I sincerely hope SCR are wrong about the team ...

[Schrödinger's Toad]

They are suggesting it is 442 with Virgo going back up-front - WTF!

He's just played his best game of the season (unsuprisingly in his position), Knight was exceptional again and the formation looked good - why change it? McGhee seems to be unable to resist the urge to tinker with the team, will we ever see a settled line-up?

 

[Zebedee]

Nothing would surprise me about McGhee's team selctions. Most of the time I wonder whether he really knows quite what he is doing.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

Nothing would surprise me about McGhee's team selctions. Most of the time I wonder whether he really knows quite what he is doing.

I can think of 29 reasons he does know what he is doing.

 

[Kneon Light]

I can think of 29 reasons he does know what he is doing.

 

[Yorkie]

Nothing would surprise me about McGhee's team selctions. Most of the time I wonder whether he really knows quite what he is doing.

People (including me) were saying that last January.
Look where he got us.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Certainly he gets results, but surely some consistency is desirable? Virgo was superb against Wolves - he is a superb centre-back, but a crap striker ... there must be some logic, but I can't see it.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I have to admit that I find his team selections baffling. And it does annoy me. But my greatest achievement is winning the Premiership in Football Manager 2005. McGhee has real life success. So, if he keeps us up, he can play Kuipers up front for all I care.

 

[Race]

team unchanged

 

[Yorkie]

Certainly he gets results, but surely some consistency is desirable? Virgo was superb against Wolves - he is a superb centre-back, but a crap striker ... there must be some logic, but I can't see it.

Horses for courses. QPR defenders are huge. You need big men up front.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Or a small, skillful player to capitalise on their weaknesses. He certainly puzzles me, but we're about to see how it works out ...

 

[geoffreyp]

M Kuipers, P Reid, A Hinshelwood, G Butters, K Mayo, G Hart, C Oatway, R Carpenter, D Harding, A Virgo, M McCammon
Subs: C May, P Watson, A Nicolas, L Knight, N Jones

 

[London Irish]

Certainly he gets results, but surely some consistency is desirable? Virgo was superb against Wolves - he is a superb centre-back, but a crap striker ... there must be some logic, but I can't see it.

Toad, this is not difficult to understand.

We play different opponents every week who offer different threats. We play different formations and selections to counter that.

There is no virtue in playing the same 11 every week. McGhee and his coaches are earning their money by studying their opponents and judging which of our squad would be most effective against them.

Virgs has 5 goals in 16 starts this season - there is no problem playing him, that's the best record of any striker we've played this season.

Come on Toad, make some effort to understand McGhee's tactical thinking, he gives very good interviews pre and post match to explain it. It's not rocket science.

 

[Icy Gull]

Or a small, skillful player to capitalise on their weaknesses. He certainly puzzles me, but we're about to see how it works out ...

Shittu EATS small strikers doesn't he?

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

There is no virtue in playing the same 11 every week.

Are you quite sure? Having a settled team is hugely desirable, as is playing our best team - Virgo is a superb CB, but is wasted up front, especially alongside another big, immobile player. There's nothing wrong with being flexible to face up to opponents' threats, but we often seem to do this to the detriment of our own talents.

 

[London Irish]

Are you quite sure? Having a settled team is hugely desirable, as is playing our best team - Virgo is a superb CB, but is wasted up front, especially alongside another big, immobile player. There's nothing wrong with being flexible to face up to opponents' threats, but we often seem to do this to the detriment of our own talents.

Yeah, I am sure. We've picked a team today that is very defensively tight but has to be a defensively tight in a DIFFERENT way to Wolves, as Wolves employ different systems to QPR.

Did you bleat when we changed the team and got a great point at Wolves?

Picking the same team every week is a sign that the manager isn't THINKING.

Your comments on Virgs as a striker are very poor. It is amazing to me that the one player who has kept us out of the relegation zone this season with his goals and general play up front attracts comments such as yours. You won't find anyone who has some expert professional position in football who has a problem with Virgs playing up front. The only people who object are a few footballing snobs who somehow think it is shameful that their team are playing a defender up front.

I'm delighted Virgs is up front because McCammon although a good player doesn't look to me a prolific goalscorer. And Leon Knight hasn't looked that for some time either, although I'm sure he'll get his chance in the second half today. Our percentage bet for a goal is Virgs.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Picking the same team every week is a sign that the manager isn't THINKING.

Nonsense. Micky Adams seemed to be thinking when he built his success around a settled, predictable team.

As for Virgo, I think he's a brilliant defender who could play at a high level in that position, but he has never looked convincing as a striker for any length of time. He may have got most of our goals, but he is not prolific - you advocate picking a team on a game-by-game basis, so why stick with Virgo, who hasn't done it in that position recently, when Leon is bang on form?

 

[London Irish]

Nonsense. Micky Adams seemed to be thinking when he built his success around a settled, predictable team.

As for Virgo, I think he's a brilliant defender who could play at a high level in that position, but he has never looked convincing as a striker for any length of time. He may have got most of our goals, but he is not prolific - you advocate picking a team on a game-by-game basis, so why stick with Virgo, who hasn't done it in that position recently, when Leon is bang on form?

You can pick a settled team when you have a better team than everyone else in the division and you are imposing your gameplan on the opposition. Adams had that luxury because he was in charge of a top-of-the-table team.

Things are very different for teams at the bottom who are scrambling around trying to pick up the odd point here and there by exploiting weaknesses in the opposition. I know there is a fair degree of denial out there, Toad, but that's the current position of the team you support.

You say Virgs is not prolific, but one goal every 3 games is prolific for a last-six team - so get real! That's a 16-goal-a season striker. Do you honestly see anyone else in our squad who can do better than that? I can't.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

I would argue that a significant part of us doing well was the settled team, rather than it being a luxury our position afforded us.

If you reckon Virgo will get 16 goals this year, I'd be more than happy to put a modest sum on it.

 

[Kneon Light]

I really like Virgo. I think he has been our best player this season. However now we have signed another target man (McCammon) I don't think we need him up front.
MM knows more than me though so I'll trust him to pick the best team.

 

[Yorkie]

McCammon off Knight on at half time