George Thomas - Well Done 09:23 - Apr 19 with 5081 views | NorthantsHoop | Been really impressed with George Thomas and his input, since breaking back into the team. His work rate and play has improved and he was really good yesterday against Derby. We have a decent player who at last is starting to find his feet, so to speak in the team. We also look a lot better in midfield with Luke Amos as well who looks to have recovered from his knee injury and is delivering important goals. | | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 09:29 - Apr 19 with 3838 views | Antti_Heinola | Yep, what George needs now is a goal. If he gets one, I think the confidence will flow and we'll see him get more. From thinking he'd be off this summer, I'd like us to keep him as an extra option after Chair and Willock. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 09:47 - Apr 19 with 3744 views | davman |
George Thomas - Well Done on 09:29 - Apr 19 by Antti_Heinola | Yep, what George needs now is a goal. If he gets one, I think the confidence will flow and we'll see him get more. From thinking he'd be off this summer, I'd like us to keep him as an extra option after Chair and Willock. |
I think he's suffered from what Luke Amos suffered from - just what is his best position? A striker that doesn't score? Might as well add him to the list... There is a good player in their somewhere, just not sure where he should play... | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 09:47 - Apr 19 with 3744 views | terryb | I like Thomas & he creates space for others with his runs. I would like him to start in the three remaining games, but the drawback is that he looks unlikely to score. Mind you, I could say that about a very experienced striker at Rangers! | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 09:50 - Apr 19 with 3733 views | Tonto | he is getting on for 100 appearances now - over 30 for us (that surprised me). so he should be finding his feet by now. but playing (and starting) several matches in a row will certainly help rather than just being a bench warmer. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 09:55 - Apr 19 with 3708 views | Myke |
George Thomas - Well Done on 09:47 - Apr 19 by davman | I think he's suffered from what Luke Amos suffered from - just what is his best position? A striker that doesn't score? Might as well add him to the list... There is a good player in their somewhere, just not sure where he should play... |
That is the issue unfortunately. His hard work and running around unsettles defences, but he doesn't score and he has had some excellent opportunities to do so, even in the limited game time he has had. I think it was against Stoke, he came on late and still managed to miss 3 very presentable chances. Maybe Antti is right and he just needs that first one, but what we really need is someone who will comfortably score 15 goals + next season. It is the old chestnut I know, how can we afford such a player? I don't like Tom Lawrence as a person, but maybe someone like him is a potential solution? With regard to Thomas, if Warburton is here next season, he should give him another crack at it, if it's somebody new, he probably won't survive the inevitable cull. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:40 - Apr 19 with 3545 views | dmm | I know I'm in a minority but I just don't think Thomas cuts it at this level. I love his energy and endeavor but in 38 appearances over two seasons, he has achieved just 3 assists and no goals. And at 25 he's not a young player. I'd love him to prove me wrong but we're definitely going to need much more than he can provide with Willock and/or Chair departing in the summer. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:41 - Apr 19 with 3540 views | Tonto | most of those have been sub appearances though. im not sold on him yet, but this little run in the team is an audition for next season. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 10:47 - Apr 19 with 3500 views | Northernr | Just shows the difference a bit of speed makes. | | | | Login to get fewer ads
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:59 - Apr 19 with 3445 views | daveB | What he's done really well is stretch the opposition and create some space for the midfield, it works quite well with him running his arse off for an hour then bring on Austin or Gray against tired defenders. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 11:28 - Apr 19 with 3334 views | LazyFan |
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:47 - Apr 19 by Northernr | Just shows the difference a bit of speed makes. |
Agree and Thomas is not that fast. Derby's right-winger looked really good and is only 18. Worth a bid in summer I would say, get him cheap as they will still need money and League One prices are even lower now. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 11:34 - Apr 19 with 3312 views | bosh67 | He has pace. The rest will come given a chance and time. He's a classic late developer I think. Expect a lot more from him next season. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 12:15 - Apr 19 with 3186 views | LongsufferingR |
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:47 - Apr 19 by Northernr | Just shows the difference a bit of speed makes. |
Don't you get banned for that? I'm sure it would show up in your system when tested. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:17 - Apr 19 with 3058 views | nix |
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:47 - Apr 19 by Northernr | Just shows the difference a bit of speed makes. |
