.
Of course below 20% possession every week won't go down well, especially when results go against us, but I fully expect GA to adopt a different style now that survival, which was the number one goal and had started to look extremely unlikely, has been achieved. He's already tried a number of things and I'm sure there will be more to come.
There's a bit of snobbery here, especially among those like me who remember the top 5, London's top club finishes. But we have to be realistic. Money will be very tight for a while but other clubs have shown this isn't always a barrier to doing well in this division. GA is capable of building a team that will fight all the way and not be bullied as we have a bit in the past. If he can combine that with a bit of craft and some decent football then we'll all be much happier.
8
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 06:00 - May 2 with 3095 views
I always enjoy your writing and reports; usually for the dark humour that permeates that is required to follow this ridiculous club.
today's is different and a very good summary of the situation that we find ourselves in and what might be required to salvage something for the next 46 game slog!
well done; it cant be easy!
2
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 07:26 - May 2 with 2988 views
Thanks Clive - Great report which has brought me back down to Earth (and rightly so). I was convinced we were down after Coventry and fair play to everyone getting the results just in the nick of time.
Great away day Saturday and I was fortunate to be in the Away End celebrating with my kids which was very special and one day when I am no longer around I know those memories will always be with them.
Personally I am happy we are playing a more basic industrial brand of football. I had enough of the tippy tappy, weak as piss, getting beat every game football.
The key for Gareth will be to get the balance right next season which I am sure he will do. Look at the teams in the play offs they certainly don't seem to over play and seem to have it just about right.
5
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 08:05 - May 2 with 2853 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 19:10 - May 1 by WatfordR
You are saying that Ainsworth can do "it", whatever "it" is. I'm saying that he has spent one full season in a Championship, with a team that got relegated, fourth lowest goals for, second most goals against. And that was with a team that was indisputably his team.
We could perhaps compare his achievements at Wycombe with those of Martin O'Neill, who took them into the EFL in 1993, into the third tier in 1994, and sixth in the second tier in 1995. All at a club which would have had far lower expectations then than they do now.
There is literally nothing on GA's CV that suggests he is going to take this club forward. He might be able to keep us in the Championship with a full season, he might not. Our old friend 16th is likely to be an "incredible achievement", and every season that is the extent of the club's ambition is another season spent going backwards.
If you think this is me itching for it to go wrong, you're a mile off. This is me wanting the very best for our club, and simply recognising that GA as manager isn't it. Have a look at the names of some of the very calm and rational posters on here that are saying the same. If you see a cliff right in front of you, you don't have to drive your car off it to know what's going to happen if you do.
LOL!!!!
That genuinely made me laugh. You’ve gone to Martin O’Neil at Wycombe in 1993 as some sort of counter point apparently
In 1993 we finished 5th in the Premier League. So by that measure unless our manager quickly gets us back to that position he is underachieving and a total failure
Now you have done a lot of moaning and plan to do a lot more. Highlighting potential problems
Now, how about bringing some solutions.
What are you actually suggesting we do? Have you got anything constructive to say?
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 08:05 - May 2 by Sakura
LOL!!!!
That genuinely made me laugh. You’ve gone to Martin O’Neil at Wycombe in 1993 as some sort of counter point apparently
In 1993 we finished 5th in the Premier League. So by that measure unless our manager quickly gets us back to that position he is underachieving and a total failure
Now you have done a lot of moaning and plan to do a lot more. Highlighting potential problems
Now, how about bringing some solutions.
What are you actually suggesting we do? Have you got anything constructive to say?
You're the one holding up a promotion from League Two and another promotion from League One over the course of eleven years as evidence of GA's abilities as a manager. I've highlighted that it's far from exceptional compared to others.
I've already said what should be done, have a look at the thread.
-1
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 10:27 - May 2 with 2690 views
Glad to have survived, and hell, even felt something again in the quest to stay up. But it's nothing to be celebrated, this season has been a catastrophe. It feels like we had a plan, we were getting somewhere, if not quickly enough for some, and under pressure that plan has gone in the bin. There's now a lot of pressure from fans for change in some form, but we also have a huge task ahead of us this summer. Damned if we do it with a continuity ticket a borderline majority wants out, damned if we roll the dice on an unsighted change too.
