QPR Post Match Thoughts

[Back of the net]

Excellent post.
I want to be wrong about the manager and his tactics too but unfortunately I'm seeing nothing to make me change my mind.
I also accept the point of other posters, ie if not MT then who? I very much doubt there are proven Championship managers out there who will be busting a gut to come to Rotherham given our budget and the calibre of players we can attract.
I'm fairly sure TS won't be happy with another relegation but I also doubt if he knows what to to to avoid it.

I think that’s the point some of the ones who think we should stick with MT for now are making mellow.
Yes the football could be better but we’re where our budget places us.
That’s not defeatist it’s reality.
That doesn’t mean he should stay no matter what but if we win Tuesday we could close the gap on those above us. Any manager who manages us in the championship 4th bottom is the target unless the budget changes.
Sat watching Norwich with a lot bigger budget than us and they are poor. It’s a tough league one which we always struggle in.

[millersrus]

It's strange how differences of opinion amongst football fans can create such division amongst "friends." Within this thread, postees dismayed with how Taylor's vision is failing have been compared to BBC journalists misrepresenting the bombing of a hospital, and are now having to suffer the tag of being told we're turning into Wendies. Any more insults you'd care to throw for having a difference of opinion?

For what it's worth, I take no pleasure at all in how this season is collapsing around us. There is this strange belief on here that some people actually take enjoyment out of us playing badly because the biggest joy in their life is to have a good whinge. That may or may not be the case for some contributors but it seems everybody who doesn't see roses and rainbows at NYS is tarred with the same negative brush.

I won't even entertain the ludicrous comparison to the BBC journalists, but I will address the Wendies one.

I don't think we have the right to beat any team. I don't think we should just turn up and be awarded three points because we're up against certain outfits. I don't look down on any club and dismiss them with the "we should be beating teams like...." But equally, I don't outright accept that because we're "lil old Rotherham" who are "punching above our weight" that we should just be happy to be allowed to play in the Championship and we should applaud any dross on the pitch because we have the lowest budget in the league. What is the point in getting this far if we're not even going to compete?

The fact is, we all know every season in the Championship is a mountain to climb. So we need to figure out a way to take as many points as we can from teams that are struggling. If a team is low on confidence and playing garbage then it doesn't really matter how much their players are getting paid a week, once the game kicks off their bank balance ain't gonna run on the pitch and play the game for them.

Thats why in the last month we have had three golden chances to stick it to teams who were low on confidence and playing badly. Bristol City, Wednesday and QPR. All three have sacked their managers because they have been so bloody awful but yet we have managed to scrape 1 point from a possible 9 against these outfits. Made worse by the fact that two of those games were at home. I am not arrogant enough to think we should have walked over these teams, but the performances against Bristol City and Wednesday were so tactically inept and awful that I am disappointed that we have squandered two of our very limited chances to collect points this season. QPR was a slight improvement but again saw a replay of that same garbage 4-3-3 start up that leaves Hugill completely isolated and the team with no width whatsoever.

I'm disappointed and upset that the football club I love seem to be falling apart after working so bloody hard to get to where we are. It feels like (conjecture disclaimer) that this is happening purely because the manager is more interested in doing it his way than deploying tactics that have actually worked. Tactics that worked under him, not Warne or anybody else. But because they might have echoed something Warne did in the past it feels like he resents utilising them. When a manager or leader is reluctant to deploy things that work because it goes against their personal ethos, or some bubbling resentment of being compared to the previous manager, then that is when it is time to have a long hard think about why they are even here.

If all this makes me a Wendy in the eyes of some then I can live with that. I'll still be at the NYS every game supporting the team. I'll still invest significant time and money into supporting Rotherham United and I will still live in hope that Matt Taylor can turn this around and I will gladly come on here and start a thread about how wrong I was if he manages to do so.

Derek
It was myself who used an analogy, the intent of which was meant only to be about posting in haste and that after a period of reflection coupled with being open minded we might come to see things a little differently. That’s all.

Passion overcometh sober thought.

