Team for QPR

perseus · Dec 20, 2016

Heatmaps showed Dale Stephens (63 touches) was dominant on the right hand side of midfield (although he was disposed four or five times: a lot. The combined touches of Skalak and Sidwell was 63 (both substituted though).

In short I think all things being equal we are better served by a left footer which means Solly March instead of Jiri Skalak. Ideally we would have a left footer instead of Sidwell. Although Sidwell might be better than Norwood on his left peg if his long range goal is a guide. So I've talked myself into preferring Sidwell to Norwood by a short straw.

Two home games in quick succession so their will be some rotation. My inclination is to play 4-4-1-1 away from home with Knockaert in the hole behind the striker which will have to Murray on our travels.

I like one inverted winger and one conventional winger of we play two wingers (as usual).

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1085080/Live/England-Championship-2016-2017-Birmingham-Brighton

drew · Dec 20, 2016

Wardy's twin said:
I guess you are one of them......

So maybe you could explain why you would change the formation of a team with the best home record in the division playing a team that has lost their last five games?

Blue Valkyrie · Dec 20, 2016

Stockdale

Bruno
Duffy
Dunk
Pocognoli

Knockaert
Norwood
Stephens
Skalak

Murray
Baldock

Subs : Maenpaa, Bong, Goldson, Sidwell, March, Hemed, Murphy

grawhite · Dec 20, 2016

Blue Valkyrie said:
Stockdale

Bruno
Duffy
Dunk
Pocognoli

Knockaert
Norwood
Stephens
Skalak

Murray
Baldock

Subs : Maenpaa, Bong, Goldson, Sidwell, March, Hemed, Murphy

This. March should be eased back in as to not get injured after a year out.

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Falmer Flutter © · Dec 20, 2016

Wardy's twin said:
Ha ha..... it would seem spaces got obliterated in my formatting.

QPR is a game we should win handsomely so the above is a more attacking team than the 4 4 2 we normally play.

IMO Sam B does not score enough

Stopped reading here. How can people not see and appreciate what Sam brings to this team and the selfless work he does for Murray and Hemed?

Bob! · Dec 20, 2016

perseus said:
.......

Two home games in quick succession so their will be some rotation. My inclination is to play 4-4-1-1 away from home with Knockaert in the hole behind the striker which will have to Murray on our travels.

I like one inverted winger and one conventional winger of we play two wingers (as usual).

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1085080/Live/England-Championship-2016-2017-Birmingham-Brighton

We do.

Baldock tends to play a bit deeper when necessary away from home

Not Andy Naylor · Dec 20, 2016

Falmer Flutter © said:
Stopped reading here. How can people not see and appreciate what Sam brings to this team and the selfless work he does for Murray and Hemed?

I think most people do appreciate it. But it doesn't alter the fact that his scoring record at this level is poor.

Perkino · Dec 20, 2016

Falmer Flutter © said:
Stopped reading here. How can people not see and appreciate what Sam brings to this team and the selfless work he does for Murray and Hemed?

Sam Baldock does bring a lot to the team but so would any other hardworking striker who has some pace. Because he doesn't score many goals he isn't undropable, therefore a change in personel with another pacey player (March or Knockaert) would probably end in the same outcome only with the chance of more goals

Marshy · Dec 20, 2016

Will Rosenior be fit enough for the bench ?

If he is, he surely makes it given he can cover both full back positions ?.....

Kayal will also have been back in training a good 2 weeks...

drew · Dec 20, 2016

Falmer Flutter © said:
Stopped reading here. How can people not see and appreciate what Sam brings to this team and the selfless work he does for Murray and Hemed?

But the point remains that he doesn't score enough goals which, at the moment, makes us heavily reliant on Murray. That said, I wouldn't drop him unless we spend in January. I certainly wouldn't play AK in that role as it was tried and failed. His best position is on the wing,

whitelion · Dec 20, 2016

perseus said:
Heatmaps showed Dale Stephens (63 touches) was dominant on the right hand side of midfield (although he was disposed four or five times: a lot.

I hope he's ok.

Hugo Rune · Dec 20, 2016

Not Andy Naylor said:
I think most people do appreciate it. But it doesn't alter the fact that his scoring record at this level is poor.

Murray is top dog though and has first pick of the best positions. It's up to Sam to drag players away from Murray and create space for him as well as providing assists.

