Game 32: Stoke 1 QPR 0 (14/02/24)

Everything tilted in our favour show belief and put it right on them from minute one and a win is there for us.

I'm sticking to my lucky loss predictions. If I'm wrong I still win!

Best team now?:

Begovic

Cannon Cook Clarke-Salter Paal

Hodge Hayden Colback

Andersen Frey Chair

Or maybe:

Begovic

Cannon Cook Clarke-Salter Paal

Hodge Hayden

Smyth Andersen Armstrong

Frey

Would tend to agree with you in general but I hope the signings of Andersen and Hodge signify that it may have down to a lack of choice.

Formations change with and without the ball, I saw us mainly in  a 4-5-1 yesterday with Armstrong regularly inside our own half after taking the lead. I could’nt forsee  us seeing out the game 1-0 with the way we dropped back and allowed Norwich so much space 

Norwich came to win which is probably what Marti expected when selecting Colback instead of Andersen. When we play teams like Huddersfield and Cardiff we struggle big time  because they are looking to mainly counter attack.

IMO we need to win more games at home by going for it with the likes of Andersen instead of having 2 holding MF players.

Interesting game to find out a bit more about Marti. Does he go for a win risking it against a close rival or is he a park the bus type when a point would be very valuable? Might do a Preston. Uses the squad well.

Judging by his previous comments I think he'll be attacking-minded.

The only thing that makes me nervous is his tendency to defend deep when we're ahead in games. We still need to improve in playing it out from the back too. Too often we concede possession cheaply doing that.

Begovic
Cannon Cook JCS Larkeshe
Hayden Hodge
Anderson Chair Smyth
Frey.

Defo wouldn't drop Paal mate.

One of our only ever consistent performers IMO. 

Controversial, I know 77. But if it's a choice between the two of them, then yes.

MC has started Willock in the last five games and can see why he's done so. (We're also unbeaten in four of those). Last two games he had good first halves and faded in the second, so agreed when he was subbed in those. 

Now we have Anderson, Hodge and Frey, I find the prospect of Willock alongside them more exciting than with Chair because he releases the ball earlier (and keeps his head up), which is when we play at out best i.e. pacey, free-flowing, counter-attacking football and crucially, releasing it early without too many touches.  Willock is also more two-footed, so less predictable.

Fair argument.

I thought first half against Bournemouth, without Chair, we were faster, and broke quicker. As good as Chair is, as we all know, he too often slows play down, cutting inside, then back, and always looking to carry the ball rather than release a pass. He's often better for the team away than at home. Then Bournemouth stepped up a pace and we were done. I'd still play Chair, try to get him to be more direct, and in the 10, not permanently out wide. I take the point about not protecting Paal. In the middle he'd take up defensive space. I'd never play Willock tbh. He allowed their move up the right which led to their second yesterday.

Love our big lump, but you are bang on Corby about him not being ready yet.
Give him last half hour for next 3 matches and keep starting Sinclair.
Chair needs to come off the left. Is wasted out there.

If you look purely at the stats (goals and assists) between chair and Willock there is not an awful lot in it so you can make an argument for both. Personally think both have massively under achieved this season.

Six goals between them after 31 games is piss poor and one of the reasons why I’m bemused as to the Chair is getting so much rope his numbers for the adulation he gets are chalk and cheese

He’s a far better player than what he’s contributed so we have to be disappointed with his output so far.