| Forum Thread | Marti's remarks on the ref at 20:10 25 Jan 2025
'Refereeing should be about protecting the game as well, when there is one team that is trying to be proactive and one that is reactive, and is constantly stopping. Credit to them, they do it really well, and were clinical, but it seems today there were some situations that could have been reffed in a different way.' From the BBC report. Interesting, as he often likes to remind us (and did so again today to the WLS) that referees have a hard job and he never likes to criticise them. The ref was certainly too lenient with his cards for me, while seeming in a world of his own at other times, like that bizarre goal kick/free kick fiasco, but the main issues were (i) our not playing quickly or effectively enough in the final third (which is down to playing Varane and Field together, and Chair still clearly not quite himself), (ii) Frey being too isolated/lacking service (and also off it), and (iii) Wednesday's persistent fouling, disruptiveness and gamesmanship with players going down in the second half who are clearly in perfect health. Unfortunately, that's the modern game, and just about everyone does it, and I don't necessarily see how the ref could have had that much more of an impact on it than he did. Like a few others, I'm actually not too dispirited because I do think the underlying trend has clearly been consistently and impressively upwards, but I'd be more interested, when Marti talks about learning from a game, what he's learning, and, you know, maybe telling us once in a while. We're fans, and we'd like to know. Is he happy with the creativity in midfield? How does he account for the fact that our centre forward hardly touched the ball today, and how is he planning to addressing it? Why do our dead ball deliveries/free kick routines not seem to be improving? It would help if people whose job it is to ask interesting/challenging questions did so once in a while. [Post edited 25 Jan 20:14]
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| Forum Thread | Millwall ticket at 23:11 22 Jan 2025
Am unexpectedly planning to be over from the Emerald Isle for the long weekend, but the allocation has of course sold out. Should anyone have a spare ticket, I'd be glad to add a drink to the price for any fellow R. Thanks to anyone who can help. |
| Forum Thread | Chair at 17:09 22 Jan 2025
How worried should we be at how 'off it' he was v Hull? His replacement by Saito was like fumbling in the dark giving way to the Land of the Rising Sun! I know he had a couple of great assists recently, but it's been a real tough ol' season for Ili, and obviously his lack of pre-season and then missing a big chunk of this one when he was feeling his way back in have had a physical impact. I wonder how he's feeling in mind and body right now. [Post edited 22 Jan 17:12]
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| Forum Thread | Fine margins at 22:24 21 Jan 2025
Fantastic to be at such altitude, of course, but, Gino Bambino, with four points between us in 9th and Preston in 16th, this league's tighter than a duck's bottom! Should we be looking up, looking down, or just not looking? |
| Forum Thread | Ruben Amorim at 19:03 19 Jan 2025
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c77r85gj45xo I know I've entered the odd criticism of Marti's post-match ruminations at times, but, Jesus Creepers, this man is frighteningly bad and really makes me grateful for MC's frankness, clarity and honesty almost all of the time. Calls his team possibly the worst in the club's 147 year history. Can come up with nothing more than 'we have to be better' and 'cant lose so many games'. And (leaving aside his language issues) generally casts about as much light on what needs to be done about his hilariously bad team as a total eclipse! And they say Rashford's a waste of money! As embarrassing as his team! On this evidence, they'll go down for more reasons than one. Bring it on! [Post edited 19 Jan 19:04]
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| Forum Thread | Van Nistelrooy on today's game at 19:08 11 Jan 2025
'I wanted to continue in that development with the team and not make too many changes in that sense. I feel we are in a process where we are getting better, doing things better, and in a certain way. That's why I wanted to continue that.' Wise words - I only wish he'd been managing us for this game. Tbh, the game was up as soon as their team sheet and ours went public! Hopefully the QPR management team is taking note, even if it's shutting the stable door after our F A Cup nag has, once again, bolted into the black! [Post edited 11 Jan 19:09]
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| Forum Thread | Edwards at 17:36 7 Jan 2025
Was wondering what people's verdicts were on his half-hour cameo vs Lavatory Town? And also Marti's decision to insert him in midfield (and whether this was a one-off)? Will/could/should he be a starter going forwards, and if so, who gives way? Is there likely to be any case for him displacing Varane permanently? If he's as good as we hear, might he instead be competing strongly with JCS for a centre back berth? (He's only 21, but, amazingly, he's played almost as many games as Jake, who is six years older.) Finally, I'm aware he's a loanee, and we're unlikely to be in a position to do a deal for him in June, but who knows? If Saints come down as looks inevitable, and we have a good second half of the season, stranger things have happened. [Post edited 7 Jan 17:36]
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| Forum Thread | Stan Anderson at 18:07 6 Jan 2025
A bit before my time, but does anyone have memories (good, bad, or indifferent) of him?Was manager for about a month in '74 between Jago leaving and Sexton incoming. [Post edited 6 Jan 18:11]
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| Forum Thread | Varane at 09:27 2 Jan 2025
For me, still has plenty of improving to do and certainly hasn't won me over yet. Erratic passing, doesn't influence games enough, and terrible shooting - the chance he missed yesterday was really poor and shows his lack of composure. He breaks things up a bit and is an upgrade on Dozzell, but even with Colback's injury proneness and bouts of ill-discipline, I'd probably still play him over JV right now. Thoughts? [Post edited 2 Jan 9:43]
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| Forum Thread | Query on Champ table at 09:19 2 Jan 2025
Amazingly, we currently have an identical record to Preston right now, including goals scored and conceded (if not quite yet for shithousery). Does anyone know what the rationale is for us being placed above them in the table? |
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