| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 11:56 - Feb 19 with 2890 views | Antti_Heinola |
Another three points to pile onto the total, and just our third win by more than a goal all season. Very welcome and a good performance, but, and sorry to be a killjoy, still a bit frustrating.
1. THE RED CARD: Bolton boss Phil Parkinson has since tried to characterise this as some kind of game-changing moment, which is a classic piece of deflection of the kind that must drive PinnerPaul mental. Bolton were dreadful and no amount of complaining about the crowd or Ollie ('Loftus Road is a tight ground, the crowd are on top of you and Ian Holloway's jumping up and down appealing for everything and having a go at the ref at half-time') would disguise that. For what it's worth, I thought the ref wasn't great - too fussy for a game that didn't look difficult to ref. But it certainly didn't cost Bolton the game. They were as bad as any side I've seen at LR this season - and I include ourselves in that. The worst side since Rotherham last season - the difference then was that we thoroughly put Rotherham to the sword, but here we made harder work of it.
The sending off was right below me and I was shocked when the ref brought out a red. Parkinson may say the crowd got to the ref, but the reaction around me was hardly vociferous. Everyone thought it was a yellow - everyone was surprised with a red! However, on seeing the replay from the ref's angle, it does look worse and I can see why he gave the decision. It was a stupid tackle, he left the ground, and he could have injured Luongo. Probably correct, but the truth was QPR should have been well out of sight before the incident.
2. SMITH: I'm happy to go along with the general opinion that Smith had a good game. I've liked him since he's arrived for his industry and his goals, but obviously I wish his hold-up play was better and I wish Washington would anticipate the odd flick-on. But he's been a good buy. And Saturday he obviously caused Bolton loads of problems - he had several chances to score with his head before he set up Lynch and then buried one of his own.
But. There is a but. The first half really showed one of our major problems this season - failing to take chances and failing to score when on top. The reality is we should have had at least three against Barnsley and should have cashed in again here with at least two more goals. Now I'm not complaining about a 2-0 win - that's not my point. My point is that the misses in the first half, and Smith was most culpable for that, could have cost us dear. It put us under more pressure. Our defence has not been great this season and Saturday was a welcome clean sheet, but they'd certainly feel a bit easier if the strikers would take the heat off by putting chances away more frequently. It's meaningless to say it, really, but this was another game where you just sat there pining for Charlie Austin, who would have put that game to bed within 25 minutes.
As I say, I like Smith, he's a good weapon and a dangerous player. But we really, really, really need someone clinical up there.
3. SUBS: And again, I'm not complaining about a good result and good performance. But Ollie seemed extremely slow to make changes when we were crying out for them on Saturday - especially after the red card. I had no problem at all with him waiting to see how Bolton would adapt to that setback, but the sight of Bidwell playing left wing (and no one passing to him, even while he was in acres of space) was just infuriating. In our last two games, two young players - BOS and then Eze came on and had a huge effect on the game. Here was a match situation that suited both, yet Eze only got 10 minutes, and BOS, whose pace down the left was what we were crying out for, didn't get on at all. It took Ollie 10 minutes just to get Smyth on and we didn't score for nearly 20.
I think two of BOS, Smyth and Eze should have been on within 5 minutes. We didn't need three at the back - we needed pace, guile and, this is getting boring, width. Pav had their left back on toast in the first half - they were clearly vulnerable at the back, and I felt Ollie could have been quicker and braver with his subs, and saved us all a bit of frustrating tension.
4. SMYTH: My first look at him as I couldn't make his glorious last game against Cardiff. An d it was very encouraging. We can't go overboard - it's early days and he seems to have a few injury issues. But what an impact. Two games - scored one, made one. Like many others, I love Washington's industry, but immediately on Saturday there was a difference with Smyth. His runs were better, his pace was better, he unsettled the Bolton backline and when he did finally get a decent ball, he kept it simple, but devastating - push it round the outside, get an angle, fizz a cross in, goal. Easy as that. We may be struggling for goals this season, but there's hope in the U23s.
