| Boro Post Mortem 10:50 - Mar 9 with 3173 views | ScottPurdue8 |
Long time reader, first time contributor.
So many questions need answering… where do I even start?
I’ve stayed largely silent throughout most of this season. When the appointment was made, I wasn’t particularly excited, but I wasn’t completely against it either. Like most Rangers fans, I backed him because that’s what we do.
However, aside from the home victory against Leicester City, I’ve struggled to see any real progress in either performances or results compared to what we were seeing under Martí Cifuentes. If anything, we seem to have regressed.
The manager’s personality also doesn’t appear to suit the club. QPR is a place where character matters, where the connection between players, fans and the club identity is important. Right now that connection feels completely absent. There also appear to be issues within the squad itself.
Paul Nardi has been completely frozen out despite being our number one last season. Rayan Kolli has barely been given any meaningful minutes, and Ilias Chair has essentially been missing in action since a mysterious injury in December.
Then there’s the past week which, quite frankly, has been humiliating.
Whether Stephan tried to be clever tactically against Middlesbrough or whether he was forced into changes due to personnel, the outcome was a complete failure.
We lined up in what looked like a 4-5-1 system, but the players clearly didn’t understand their roles or assignments. Koki Saito was pressing Luke Ayling when Ayling had shifted into a centre-back role, leaving our entire left side exposed. RND was constantly being dragged into 2-v-1 situations and left completely vulnerable.
In midfield, Jonathan Varane and Isaac Hayden looked unsure of how to deal with their structure. There was no cohesion, no control, and no clear plan. Kieran Morgan worked tirelessly and the same can be said for Kone.
Right now the squad looks completely devoid of confidence. The players look checked out, unsure of themselves, and unsure of what they’re being asked to do.
Beyond Jimmy Dunne and Ronnie Edwards, I struggle to see real leaders in this team. There’s a lack of fighters, a lack of characters, and a lack of players with genuine Championship experience who understand what it takes to compete in this league week in, week out.
When we won the the league in 2010–11, it showed exactly what was required. We had experienced Championship players like Clint Hill, Paddy Kenny and Shaun Derry. We supplemented that with hungry lower-league signings like Jamie Mackie, and genuine foreign quality such as Faurlín and Adel Taarabt.
That blend gave us leadership, fight, and quality.
Right now, we simply don’t have enough of those ingredients. Yes, there is experience in players like Jimmy Dunne and Ilias Chair, but beyond that the squad lacks the leaders and characters needed to drive standards and drag the team through difficult moments.
It’s always easy to blame the manager when results go against you, and supporters are often guilty of reacting emotionally after defeats. But the truth is this poor form hasn’t just appeared overnight. Since the win against Leicester City the overall level of performance has been nothing short of abysmal.
Yes, there have been a handful of wins along the way, but even in those games the performances have been flat, uninspiring and, at times, completely devoid of identity.
Something has to change. And right now, the direction of travel points firmly towards the manager. |  | | |  |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:42 - Mar 9 with 821 views | Dorse |
Nothing much to like about the last 3 games. I knew we'd get beaten yesterday - you don't have to be Mystic Meg to have seen that coming - but it was the limp-dicked manner of our performance. I wrote in the match thread that we were playing like a dog trying to catch a balloon but, upon reflection, I don't think we played even that well.
I understand that we would all like to pin this on someone (or something) but I doubt we'll be able to settle for just one. In other news, I have opened a new business selling pitchforks and torches at very reasonable prices. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Boro Post Mortem on 15:43 - Mar 9 with 811 views | CheshireR |
| Boro Post Mortem on 11:19 - Mar 9 by daveB |
I think he'll throw Ben WIlliams under the bus along with the manager |
My money is on Andy Belk carrying the can. One of the few men remaining from the previous regime...... |  | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:46 - Mar 9 with 782 views | nick_hammersmith |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:43 - Mar 9 by CheshireR |
My money is on Andy Belk carrying the can. One of the few men remaining from the previous regime...... |
It'll take some spin to blame the fitness on the recruitment, but I'm sure Christian can have a go at it.
Sorry you can't see your favourite players |  | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:47 - Mar 9 with 776 views | Padulas_Shampoo |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:46 - Mar 9 by nick_hammersmith |
It'll take some spin to blame the fitness on the recruitment, but I'm sure Christian can have a go at it.
Sorry you can't see your favourite players |
Sorry we didn't recruit your favourite players, maybe? |  | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:51 - Mar 9 with 750 views | TK1 |
| Boro Post Mortem on 12:22 - Mar 9 by Hunterhoop |
The most obvious and expected social media play from a CEO who set up his own small advisory business about social media for 16-24 yr olds. Control the narrative. All about what’s best for him, not the club.
How many decent football coaches are going to look at what’s happened to Cifuentes here, and what is likely to happen to Stephan, and think “I’ll work at that club”?? The talent pool who would consider it will be so small, and by definition, weak. A modern day Warnock, for example, would never come into this set up. |
The "French football agent" whose dad he says played for Bulgaria, who won't reveal his name, or a website for his agency, and who only started posting about QPR in late 2023, always massively enthusiastic about the current plan (and always very down on Sam Field, funnily enough), was first on X straight after the match yesterday...