But I will stick up for Ainsworth here. Perhaps it's because my oldest mate is a Wycombe ST holder of 3 years since he moved there who constantly sends me "You don't deserve him" messages. It wasn't pretty. But we were in an unpretty place. We appointed the continuity candidate to play in the same way, but whether he couldn't control them or these players collapsed again, it was a disaster. It took Gaz longer than we'd have liked to have gotten going, but he has walked into an absolute viper's nest, one that ate his predecssor whole and spat at the bones, and by hook or by crook turned it around to keep us up with two cracking results away from home.
He's got a defence that shipped 6 at the worst team in the league, I don't think we can chastise him for deciding in two critical games that he was was gonna play tight and try and snatch it. It was full blown ends justify the means territory. He got the players looking like they actually enjoyed this again. It's also telling that he hasn't been able to get his preferred 433 formation going here yet. I don't think we're suddenly going to play like Pep, but will be a high press counter attacking team
I think as a club Ainsworth's appointment was part of a shift to being competitive on a much lower budget - and in one respect we have a great asset in Dobbo who led recruitment and analytics at Wycombe. Some of the stuff he put together is unreally shrewd (getting Vokes and Mawson to Adams Park in line with their budget for eg).
Finally, it's bloody Wild Thing. I'd follow him into the bowels of hell and he has my backing every day he's in this job, possession be damned
13
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 15:08 - May 2 with 2461 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 14:46 - May 1 by WatfordR
Where is the the evidence that GA has managed to get a team to average 40% possession in a season in the Championship?
Where is the proof that GA can produce the "right method" in the Championship?
He has managed a club in the Championship for one season, at the end of which they were relegated.
Would you expect a team going up from the Championship to the Prem to average the same levels of possession in the Prem? Is it reasonable to assume that you can get a manager who achieves a certain level of possession or success in League One to replicate that success in the Championship? Are any of the teams promoted from League One to the Championship this season getting the same or better levels of possession in the Championship?
If you're talking about evidence or proof they are the sort of stats you need to be presenting rather than generalisations presented as facts.
Evidence - only in 51% of games does the team with most possession win.
I give you from the PL
Home 57% Away 43% - Not too bad
XG Home = 2.56 Away = 1.10
Actual real life score - narrow home win?
Brighton 6 Wolves 0 (Could/should have been far more)
Only 1 stat counts, using others to prove anything, to me at least is a bit of a nonsense.
3
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 15:15 - May 2 with 2432 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 17:56 - May 1 by Rangersw12
Nobody is wishing it all goes wrong at all
What I have seen since GA arrived is some of the worst football in the 30 plus years I've been going and I'm quite rightly very sceptical he's suddenly to going to abandon his core long ball principles next season.
I really enjoyed the Warburton years as we had an identity and I knew that we at least tried to play decent football even if the results were mixed at times and I admit it did get boring the last few weeks when they just tapped round it the back four but for me the majority of the time it was pleasing on the eye.
I'm also sceptical allowing GA to sign who he wants as that doesn't work here ( we've seen it with Beale and Warburton signings) and that we will see more older journeyman type players I. E Chris Martin ffs
I've spent a small fortune every season following Rangers and if I want to say the football is crap then I will and I don't need you or anyone else to say I'm not welcome because you and others on this thread seem to have played too much football manager and think GA is the second coming of Gerry Francis.
All opinions, which as I've said, of course, is fine.
However what I don't like, is rewriting history to make the narrative fit
MW "Mixed results at times" - bit of an understatement no?
First half of his first season people were convinced we were going down and wanted him sacked at Christmas.
Last season as we've said umpteen times, all we had to do was finish 17th best team from March onwards to make the top 6 - we were 23rd best - that's a bit worse than 'mixed'
As we all said after he was 'let go' - the reality was, start the season as he had finished the previous one and he was gone in October anyway.
4
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 15:48 - May 2 with 2375 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 11:18 - May 2 by robith
A good report that sums a lot of feelings up.
