| Mark Hughes 13:06 - Jan 22 with 2571 views | barbicanranger |
OK, I'm not getting over excited, his reign is only 3 games old and staying up will be a scrap but a couple of initial thoughts on Hughes.
- I've been impressed with how he's assessed the squad so quickly, sure someone will have given him the background to each player but he seems to have identified players + positions pretty quickly
- following on from above each player seem to know what their role is and he hasn't asked them to perform miracles, ie SWP more running at his man, mackie box to box, even hall was in position all game.
- substitutions, was DJ injured? Thought bring Tommy on at half time was a great sub and introducing Derry when he did - positive and calculated substitutions.
- I like the way he speaks post game never over excited, factual, professional and serious
Any other thoughts? [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
|  | | |  |
| Mark Hughes on 01:44 - Jan 23 with 570 views | qprmick |
| Mark Hughes on 14:35 - Jan 22 by FDC |
Anyone get the impression the players have been instructed to shoot on sight? Right from the off against Newcastle we were taking shots any time anyone was within range, same again yesterday. |
.....and didn't SWP give Mackie a tongue lashing for not passing to him. Not on the same page obviously. |  |
| |
| Mark Hughes on 04:37 - Jan 23 with 555 views | timcocking |
Bottom line is it's far too early to judge but the signs are great. I thought that was an excellent showing considering everything, and it augurs favourably. We definitely seemed more organised and energetic at the least.
|  | | |
| Mark Hughes on 08:04 - Jan 23 with 536 views | stansleftfoot |
| Mark Hughes on 04:37 - Jan 23 by timcocking |
Bottom line is it's far too early to judge but the signs are great. I thought that was an excellent showing considering everything, and it augurs favourably. We definitely seemed more organised and energetic at the least.
|
If there are people out there who cannot see the difference in how the team is set-up, how the discipline in how the side maintains it's shape is vastly improved and how fitness is improving is frankly a surprise.
I'm not sure it is too early to tell, whether it can be maintained and further improved on is not clear. The short time its taken to get this far would tell me that we can expect a lot more from Mark Hughes, Mark Bowen and Ed the Ned....
| | | |
| Mark Hughes on 08:56 - Jan 23 with 511 views | Neil_SI |
I still think Hughes and his team need time. There's going to be a transitional phase and then a period of progression. In between that, we've got to just hope for the best and that we can still take results like we did against Wigan.
The defence and midfield are playing in a more disciplined manner, which is a positive, and you can tell that when your central defensive pairing doesn't have an awful lot to do.
But playing this way does also restrict and reduce creativity at the other end. Prior to Neil Warnock's departure, we were more exciting at both ends of the pitch, in the sense we could be wild at the back, but unpredictably excellent in attack as well, so reaching extreme high's and lows either way.
Hughes and co have reduced this impact on both ends of the scale, so we are more solid and less likely to be wild at the back, but at the same time, probably at the current time more unlikely to hit the dizzy heights in attack.
You hope at some point this will change when he has had more time to work on the attack, because right now it's all about defensive shape and responsibility. You also hope if we grind more results out, players confidence and morale levels raise so that they have the impetus to drive forward when needed.
Right now, it's all about speculative long range efforts and pop shots. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but that's what happened on Saturday. We rarely troubled them in a normal attacking sense of slipping a striker in, turning the Wigan defence around and getting in behind, or getting the ball wide and crossing in. This is where there's room for improvement for us going forward.
First of all it's about building the platform. I think the more disciplined shape has given us a better chance to deal with changeover in possession, and we scored a relatively good goal on the counter attack against Wigan. So there's potential here, although overall, I think Hughes will need better players to help him through this period and who can carry out the style he wants.
It's more straight lined football overall, and that tends to mean you just need that bit of quality to penetrate when you need to. They say though that he gets the best out of a lot of players, but we still don't know whether the best out of our existing fringe players is going to be enough, or whether players with better ability is the actual answer. Take Buzsaky's spin and shot in the first half, which was lovely, but was more impulsive and out of the moment than anything to do with intelligent build up play.
Wigan still played the better football attacking wise and built the ball from the back more cleanly than we did. But they became more and more toothless as the match went on (and due to the improved shape from us). The three best footballing chances came from them though, with the two early crosses into the box and then when they slipped Conor Sammon in who really should have equalised.
Early days, but we are making slow and steady progress. |  | | |
| Mark Hughes on 09:07 - Jan 23 with 502 views | ElHoop |
With regard to Buzsaky, I think that Hughes is quite possibly more likely to look at the opposition and pick a side to combat their threats and exploit their weaknesses than was the case with Warnock. Reading between the lines, he thought that Buz was the sort of player who would be suited to Wigan's style. Maybe another team won't suit Buz and he might not play if there's a more suitable alternative. I always got the impression that Warnock's ideal world was a good XI that stayed fit and knew their job and would do it every week. My impression of the Premier League is that the most effective teams at all levels of ability are the ones that can change formation and personnel to suit the occasion and circumstances. I feel that Hughes is taking us to that sort of level of organisation. We do of course need some more quality and whilst luck was always likely to turn our way eventually, we'll need more than luck and organisation to keep us out of trouble. |  | | |
| Mark Hughes on 09:27 - Jan 23 with 484 views | loftus77 |
| Mark Hughes on 08:56 - Jan 23 by Neil_SI |
I still think Hughes and his team need time. There's going to be a transitional phase and then a period of progression. In between that, we've got to just hope for the best and that we can still take results like we did against Wigan.
The defence and midfield are playing in a more disciplined manner, which is a positive, and you can tell that when your central defensive pairing doesn't have an awful lot to do.
