FT: Q.P.R. 1 - 2 CARDIFF CITY. Match thread

[the other bob wilson]

I'd say that when you have an 'average' squad - which we do - the only things a manager can do is things like workrate, eliminating errors, and getting players to stick to a plan and follow instructions. Do we all watch the Sky Championship highlights on a Saturday evening/Sunday morning ? If like me you do, you'll see the gulf in pace, movement,passing, between us and even those a few places above. In the end it's all about players - better players make a better side, providing the manager gets the best out of them. We're doing well, competing against all and sundry, but over 46 games starting next season we'll need 4, maybe 5 players who are better that we've got now. [IMHO !]

The difference in pace, movement and passing you refer to seems to be there every week, but maybe we’re preconditioned to a degree by instinctively seizing upon the examples of this during games and thinking it is typical? I can’t say whether that is true of you, but I think it is of me to a degree. Clearly we’re not as bad as we can look when those big gulfs are most evident and I’d also say that in those highlights shows you tend to see what a side does best or worst and little of the mundane stuff in between which I think, at this level in particular, is how things tend to be most of the time.

In saying all of that, I hope steps are taken in the summer to try to address those aspects you highlight because this season, especially the way it started, should be seen as a warning sign that things couldn’t continue with more of the Warnock/McCarthy way of playing the game.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I wouldn’t say we looked like a top two side for most of the 17/18 season - we did for the first two or three months of that season, but, to put it simplistically, we were a different team once Zohore got that injury in October. He was never the same player again and it was more spirit, a great mind set and momentum which carried us through the last six months of the campaign. Sides going away and winning 7-0 like Fulham have done are very much the exception in the modern day Championship, it’s more likely that more mundane qualities will bring you success because as a rule, the sides are so evenly matched that it’s what’s between the ears which determines how successful you are and this leads to a snowball effect be it positive or negative - Morison deserves credit for changing our mindset pretty quickly.

That sunny afternoon beating Villa at the start of 17/18 was/is the best match I've seen us play in recent times followed by an evening match against Leeds. The football and the crowds/atmosphere were excellent. It should be possible to re-create that with the youth core and some canny signings in the summer. I hope we become faster at everything we do. I'd also like to see us with at least 50:50 possession at home. I don't think we should be spending most of our time watching the visitors with the ball.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

The difference in pace, movement and passing you refer to seems to be there every week, but maybe we’re preconditioned to a degree by instinctively seizing upon the examples of this during games and thinking it is typical? I can’t say whether that is true of you, but I think it is of me to a degree. Clearly we’re not as bad as we can look when those big gulfs are most evident and I’d also say that in those highlights shows you tend to see what a side does best or worst and little of the mundane stuff in between which I think, at this level in particular, is how things tend to be most of the time.

In saying all of that, I hope steps are taken in the summer to try to address those aspects you highlight because this season, especially the way it started, should be seen as a warning sign that things couldn’t continue with more of the Warnock/McCarthy way of playing the game.

It's the metaphorical 'change of direction' all right. Nobody could accuse Warnock's promotion side of playing the prettiest football in the division, but when you look back at highlights it's obvious that they were quite capable of playing it, but just concentrated on getting into attacking situations with the fewest passes - probably the opposite of QPR [ole, ole]. Judging by this last transfer window, we hopefully will bring in some genuinely decent players.

[dembethewarrior]

How did you work that out? Dieu you're bloody clever

It was a pointless reply to a pointless point being made

[dembethewarrior]

Ikpeazu has to give that to Colwill.

Will forever be my point with him.

Yes he is going to be strong and score goals bit for ****ing **** sake he has GOT to start passing the ball.

[Loramski]

That sunny afternoon beating Villa at the start of 17/18 was/is the best match I've seen us play in recent times followed by an evening match against Leeds. The football and the crowds/atmosphere were excellent. It should be possible to re-create that with the youth core and some canny signings in the summer. I hope we become faster at everything we do. I'd also like to see us with at least 50:50 possession at home. I don't think we should be spending most of our time watching the visitors with the ball.