"Usual headloss from fans after a defeat".
Just amazing chutzpah. Shameless.
QPR have in the last ten days lost:
0-5
0-2
0-4
"Usual headloss from the fans after a defeat".
There's absolutely nothing usual about any of this, least of all the French-Bulgarian football agent who loves QPR's game model and its noble young prince CEO. | | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:53 - Mar 9 with 729 views | nick_hammersmith |
Great post.
Character has a huge part to play. We've got players in this squad like Isaac Hayden who have got loads of experience, some in the Premier League.
Where is their professional pride, where they haven't even managed to lay a glove on the oppo?
OK, so maybe you are not as skilful, as the other team, but you should be able to run as hard, tackle, want the ball, chase back?
These are all basics.
What I saw yesterday was disgraceful, and looked like most of the team "swinging a leg, stealing a living"
If it was possible I'd not play half that squad again for the rest of the season, absolute jokers | | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:55 - Mar 9 with 720 views | mart_Goblin |
Great post .
From what I hear the real driver of standards is Ilias.
He is the one constantly holding people like Williams to account over diet and treatment, and if rumours are correct has gone elsewhere to sort himself out .
Chair , Field, Frey, Nardi , now maybe Cook …all experienced heads who have seen it all before , either sold, binned or on the missing list .
As someone else said , mostly pre Nourry players and players who can smell bullsh*t I can imagine.
I do also agree about Stefan for the most part .
I liked him but if anyone can remember his first Interview with the club snd compare it to now .
He’s done . He’ll be gone by the summer .
I feel like he’s now completely lost the plot on how we turn this around . Toast. QPR’d.
But the fanbase cannot allow us all to be (well not all of us ) sucked in again by the rhetoric when Nourry’s new ‘data driven nonsense ‘ is paraded in front of us . |  | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 16:09 - Mar 9 with 661 views | TheChef |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:53 - Mar 9 by nick_hammersmith |
Great post.
Character has a huge part to play. We've got players in this squad like Isaac Hayden who have got loads of experience, some in the Premier League.
Where is their professional pride, where they haven't even managed to lay a glove on the oppo?
OK, so maybe you are not as skilful, as the other team, but you should be able to run as hard, tackle, want the ball, chase back?
These are all basics.
What I saw yesterday was disgraceful, and looked like most of the team "swinging a leg, stealing a living"
If it was possible I'd not play half that squad again for the rest of the season, absolute jokers |
Agreed.
Despite all the BS off the pitch it's the still players on it who are kicking the ball, they can still make a difference.
Why hasn't Dunne got all the players together and said, sod Nourry/Hoos/Williams/Stephan/injuries etc., let's pull together and finish the season as strongly as we can.
I mean they still get win bonuses, right? |  |
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| Boro Post Mortem on 16:42 - Mar 9 with 584 views | cyprusmel |
We have an average team with an average manager, not good not bad just average.
It is a typical mid table team, even with everyone fit, we probably wouldn't be a top 6 team.
Fitness is one key issue, we always look like we are chasing shadows, our players fade well before the end of the game, other teams look so much sharper, quicker and faster.
Recruitment / scouting is another issue we are not finding enough of the right sort of players to improve the squad. | | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 17:19 - Mar 9 with 460 views | Logman |
| Boro Post Mortem on 16:09 - Mar 9 by TheChef |
Agreed.
Despite all the BS off the pitch it's the still players on it who are kicking the ball, they can still make a difference.
Why hasn't Dunne got all the players together and said, sod Nourry/Hoos/Williams/Stephan/injuries etc., let's pull together and finish the season as strongly as we can.
I mean they still get win bonuses, right? |
I think Dunne looks resigned to our fate. After about an hour in games, when games are up, he just tries to hold it together and see that we keep 11 players on the pitch. | | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 18:59 - Mar 9 with 271 views | mart_Goblin |
| Boro Post Mortem on 15:53 - Mar 9 by nick_hammersmith |
Great post.
Character has a huge part to play. We've got players in this squad like Isaac Hayden who have got loads of experience, some in the Premier League.
Where is their professional pride, where they haven't even managed to lay a glove on the oppo?
OK, so maybe you are not as skilful, as the other team, but you should be able to run as hard, tackle, want the ball, chase back?
These are all basics.
What I saw yesterday was disgraceful, and looked like most of the team "swinging a leg, stealing a living"
If it was possible I'd not play half that squad again for the rest of the season, absolute jokers |
Second game in a row that Hayden has gone straight down the tunnel with no acknowledgement to the poor sods still there whatsoever . Didn’t even look up .
In the grand scale of things it’s irrelevant, but things like that irk me | | | |
| Boro Post Mortem on 19:03 - Mar 9 with 262 views | Toast_R |
Well I'd give JS another season, he's not managed in Engkand and the Championship is bastard hard for those with XP let alone none.
Not his fault hes lost all his important players to injury, we may have made the play offs. Madsen's one was the death knell. |  | | |
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