5. EZE: Similarly, my first look at him - an irritatingly short look, but a look nonetheless. I can already tell a certain breed of fan is not going to warm to him. His style on the ball - cool, unhurried, unflustered winds some people up. But there's no doubt he has tremendous ability - you can just see it from how he carries himself and how comfortable he is with the ball at his feet. The nutmeg was beautiful, and while we get a bit of that sort of thing from Freeman, he can't do it all. It's nice someone else can come in and do something entertaining, do the unexpected, pull a rabbit out of the hat. Looking forward to seeing a lot more of him - he seems a natural for a 4-2-3-1 formation, if Ollie ever gives it a go.
6. FREEMAN: He was actually getting a fair bit of stick around me, surprisingly for a player who probably creates about 80% of our chances. I can see their point a bit - he can't receive the ball without then doing a step over, and he'll never do one step over if there's time for three. Sometimes you cry out for him to just play the thing first time, to move it quicker. He has his faults. But at the same time, if he's not going to create anything, probably no one else will (partly because of the wing back system, let's face it). And again on Saturday, it was his free kick that led to the first goal - well flighted to the back post for Smith to head across for Lynch's (who is finding some form at last) simple finish. We rely on him hugely and he needs some help, but I love his work rate, his skills and his delivery. You can't argue with it. Imagine if the pressure could be off him a bit by having Eze in the same side - it would probably really benefit him. |  |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 15:38 - Feb 19 with 2647 views | vegasranger |
Thanks for the report Annti. I feel people are being a bit unfair to Smith. He was our only forward threat. Washington was beyond poor. With no support I thought he was excellent. Lynch was our second best striker, had a very good game !! |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 15:43 - Feb 19 with 2631 views | Lblock |
Agree with pretty much all of this word for word (again)
I was very miffed that BOS wasn't brought on soon as red card waved - my first thought was we needed something better than Bidwell or Lynch being the offering on the LHS. Can't moan though as desired result was achieved in any case.
Smith does seem to need five decent chances to convert one but then I mellow that by him not being consistently selected.
Which leads me onto my other question - what is the nature of Cilla's injury and how long is he out for? My gut feeling is he's out until the summer transfer window opens. Which is a shame. |  |
| Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 15:55 - Feb 19 with 2613 views | Antti_Heinola |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 15:38 - Feb 19 by vegasranger |
Thanks for the report Annti. I feel people are being a bit unfair to Smith. He was our only forward threat. Washington was beyond poor. With no support I thought he was excellent. Lynch was our second best striker, had a very good game !! |
yeah he played well - he just should have had two before half time - i'd be very surprised if he didn't agree with that.
Lblock - Sylla back soon i think. | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:21 - Feb 19 with 2552 views | simmo |
Good points as always Antti, although I am a bit more optimistic generally.
10 men or not I don't think it's a coincidence that we scored our goals once we switched formation and played a variation on 4-3-3. As soon as the red card happened I was screaming for us to lose the wing backs and get a proper attacker on the left hand side.
The truth is in a game like that we didn't need to set up the way we did, the back 3 didn't have fck all to do other than deal with set pieces so why we didn't either start with a more progressive team, or make the change much earlier once it was obvious the game was there for the taking - I'll never know. Made unnecessarily hard work of it and didn't make a decision to win the game until 10 minutes after they went down a man. |  |
| ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:24 - Feb 19 with 2541 views | daveB |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 15:43 - Feb 19 by Lblock |
Agree with pretty much all of this word for word (again)
I was very miffed that BOS wasn't brought on soon as red card waved - my first thought was we needed something better than Bidwell or Lynch being the offering on the LHS. Can't moan though as desired result was achieved in any case.
Smith does seem to need five decent chances to convert one but then I mellow that by him not being consistently selected.