Let’s Get behind the team, manager and chairman.
UTM

[The Hillsborough Miller]

I didn't go ad on hols but eaves ffs thar for me is nail in coffin

[caytonmiller]

I don't think it is the fact that we think we should be beating certain teams. You have to put it into context. We should be targeting teams that are around us or likely to be in the bottom 6 as games we need to win if we are to stay up. You don't expect to beat top 10 teams, points against them is a bonus and you take confidence from the performance and the result against them. I think we are the worst team in the league at the moment, but I don't think we should be, we have enough quality in the squad to be the 4th worst team in the league or even the 6th worst team. Injuries pay a huge factor in why our best 11 aren't on the pitch game after game, but the injury story is not simply bad luck there are factors that have contributed to the injury problem. For me the manager and the coaching are the bigger reason why this squad looks the worst team in the league, no pattern or style of play, tactics seem non-existent, repeating the same formation errors week after week, so bad in fact drastic changes are required during the early stages of some games. We sent two fit good pros out on loan when we knew we had gambled on three injury prone aging players, we spend over £1m on a forward then don't play him the list of poor decisions goes on and on, the place we are is due to the leadership, coaching and management, in my opinion. I would change it now, not because I don't like MT but I don't think he has the ability to do the job required. We should assume that relegation is highly likely and appoint someone that will motivate the players to fight and battle to stay up, but has the experience to get us high in league 1 next year.

If we target the bottom 6 team's I guess we are included in these bottom 6. So let's say we beat all the other 5 home and away. That gives us 30 points. It would still leave is bottom of the pile. Plus that would mean we need to take another 20 points from teams higher up the league.
Hears a novel thought. Those other 5 bottom teams will be targeting Rotherham as 3 points. Plus how do you know it won't be Coventry and Norwich which are in the bottom 6?.

[mellowmiller]

I think that’s the point some of the ones who think we should stick with MT for now are making mellow.
Yes the football could be better but we’re where our budget places us.
That’s not defeatist it’s reality.
That doesn’t mean he should stay no matter what but if we win Tuesday we could close the gap on those above us. Any manager who manages us in the championship 4th bottom is the target unless the budget changes.
Sat watching Norwich with a lot bigger budget than us and they are poor. It’s a tough league one which we always struggle in.

I'd love us to beat Ipswich but it seems highly unlikely unless the manager adopts different tactics.
I just want him to prove those who doubt him wrong but he seems to stubbornly stick to the same formation even though it's not delivering results.
Things only seem to improve when he makes changes in the game but he just doesn't seem to learn from it for the next game.
You're right about Norwich by the way and I imagine their chairman's finger may be tightening around the trigger because they will undoubtedly be able to attract a better of calibre replacement than we can and they really should be nearer the top end of the table.

[kentmillerman]

Football is about fine margins we hit the Bar they hit the post either team could have won it.
I can’t help thinking that the voice to get rid it’s growing so no matter what happens it’s not good enough.
Today was a poor quality game bottom 3 sides you would expect that.
Our home support is embarrassing yes the players need to do better but our fans are shocking.
Clarity is gone now the fact we showed character today doesn’t matter the fact our confidence is low and we kept going doesn’t matter the fact he kept us up last year doesn’t matter the fact we’re not cut adrift doesn’t matter.
He’s not been here long so get rid and what then?
I’m interested to see who the ones who demand he goes think we can get in.
Warne got 3 relegations so what’s changed with our fan base?
Why after keeping us up and we can still stay up he needs to go. Dont tell me it’s the performances because we’ve had far worse under previous managers.

This^^^^

[Derbymiller]

If we target the bottom 6 team's I guess we are included in these bottom 6. So let's say we beat all the other 5 home and away. That gives us 30 points. It would still leave is bottom of the pile. Plus that would mean we need to take another 20 points from teams higher up the league.
Hears a novel thought. Those other 5 bottom teams will be targeting Rotherham as 3 points. Plus how do you know it won't be Coventry and Norwich which are in the bottom 6?.

