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Reply | Dunne off?
at 11:24 3 Feb 2025
No one can blame Dunne if we go.
We had either not offered him a contract (he said this, and I tend to suspect it) until now when Sheff Utd are there, too 2, waving a bigger contract and potential for Prem football. Of course, he would be tempted.
If we can get 2m for him, then that is a good return.
The only failure we have made here is not renewing him in December (or earlier) before the Sheff Utd interest ramped up. Then we’d be able to command a bigger fee now or in the summer…or he remains our player.
The difference to Austin’s, BOS, Manning, Willock, etc, is that none of them wanted to sign an extension with us at the time and ran their contracts down. I think Dunne would have renewed. It was us who weren’t the interested party…until our performances picked up with him key and we realised there was market value in him. |
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Reply | New Year transfer window rumours
at 11:19 3 Feb 2025
My understanding was we have the 3rd year option on Colback, and Cook’s was just a 2yr deal to begin with.
If they have options it was a stupid contract since we loaded their yr 2 salaries to make them cheaper in year 1, to make FFP. If the 3rd year is on the 2nd year’s terms, we have made a rod for our back.
FWIW, I would extend Cook. I think he’s invaluable. But I certainly would not renew Colback. We have to be able to find better 3+ years younger…and he’s a back up anyway. |
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Reply | New Year transfer window rumours
at 10:22 3 Feb 2025
Agree. That was what my last paragraph was calling out.
However, our game model/recruitment strategy should not just exclude signing any experienced pros. We know what can go wrong with a load of young ballers and no experienced physicality in the side.
If we let Colback go at the end of the year, and if we also let Cook walk we would need to sign some players in their 30s who are strong at the physical side of things, the game management, and who are leaders.
Just running with kids under 24 could be a disaster. |
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Reply | Esquerdinha
at 08:57 3 Feb 2025
Am more concerned by the article posted on the another thread with quotes from inside the club he’s at, that they’ve agreed to eventually sell him because he’s been a problem off the pitch.
Aren’t we meant to be really focusing on players’ characters now before we buy them? Or do we skip that bit if we think they’re a bit good? And love to know how we carried it out with Brazilian lad playing over there.
This feels like a punt. |
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Reply | New Year transfer window rumours
at 08:53 3 Feb 2025
I actually disagree. He would fit the formation and tactics very well.
In our 4141, it is all made to work by Morgan and Field being the middle of that “4” and having to get up into the box and out wide to support the winger, and back to protect alongside Varane. Morgan is slightly pushed up, hence it being asymmetrical, and Field is a little deeper so does more protecting. Both those get about the pitch and help close down the oppo quickly.
Luongo’s strengths were tackling and running. He was top of the league one year for tackles made. He would suit the system well as cover/competing with Field and Morgan. The bloke has also been a starter at this level with a team who won promotion. Only player in our squad who can say that is Cook. And look at the impact he has had.
HOWEVER, big point here, what is the point of signing him unless we can sign permanently within our wage structure (unlikely)? Even if that is possible, he is 33 at the start of next season. Would he be a starter? Ahead of Morgan or Field? Not sure. Would he be useful. Potentially, as an experienced head to replace Colback on lower wages, maybe. But as Nourry has said himself, we should really only be signing players on loan who will be under contract here thereafter. |
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Reply | Dunne off?
at 09:21 2 Feb 2025
I find this thinking of “football” as only being when you have the ball at your feet baffling.
95% of a game of football, all but one footballer on the pitch do not have the ball at their feet.
Football is as much what you do without the ball as with it. Simply ignoring that part of the game is breathtakingly short sighted.
We struggled at the start of this season precisely because we had an unbalanced side with too many players who were technically good with the ball at their feet but useless without it.
We corrected that balance and went on a phenomenal run.
As I have said many times, it’s no good having ballers if you can’t win tackles…you never get them the ball and have to play out from the keeper and you’ll never be winning possession higher up the pitch when the oppo are most exposed.
Running, closing down space, tracking runners, tackling, competing for loose balls…it’s all critical “football” just like touch, passing, crossing, and shooting are. You need a balance. The former is what makes formations and tactics work. Obviously you’d like every player to do all of those things really well, but that is naive. Hardly anyone in world football does it all, and any close only play for the top top clubs.
Field, Smyth, Cook, and Dunne are very solid, reliable players at this level. It is ludicrous for a club of our budget to want to move them on UNLESS we get big offers for them or they run their contracts down.
(Edited to correct a litany of typos) [Post edited 3 Feb 8:44]
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Reply | (Feasible) players you most wished had/hadn't played for QPR
at 08:21 22 Jan 2025
Paulo Wanchope - if Houston has got that call right we might have returned to the Prem much quicker and our whole history could have changed.
Clive Mendonca - if signed when Holloway was looking at it, might have enabled us to go up two divisions, so long as the signed wasn’t instead of Paul Furlong (can’t remember the timelines).