Which leads me onto my other question - what is the nature of Cilla's injury and how long is he out for? My gut feeling is he's out until the summer transfer window opens. Which is a shame. |
After the Bristol City game Holloway did say it was impressive how Lee Johnson took 5 minutes to see how the game went and then changed things so I think he attempted to do the same, we did have chances to score before he made the change. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:45 - Feb 19 with 2481 views | Antti_Heinola |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:24 - Feb 19 by daveB |
After the Bristol City game Holloway did say it was impressive how Lee Johnson took 5 minutes to see how the game went and then changed things so I think he attempted to do the same, we did have chances to score before he made the change. |
5 mins absolutely fine and correct - 10 mins is double the time, though. Bidwell trying to play left wing when we have youngsters gagging to come on and do what Smyth did is not something i enjoy watching, even for 10 mins! | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 17:53 - Feb 19 with 2348 views | TacticalR |
Thanks for your knee jerks.
1. THE RED CARD. I agree with Parkinson. Both teams had very little up front. Bolton didn't threaten much, but they did stifle us. If Bolton had scored first and hadn't been a man down I could easily see them winning the game. Our lack of ideas was exposed after the sending off - we didn't know how to use our extra man advantage and the crowd began to get restless. We couldn't break the deadlock in open play and finally scored from a set piece. The goal at the end was a bonus and gave us a flattering scoreline.
2. SMITH. Our attack is blunt and it took a defender to score. Smith can score but there always seem to be a lot of men and materiel involved, plus the stars have to be in alignment. It reminds me of the effort necessary to send Henry VIII into battle:
'The young Henry was bearded, tall and imposing, a physique probably inherited from his mother’s family. By his mid-forties...he had to be hoisted by crane onto his war horse.'
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/henryviii/power/body-and-image.htm |  |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 17:56 - Feb 19 with 2340 views | oldmisery |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 15:55 - Feb 19 by Antti_Heinola |
yeah he played well - he just should have had two before half time - i'd be very surprised if he didn't agree with that.
Lblock - Sylla back soon i think. |
Smith was featured on the dreadful Channel 5 football programme and showed remarkable honesty by saying that of his four headed chances in the first half, the goalkeeper made one good save but that he should have 'worked the keeper' better on the other three occasions.
And however lumbering and immobile he looks, he's still our top scorer this season with 7 goals in 10 starts and 21 sub appearances - as opposed to Washington with 6 goals in 21 starts and 8 substitute appearances. | | | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 18:09 - Feb 19 with 2299 views | Dixie_CT |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:45 - Feb 19 by Antti_Heinola |
5 mins absolutely fine and correct - 10 mins is double the time, though. Bidwell trying to play left wing when we have youngsters gagging to come on and do what Smyth did is not something i enjoy watching, even for 10 mins! |
Not the biggest fan of Bidwell but he did put in two excellent crosses on Saturday. They weren't from a great position but it was the right choice. Bidwell wins my Tony Hibbert award for most 7 out of 10 ratings ever.
Thought it was telling that the goal we scored from open play was when Smyth beat his (tired) man and stood up a wet dream for Smith. Not sure we do that enough when Smith is on the pitch and a lot is asked of him with the crosses especially when he's signed up for simultaneous UFC grapple training. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 18:33 - Feb 19 with 2254 views | Antti_Heinola |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 17:53 - Feb 19 by TacticalR |
Thanks for your knee jerks.
1. THE RED CARD. I agree with Parkinson. Both teams had very little up front. Bolton didn't threaten much, but they did stifle us. If Bolton had scored first and hadn't been a man down I could easily see them winning the game. Our lack of ideas was exposed after the sending off - we didn't know how to use our extra man advantage and the crowd began to get restless. We couldn't break the deadlock in open play and finally scored from a set piece. The goal at the end was a bonus and gave us a flattering scoreline.
2. SMITH. Our attack is blunt and it took a defender to score. Smith can score but there always seem to be a lot of men and materiel involved, plus the stars have to be in alignment. It reminds me of the effort necessary to send Henry VIII into battle:
'The young Henry was bearded, tall and imposing, a physique probably inherited from his mother’s family. By his mid-forties...he had to be hoisted by crane onto his war horse.'
