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Comment | Plymouth come out punching on Championship return - Interview
at 16:37:45
Such a likeable club is Plymouth and I am glad to see them in the ascendancy again. Interesting what Argyle Life says about the quality of the championship since they have been away, you notice it less when you are here. Seems both clubs are set up to play in a similar way, another test for Marti. |
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Comment | QPR and Bristol City cancel each other out with new autumn fashion lines - Report
at 14:23:39
This is ace, thankyou. I read a great article in When Saturday Comes about VAR in the week and this is equally as cogent. VAR would have made no difference atall in all likelihood to the Sinclair penalty decision, it was one of those ones where you would have nowhere near a unanimous decision naked eye or with countless replays. VAR has made life worse because there are plenty decisions like this and also because the pendants have taken over. The WSC article rightly spoke about how offside was invented to deter goal hanging but now they are taking out measuring instruments to see if the attacker's hand is in an offside position (for eg) and the writer rightly said this is taking the piss out of celebrating fans and strikers alike. Thank heavens it is not in the championship.
My other point is about Marti, I am totally loving his work, he says exactly what I want to hear as a fan plus the football is so, so much better. He has the advantage for me of following the worst appointment that I think we have made in my lifetime. I am glad that the supporters were kind about GA, it is a minor miracle all in all and actually speaks well of the human spirit. I really, really, really hope that we extend the same patience to Marti if and when things get a bit rocky. |
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Comment | Ferdinand departs, where to now driver? Column
at 16:20:01
Thanks for this forensic look at Les's time in charge.
If Les did indeed help to halve the wage bill and then halve it again he deserves immense credit.
Charlie Austin's twitter comment was pretty disappointing and the comments that followed it doubly so. Not that you can express much on that medium but it is very easy to find a bogeyman and assume that will solve matters. It gets us nowhere obviously.
If Les's hands were tied as much as they were then I'd really love to hear his version of events, see how untenable his job really was. When we had a plan, an actual plan, under Warburton and then Honest Mick (thanks for that!) I was really quite optimistic. The appointment of Critchley was a disaster obviously but for me the appointment of Ainsworth was a much bigger disaster as that is simply tearing up the plan, wasting the good work that has been done the last 3 years.
I think Les has a bit of a communication problem. I remember thinking it when I saw the video of him announcing Ramsey's sacking, it was terribly handled and I guess that he is not very good at delivering difficult news. He upset Charlie Austin and others and even though you obviously can never please everyone in football, better social skills would have helped him. I'd sooner have seen Lee Hoos gone too, his social skills have plummeted, he is obviously so unhappy in the job that he has given up on certain areas of it.
We need root and branch reform, get a new plan together, sack anyone who doesn't fit that but we will almost certainly have to spend a year or 5 in the doldrums if we are to get anywhere I reckon. |
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Comment | Luton humbling highlights scale of Critchley’s task — Report
at 18:20:39
I've paraphrased AKUTRs Dave Thomas on so many occasions and here I go again. Things are rarely as bad as people say they are at QPR when everyone is down in the dumps and they are rarely as good when people are raving.
This partly explains my views on Thursday. We weren't good, the performance was nowhere near acceptable but it weren't a diabolical performance and despite this alarming drop of form I don't think we are close to the last time I thought it was actually drasctic' the time that our form fell off a cliff in February last year. That really was truly shocking, usually when we went behind that was totally it as we were seemingly incapable of mounting any attacks atall, week after painful week.
On the QPR podcast following the Preston game, despite a couple of problems offered by Clive the panel was hugely upbeat. I know a lot of this was fuelled by good riddance to Mick Beale but it was far too optimistic given where we were at. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed it!