Definitely something we need to address in the transfer window. It's the main thing that's made us beatable once teams worked out better how to play us. Yesterday I noticed part of the reason they looked better in the last fifteen minutes was we lacked even more pace once George and Moses went off. So their defenders were all on the halfway line and their goalie playing as a sweeper, knowing we were unlikely to catch them out on the break. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:19 - Apr 19 with 3050 views | Tonto |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:17 - Apr 19 by nix | Definitely something we need to address in the transfer window. It's the main thing that's made us beatable once teams worked out better how to play us. Yesterday I noticed part of the reason they looked better in the last fifteen minutes was we lacked even more pace once George and Moses went off. So their defenders were all on the halfway line and their goalie playing as a sweeper, knowing we were unlikely to catch them out on the break. |
agreed. the need for speed. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 13:29 - Apr 19 with 3003 views | aston_hoop | I really like him, I like the way he presses and agree with Antti that once the goal comes then that is going to be massive for him. If its pace we want, I'd love Cheo Ogbene from Rotherham but not sure he is a realistic target on our budget at the moment. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 13:34 - Apr 19 with 2985 views | westberksr | I thought that Dykes & Thomas adding an extra dimension to the team up front. Thomas is very busy, reasonably quick and seems to have an ok touch. Whereas Dykes shows what it takes to win a few balls and actually move around; I feel he has been our biggest loss over the past few months. they have the making of an effective big man/ little man partnership in this division; now if only both could score some goals! on a similar subject; Amos is an incredibly calm finisher when he is presented with a chance and made some good runs yesterday including the disallowed goal | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 14:06 - Apr 19 with 2881 views | Antti_Heinola |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:17 - Apr 19 by nix | Definitely something we need to address in the transfer window. It's the main thing that's made us beatable once teams worked out better how to play us. Yesterday I noticed part of the reason they looked better in the last fifteen minutes was we lacked even more pace once George and Moses went off. So their defenders were all on the halfway line and their goalie playing as a sweeper, knowing we were unlikely to catch them out on the break. |
spot on, and that's why Austin and Gray can't get in the side. With them, we can't do a high press, because they either can't do it in one case or don't really want to in the other. Really gave them impetus as they were able to play it out with more freedom. | |
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George Thomas - Well Done on 14:10 - Apr 19 with 2867 views | nix |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:34 - Apr 19 by westberksr | I thought that Dykes & Thomas adding an extra dimension to the team up front. Thomas is very busy, reasonably quick and seems to have an ok touch. Whereas Dykes shows what it takes to win a few balls and actually move around; I feel he has been our biggest loss over the past few months. they have the making of an effective big man/ little man partnership in this division; now if only both could score some goals! on a similar subject; Amos is an incredibly calm finisher when he is presented with a chance and made some good runs yesterday including the disallowed goal |
I think we've missed Dykes too, and then when he's been back it's taken a bit of a while to get back up to speed. He's definitely like marmite though as at least two people sitting behind me told me yesterday how hopeless he is. Bit harsh given he got the assist for our goal, was v unlucky not to get another assist for Amos' disallowed goal. And he had a couple of shots on target and a blocked shot. It seems a bit like the Warbs has no plan B line though, something people have read and just keep repeating. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 14:11 - Apr 19 with 2867 views | Match82 |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:19 - Apr 19 by Tonto | agreed. the need for speed. |
Insert top gun gif here... | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 16:45 - Apr 19 with 2580 views | VancouverHoop | He's not a striker, never has been, so expecting him to become one at 26 is a bit unlikely. He can be effective as a 'wind-up toy' on a team that lacks speed from almost anywhere else though. The trouble is he's only got one gear. On a team like ours which moves slowly via possession and short passes, he needs to put his foot on the ball now and again. If he can do that he could be a real asset. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 16:49 - Apr 19 with 2560 views | PinnerPaul |
George Thomas - Well Done on 10:47 - Apr 19 by Northernr | Just shows the difference a bit of speed makes. |
Yes agree, I think we do over think it at times. As we've all said, its a tough league - "7 fixtures in 4 days" blah, blah, blah - but its not a particularly technically wonderful one. Sometimes a bit of pace, a bit of luck, a bit of bravery is all you need. | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 16:51 - Apr 19 with 2545 views | PinnerPaul |