10 goals this season would be a good return for Sam if Murray gets 20+.

Base the team around Baldock (having him in a 'Hogan' role) and he would need to be well in to double figures by now.

Falmer Flutter © · Dec 20, 2016

Perkino said:
Sam Baldock does bring a lot to the team but so would any other hardworking striker who has some pace. Because he doesn't score many goals he isn't undropable, therefore a change in personel with another pacey player (March or Knockaert) would probably end in the same outcome only with the chance of more goals

There's a bit more to Baldock's game than being fast and running around a lot. I think he's sacrificed and changed quite a lot of his game to become that intelligent support player to other strikers, while still chipping in with vital goals here and there. Saying that, I certainly don't think he's undroppable but until things change in January I can't see anyone else filling the role quite as well.

dazzer6666 · Dec 20, 2016

Falmer Flutter © said:
There's a bit more to Baldock's game than being fast and running around a lot. I think he's sacrificed and changed quite a lot of his game to become that intelligent support player to other strikers, while still chipping in with vital goals here and there. Saying that, I certainly don't think he's undroppable but until things change in January I can't see anyone else filling the role quite as well.

Spot on. Brace yourself for the arrival of 'Sam is sh*t' crew next though........ :lolol:

Perkino · Dec 20, 2016

Hugo Rune said:
Murray is top dog though and has first pick of the best positions. It's up to Sam to drag players away from Murray and create space for him as well as providing assists.

10 goals this season would be a good return for Sam if Murray gets 20+.

Base the team around Baldock (having him in a 'Hogan' role) and he would need to be well in to double figures by now.

I've always believed that a set of strikers will need to bag somewhere around 50 goals for a team hoping to win the title. I'd be interested to see any statistics with previous championship winning sides and there 4 or 5 strikers

severnside gull · Dec 20, 2016

Defence unchanged. Bong didn't do badly on Saturday but did need some help. Besides after bringing him back Hughton won't drop him after one game.

Stephens was man marked by Kieftenbeld on Saturday so moved wide to get the ball but it left Sidwell exposed and restricted us going forward. If other sides use that tactic a rapid change to a three man midfield is a good idea. For now though leave alone. Norwood is best probing forward and less effective defensively so our strongest all round pairing is Sidwell and Stephens.

Wings Knockaert and March each on their favoured wing. Still feel Skalak will most often be the better option away from home as he offers better defensive cover but at home I would have Murphy on the bench.

Murray and Baldock is a no-brainer for me.

Whitechapel · Dec 20, 2016

Wardy's twin said:
I guess you are one of them......

If I thought dropping Baldock, a player with incredible work ethic who stretches defenses with his running just so we pack the midfield against a team we should be looking to attack then I'd yes, I am one of them.

Norwood/Stephens/Sidwell is too similar to the Crofts/Norwood/Stephens midfield that came up short against Cardiff. There might be games this season where Hughton decides to play a 3 man midfield but I think he'll A) wait until Kayal as back as we need somebody like him in the three for it to work well & B) play it away from home when it gets to the point in the season where a draw is a good result for us. Huddersfield away is the first time I think we'll see it.

Whitechapel · Dec 20, 2016

Perkino said:
I've always believed that a set of strikers will need to bag somewhere around 50 goals for a team hoping to win the title. I'd be interested to see any statistics with previous championship winning sides and there 4 or 5 strikers

Leicester won the league (13/14) with their first choice strike partnership getting 36 between them (Nugent/Vardy)
Cardiff won the league (12/13) without a single player scoring 10 goals in the league
Reading won the league (11/12) with 33 goals between 4 strikers
QPR won the league (10/11) with their strike partnership getting 22 goals and only 5 players scoring 5 or more that season.

Clean sheets and goals throughout the team is better than a reliance on two players to score every game and aiming to win 2-1

:shrug:

Whitechapel · Dec 20, 2016

Edit: Double Post.

Perkino · Dec 20, 2016

A few quick searches on google and last three season the champions have had a strike force scoring 41, 49 & 43. So 50 from our front 4 seems an unfair expectation. However each season only 1 player scored more than 20 goals but all 3 teams played a 4-4-2 and had a 2nd striker who scored 15 or so goals.

I do think Baldock is an excellent foil for Murray/Hemed but I'd like us to go up as champions and if a similar player who scored 1 in 3 became available I'd be happy to have them added to our squad

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