No'neills - QPR (A) 3/10/15

[danardif1]

I see too few games to be much of an analyst, but here goes ....

Fck me, that was frustrating!

We weren't terrible and you couldn't say "X" was shit. Equally, no one shone. Everyone pretty much gets a 6/10. If pushed, I might say Danns was marginally our best player (6.5/10) for his energy and managing to pass to his own side more frequently than anyone else (no doubt, the stats will prove me wrong). Clayton was possibly the weak link (5.5/10), but I'm probably being a bit harsh on him - he certainly tried hard.

We seem to have just two modes: tippy tappy that goes nowhere or hoof.[/b] That goes nowhere. As has been mentioned ad infinitum on here, we simply offer nothing in the final third. We scored our second on 11 mins; the next time their keeper was mildly troubled was about an hour later. Seriously.

For this match at least, I don't think the Majalby (sp?) departure made a blind bit of difference. Nor do I think being unable to see out the final minutes of each half is the issue (frustrating as that is). It's what goes on (or not) in the preceding 44 mins that's the problem - ie that lack of pressure in the final third.

I've seen two wins in the last five years .......

Now this is within Lennon's control - admittedly the football is better to watch than under Freedman, but have we made progress I'm not that sure, we have no obvious style of football, we lack passion, nous, professionalism & leadership on the pitch, we don't press like we did in Lennon's first 10 games and we still don't play with any tempo and only play in 10 minute bursts (and unfortunately only 1 10 min burst per game !).

Like I've said previously we just don't play as a team - we are absolutely miles off having a side good enough or consistent enough to do much better than we are now

Lennon's interview on BBC Manchester was frank & honest and mirrored what most have said on here and he appears to know what the issues are - which is admirable, but it didn't sound like he has any idea of how to address the main issues of the players being mentally weak & having 'poor game management'.

I'd argue that if a team doesn't have this it's very hard to establish... I think it's a case of lack of confidence breeding lack of confidence and though Lennon backs his players as much as possible he can't be there alongside them on the pitch. We have a team that is very much looking for a leader amongst the players and there just doesn't seem to be one... Pratley could be the only one I'd suggest could fill that role and it was good to have him back in the team yesterday, perhaps having him back now might help things improve because I don't think anyone can doubt his commitment or effort for the team.

[Worthy4England]

I see too few games to be much of an analyst, but here goes ....

I've seen two wins in the last five years .......

So has everybody else

As for the first sentence, that's never proven to be an inhibitor to some of our posters!

[TKIZ!]

For all of you on the 'I'd have loved, wanked, sucked Mick Mac, over any other manager'. Just f4ck right off. You bunch of f4ckin arsetwats. Get behind your team, get behind your manager. If you don't like it, f4ck off and support Ipswich. We are Bolton, yes at present our backs are against the wall, but as always throughout adversity, we will come out fighting. Win. Lose. Or draw.

Very eloquent. That sums how I feel at the moment

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I think the issue is that there has been a stench of decay and failure around the club for a long time now. It is just like when someone gets in to a deep and dark place that no amount of snapping out of it will work. It can take years and a lot of help to change mindset to get to a better place. I think this is where our club is.

I don't think effort or ability is holding us back from competing in the top half (though we are obviously lacking a goalscorer), we have a manager that is the sort to grab a game by the scruff of it's neck and he needs to do the management equivalent. The problem is, we don't have any players stepping up to grab a game and drag some team mates along too. I actually think a home crowd could transfer some of the passion and drive to the players. That's not a criticism of the match goers, lets face it there's been little worth raising your head above the programme notes for in a long time. A noisy 90 minutes regardless of what is happening on the pitch for a few games might help to raise a few heads. I was once fortunate enough to play a national basketball final in front of a large and noisy crowd and it definitely raised the game of every single one of our team on that court. Gotta be worth a try surely...

[Peter Thompson]

Well, you were Lennon's biggest advocate this time last year ^^

Had we got Mick, we'd be hearing the opposite right now from dissenting fans. "Should have got Lennon!"

We got Coyle when the fans wanted Coyle, and look how that turned out.

Let's just give Lennon some time.

It's remarkable, though, that 20 years ago to the day yesterday we conceded a 90th minute goal to QPR when Dichio gave them a 1-0 win at Burnden.

If this was aimed at me - then yes I was NL's biggest advocate this time last year (and I don't recall pushing for McCarthy) and I still believe that NL is the best manager that we could have at this moment in time, and he's probably our best chance of doing something in 2 years time, but I still expected a bit more from Lennon, however that could well be me being unrealistic.

That doesn't mean that I don't think he could be doing a little better, even under the current circumstances - it doesn't take money to organise a side and have a leader on the pitch. I've always believed that a manager should firstly have a certain style of play that he likes to play & believes will bring success, and then over time try and bring in players with the ability & attributes to play and fit in his preferred style & unfortunately at this moment in time I'm seeing none of this.

Can anyone tell me what Lennon's preferred team shape & style of play is after 12 months ?

[TonyDomingos]

3-5-2?

[twilight]

3-5-2?

Really?
I thought he wasn't going to play 3 at the back again after the fiasco at Middlesbrough! Lennon out and all that

[BWFC_Insane]

Perhaps if Lennon feels the team is mentally weak with poor game management he should have signed players to address that. Instead I hear him criticising Silva for not holding the ball in the corner and crossing it instead. But where are the leaders in this squad? Who is the man to grab them round the scruff of the neck and drag them through?

Another issue we simply haven't solved.

[jaffka]

F**k me this thread is a depressing read.