Isn't that what we did against Villa and Leeds though, and most teams that season? We had 35% possession against Villa and 40% against Leeds (even though they played the second half with ten men). They are two of your favourite games and you want us to recreate them while criticising Morison relentlessly for having 'rubbish possession stats' and wanting us to have at least 50% possession at home. Sunderland finished bottom in the season you're talking about and even they did the possession double over us.

You asked for people on here to wait until the end of the season before passing any judgement on Morison and, even though you seem unwilling to take your own advice, I think that's fair enough. Recent results have been good but there's plenty of room for improvement in certain areas, the next couple of months should give us an idea of the direction he's looking to take us in.

[dembethewarrior]

Isn't that what we did against Villa and Leeds though, and most teams that season? We had 35% possession against Villa and 40% against Leeds (even though they played the second half with ten men). They are two of your favourite games and you want us to recreate them while criticising Morison relentlessly for having 'rubbish possession stats' and wanting us to have at least 50% possession at home. Sunderland finished bottom in the season you're talking about and even they did the possession double over us.

You asked for people on here to wait until the end of the season before passing any judgement on Morison and, even though you seem unwilling to take your own advice, I think that's fair enough. Recent results have been good but there's plenty of room for improvement in certain areas, the next couple of months should give us an idea of the direction he's looking to take us in.

*slow claps*

[Citizen's Nephew]

Isn't that what we did against Villa and Leeds though, and most teams that season? We had 35% possession against Villa and 40% against Leeds (even though they played the second half with ten men). They are two of your favourite games and you want us to recreate them while criticising Morison relentlessly for having 'rubbish possession stats' and wanting us to have at least 50% possession at home. Sunderland finished bottom in the season you're talking about and even they did the possession double over us.

You asked for people on here to wait until the end of the season before passing any judgement on Morison and, even though you seem unwilling to take your own advice, I think that's fair enough. Recent results have been good but there's plenty of room for improvement in certain areas, the next couple of months should give us an idea of the direction he's looking to take us in.

I think you're taking this stuff way too seriously. I think it's a bit scary that you've even bothered to check the possession stats for those games let alone the season on the basis of a random comment from a complete stranger. I don't even take myself this seriously. I read my posts sometimes and have absolutely no memory of ever writing them. I just looked and I made that post at 10:49 yesterday and you comment on it about 14 hours later. Man, this is crazy sh*t.

[dembethewarrior]

I think you're taking this stuff way too seriously. I think it's a bit scary that you've even bothered to check the possession stats for those games let alone the season on the basis of a random comment from a complete stranger. I don't even take myself this seriously. I read my posts sometimes and have absolutely no memory of ever writing them. I just looked and I made that post at 10:49 yesterday and you comment on it about 14 hours later. Man, this is crazy sh*t.

Having facts isn't scary. Its normal.

If you don't have a response to his well written post hist leave it there, don't put a man down and attempt to belittle him for being correct.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Having facts isn't scary. Its normal.

If you don't have a response to his well written post hist leave it there, don't put a man down and attempt to belittle him for being correct.

[Loramski]

I think you're taking this stuff way too seriously. I think it's a bit scary that you've even bothered to check the possession stats for those games let alone the season on the basis of a random comment from a complete stranger. I don't even take myself this seriously. I read my posts sometimes and have absolutely no memory of ever writing them. I just looked and I made that post at 10:49 yesterday and you comment on it about 14 hours later. Man, this is crazy sh*t.

Very profound. You're not a complete stranger on here though, you post a lot (unless you mean that people should only reply to posters they know personally? An interesting concept but I don't think it'll catch on). You want to see City play more possession-based football and that's fine, a lot of us do. However, you're the only poster I've come across who thinks Morison should do that by setting up like Warnock did here.

It's not my opinion that Warnock didn't play a possession game, it's a fact. So I illustrated my post with facts. I mentioned last week on here that we finished 21st for possession when we got promoted and were 24th for pass accuracy and you want to see that 'recreated' by Morison in the interests of possession-based football. No wonder you find facts scary.

By the way, there's no time limit on here for replying to posts, I'm not sure why you'd think there is.