My big gripe though (and I know Clive has not suggested this) is the amount of people writing Critchley off because he is "boring". It's staggering really and it comes from some well respected QPR fan sources as well. As a fanbase I think we need to be a lot more patient but with Brentford and Fulham doing so well and adding to the pain for some people patience is in ever shortening supply. |
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Comment | Luton humbling highlights scale of Critchley’s task — Report
at 15:29:02
I have repeated it so many times and it bares repeating again. It was a Dave Thomas AKUTRs statement about things not being as good at QPR when everyone is raving and not being as bad as when everyone is depressed.
Notwithstanding that our recent form has been rotten the last truly abysmal time for me was when we fell apart after February last season. Not only were we hopeless we also weren't creating any chances, I think it is one of the darkest periods I have ever had supporting QPR. Certainly, as painful as v Luton was it was not that low.
An example of everyone raving about QPR was on the podcast straight after the Preston win. There was a touch of caution from Clive but largely everyone was in a great mood and very optimistic. It was too much and the pessimism is too much now IMO.
I think we are especially gloomy at the mo as everyone else in West London is doing so well, that brings it into sharp focus.
I also think (and it is an unpopular view) that we make our minds up too quickly and Critchley has been written off by an astonishing amount of people, even from some well respected quarters.
I don't think I am blinkered, I know it is not good enough, not even close. Plus a lot of people doing the complaining will be there supporting and getting behind the team regardless. I think too many of us give up though and I don't think it is helpful.
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Comment | Luton humbling highlights scale of Critchley’s task — Report
at 15:29:00
I have repeated it so many times and it bares repeating again. It was a Dave Thomas AKUTRs statement about things not being as good at QPR when everyone is raving and not being as bad as when everyone is depressed.
Notwithstanding that our recent form has been rotten the last truly abysmal time for me was when we fell apart after February last season. Not only were we hopeless we also weren't creating any chances, I think it is one of the darkest periods I have ever had supporting QPR. Certainly, as painful as v Luton was it was not that low.
An example of everyone raving about QPR was on the podcast straight after the Preston win. There was a touch of caution from Clive but largely everyone was in a great mood and very optimistic. It was too much and the pessimism is too much now IMO.
I think we are especially gloomy at the mo as everyone else in West London is doing so well, that brings it into sharp focus.
I also think (and it is an unpopular view) that we make our minds up too quickly and Critchley has been written off by an astonishing amount of people, even from some well respected quarters.
I don't think I am blinkered, I know it is not good enough, not even close. Plus a lot of people doing the complaining will be there supporting and getting behind the team regardless. I think too many of us give up though and I don't think it is helpful.
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Comment | Fair enough? — Preview
at 22:03:27
I know you don’t want to read me moaning...
On the contrary moaning every now and again is totally necessary. If things don't make sense they need to be called out. We all need to keep any negativity in check for ours and other's sake but you do a wonderful job of calling out inconsistencies so keep it up. You Rrs |
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Comment | Fair enough? — Preview
at 22:03:12
I know you don’t want to read me moaning...
On the contrary moaning every now and again is totally necessary. If things don't make sense they need to be called out. We all need to keep any negativity in check for ours and other's sake but you do a wonderful job of calling out inconsistencies so keep it up. You Rrs |
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Comment | Fair enough? — Preview
at 22:03:10
I know you don’t want to read me moaning...
On the contrary moaning every now and again is totally necessary. If things don't make sense they need to be called out. We all need to keep any negativity in check for ours and other's sake but you do a wonderful job of calling out inconsistencies so keep it up. You Rrs |
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Comment | Fair enough? — Preview
at 22:03:08
I know you don’t want to read me moaning...
On the contrary moaning every now and again is totally necessary. If things don't make sense they need to be called out. We all need to keep any negativity in check for ours and other's sake but you do a wonderful job of calling out inconsistencies so keep it up. You Rrs |
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Comment | Me, The Auld Fella and Charlie Austin — Column
at 20:33:10
Very lovely piece Rob!!
Loads of echoes for me. My dad was from Ireland and not nearly afforded the respect or opportunities that we were. Nearly all my family supports Arsenal too, bah.
