By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
....but take him off when his legs have gone as we are carrying him and even if we have a non-striker whose legs are fresh that is better than a striker whos legs cannot allow him to do anything!
Time and again I listen to commentators bemoan a flighted cross and subsequent header by their saying 'there was no power or energy in the cross and the forward could not inject enough power to the ball to worry the keeper'
Yet I keep seeing us win attacking free kicks and we all line up (often on the edge of the box) and a cross comes in hanging in the air and dropping onto the mass like a balloon. Why? what is the point?
We have wingers, we have two people standing over the ball and one defender out there. We have the advantage of 2 to 1 and skill and speed for an overlap, short pass and cross yet all we do is float a ball in with no power.
Have the players and or coaches got absolutely no idea?, no innovation?, do they not watch what other teams do (to US and to other teams)? Twice we have played the short, overlap freekick pass on the wing, this season and twice we have scored! Howe may goals have we scored from flighted and powerless free kicks to the edge of the box?
Please can we try something else as to keep doing something that doesn't work is madness (not too dissimilar to my posting here about things that don't change i supoose!)
At the start of the games he plays, I have noticed he runs and runs and puts in a lot of effort and I am not going to fault that. However, at a point in each game, it is clear that his legs have gone, we can all see it and he becomes Harry Kane-ish (at the Euros or World Cup) whereby he simply jogs back and forth across the field with no pace, no pressing and, as with Kane, becomes a liability more than an asset. I also do not understand what he is expected to do (this is NOT his fault) but time and again a long ball is played up to him for him to head on and yet there is seldom anyone there. My questions therefore are why do we not take him off, when his legs have clearly gone? (I would even prefer Ashby running at people and pressing as opposed to a non-presence jogging around) and what are the tactics for him being alone and heading the ball to no-one?
This is not a rant but it IS something about our play that has been really been bothering/frustrating me for the past two seasons and, as it is still happening, I wonder if anyone is similarly frustrated. In any competitive sport between two sides the aim is to gain the advantage and KEEP the advantage as long as you have it! Having possession of the ball is such an advantage!
However, time and time again we turnover possession to the other side- for absolutely no valid reason at all. Passes to no-one , picked up by the opposition; long kicks upfield when Frey's legs have clearly gone; throw ins where we give away possession 9 times out of 10; failure to control the ball and having the ball taken off our feet. We play header tennis when a number of our team are shorter than the opposition rather than getting the ball on the floor.
I am watching the teams below us and none of them seem to give away the ball as cheaply and needlessly as we do.
I don't mind if we play well and lose but when, time and again, we have the advantage and throw it away for no reason other than carelessness , panic, lack of ability or whatever, I find that we are actually beating ourselves!
Who needs to stop this rot? - Marti? The coaches? (The players clearly don't seem to be doing anything about it!)
That has more of a feel about it and you have mentioned Sheffield, which had stuck in my mind! Do you (or anyone) know if the keeper was debuting for the Sheffield Team, that day?
But my m emory is not as good as it once was so I can see Bowles was in the team but perhaps Jimmy Hill or Motson pointed out the R's players consolling the keeper.
I was sure it was Brian Moore and Venables and co went to him?
Strange as I have recollections of Venables consolling the keeper- perhaps it was a 6-0 drubbing in the Venables / Bowles era?? Definitely on the Big Match definitely a debut for the keeper.
I hope someone can help me with this query as I need the answer for (of all things) a funeral service on this Friday for my mum (lifelong R's supporter from Askew Road).
There was a home game, mid 70s, where we scored 7 goals (I recall but may be wrong) and the goal keeper for the other side (Perhaps a Sheffield side but probably wrong) was playing his first senior game.
At the end of the game, the Rangers players, Bowles, Venables, Francis went over to the keeper and walked off with him, putting their arms around him!
It was shown on the Big Match the next day and Brian Moore pointed out the empathy and consideration of the players for having done so.
Can someone please help me - correcting me if I am wrong re the score!
Without wishing to appear naive: Let's say Marti (and his associates) know by now the strengths and weaknesses of the various players. They must then know about the weaknesses of both Ashby and Paal in defending. They would know that Leicester were going to attack and target Ashby and Paal (as other teams have). So, in the preparation for this game (whether on the pitch or in the warmth of the training centre, I would hope that Marti would have held a briefing, specifically discussing Leicester's attack down the wings and through the centre. At that meeting, I would hope that there was a plan for Ashby and Paal to be supported (as Marti and his associates know each can be beaten (for awareness and speed). So....where was Ashby's cover? (if we all know and accept, he needs it!)
Separately, Marti must see how frequently the players simply give the ball away - it keeps happening and last Monday there were times we had the ball and we simply kicked it to Luton...who then attacked!
