Stoke City Match Thread

[LoftusRoadLad]

This is a game we should be full of confidence of winning.

Stoke are on a bad un at the mo just like we were.

I'd be happy to win ugly or any which way, just get the win points.

Score an early one will get their fans ruffled.

[LoftusRoadLad]

Light show ??

QPR Lightshow? | Oatcake Fanzine (proboards.com)

[topperharley]

This is exactly the type of game we lose. If we win, we'll know things are on the up and up.

[Qpstranger]

Light show ??

QPR Lightshow? | Oatcake Fanzine (proboards.com)

I'd like Rangers to score in the first minute, solely to dampen any feel good factor they might get from this spectacular 'light show'

[Abseits]

What will this be, the third or fourth opportunity we've had to get out of bottom 3? We've blown all the previous ones and I fear we'll blow it again.

I thought they looked better than us at LR until they eventually gassed after playing with 10 men. We didnt look after the ball that day and we still dont today. Rs fans were booing our ridiculous attempts at playing it out from the back as recently as last week at Blackburn.

Fingers crossed that the new players will be able to give us some extra quality and enable us to not give away silly possession. If we can do that you could see the home fans getting disgruntled pretty quickly. Hudd and Blackburn lost their managers after playing us - be bonkers if we thumped Stoke and saw a third gaffer get launched.

[SheepRanger]

What will this be, the third or fourth opportunity we've had to get out of bottom 3? We've blown all the previous ones and I fear we'll blow it again.

I thought they looked better than us at LR until they eventually gassed after playing with 10 men. We didnt look after the ball that day and we still dont today. Rs fans were booing our ridiculous attempts at playing it out from the back as recently as last week at Blackburn.

Fingers crossed that the new players will be able to give us some extra quality and enable us to not give away silly possession. If we can do that you could see the home fans getting disgruntled pretty quickly. Hudd and Blackburn lost their managers after playing us - be bonkers if we thumped Stoke and saw a third gaffer get launched.

Might be better to play the occasional long ball, like Liverpool.

[QPROslo]

What will this be, the third or fourth opportunity we've had to get out of bottom 3? We've blown all the previous ones and I fear we'll blow it again.

I think it is the fifth time - Plymouth, Sheff W, Millwall, Huddersfield and now Stoke. If we beat Stoke, we will break an important mental barrier. However, I am afraid it will be "same, same". I go for a 1-1 draw. Stoke is on a bad run, but all bad runs tend to stop with us.

On a more positive note: With some luck, we can move above three teams if we win - Stoke, Huddersfield and Birmingham.

[QPROslo]

Field will return for the Stoke match. Will he go straight into the starting eleven, or will be be on the bench? Based on the last two matches, I wouldn't bench neither Hayden nor Colback. It says something about better strength in depth if Field has to start on the bench.

If there are no new injuries ahead of Stoke, one of those who started on the bench against Norwich will make way for Field. I think this will be Dykes. It is even more telling about the strength of the squad if Dykes cannot even make it to the bench. Some weeks ago, we would consider a starting eleven without Dykes as threadbare up front.

It could be Dixon-Bonner that makes way for Field, but Dixon-Bonner can slot into right back if Cannon gets injured, so his versatility may protect him.

Will Marti rest Cook? He has rested him for midweek matches before. If so, Dunne will probably take his place, but it might also be Field. Will Marti rest Hayden? Hayden was my MOM against Norwich, but he has limited match experience lately, and the medical staff is well aware of his recent injury concerns. He might be on the bench.

Will we start Frey ahead of Armstrong? I don't think so. Armstrong is better in Martis high press game, and Armstrong forces the opposition to defend deeper, to protect against Armstrong's speed. It gives Chair and others more space. I think Frey will continue to be an impact sub for a while. However, Frey is a proper goal scorer, and the way he took his goal against Norwich is just what we need. I would not rule out that Marti will mix up things to accommodate both Armstrong and Frey in the starting eleven. I do not think he will play two strikers, but Armstrong might start on the left wing. But who should be left out?

Will Marti start Andersen? He played well against Norwich and he might replace Willock. I think, on the balance of things, that this will be the only change to the first eleven against Stoke.