John Barnes - feels like he should have played for us. |
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Reply | Ashby throwing the jersey to the floor
at 07:04 22 Jan 2025
I said a couple of weeks ago that I think he’ll end up playing in League 2. Does some properly strange things (catching the ball in play, leaving it when in play thinking it’s gone out, bombing forward with no cover) which are a little odd even in context. But I also just think he’s not actually that good at football, technically. He gives it away a lot. I think he’s one of these academy boys who has been made to look a lot better than he is by being surrounded by other talented young boys at youth level. Because he plays full back, some of his technical deficiencies have been missed, because he has the physique and appearance of a footballer.
He has had the odd game where he has out in some good challenges and looked fine, but there is something about him, I’m not sure of. I think he’s gradually getting found out and think that may continue for a league or two. |
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Reply | Game on.
at 06:56 22 Jan 2025
Obviously that is a sample size of 1, but indicates how last season teams up it and improve their PPG in the run in. Makes sense as the whole mid table has nothing to play for. But it would only equate to 72 this season. Still basically 11 points every 6 games here on in. |
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Reply | Hull Is For Heroes match fred
at 00:34 22 Jan 2025
He’s like a large, young Labrador bounding about the place crashing into people and furniture, taking a few blows, but just getting up and running again. |
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Reply | Rest of the Championship thread
at 00:11 22 Jan 2025
Well, yes, I suppose. But it’s a bit like crediting him for not fathering any children when I imagine his preferred birth control method is wearing a hazmat suit and standing outside the bedroom.
“Conservative” doesn’t do it justice. |
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Reply | Game on.
at 23:36 21 Jan 2025
At the minute 6th spot is on 42 points from 28 games, which is a points per game of 1.5, equating to 69 points over a full season. That feels very low for 6th in a normal season. Nevertheless, let’s follow the logic and say “70” for 6th.
Means we would need 32 points from 18. PPG of 1.78. Basically 11 points every 6 games (gets us to 71).
That’s tough. It’s still very unlikely.
All that said, keep this momentum up over the next 6 games and the amount required will drop for the last 12, when the big teams will all be under greater pressure to get results and hold onto automatic promotion. |
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Reply | Morgan Fox
at 23:28 21 Jan 2025
It is easy to underestimate an experienced pro at centre half who knows where to stand in the box to head and clear basic crosses in this league. When he’s up against any pace or dragged out wide, he worries me. He’s doing well though.
I did note that Edwards looks to be really quite quick over the first 5 yards. Really good acceleration. I think this is important when playing with Fox. [Post edited 21 Jan 23:44]
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Reply | Varanne
at 23:24 21 Jan 2025
I like him. Think there is a lot of potential there.
But tonight I thought he had a very strange game. Did some weird, brain dead stuff. Twice turned down moving forward with the ball into space in order to turn around and then get caught in possession trying to play it backwards. Also overhit backwards passes, one over the top of the back 2 and one towards the corner flag. He made a couple of silly fouls. All in all I thought he looked a bit mentally tired.
He’s played a lot and is new to the league so it’s not surprise and something we should expect. I still think he’s growing into the role, the level, and the league.
He’s been good, not great, but good so far. And you can see there is promise of more. |
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Reply | Hull Is For Heroes match fred
at 22:02 21 Jan 2025
Lloyd was superb. He and Saito changed the game.
Fox and Edwards were solid bar that bit at the end when Fox when walkabout and Edwards let it bounce.
Paal had a pretty good game. Still think he doesn’t block the cross often enough, but fair’s fair, he did well.
Varane had a proper head scratcher; did some very odd things.
Chair and Kolli were poor and the subs made the difference.
We didn’t actually play very well, but we won, like we do this sort of thing all the time away from home. |
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Reply | Saito's goal
at 21:59 21 Jan 2025
Well done, Koki. Very well deserved. |
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Reply | Plymouth Match Thread - Post Captain Pugwash !!
at 12:48 18 Jan 2025
Exactly. We’ve been very sloppy with the ball when Plymouth are there to be carved apart.
To my mind we look a little lazy and complacent here.
Concede first, crowd get up, and we struggle to lift our level to get back into it.
Up it now, concentrate, execute properly, go a goal up, we could put 3 past this lot. |
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Reply | Saito, stick or twist?
at 16:11 16 Jan 2025
Stick. Assuming the salary isn’t silly, I’d keep him. Technically very sound. Think there is more to come from him too. |
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Reply | We sign a striker!
at 13:26 16 Jan 2025
I’m particularly taken with “his varying styles of finishing ability…”
Doesn’t that mean they vary between woeful and great, or clown-like and professional, given he’s talking about his ability to finish not the types of finishes he executes? Does he finish some chances like a jazz musician and some like a French mime artist, and perhaps some like “a footballer”?
ChatGPNourry needs more refinement. |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 6928 | | Comment Votes: | 44 | | Prediction League: | 11 | | TOTAL: | 6983 |
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