George Thomas - Well Done on 13:17 - Apr 19 by nix | Definitely something we need to address in the transfer window. It's the main thing that's made us beatable once teams worked out better how to play us. Yesterday I noticed part of the reason they looked better in the last fifteen minutes was we lacked even more pace once George and Moses went off. So their defenders were all on the halfway line and their goalie playing as a sweeper, knowing we were unlikely to catch them out on the break. |
Erm....except when we did! | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 18:05 - Apr 19 with 2447 views | 1JD |
George Thomas - Well Done on 14:10 - Apr 19 by nix | I think we've missed Dykes too, and then when he's been back it's taken a bit of a while to get back up to speed. He's definitely like marmite though as at least two people sitting behind me told me yesterday how hopeless he is. Bit harsh given he got the assist for our goal, was v unlucky not to get another assist for Amos' disallowed goal. And he had a couple of shots on target and a blocked shot. It seems a bit like the Warbs has no plan B line though, something people have read and just keep repeating. |
Warburton “not having a plan B” is a very reasonable and valid argument with plenty of supporting evidence, not least this season. It took him 42 games to change the wing back formation, which has long been sussed out by opposition some 20 odd games ago. Teams worked out how to play us and we literally ground to a halt. As for the recent change in formation and personnel that has benefited us so well the last 2 games, it will sadly likely to too little too late. And that’s the problem. Why has it taken this long to adapt and come up with counter solutions? His words post-match yesterday on WLS when asked about the formation “it was out of necessity” meaning it was injury-related and it was “enforced”. In other words, it was not through choice, which is more than a little concerning given the new found life, energy, and points. Where would we be if this change in formation and personnel occurred 10 games ago when it should of taken place? | | | |
George Thomas - Well Done on 18:58 - Apr 19 with 2355 views | Benny_the_Ball |
George Thomas - Well Done on 18:05 - Apr 19 by 1JD | Warburton “not having a plan B” is a very reasonable and valid argument with plenty of supporting evidence, not least this season. It took him 42 games to change the wing back formation, which has long been sussed out by opposition some 20 odd games ago. Teams worked out how to play us and we literally ground to a halt. As for the recent change in formation and personnel that has benefited us so well the last 2 games, it will sadly likely to too little too late. And that’s the problem. Why has it taken this long to adapt and come up with counter solutions? His words post-match yesterday on WLS when asked about the formation “it was out of necessity” meaning it was injury-related and it was “enforced”. In other words, it was not through choice, which is more than a little concerning given the new found life, energy, and points. Where would we be if this change in formation and personnel occurred 10 games ago when it should of taken place? |
Yes, I'd go along with that. The 'No Plan B' argument doesn't necessarily mean that Warburton hasn't tried alternatives during his tenure. It's more that he tends to stick to a favoured formation and personnel for a prolonged spell until sheet really hits the fan. We've seen this before. He largely stuck with a 4-2-3-1 in his opening spell and it almost cost him his job at Christmas 2020. A few recruits in January 2021 coupled with a shift to 3-5-2 saw a transformation which resulted in a strong finish to last season as well as a decent start to this. However, opposition managers sussed QPR out and from February form collapsed. Nevertheless, Mark stuck with his preferred formation (and personnel) until Easter. Having recently switched to a 4-4-2 and given youth a chance, the team looks energised and full of beans. Sadly, it could be too little too late to salvage a play off spot this season. If Warburton stays I hope he realises that this team is capable of playing different formations; they've proven that over the long-term. Rather than stick with one until it breaks, I'd like to see Mark prepare the team to play different formations depending on the personnel at his disposal, opposition and form. This would give the team greater flexibility in games and makes QPR less predictable and more difficult to prepare for. I'd also like him to be more proactive in identifying and fixing problems. In January it was clear that the team was lucky to win a few matches (Bristol City and Coventry City spring to mind). Despite the positive results Mark could have recognised that the performance levels had dropped and made some changes to freshen things up. Equally he needs to be a bit more proactive in games, and recognise when things are simply not working and change it early. There have been too many late triple substitutions for my liking. That all being said, there has been progression and overall I feel that Mark deserves another chance to take it to the next level (assuming that he even wants to). If the same weaknesses persist and the team doesn't progress next season then I think the board are entitled to consider a fresh start (provided a suitable replacement is available). P.S. Well done George Thomas! [Post edited 19 Apr 2022 18:58]
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George Thomas - Well Done on 19:45 - Apr 19 with 2228 views | nix |
George Thomas - Well Done on 16:51 - Apr 19 by PinnerPaul | Erm....except when we did! |
I know! I spotted that. But I can see why they might have thought we wouldn't as a couple of times we did break from minefield and then just stopped because there was no one to pass to. | | | |
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