It has to be Rangers. Your dad would have been triple proud of that tribute for sure. Very poignant reading everyone else's contributions too. |
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Comment | Rovers facing wobble and goal drought without main man - Interview
at 20:46:37
Indeed, that was the funnest opposition profile ever.
I guess this is a great time to be playing Rovers though it is sadly probably also a good time for them to be playing us. One or both of us will turn it around I'm sure and maybe even WBA but if all 3 of us end up outside the play offs come the season's end that would be quite the divisional musical chairs. |
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Comment | Stop me if you've heard this one before - Report
at 00:05:32
Bravo!
This QPR team is indeed reinventing what QPR do, they are very special and I think we have the best manager since the 70s at least.
I thought we were ok in the first half actually and irresistible in the second. I was channeling Jim Magilton more than Bobby Zamora and was pretty sure we would win throughout the game. Although a bit of doubt set in of course when the clock was near done. But what a goal, what a vindication, this team totally deserved that and all the coming successes they will have. |
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Comment | Who you gonna call? Preview
at 11:07:48
Great piece, the closest I have got to understanding what is going on at Derby. Whilst I feel gutted for Derby fans in general, unless we have not seen it there does appear to be very few protesting voices during Morris's reign. At least the guy who posted the Twitter big up mentioned above has had the big balls and sense of humour to keep it up there.
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Comment | A comeback story - Interview
at 00:23:27
It's good to see another likeable club bouncing back after the odious Oystons. Plus, interesting to get such divergent perspectives. I reckon the realist is more likely to be right but that would still be a fair return for Blackpool I reckon. |
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Comment | Take your time lads - Preview
at 12:13:10
I had to reread this piece in the post joy of v Preston and some really interesting comments. If you are going to be consistent then of course you have to say fans contribute to it by not returning the ball, though that is a bit of a hoot. Stainrod's elbow is bang right too re the internet having a go at Chair. His being caught in possession started the West Brom move but it was still a beautiful goal from them and they had so much more work to do. Some goals are just more about the opposition than us, the habit of finding someone to blame for every goal is another modern football phenomenon.
Back to the case in point, most of us remember the outrage at "cheating foreigners" writhing on the floor at the merest of touches from a British player in the 80s and thereabouts. You don't hear so much of it now as most of the pundits have the requisite self awareness to realise it would be sonewhat hypocritical to call it out when they are fairly well practiced in simulation themselves. (Not Alan Shearer, self awareness does require a basic wit level). Well, I always hated any form of cheating or bad sport, even when we brought the ball to the corner flag during injury time. Partly cos we were so rubbish at that and partly cos I just thought we are QPR, we are better than that. However, I found myself positively buzzing when Charlie performed his corner routine on Saturday. The first part of it worked as we got a throw and then we managed to balls it up as usual but it got me thinking. Has the Overton line shifted that much in my Corinthian Casual mind that I am now cheering corner flag nonsense or was it the thrill of the 3-2, plus the opposition that made me feel that way??
Anyhoo, for the proper shithousery I am with Clive. Just start booking them all. I can see it now, apopletic fans and punters crying for consistency when half their team gets booked for cheating but a stand has to be made, it is ruining the game. |
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Comment | Pearson progress in evidence, but home woes continue - Interview
at 17:36:32
Cheers to Dave, that was a very impartial review for a partial reviewer!
It must be really hard to stomach going from likely play off candidates year on year to looking over your shoulder. There is no way that City will be as bad as at Ashton Gate last season and it will be most intriguing to see how the season pans out with Pearson. |
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Comment | Cov clinging on down the home straight - Interview
at 01:12:31
I've always had a soft spot for Coventry despite Eoin Jess's goal that ruined my 1996 and been faacinated by how bad their fortunes have been since. It's an agreeable spot with good people, I'd really like to see them stay up, though at the expense of someone who probably won't go down.
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