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/henryviii/power/body-and-image.htm |
Can't agree with all that mate. They didn't stifle us - without really playing brilliantly, I agree, we still made a host of chances in the first half we should have buried. I agree, they could have nicked one and maybe hung on, but no way on earth was 2-0 flattering. Had Smith or Freeman scored when they should have done from very decent chances, we'd have been deservedly 2-up at the break and really then should have got one or two more. There was only one team in it for the whole game. To say we had little up front - I agree Wash was poor, and Smith should've been more clinical - but they failed to handle Smith all game. He had about 7 chances. | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 18:46 - Feb 19 with 2219 views | TacticalR |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 18:33 - Feb 19 by Antti_Heinola |
Can't agree with all that mate. They didn't stifle us - without really playing brilliantly, I agree, we still made a host of chances in the first half we should have buried. I agree, they could have nicked one and maybe hung on, but no way on earth was 2-0 flattering. Had Smith or Freeman scored when they should have done from very decent chances, we'd have been deservedly 2-up at the break and really then should have got one or two more. There was only one team in it for the whole game. To say we had little up front - I agree Wash was poor, and Smith should've been more clinical - but they failed to handle Smith all game. He had about 7 chances. |
Maybe it's got to the point where I don't consider a 'Smith chance' a chance. | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 19:23 - Feb 19 with 2133 views | Hunterhoop |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 18:09 - Feb 19 by Dixie_CT |
Not the biggest fan of Bidwell but he did put in two excellent crosses on Saturday. They weren't from a great position but it was the right choice. Bidwell wins my Tony Hibbert award for most 7 out of 10 ratings ever.
Thought it was telling that the goal we scored from open play was when Smyth beat his (tired) man and stood up a wet dream for Smith. Not sure we do that enough when Smith is on the pitch and a lot is asked of him with the crosses especially when he's signed up for simultaneous UFC grapple training. |
Completely agree about Smith, Dixie. Supply crosses from near the box and he is a right handful. When Washington played up front on his own with us pumping balls up to him, we didn't blame him for that. Neither should Smith. A well delivered cross from wide, within 30 yards or the by line and he is almost undefendable. Wheater is a big lump who's been around the block and even he couldn't handle him. Watch Karl Henry for the goal, he's trying to tackle Smith. Smith just man handles him out of the way.
You can see how much attention teams give him. He's a real threat. And he will draw a penalty or two soon. If we structured our team in a 433 with width or 4231, and focussed on getting it wide and crossing it in, he will score goals. He's on for 10+ this season having been in and out of the side. Even the beloved Helguson (well, I loved him) only grabbed 10-15 a season. So did Gallen. Furlong got to 18 once.
Smith is not the issue. He's one of our strengths. Just use him properly. In Smyth, Pavel, BoS, Shodipo, Wheeler, we have the players to do this.
I also think playing this way will free up space in the middle for Luongo and Freeman, who keep having to operate in very crowded areas with few out balls.