Glad to have survived, and hell, even felt something again in the quest to stay up. But it's nothing to be celebrated, this season has been a catastrophe. It feels like we had a plan, we were getting somewhere, if not quickly enough for some, and under pressure that plan has gone in the bin. There's now a lot of pressure from fans for change in some form, but we also have a huge task ahead of us this summer. Damned if we do it with a continuity ticket a borderline majority wants out, damned if we roll the dice on an unsighted change too.
But I will stick up for Ainsworth here. Perhaps it's because my oldest mate is a Wycombe ST holder of 3 years since he moved there who constantly sends me "You don't deserve him" messages. It wasn't pretty. But we were in an unpretty place. We appointed the continuity candidate to play in the same way, but whether he couldn't control them or these players collapsed again, it was a disaster. It took Gaz longer than we'd have liked to have gotten going, but he has walked into an absolute viper's nest, one that ate his predecssor whole and spat at the bones, and by hook or by crook turned it around to keep us up with two cracking results away from home.
He's got a defence that shipped 6 at the worst team in the league, I don't think we can chastise him for deciding in two critical games that he was was gonna play tight and try and snatch it. It was full blown ends justify the means territory. He got the players looking like they actually enjoyed this again. It's also telling that he hasn't been able to get his preferred 433 formation going here yet. I don't think we're suddenly going to play like Pep, but will be a high press counter attacking team
I think as a club Ainsworth's appointment was part of a shift to being competitive on a much lower budget - and in one respect we have a great asset in Dobbo who led recruitment and analytics at Wycombe. Some of the stuff he put together is unreally shrewd (getting Vokes and Mawson to Adams Park in line with their budget for eg).
Finally, it's bloody Wild Thing. I'd follow him into the bowels of hell and he has my backing every day he's in this job, possession be damned
Great post
"Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1."
0
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 15:52 - May 2 with 2369 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 15:15 - May 2 by PinnerPaul
All opinions, which as I've said, of course, is fine.
However what I don't like, is rewriting history to make the narrative fit
MW "Mixed results at times" - bit of an understatement no?
First half of his first season people were convinced we were going down and wanted him sacked at Christmas.
Last season as we've said umpteen times, all we had to do was finish 17th best team from March onwards to make the top 6 - we were 23rd best - that's a bit worse than 'mixed'
As we all said after he was 'let go' - the reality was, start the season as he had finished the previous one and he was gone in October anyway.
my Warburton hot take - if fans had been in the ground in 20/21 pre Christmas, he'd have lost his job
3
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 16:33 - May 2 with 2333 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 11:18 - May 2 by robith
A good report that sums a lot of feelings up.
Glad to have survived, and hell, even felt something again in the quest to stay up. But it's nothing to be celebrated, this season has been a catastrophe. It feels like we had a plan, we were getting somewhere, if not quickly enough for some, and under pressure that plan has gone in the bin. There's now a lot of pressure from fans for change in some form, but we also have a huge task ahead of us this summer. Damned if we do it with a continuity ticket a borderline majority wants out, damned if we roll the dice on an unsighted change too.
But I will stick up for Ainsworth here. Perhaps it's because my oldest mate is a Wycombe ST holder of 3 years since he moved there who constantly sends me "You don't deserve him" messages. It wasn't pretty. But we were in an unpretty place. We appointed the continuity candidate to play in the same way, but whether he couldn't control them or these players collapsed again, it was a disaster. It took Gaz longer than we'd have liked to have gotten going, but he has walked into an absolute viper's nest, one that ate his predecssor whole and spat at the bones, and by hook or by crook turned it around to keep us up with two cracking results away from home.
He's got a defence that shipped 6 at the worst team in the league, I don't think we can chastise him for deciding in two critical games that he was was gonna play tight and try and snatch it. It was full blown ends justify the means territory. He got the players looking like they actually enjoyed this again. It's also telling that he hasn't been able to get his preferred 433 formation going here yet. I don't think we're suddenly going to play like Pep, but will be a high press counter attacking team
I think as a club Ainsworth's appointment was part of a shift to being competitive on a much lower budget - and in one respect we have a great asset in Dobbo who led recruitment and analytics at Wycombe. Some of the stuff he put together is unreally shrewd (getting Vokes and Mawson to Adams Park in line with their budget for eg).
