A problem Hughes seems to be having:

[jaejaxon2000]

It feels like the holidays are here with all the nuts and fruitcakes appearing on the doorstep that is this forum. Really do think that Hughes did himself a disservice by playing such a strong side minus the back 4 in a useless tourney that only would bolster QPR fans desperate for any tin cup no matter how tarnished. He set himself up for a much-deserved backlash from fair-weather fans with little knowledge of the game. He should have rested the starting XI to avoid injuries and check out the caliber of the bench. Why risk the West Ham game on Monday for this. Now the team is doubly under pressure from the media and fans to win on Monday. This is the poor management skills that I can see most assuredly above the other things.

[QPR Richard]

Why is Ned playing at LB? It's not because our two 'specialist' LBs are out, we've only got one, Traore. MH forgot to buy another LB for the squad and thought he could get away with Fabio as cover who is really a RB. He also bought a bloke for CB who says his best position is DM. He bought a RM, Park, and plays him LM. We needed an additional LB but he gave the squad place to Ephraim. Let's see how many games he plays this season. Hughes also left us short of strikers by only having three specialists in the squad.

Sorry, but this 'square pegs in round holes' stuff isn't working, and shows why we're out of one cup and already in the drop zone.

[Rich]

Onouha is currently playing LB because our two specialized players for that position are injured. Park plays both CM and on the wing. His role at QPR is to tuck inside and support the central two. Cisse played alone up top so Zamora could rest. Mackie has played wide right ever since he moved to the club. When he stuck Cisse on the wing v Chelsea last year THAT was a square peg in a round hole, not the examples you have given.

If Park is a winger I'll eat my hat. He has no pace or skill and can't cross!! Same for Mackie. Shows just how fooked we really are...

[sirduncs]

cheer up rich. it's nearly the weekend, and at least we won't see us lose on saturday...

[Rich]

I'm fine mate :-)

[QPR1234]

park has a role in our team.. but in a 4-4-2 or even 4-4-1-1 which we've played lately we really need our wingers to get to the byline.

we've become too predictable and easy to defend against.. reading really didnt have much trouble defending anything we threw at them. we all knew how slow gorkks was.. so why wasnt we playing a high tempo game? id rather see park try get to the byline and fail than to just play it sideways or back.

that said there are/is times for us to keep the ball which we did very well on sunday and in glimpses well against reading. hughes is doing this square pegs round holes - which for some cases is forced.. i dont want clint hill to ever play fullback unless we absolutely have to. so onuoha there until we have some fullbacks fit.

his biggest two mistakes was ephraim in the 25 and not picking a 4th striker. this is by far his team now.. so he is going to need to sort it out. i feel the defence is the fall guy for him because he is playing two CM's who really aren't ball winners. faurlin and granero will get stuck in but we need diakite/derry in there with them. last year 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 which ever way you look at it.. we looked miles stronger and balanced with the players we have.

playing this formation means cisse can not start - purely because we always have a habbit of going long ball to him. so that will narrow our options up top.

if hughes puts a midfield of granero, faurlin and diakite i guarantee we wont look as shaky at the back. we have two match winners in taarabt and hoilett who can create space/beat a few players.. so it makes sense to play this way.

[Webb1977]

Good post. Watched Wed, first game live this year. Left side was poor due to points already made. Onuha itching to cut back onto his right, didn't look interested in going forward (confidence???) and Park was going through was running at their RB and hoping he'd get out the way I think!!??

Can't add anything really. Oh, apart from if I was Onuha or Park, I would make runs to the corner flag and put pony crosses in with my crap left peg.

"well don't play me here then" would be my reply to the boss yelling at me :-)