v Q P R ???

[freer]

Is Nyland a significant upgrade on Jed Steer ?

For Hutton & Taylor read ‘Effort not Ability’ both full backs are careless/wasteful in possession- Mitch Clark needs recalling immediately, Taylor couldn't tackle a full English breakfast !

Tuanzebe at present seems our only reliable defender - Chester totally at fault for QPR’s goal

Elmohamady pedestrian hapless when on the ball

Bjarnason prior to limping off bad day at the office- Does Whelan offer us more than Lansbury ?

McGinn= determination personified ‘does exactly what it says on the can’

Grealish too often mistaken for the ball by Q P R players, good performance..... needs a goal

Kodjia decent at times must channel his exertions into playing instead of his penchant for petty vendettas

Abraham wasteful when the chances fell his way.

Smith’s now realised the enormity of the task ahead, currently a play off spot is well achievable, though this will require more creativity thus turning our improving possession stats into the end product


* Dean Smith must consider including Callum O’Hare & when fit Keirnan Davies [for his hold up play, as he seldom gets bullied] both should be given play time as they offer us something different

[Exiledvillan]

Fair, maybe a bit harsh on Birkir as his injury was gradually deteriorating throughout the first 30 mins. Hindsight would suggest he should have been subbed earlier.
The 3/4 of the back 4 is substandard, although Axel was way out of position for the goal. He should have been alongside Chester, not the positionally incompetent Taylor.
Elmo, both FBs and Kodjia just can’t cut these high tempo tactics for over 45 mins.
Love what Smith et al are trying to do, love the style of play, not so the player’s ability/fitness or mental capacity to carry them out for 90 mins.
2 defeats, but 2 sets of exhilarating 1st halves. We play well at high tempo, but flounder when we tire and have to start slowing down. A tired body leads to a tired brain and we make too many mistakes.
Doyle-Hayes, Lyden and O’Hara are made for this system, I hope it’s not too long before they get their chance.

[stateside]

Nyland did nothing wrong with the exception of an inaccurate throw after coming out to take a cross that put us back under pressure and a bad kick out

For Hutton & Taylor Hutton was not very good this game, poor crossing bad passes. Taylor hauled down a Rangers player in the box which went unpunished but was okay overall, was victim of some diabolical passing he had no chance to control, got into opposing teams box several times

Chester. Shocking defending, on further review was only fifty percent to blame for goal. Bad passing put us under pressure.

Tuanzebe. Played well. 25% to blame for goal for no communication to let Chester know to drop back that forward had edge on him.

Elmohamady Not as good as Swansea game. Put in an absolute gem of a cross unlucky not to be converted. Very small percentage blame with Hutton for not getting to ball to stop free kick being taken.

Bjarnason Not his best game. Petty argument with ref over foul, was it his foul that led to goal? If so he shoulders part of the blame if not agin should have closed down free kick taker to prevent free kick

Whelan( sub) Not a great game again, but we conceded no goals when he came on to end.

McGinn. Very good game. If he caused foul he should get Bjarnason’s share of blame. If not why did he not close down free kick taker like The Rangers players did to us? Also when you are tripped in the box fall down. It’s not rocket science.

Grealish. Needs protection from refs. If he has 3-4 players on him the other players need to step up. Unlucky with cheeky free kick. He is listening to the new boss. He is shooting more.

Kodjia decent at times must channel his exertions into playing instead of his penchant for petty vendettas. Agree with Free

Abraham wasteful when the chances fell his way. Agree with Free. Does not do enough for me.

[mondaze]

we gave the ball away too often, taylor is not up to the job. McGinn is a great player but loses the ball because he doesn't think quick enough, given that he does try hard to get it back. Grealish is kicked to **** every game. in the First half, 12 fouls one yellow card, where as we seem to get a yellow every other foul. Abrahams, is a three chances for one goal player... But he does know that he is not living up to expectations... and is trying hard. Nyland is not up to the job. No idea what has happened to Chester, maybe he fancied the move to Stoke?

[westcountryvillain]

Interesting how we see the game differently, Nyland did better than he has been doing, Hutton did alright and played a gem of a pass to play McGinn in. Taylor worked very hard and made a timely block on the opposite side of the box to his position & some passes to him were poor, that said he doesn't look confident in possession.

I think we're not giving QPR enough credit, their defending was brilliant and they pressed high up the pitch making our boys have to move the ball around loads just to try to find a way through to midfield. The ball for their goal was perfectly weighted and played quickly so I don't blame Chessie too much here. Axel strong and assured again - what a talent he is, QPR also broke away quickly and you can see why they're doing well recently.

Whelan - doesn't bring enough to that position, need a tough tackling player who can lift their head up and find a pass.

Tammy - bad night for him but never stopped trying, he'll have better days and Bolasie when he can play a whole game will help us get goals and climb the table.

Jack - a class act and the point of his team-mates helping exploit the space when he has 3 or 4 around him won't be lost on Deano. He hit that volley sweet as you like and on another day they go in, just as with the free kick.

Kodj - not a winger and without Bolasie & Albert we have a problem there as El Ghazi had a mare vs Norwich.

Elmo - too slow, fell over and skyed his cross under no pressure whatsoever but maybe a RB option for all you Hutton naysayers

Final thought - Deano changed things several times as the game went on, making substitutions to try and win it without imbalancing the team - so refreshing!

Onwards & hopefully upwards!

[stateside]

Funny. Wonder how McLaren would have done at VP when Lerner wanted to hire him. Wonder what the landscape would look like today had it happened ?

[bongosdad]

Probably no different Stateside. He would have had the same restrictions financially that Lambert had. Decent coach though but never got over the wally with a brolly incident.

[Exiledvillan]

Probably the same as at Derby x2, F.C. Twente 2nd spell, England, Newcastle, Forest and Wolfsburg, mate.
He’s at a club where expectations are practically zero, as they were at Boro when he started, and his 1st spell at Twente.
Just an observation but I think that he’s so overrated and a ‘YES’ man to the powers that be.

[stateside]

The people in the know say McLaren is a terrific coach, however I am having less faith in the people in the know.