But playing this way does also restrict and reduce creativity at the other end. Prior to Neil Warnock's departure, we were more exciting at both ends of the pitch, in the sense we could be wild at the back, but unpredictably excellent in attack as well, so reaching extreme high's and lows either way.
Hughes and co have reduced this impact on both ends of the scale, so we are more solid and less likely to be wild at the back, but at the same time, probably at the current time more unlikely to hit the dizzy heights in attack.
You hope at some point this will change when he has had more time to work on the attack, because right now it's all about defensive shape and responsibility. You also hope if we grind more results out, players confidence and morale levels raise so that they have the impetus to drive forward when needed.
Right now, it's all about speculative long range efforts and pop shots. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but that's what happened on Saturday. We rarely troubled them in a normal attacking sense of slipping a striker in, turning the Wigan defence around and getting in behind, or getting the ball wide and crossing in. This is where there's room for improvement for us going forward.
First of all it's about building the platform. I think the more disciplined shape has given us a better chance to deal with changeover in possession, and we scored a relatively good goal on the counter attack against Wigan. So there's potential here, although overall, I think Hughes will need better players to help him through this period and who can carry out the style he wants.
It's more straight lined football overall, and that tends to mean you just need that bit of quality to penetrate when you need to. They say though that he gets the best out of a lot of players, but we still don't know whether the best out of our existing fringe players is going to be enough, or whether players with better ability is the actual answer. Take Buzsaky's spin and shot in the first half, which was lovely, but was more impulsive and out of the moment than anything to do with intelligent build up play.
Wigan still played the better football attacking wise and built the ball from the back more cleanly than we did. But they became more and more toothless as the match went on (and due to the improved shape from us). The three best footballing chances came from them though, with the two early crosses into the box and then when they slipped Conor Sammon in who really should have equalised.
Early days, but we are making slow and steady progress. |
Agree with you, Neil. Problem is, due solely to the fixture list, it all somehow has to 'click' RIGHT NOW.
I don't know if Hughes will make out (early signs are good) but what I do know is that he has no time at all.
Even if it takes him just a month to fully build his platform, that won't help us if we're 5-6-7 pts adrift with Liverpool (H), Man Utd (A) and Arsenal (H) looming. The Wolves, Fulham and Everton home games are massive. [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
| | | |
| Mark Hughes on 09:28 - Jan 23 with 479 views | WestbourneR |
Mark Hughes a top manager and the right man for QPR?
I called it three weeks before he was appointed on this very board.
That is all. |  |
| |
| Mark Hughes on 09:54 - Jan 23 with 450 views | gazza1 |
I am happy with the start he has made but we aint played anything yet....a 3rd tier outfit and the worst team in the Premiership. Two wins though and cant ask for more than that in our position. | | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Mark Hughes on 10:05 - Jan 23 with 440 views | CanadaRanger |
| Mark Hughes on 14:40 - Jan 22 by exiled_dictator |
He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.  |
"Always look on the bright side of life!"..... :) |  | | |
| Mark Hughes on 10:08 - Jan 23 with 435 views | SpiritofGregory |
| Mark Hughes on 14:17 - Jan 22 by daveB |
if Warnock had replaced DJ with a winger and put swp up front I'm not sure everyone would have been hailing him as a genius.
Hughes has done well but if you can't beat Wigan at home you don't deserve to be in this league imo |
If Warnock was still in charge we would have lost on Saturday. |  | | |
| Mark Hughes on 10:19 - Jan 23 with 426 views | barbicanranger |
| Mark Hughes on 09:54 - Jan 23 by gazza1 |
I am happy with the start he has made but we aint played anything yet....a 3rd tier outfit and the worst team in the Premiership. Two wins though and cant ask for more than that in our position. |
agreed, but it's more the manner in which we beat Wigan, it was only uncomfortable for 5 or so minutes after they scored the free kick, other than that if it wasnt for their goalie it would have been even more comfortable a win. | | | |
| Mark Hughes on 12:04 - Jan 23 with 404 views | robith |
I was less than enamoured with Hughes when he was appointed, but so far, I have to say, I've been impressed.
The team seems so much better organised and disciplined. Despite the people behind me (as seems to be their want) moaning players weren't near their opposite numbers, it was because we were playing more of a zonal system which restricts the movement and space the oppo gets, and less running out of position trying to win the ball.
I actually think, especially with 442 with DJ and Heidar up front we looked the most threatening we have since Newcastle home. It's great to see our top players winning the ball, laying it off and steaming into the box. There was a couple of times where a through ball hit a little harder would've had one of our top two clean through.
In general, the team seems a lot more fluid. I got so tired under Warnock of seeing players get into good positions, stop check themselves, then start passing in backwards. We're not Barcelona yet, but the movement is improving a lot from the statue-esque team of the back end of Warnock's time.
One criticism I have is that there are times when defenders have time to take the ball down and start playing, but will just head it up the pitch. Now, if this is a technique just to get our back four more confident but limiting oppo's time on the ball in our half, fine. If it becomes a longer term trend it worries me, just because we seem so much more potent on the deck.
I like Hughes himself. I like that he is the boss. He is detached, as the man who makes the big decisions and lets his lieutenants do the interpersonal work. Even as an ardent defender I do think Warnock got too caught up with his favourites and his persona non gratas and was perhaps slightly too overawed with the signings he'd made.
He's also calm in front of the cameras, and in terms of transfer talk is saying everyone gets their shot first, not implying the bulk of the team are shit and he's counting the second until he can replace them (even if that is the case). Good for morale.
So I say, a good start. Let's see how he can progress |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