[topperharley]

I think from the last starting 11 the only one whose place is in questions based on form is Willock, but Andersen is the natural starting replcacement as Smyth has been best as a sub. I'm not sure Anderesen is ready to start either, so maybe Willock still starts as a default to keep the same formation, or Andersen does but is an early sub.

In a way having these new players (Frey/Andersen) as subs is better, we can hold our own against anyone as long as they don't get any corners or free kicks within crossing distance of our goal. We seem to have the ammo to really effect games from the bench. Options really are lovely.

Looks like on the last showing I was wrong about Frey, i said it felt boring and uninspiring getting someone in like this, but he looks like a reeally good striker at this level.

Field is on the bench, brilliant player to bring on to calm things down if we need it, or when Colback gets booked. Dykes, based on Saturday, as Oslo says is the best candidate to lose from the bench.

[shaggy24]

I think from the last starting 11 the only one whose place is in questions based on form is Willock, but Andersen is the natural starting replcacement as Smyth has been best as a sub. I'm not sure Anderesen is ready to start either, so maybe Willock still starts as a default to keep the same formation, or Andersen does but is an early sub.

In a way having these new players (Frey/Andersen) as subs is better, we can hold our own against anyone as long as they don't get any corners or free kicks within crossing distance of our goal. We seem to have the ammo to really effect games from the bench. Options really are lovely.

Looks like on the last showing I was wrong about Frey, i said it felt boring and uninspiring getting someone in like this, but he looks like a reeally good striker at this level.

Field is on the bench, brilliant player to bring on to calm things down if we need it, or when Colback gets booked. Dykes, based on Saturday, as Oslo says is the best candidate to lose from the bench.

Well put Oslo MC has options that we didn't expect to have

I think he'll leave Dykes in for height if we are infront last 10 but he was terrible saturday like a man with no idea what he was doing probably confidence shot seeing Frey come on 1st then bag a goal

I'd still leave Willock in but have no issue if Smyth starts or Anderson

[LoftusRoadLad]

At least we have like for like fresh players on the bench.

[WeAreQPR12]

You definitely should NOT be playing around with the defence. That area needs to be a settled back 4. Dunne would be a disaster to throw in, he looks cack playing every wk let alone occasionally. If Cook can't play more than once a wk then we have another Ledley King on our hands. Fingers crossed he's not ready for the slaughter house just yet. Clearly freshening up the midfield is a must and yes at least we now have options to do that.

[LoftusRoadLad]

We have Fox as well as Dunne ?

[Abseits]

Might be better to play the occasional long ball, like Liverpool.

Thing is, it's not a long ball when Liverpool do it.... its a raking pass, a sublime cross-field ball or a clever lightning quick release by Alison. It's all semantics basically.

What really gets my goat is that after pissfarting about with a dozen passes in and around our own box going nowhere we invariably end up booting it upfield anyway.

Also, if we are going to do it, do it in last quarter when opposition are too tired to hustle and close down. Doing it it in opening 10 minutes with someone like Smodzcics bombing about like a wolverine closing us down is pretty suicidal in my view.

Oh well, I must try and lighten up... we seem injury free with a settled defence, got some good new faces in and a bit of depth to the bench. Stoke are in the doldrums so no reason we can't go there and get a result.

[SheepRanger]

Thing is, it's not a long ball when Liverpool do it.... its a raking pass, a sublime cross-field ball or a clever lightning quick release by Alison. It's all semantics basically.

What really gets my goat is that after pissfarting about with a dozen passes in and around our own box going nowhere we invariably end up booting it upfield anyway.

Also, if we are going to do it, do it in last quarter when opposition are too tired to hustle and close down. Doing it it in opening 10 minutes with someone like Smodzcics bombing about like a wolverine closing us down is pretty suicidal in my view.

Oh well, I must try and lighten up... we seem injury free with a settled defence, got some good new faces in and a bit of depth to the bench. Stoke are in the doldrums so no reason we can't go there and get a result.

Yeah, if we don't win tonight and other crucial games with our new signings in situ we deserve to go down. This is a midtable team now and only three points adrift. There's plenty of games to get out of this mess if we're good enough.

If we're not good enough to plsy long balls to feet like Liverpool then we're definately nit good enough to be playing out from the back like Man City. At least the occasional long ball into space where our wingers can pick it up and pass to the midfield clears the ball away from the danger area in defence. Use whatever's appropriate and mix it up.