I don’t and neither do you. What we do all know is that most football commentators and pundits will say beating teams around you is important. We also know who is predicted to be in the bottom group so it makes sense to see those games as more likely to be games you would target to get points from. We also know that we are nearly a third of the way through the season, probability tells you which teams are likely to be in the group we are in. Lastly I never said we only have to win those games, I am saying that those are the games that at the end of the season will have a big say in where we finish. If you think not getting points against teams like Wednesday, qpr, Huddersfield and Bristol won’t impact us so much, that is fine, it is your view, I do not share that view.

[mellowmiller]

I don’t and neither do you. What we do all know is that most football commentators and pundits will say beating teams around you is important. We also know who is predicted to be in the bottom group so it makes sense to see those games as more likely to be games you would target to get points from. We also know that we are nearly a third of the way through the season, probability tells you which teams are likely to be in the group we are in. Lastly I never said we only have to win those games, I am saying that those are the games that at the end of the season will have a big say in where we finish. If you think not getting points against teams like Wednesday, qpr, Huddersfield and Bristol won’t impact us so much, that is fine, it is your view, I do not share that view.

Pretty much agree Derby.
You don't necessarily expect to beat the teams around you but you should certainly bust a gut to do so. That's the reason some games are labelled "6 ponters" and beating one of your nearest rivals is usually a huge morale booster.
Something that also concerns me is that the teams around us generally have better players (even Wednesday) but haven't been performing in a team sense. Their clubs have rolled the dice, appointed new managers and may well start to see their results improve.

[DerekMiller]

👍🏻👍🏻.
I’ll be careful in future pal with my words.
I actually enjoy your reasoned posts rather than just he’s useless bla bla bla. No problem with you disagreeing with me just don’t cry 😢 😃
I know I’m in the minority but I’ll keep saying it as I see it and for me a change at this point is wrong.
I’m looking forward to the humble pie from some millers/ wendies oops sorry 😎

I've dried my eyes now and and had a bowl of nourishing soup. I think I'll be able to soldier on

Seriously though, I wasn't actually offended at the Wendy comparison, although as far as football comparisons go they don't get much worse!

My point is that the current situation is clearly causing a divide amongst fans and I'd like to think that's because we all care about the club so much that we feel the need to speak out. But there does seem to be a suggestion from people backing Taylor (and it's not just you I've seen others allude to it) that the ones who are criticising Taylor are somehow forgetting that "we're only Rotherham." Almost like that is a one size fits all answer to every game we play in the Championship. I just don't think that excuses Taylors tactical choices.

I am genuinely interested to hear the views of people supporting Taylor about the 4-3-3 formation that has never worked? On paper we have 3 up front, but all I see is Hugill isolated. Yesterday the front three were Hugill plus Fred and Clucas? I'd like to hear how that can be defended when we have Kelly and Nombe on the bench. Hell even Mcguckin must be worth a shot. I'll not bring Eaves into it. This tactic failed us against Bristol City at home, was utterly ineffective against Coventry in the first half, saw us humiliated against Wednesday and saw us have to claw a point back, again at home, against a side that have lost 6 in a row.

I would love to hear the people sticking up for Taylor defend these tactical choices but all I'm hearing at the minute is 1, There's nobody to replace him. 2, We're only Rotherham so we're expected to be crap and all who disagree are entitled whingers (or Wendies ). 3, He kept us up last season. (His contribution was 36 points in 36 games, Warne got us 14 in 9, Peltier 0 in 1. I am over Warne but it cannot be denied that last seasons survival was a combined effort)

If that is the criteria to stay in the job no matter what happens on the pitch then fine, we might as well pop the Champagne now and look forward to getting back to our comfort zone in League One. I do miss the annual trip to Wembley to be fair

[avondalemiller]

If we target the bottom 6 team's I guess we are included in these bottom 6. So let's say we beat all the other 5 home and away. That gives us 30 points. It would still leave is bottom of the pile. Plus that would mean we need to take another 20 points from teams higher up the league.
Hears a novel thought. Those other 5 bottom teams will be targeting Rotherham as 3 points. Plus how do you know it won't be Coventry and Norwich which are in the bottom 6?.

Great post Cayton, but some on here won't work out what you're trying to explain, it'll just pass them by...........UTM.