[thebish]

F**k me this thread is a depressing read.

it was a pretty depressing game...

[thebish]

Well, you were Lennon's biggest advocate this time last year ^^

Had we got Mick, we'd be hearing the opposite right now from dissenting fans. "Should have got Lennon!"

We got Coyle when the fans wanted Coyle, and look how that turned out.

Let's just give Lennon some time.

It's remarkable, though, that 20 years ago to the day yesterday we conceded a 90th minute goal to QPR when Dichio gave them a 1-0 win at Burnden.

really not sure where this is coming from... nobody has mentioned Mick Mac on here for ages!! nobody on here is calling for lennon to be replaced OR saying Mic Mac would have done a better job!!

[Worthy4England]

F**k me this thread is a depressing read.

You could head to the RWC thread to cheer yersel up....errr.....

[jaffka]

Pretty much a shit sporting weekend

[thebish]

ok - some thoughts on the game...

1. Good to meet up with Enoch and Tony Domingos and Enoch's bit of rough on the side...

2. Enoch lost one and half pints of guiness through spillage - which (I hear) is totally unheard of in the history of Enoch - and was a bad omen!

3. this may sound odd because we scored 3 goals - BUT - we never actually looked like scoring...

4. I came away having no idea at all what we were trying to do. we appear to have no discernable style or gameplan. I'm sure we must - but it is either too subtle for me to see it (quite possible) or it falls apart so quickly as to never get implemented. the team doesn't appear to know how it plans to score goals - it seems to be a hit and hope strategy - maybe the ball will fall our way - maybe an act of individual brilliance or a stroke of luck... which doesn't seem like much of a plan...

5. Mavis... I can see why he has the ace stats that DSB rightly reminds us of - an his short passing game IS good. BUT - most of it is in non-attacking areas. It seems like nobody is playing the game that Mavis plays in the final third. nobody else seems to be playing the short pass-and-move game so he passes and moves and the ball is wellied out to the wing or vaguely forward towards where Madine might be. there are no passing triangles or one-twos or give-and-gos - or (at least) not nearly enough of them.. we have players capable of it - we just don't do it..

6. Pratley looked good - but tired.. and once again I was left wondering why we brought spearing on just after going a goal down... the last time he then brought dobbie on and he scored - this time he then bought Wellington on and he scored!

7. i don't think anyone has mentioned Amos - he made a couple of blinding saves - one in particular at the start of the second half - point-blank volley reaction fingertips save which had GOAL written right through it huge indelible marker pen!

8. 2 of their goals were absolute peaches - curled right into the corners... you might say that on another day they might have hit the post or floated wide - BUT - they could actually have scored 6 or 7... they skinned us at will down their left - particularly in the second half - Prince was no match at all for their winger - there was a bombardment of crosses curled in from that wing and any one of them could have led to another goal... wheater did some good clearance heading - but he has the pace of a crippled tortoise.

9. a bit disappointed in clough and clayon - they were busy - no lack of effort - but not game-changers

10. I say to enoch that i don't buy the idea that Madine just needed one goal and then the floodgates open.. and what happens? Madine scores before we've even removed our smoking jackets! clearly I know feck all!

11. summat happened with the ball rolling slowly into the QPR net when it was 3-3 - but I have no idea what happened as i was clearly looking elsewhere at the time.

12. celeb-spotting Domingos pointed out Michael Gove walking up the road to the game. he told me it would be frowned upon if I went over and pinched his nose - so i didn't.

13. Danns and Feeney and Mavis ran their arses off - but so much of it is chasing shadows...

[BWFC_Insane]

^^ Bish most of that goes across all our games this season. We have no style or pattern or plan in an attacking sense from what I have seen.

Bit harsh on Clough though......lad can't do much from the sick bay.....

[thebish]

i have absolutely no idea why i wrote clough! i blame the Kronenburg!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

You had Gove at your mercy, no bodyguards or anything?

[danardif1]

Perhaps if Lennon feels the team is mentally weak with poor game management he should have signed players to address that. Instead I hear him criticising Silva for not holding the ball in the corner and crossing it instead. But where are the leaders in this squad? Who is the man to grab them round the scruff of the neck and drag them through?

Another issue we simply haven't solved.

Like who? Who would you say was available without a transfer fee or was a free agent who we could also afford in wages that would definitely add this quality to the team?

Like I said, Pratley is probably the 'leader' of this squad of players. He played his first proper game in a long time yesterday and by all accounts made a real difference to the team before he inevitably tired (his game is all about covering that ground, so when he's not at full fitness he's just not as effective as he can be). We should see if his return makes a difference to our performances because judging on last season he was a standout player and seemed to be working really well under Lennon before injury problems. He led by example last season and though he was always a hard worker once he had a bit of confidence instilled in him he really did lead the team on the pitch even without the armband.

Another bad to indifferent start to the season is not what I or anyone wanted, but this time it's more frustration than outright anger because there is clearly some quality to the team. They do a lot of things right but balance that out with enough silly mistakes or concentration lapses to cost us goals and points. It may just take a bit more time for things to settle down and for the team as it is to really get to grips with each other, as well as phasing back in other key players for us that have been missing, Pratley being the main one. I still believe in Lennon's quality as a manager though I feel he may be struggling to establish a clear 'identity' for the team because they do seem to be struggling to work out what to do in the final third but that may even just be the players we have...

[NiceHotCuppaTea]

[Vertigo]

From the highlights, it looks like Amos fluffed one and 2 of the others were crackers, so it's unfair to call the entire team spineless (from what I've seen anyway). Was the overall performance worthy of all the doom and gloom?