Finally, it's bloody Wild Thing. I'd follow him into the bowels of hell and he has my backing every day he's in this job, possession be damned
Great post.
Critchley called this lot out early on for what they are (and who can blame him) and clearly lost them.
Ainsworth didn't have much choice other than to keep accentuating the positive and saying how wonderful the players are (even if we could all see otherwise), he stripped the game plan back to basics and eventually it paid off. Just in time. I'm not going to get all high and mighty about the style of football that got the job done, but I'm sure next season we can be more competitive and hard to beat.
Let's get this season done and see what the next few months bring.
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 15:52 - May 2 by robith
my Warburton hot take - if fans had been in the ground in 20/21 pre Christmas, he'd have lost his job
I am not sure if that's true.
According to loftboy's poll on 19th December 2020, the day we drew with Wycombe, and we hadn't won for a month, the fans wanted Warburton to stay by a 2:1 margin:
With the exception of 6 weeks in the autumn we've had 18 months of dog shit from this team. Sideways, backwards, sideways, sideways, backwards, sideways, lose the ball....concede a goal. Under Warburton, under Beale, under Critchley. 18 bloody months of it!
And people are seriously calling the 10 games under Ainsworth the worst football they've ever seen? Give over.
8
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 05:59 - May 3 with 2051 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 00:12 - May 3 by nadera78
With the exception of 6 weeks in the autumn we've had 18 months of dog shit from this team. Sideways, backwards, sideways, sideways, backwards, sideways, lose the ball....concede a goal. Under Warburton, under Beale, under Critchley. 18 bloody months of it!
And people are seriously calling the 10 games under Ainsworth the worst football they've ever seen? Give over.
Well said Nads. The Stoke fans aren't happy with seeing that from their team as we;ve huts been talking about on one of the other threads. Seems some people on here have short memories..
0
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 07:55 - May 3 with 1945 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 00:12 - May 3 by nadera78
With the exception of 6 weeks in the autumn we've had 18 months of dog shit from this team. Sideways, backwards, sideways, sideways, backwards, sideways, lose the ball....concede a goal. Under Warburton, under Beale, under Critchley. 18 bloody months of it!
And people are seriously calling the 10 games under Ainsworth the worst football they've ever seen? Give over.
Spot on - Pretty triangles in neutral areas of the pitch going absolutely nowhere.
We become very easy to play against trying to play to much tippy tappy football with very average players. It was so bloody easy to beat us.
3
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 09:07 - May 3 with 1843 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 00:01 - May 3 by TacticalR
I am not sure if that's true.
According to loftboy's poll on 19th December 2020, the day we drew with Wycombe, and we hadn't won for a month, the fans wanted Warburton to stay by a 2:1 margin:
But that's cos fans weren't there. If we'd been in the ground every week watching that feeble team, it would've been a different story imho. The emotional reaction is different. LFW is a diverse cross section of QPR fans, but not a representative one
1
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 08:05 - May 4 with 1502 views
Bittersweet symphony — Report on 19:18 - May 1 by distortR
Well, maybe don't use such a stupid metaphor, but I reckon you got the response you wanted. There are some really divisive posters on here at the moment.
There certainly are - often incorporating unnecessary snide comments dressed up as intellectualism, with several paragraphs of guff tacked on.
These people need to use their retirement / childhood / custodial sentences more fruitfully, and in a manner that spares the sanity of the average poster.
Good report anyway. Certainly a lot of difficult decisions to be made starting now. The squad one seems the easiest - aim for a massive clearout where ever possible, hopefully keeping 4 or 5 of the names that have generally been mentioned elsewhere. I say 'aim for' because it won't be that easy of course.
I think Ainsworth has earned the right to have a go next season, but in many ways that's the sort of simplistic thinking that got us into this - there needs to be an overall strategy. Anyway at this point, at the end of that season, I do feel a lot more glass half empty than full. Maybe / hopefully that will change.
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