Smith has been an excellent buy for the price. Yes, he should have had a hat trick. But he still scored won, and did brilliantly to set up the other. As the Bolton fan on that vlog said, "it would have been a different story of we'd had Matt Smith." |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 19:24 - Feb 19 with 2132 views | Roller |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:45 - Feb 19 by Antti_Heinola |
5 mins absolutely fine and correct - 10 mins is double the time, though. Bidwell trying to play left wing when we have youngsters gagging to come on and do what Smyth did is not something i enjoy watching, even for 10 mins! |
Smyth was stripped off and about to come on a few minutes before he did, but then put his top back on and sat down again. Perhaps someone on the pitch took a knock and they were waiting to see the outcome from that. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 20:18 - Feb 19 with 2019 views | daveB |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:45 - Feb 19 by Antti_Heinola |
5 mins absolutely fine and correct - 10 mins is double the time, though. Bidwell trying to play left wing when we have youngsters gagging to come on and do what Smyth did is not something i enjoy watching, even for 10 mins! |
Although I agree I did think Bidwell put in some really good crosses at the weekend, especially in the first half. Problem when he pushed up and they were down to 10 men was no one gave him the ball | | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 22:38 - Feb 19 with 1833 views | T_Block |
Freeman: Agree he hangs onto the ball to long.Ok he keeps the ball ,but what he does is delays the runs of our forwards .He is too head down.Needs to get his head upland pass earlier. | | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 00:00 - Feb 20 with 1719 views | Pommyhoop |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 20:18 - Feb 19 by daveB |
Although I agree I did think Bidwell put in some really good crosses at the weekend, especially in the first half. Problem when he pushed up and they were down to 10 men was no one gave him the ball |
Glad I wasn't imagining things on the day... |  |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 09:52 - Feb 20 with 1489 views | TacticalR |
Did anyone think Luongo looked quite rusty? (overhit passes etc)
Also, I felt a bit sorry for him as quite a few times when he was on the ball he looked up and there wasn't a whole lot on for him and he ended up passing back or sideways (another reason I concluded that Bolton did a reasonable job of doing what they came to do, at least until the sending off). | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 10:12 - Feb 20 with 1452 views | simmo |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 09:52 - Feb 20 by TacticalR |
Did anyone think Luongo looked quite rusty? (overhit passes etc)
Also, I felt a bit sorry for him as quite a few times when he was on the ball he looked up and there wasn't a whole lot on for him and he ended up passing back or sideways (another reason I concluded that Bolton did a reasonable job of doing what they came to do, at least until the sending off). |
Thought he was quietly effective actually, carried the ball well, won a lot of 2nd balls, showed great footwork at times (including the play that led to the red card). He's been a bit hit and miss but overall been v consistent this season IMO.
Agree though that often there's a lack of options and I don't want to steer everything towards the same thing but I do think a lack of width is part of that issue, with space crowded out in the middle he often drops deep and with no wingers spreading play, lacks the option of an angled/forward pass... | |
| ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 10:22 - Feb 20 with 1436 views | Antti_Heinola |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 10:12 - Feb 20 by simmo |
Thought he was quietly effective actually, carried the ball well, won a lot of 2nd balls, showed great footwork at times (including the play that led to the red card). He's been a bit hit and miss but overall been v consistent this season IMO.
Agree though that often there's a lack of options and I don't want to steer everything towards the same thing but I do think a lack of width is part of that issue, with space crowded out in the middle he often drops deep and with no wingers spreading play, lacks the option of an angled/forward pass... |
yeah a few times there were big groans when he went backwards, but almost every time he looked up and nothing was on! But thought he was a bit below par on Sat to be honest. | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 17:03 - Feb 20 with 1287 views | PinnerPaul |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 16:45 - Feb 19 by Antti_Heinola |
5 mins absolutely fine and correct - 10 mins is double the time, though. Bidwell trying to play left wing when we have youngsters gagging to come on and do what Smyth did is not something i enjoy watching, even for 10 mins! |
plus as it turned out Bidwell was injured, so the delay was doubly frustrating! | | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 17:07 - Feb 20 with 1279 views | PinnerPaul |
On the red - it looked a yellow from 60 yards away in Tblock! but on replay its a red.
Parkinson's comments are non sensical.
Said it was a poor afternoon for all 4 officials and if we had made that foul it would have been a yellow.
1) We had man sent off lst home game
2) Bolton awarded 13 fks, we got 12
3) Not ONCE were Bolton flagged offside
4) How the 4th official can have a 'poor' game is beyond me!
AH - so yes spot on, those sort of comments DO get on my nerves! | | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 2 Bolton 0 on 17:21 - Feb 20 with 1251 views | CroydonCaptJack |
Great post Anti
Re your point 2 - this was clearly demonstrated last week at Wolves when Conor had two great chances in the first ten minutes. We really should have at least been one nil up there. |  | | |
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