So, if you have got this far my naive question (which I have posed for a number of seasons) is 'Are there penalties imposed on the players when they do something crass? (again and again)? '
If so, then the deterrent is clearly not strong enough - stop them having a day off and come to the training ground and work on what they have done wrong! With regard to passing (and looking at the stats we regularly have for inaccurate passing, stand a number of dummies in QPR kit around the training pitch and make each culprit get 30 out of 30 passes go to the hooped shirts, whilst the colleagues watch. If they miss once then they start again until they have been able to do it! How difficult is this to set up?
Silly, I know but I am fed up with them believing they are professionals and taking money, doing crass things and not one of them being held culpable or having to 'change their ways - or else!'
Please now respond with sarcasm, but at least it IS a suggestion to change the passing mentailty.
As for Ashby, he definitely needs cover (just as a child might need extra lessons and classroom support), as does Paal and that's down to the players and Marti!
At long long last we have tried something different at a free kick and yet again it has worked. As some will know, I have bemoaned our tendwency to waste free kicks and have wanted us to try the short pass alongside the wall and get behind the wall, taking them out of the game. We did it once last year...and scored and I have been pushing for something different at a free kick and, what do you know...we don't just pump it in there for a 50 50 header and we don't just blast it over the bar, we playy a measured pass and score. Brilliant!
Do it more often guys and keep the other teams guessing!
As I said in the OP , it is NOT in attack that I have a problem with him, but in defence and he is (we are) targeted down our left flank and goal line time and again! And, time and again, he allows the attacker to get a cross in to the centre of our box or to the 6 yard line! THAT is what I don't like!
Watch the extended highlights on YouTube and there is a 10 second or so instance which so clearly shows what we keep doing! I've commented on the video but as per my Alan Hanson-esque crap analysis belwo the video, just watch the sequence of play. Pause at 1.48, assess what is going to happen and then play from 1.48 to 2.00. See if you can see the issue and Paal's part in it!
Don't get me wrong, I DO actually like Ken Paal - but only in his attacking format.
I have griped and moaned (as many will know and probably will comment) for the last two seasons and despair at his defending!
How many times are we going to see Paal beaten and a cross come in from close quarters or the goal line to the centre of the box leading to a simple tap in. Time and time again the ball goes to our right and 15 seconds later they score a goal.
(This is how sensitised to this weakness I am, I couldn't watch the match yesterday but was keeping track and asked someone who was at the ground whether any of the first two were balls played past Paal and crossed in to the centre and sure enough one was! I'm not psychic, so how did I know that this WOULD be the case? - and if I know this, other teams know this, but clearly Ken doesn't get it!
Surely they analyse and break down who should have done what for each goal and learn from things don't they? In any job, you WILL make mistakes but the key is to learn from them and not keeping doing more of the same?
Teams playing us probably rub their hands with goal inspired glee when they see Paal on the play sheet as a defender.🤔🤬.
We were unlucky with the third but their second, which put us under pressure was, in my opinion, due to Paal's continued lack of awareness and reaction.
But hey, I am probably once again talking rubbish and someone will advise me as such and cite that he does an outstanding job in defence, and clears balls off the line etc.
I never played football at any level and recalling lunchtime playground 'kickarounds' if the ball ever came to me in an attacking and shooting position I just hit it and probably had a success rate of under 10%.
I did however play rugby and when passing the ball had 'instant' thought before the ball left my hands, a focus as to where the the ball 'needed' to go - I didn't just throw it 'wildly' as my football shooting prowess.
So firstly, considering the passing we see from our hooped professionals, I have to ask (because I really do not understand why so many balls are being passed tot he opponents or into areas where there is absolutely no hooped shirt) 'Do they actually have the same 'instant' thought before passing that clearly rugby players, basket ball players, netball players have- to ENSURE it goes to their intended recipient or do they just kick the ball thoughtlessly?
It happens so often and I (together with those I stand with) are bemused and I regularly hear "Why would you DO that?" so often !
Now considering shooting and there is obviously a difference in a shot coming from an immediate opportunity and one where the player is in control.
Koki, last night, clearly had control, thought and intent and curled the ball just past the post. Whereas for the last couple of games, i have seen Paul Smyth in the same situation and position on the field cut in and then raise the ball high and wide. Each time he does this, he smacks himself (not to learn but because we are not allowed on the pitch and he knows if we were someone would do it for him!). Then we see Varanne fire over the bar and so often Chair cutting in from the left and last night, Kholi just kicking the ball high over the bar and not hitting the target.
So do strikers actually think "I must hit the target!" before they shoot or, like me , in the school playground, do they just kick and hope without any thought of hitting the target?"
As I say, my successful playground shooting percentage was under 10%, my rugby passing was way above that but what of the percentages our professionals have re hitting the target and forcing a save?
Once again, I expect some ridicule and critical posts for asking but it IS a serious question...Do they think before they 'Do' or is it 'kick without thought?'
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
running at people and pressing as opposed to a non-presence jogging around) and what are the tactics for him being alone and heading the ball to no-one? 
