QPR V Leeds Utd Match Thread

[60sUnited]

After tonights performance I am really worried about our upcoming fixtures, primarily West Brom and Sheff Utd, maybe get something out of the West Brom game ( thats being very optomistic) but Sheff Utd are way ahead of us in the way they play, their power going forward and their individual talents, it looks like nil points ! But, with the money we haven't spent and the few changes in team personnel I am quite happy with what we have achieved so far......its a shame in a way cos if we had had an owner with a bit of a gambling background we would have been a good bet !! Oh well on to the next owner.

[Cjay]

Baker, Bamford, Blackman and Harrison all smell of Orta to me. 3 are ex Boro ffs. I'm convinced Bielsa could attract quality to the club, i.e. Casilla, but Italian Bates would never support it as he's too greedy and tries to do it on the cheap, hence we're left with crap loans all the time.

Tbf to Victor he can only buy what the budget allows, if you look at his Boro spell ok not all the players worked out but there was logic to them and some on paper at least very good buys.

I think the Chelsea boys have a lot to do with Radz "i have contacts at other clubs" ive not forgotten that Wolves rant.

Casliia is absolute class, if we had have got 2 or 3 players of that quality in the summer or even January we'd be laughing.

So annoyed by January

[Cjay]

Several times last 2/3 games he's actually gone down on his arse and flailed a foot to attempt a tackle, deliberately ...the very definition of poor technique

He is tenacious

Since moving to left back he has consistently been one of our top tacklers and creators bizarrely.

He is a give everything player and lunges in from time to time.

Personally i think tackling is something he excels at but he is naive at times.

[BGwhite]

True, but whenever I've seen him he has next to no end product, so he'd fit in well I guess. We should've looked to Spain for Saiz's replacement, so we got someone with a similar brain to Pablo.

Yeah maybe. I just think that Leeds don't have that someone who can get the tempo up at the flick of a switch... Clarke and Shacks come close but both are not regulars. It's someone who puts fear into the defenders and I don't think that defenders are that freightened of Leeds' pace right now. It's slow, predictable and in all honesty a bit boring to watch unlike the beginning of the season.

[SG90]

Tbf to Victor he can only buy what the budget allows, if you look at his Boro spell ok not all the players worked out but there was logic to them and some on paper at least very good buys.

I think the Chelsea boys have a lot to do with Radz "i have contacts at other clubs" ive not forgotten that Wolves rant.

Casliia is absolute class, if we had have got 2 or 3 players of that quality in the summer or even January we'd be laughing.

So annoyed by January

Not like those Chelsea players aren't available to all clubs, there's nothing special about them, same goes for Harrison. Bielsa could attract quality young talent from South America from the academies of Real Madrid, Barcelona etc but the club never looked at that option. His respect in the game is huge and players will want to play for him.

[SG90]

Yeah maybe. I just think that Leeds don't have that someone who can get the tempo up at the flick of a switch... Clarke and Shacks come close but both are not regulars. It's someone who puts fear into the defenders and I don't think that defenders are that freightened of Leeds' pace right now. It's slow, predictable and in all honesty a bit boring to watch unlike the beginning of the season.

Yeah I agree about it being boring. It's the same thing every game, we miss chances, give away a cheap goal from out of nothing, then either have to chase the game or only win by one when we've completely dominated. So predictable as well. When was the last time the opposition worked for a goal? It's too easy.

[Velotrax]

After tonights performance I am really worried about our upcoming fixtures, primarily West Brom and Sheff Utd, maybe get something out of the West Brom game ( thats being very optomistic) but Sheff Utd are way ahead of us in the way they play, their power going forward and their individual talents, it looks like nil points ! But, with the money we haven't spent and the few changes in team personnel I am quite happy with what we have achieved so far......its a shame in a way cos if we had had an owner with a bit of a gambling background we would have been a good bet !! Oh well on to the next owner.

Never been a fan of Radz, but you reap what you so, we have a very good midtable championship team that are imho playing above their standard, we needed a couple of quality players in Jan, they never arrived, so we are slipping up, no fault of the team or the manger, just a lack of investment

[NorfolkWhite]

He is tenacious

Since moving to left back he has consistently been one of our top tacklers and creators bizarrely.

He is a give everything player and lunges in from time to time.

Personally i think tackling is something he excels at but he is naive at times.

Ali frustrates me at times with some ‘antics’ but must admit he’s won me over this season. One of the few players who looks physically unaffected by the Bielsa style and can run all day. Can’t think of a game where he has been given a roasting at FB just because of his pace and tenacity, uses his body well defensively which gets him out of actually having to make many tackles. Must be a nightmare to play against.

[Cjay]

Not like those Chelsea players aren't available to all clubs, there's nothing special about them, same goes for Harrison. Bielsa could attract quality young talent from South America from the academies of Real Madrid, Barcelona etc but the club never looked at that option. His respect in the game is huge and players will want to play for him.

There isnt.

I'm very surprised with the quality of our signings with Bielsa as boss, must say i expected his arrival to herald a real push for quality, hasnt been the case and the worry that Bielsa was the quality seems real.

Nothing we can do about it now.

I do wonder if MB is as happy with the squad as he suggests, i strongly suspect not.

[Cjay]

Ali frustrates me at times with some ‘antics’ but must admit he’s won me over this season. One of the few players who looks physically unaffected by the Bielsa style and can run all day. Can’t think of a game where he has been given a roasting at FB just because of his pace and tenacity, uses his body well defensively which gets him out of actually having to make many tackles. Must be a nightmare to play against.

Opposition fans despise him, absolutely hate him, take pride in that

He is clearly MBs boy.

He is a tough cookie, never stops running, never gives up, has provided real quality at times and imo has been one of our best performers all year.

