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Reply | Where are the "Nourry out" comments now ???
at 20:09 22 Dec 2024
Can it still be considered an absolutely shocking summer of recruitment and the 'worst squad of players since the 2001 relegation', while also witnessing Nardi, Morrison, Varane, and Morgan visibly excel and play pivotal roles in our recent form?
It was never going to be a 100% hit rate, and the above may still flop. The lack of strikers is a valid criticism, but with Paal having played every game last 2 seasons and Fox proving a solid backup last year, why not let Ziyad go out on loan to develop and free up some budget..
Those gambles backfired, so might Madsen, Santos & Celar. Yet why not wait to see how the season plays out now that we're no longer 'doomed for L1'.. (or perhaps we still are).
Back the winners, dump the losers, and learn from the summer’s mistakes. If he's as smart as he believes himself to be, he won't repeat those blunders twice. And if he does, i'll join you with the pitchfork and flaming torch to storm the gates. |
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Reply | Varane
at 17:32 22 Dec 2024
And if we get through this season intact which i'm confident we will, the summer brings a great opportunity to get rid of dead wood and try off loading those buys that didnt work whislt further adding to those 'winners' already here. No doubt learning from last summers mistakes as the wheels of progression slowly begin to turn. |
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Reply | Smyth.
at 12:37 22 Dec 2024
In an age of the inverted wide forward whose no.1 & 2 priority is cut inside and shoot, its refreshing to see an old-skool type player just get his head down and charge down the line. Or, as Nourry may put it, 'strong diversity of the player portfolio.'.
Sometimes straight out of play, sometimes hitting the first man but often he's a great outlet on the counter and constant menace to the opposition, giving his all every time.
And when he did cut inside onto his left foot, that piledriver that hit the bar was something else. Who knew? Well played Smyth. [Post edited 22 Dec 13:57]
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Reply | Varane
at 12:20 22 Dec 2024
At times it looks like an overage player competing at a lower level, effortlessly using his physicality to dominate opponents. We're trusing him more with the ball in the build-up which is crucial and you can see he now trusts himself more.
I like how he keeps it simple gliding around the pitch with composure using 2-3 touches to do what is needed to move things along. If he can add some marauding runs through the lines into his game, flapping away peasants as he strides forward, it would really elevate him to the next level (and add to the inevitable highlight reel his agent is compiling). [Post edited 22 Dec 12:24]
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Reply | Morgan
at 22:05 21 Dec 2024
An 18-year-old central midfielder excelling in his 1st yr of men’s football in the Championship takes some doing - considering not that long ago he was playing in the nicey nicey sheltered acadamy bubble in front of one man and his dog.
That not only shows the impressive level he's already reached at such a young age, but also the potential he has as he actually gains more experience. |
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Reply | Lloyd - Lone Striker Role
at 18:17 15 Dec 2024
So if Armstrong had enrolled in the Pdog Back-to-goal academy at age 11, and we dedicated training at this attribute to complement his physical, it’s likely that the attribute still wouldn’t stand out today due to a lower baseline of natural ability?
Yeah i see that.. or could it depend on how far his potential would allow him to climb the ladder of that particular attribute? |
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Reply | Lloyd - Lone Striker Role
at 17:04 15 Dec 2024
I’ve always thought why lower-league academies don’t train players (or perhaps they do) from a young age to be hyper-specialized in a specific role. E.G, "The Back-to-Goal 1-in-5 Striker" - a player whose sole job is to take balls pinged at them from all angles, hold off defenders, and bring others into play. Think Gallen or Zamora - not prolific but invaluable for their hold-up play.
It’s common to see a player doing it all at youth level. But when they reach 1st team, their game usually focuses on a few key attributes, as the rest often fall short.
If a player were groomed from the age of 8 to master a specific role like the "Back-to-Goal Striker," they could train daily on:
• Aerial control to bring down lofted passes and draw fouls.
• Hold-up play to shield the ball under pressure, knock-ons, one touch lay-offs etc.
By the time they reached senior level, they’d be specialists in their craft - an absolute shield, useful in actual real game scenarios. Surely the above is more achievable than hoping to produce a 20-goal a season striker that inevitably ends up in the Isthmian League. |
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Reply | Lloyd - Lone Striker Role
at 15:48 14 Dec 2024
He shows the signs of someone coming into the academy system late as technically needs improving however he can be an effective player with his pace, physicality & enthusiasm.