Could play him anywhere and he'd just keep going.

He is probably running back up the motorway as we speak.

[SG90]

There isnt.

I'm very surprised with the quality of our signings with Bielsa as boss, must say i expected his arrival to herald a real push for quality, hasnt been the case and the worry that Bielsa was the quality seems real.

Nothing we can do about it now.

I do wonder if MB is as happy with the squad as he suggests, i strongly suspect not.

I've been very disappointed with our recruitment this season. Casilla looks a good signing, Bamford would be unfair to judge, but the rest shocking. Our best players this year have been the youngsters or the usual suspects (Pablo, Jansson, Roofe etc). Really hoped for a couple of quality additions this year, even if they were loans, but same old, same old.

[SG90]

I just think we should look into the u23s and use them more. Why did we sign them otherwise? Playing excellent football and full of confidence. Gotts, Stevens, McCalmont, Diaz, Oduor, Bogusz, Kun, Edmondson etc. Give them a chance.

[Cjay]

I've been very disappointed with our recruitment this season. Casilla looks a good signing, Bamford would be unfair to judge, but the rest shocking. Our best players this year have been the youngsters or the usual suspects (Pablo, Jansson, Roofe etc). Really hoped for a couple of quality additions this year, even if they were loans, but same old, same old.

Bamford is quality imo, his record shows that, but he is totally out of match sharpness.

Same as Izzy Brown, quality players when fully fit and match sharp but neither of them are close to there peak level yet.

MB has worked miracles, imagine where we'd be if he was backed properly.

Get Bogusz, Edmondson, Odour and Clarke in for WBA imo, in the squad at least.

[SG90]

Of course the season isn't over and there will be more twists and turns, but we need to do something soon to get that spark back as games are running out, only 13 left now.

[Cjay]

Exactly, look at Stoke, Villa, or Forest. I still think Marcelo's 'only buy when it's a definite upgrade on what we have' is the right way, otherwise you soon end up with a bloated squad and a huge wage bill.

Tonight is very disappointing, but I'm not losing faith. I don't know what it takes to get the spark back, but we know what they can be capable of. Maybe just file under the vagaries of championship football, and go again on Friday.

But if you want definite improvements they cost, if you wait around for bargains all the time your playing a risky game as we found out with James.

It wouldn't have broke the bank to spend a decent amount in January to replace Saiz and get the winger MB wanted.

We will pay the price for not adding quality like our rivals did in January imo.

[SG90]

But if you want definite improvements they cost, if you wait around for bargains all the time your playing a risky game as we found out with James.

It wouldn't have broke the bank to spend a decent amount in January to replace Saiz and get the winger MB wanted.

We will pay the price for not adding quality like our rivals did in January imo.

Also the loan market as well. Andy King, Johansen, Montero, Dowell all players I mentioned we should sign and they all go elsewhere, while we fanny about as usual.

[weasel]

Exactly, look at Stoke, Villa, or Forest. I still think Marcelo's 'only buy when it's a definite upgrade on what we have' is the right way, otherwise you soon end up with a bloated squad and a huge wage bill.

Tonight is very disappointing, but I'm not losing faith. I don't know what it takes to get the spark back, but we know what they can be capable of. Maybe just file under the vagaries of championship football, and go again on Friday.

Well said. A lot about promotion is holding your nerve and bouncing back quickly. If we'd beaten QPR and then lost to WBA fans would be down, however if we beat WBA now then it is a huge lift.

There is not a lot wrong with the way we are playing, it is the same problems that we have had all season but perhaps worse now with Roofe being absent and Pablo and Klich not scoring. We just don't have many players on the pitch who look like scoring. If you don't take your chances then when you do concede it becomes so much more crucial (doesn't matter too much if you concede 1 when 3 or 4 up). It could however all change very quickly if Bamford, Pablo and Klich all rediscover their scoring boots and throw Tyler Toberts in too. Suddenly we would look very potent and could blow teams away. If Bamford scores the great chance first half we might have gone on to win 2 or 3-0. We don't take the chance the opposition take theirs and we then miss a couple of really good chances.

In 1990 and 92 we had big wobbles along the way. After being top 2 all year in 1989-1990 we suddenly looked like missing out an automatic promotion with some poor results against teams we'd expect to beat. Again a lot was down to the pressure and it was a similar situation to know in that we were desperate for promotion and the play-off final loss of 1987 was still fresh. In 1992 our chance looked over after losing 4-1 to QPR in March, not long after that and we got thrashed 4-0 by Man City. It all seemed to be slipping away and a 0-0 draw away to Liverpool looked like the final nail in our coffin despite it being a good result taken in isolation. However the pressure got to our rival and they dropped points that no one really expected them to - who's to say how the pressure will affect Norwich and Sheff Utd?

[Cjay]

Also the loan market as well. Andy King, Johansen, Montero, Dowell all players I mentioned we should sign and they all go elsewhere, while we fanny about as usual.

Johansen was the one, he was the one player who moved this window i really hoped we would go for.

Just seemed like a no brainer.

Its done though, will just have to wait and see if again another poor January costs us.

Actually when did we have a good January?

When was the last time a January window had a positive impact on our season.

[60sUnited]

Lets be honest, 'to do something soon to get that spark back' is a big ask with our squad......IMO play offs surely, lets be strong then and win promotion at Wembley !!

[SG90]

Johansen was the one, he was the one player who moved this window i really hoped we would go for.

Just seemed like a no brainer.

Its done though, will just have to wait and see if again another poor January costs us.

Actually when did we have a good January?

When was the last time a January window had a positive impact on our season.

The only one I can think of is 09/10 when we kept Beckford and got promoted. We traditionally always do badly in the January transfer window, it's the part of the season I hate most.