Away from home, his ability to run the channels and push the team forward, as he demonstrated today, is useful. |
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Reply | QPR v Bristol City match thread
at 15:35 14 Dec 2024
If it was a lower league side out of their depth away against Man City playing for a replay, I'd say fair enough. Obvious gulf in class, do what you can lads...
But this is Bristol f***ing City, 5pts above us in mid-table.
That first 60 mins was absolute grade A horse sh*t in terms of ball retention, at least our defense was solid enough restricting them to scraps, keeping us in the game.
Lloyd helped 2nd half as you need that type of player away from home backs-to-wall, Varane was solid and you could see after the addition of Chair, Madsen & Paal we were somewhat more functional at retaining the ball, for more than 3 seconds.
Another point in the bag however, steering us further from the drop zone. With a week’s rest, I expect a much better showing at home against Preston. A win there would cap off a strong recent points return and put us in a far more comfortable position heading into Jan compared to where we were just a few weeks ago. |
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Reply | Varanne
at 11:26 12 Dec 2024
That central block of 5 we have has been so key to this run we're on, with Varane now a n important part. A solid base of a team that can really grind it out:
Nardi
Cook Morrison
Field Varane [Post edited 12 Dec 12:37]
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Reply | Just back.
at 22:10 30 Nov 2024
What was noticeable right from the off was that extra intensity and spring in the step which just hasn't been there in recent games. That after a grueling midweek away trip and early morning K/O with minimal prep time. Granted we faded but dug in and kept threatening till the end.
Confidence and momentum is a real thing at this level where there isn't much between teams, that win visibly gave us something and we turned up today. 5pts from a 3 game week, I'll take that.
December has some very winnable fixtures, Norwich look lively but this is the Championship. [Post edited 30 Nov 22:11]
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Reply | Madsen
at 16:46 20 Nov 2024
The thought of Madsen curving his run, sprinting down the channel in advanced anticipation of a Paal curler down the line, is giving me goosebumps. |
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Reply | manager
at 10:30 12 Nov 2024
I've often thought why a top manager - a proven winner (not Ruud), rarely takes on the challenge of managing a lower league team and leading them up the divisions in true 'Football Manager' style!
With financial security from their career, they'd test their skills without relying on a £200m war chest. If they've already won stuff, it'd be a true test of their ability. Sure, not that glamorous, and reputation risks are higher if things go wrong, but wouldn't the challenge be worth it? Pep at Wrexham... just because he can.
Of course the higher up you go player ability comes more into it, yet it's still rare to see an elite coach (who isn't past it) testing himself at a lower level. I can think of Bielsa doing it at Leeds with a somewhat average team, without even speaking English! |
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Reply | London Clubs and those nearby in the last decade on the up !!
at 11:28 8 Nov 2024
Since my first game in 94/95 season it has quite literally been 30 years of steady painful decline, with a few bright spots of upward momentum on the way. Back then, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham might’ve had bigger budgets and histories, but on the pitch we were competitive. Fulham and Brentford.. not even on the radar. As for Millwall, Watford Charlton they were bottom-feeding plankton.
WHU were more kind of our level but we had the beating of them, and Palace who were yo-yo-ing were below our level at the time.
Palace is an interesting and frustrating one in comparison. Relegated from Prem late 90's like us, a quick 1 season return mid 2000s and then steady decline to almost dropping into L1 when we nab Warnock and rise up. Then, out of nowhere, they scraped into the Prem through the playoffs under Holloway - and have stayed there for 12 years. |
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Reply | Kieran Morgan
at 20:47 2 Nov 2024
From the little I've seen, what's impressed me so far is his comfort on the ball whichever way he's facing, and not afraid to receive / play forward. Most often picks the right ball and does the so called easy things well to keep it ticking along, which in itself is a difficult skill. Defensively I'd like to see him in more challenging situations but hasn't been found wanting when needed thus far.
Overall good awareness, and a small thing i liked from today was him standing over the ball preventing Sunderland from taking a quick FK. Maturity beyond his yrs and not even 19. 10 yrs in the Tottenham academy has developed him well.
Interesting that on the bench today we had Aoraha & EDB (soon 22 & 24), who must be thinking this lad +3yrs younger is ahead of me in my position. If you're good enough you're old enough as they say. [Post edited 2 Nov 20:48]
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