| Midfield General(ly) 10:19 - Dec 19 with 6097 views | _tf_ |
Hundreds of years ago when I actually played football I had trials for a local team. These were simpler days and we were asked to split into three groups - defenders, midfielders and attack. I walked to the midfielders. Coach then returned and said 'are you sure? Because you should know that whenever I see the ball in our own box I'm expecting to see you there. whenever I see the ball in the middle of the park I'm expecting to see you there and whenever the ball is in the oppo box I'm expecting to see you there too, non negotiable.'
What has happened to the QPR midfield? Watching Bannan on Saturday dictate terms against us for about the thousandth time in his career was so on brand for us... For the last two/three years we haven't had what I would call a proper, consistent midfielder. Yes, I know some of them have had the odd stand out game or moment but that's all they are, moments. It's so long since we had someone who you thought could take the game to the oppo, you know, try and dictate terms to teams, impose ourselves, not just wait and see what happens.
I understand SF is a holding/breaker upper type and that's fine to a point, but he now seems incapable of doing anything that involves moving forward (and might account for his woeful finishsing). And he's not alone. All our midfield seem to be able to do is occasionally win a ball, pass it sideays and then jog off, job done. Broadly, the midfield seems to be watching life pass it by.
Maybe it's me. Whilst I watch a lot of football I don't really get what's going on any more. I look back at performances like Roy Keane at Loftus Road for Forest or before that, Gerry Francis' career for us and wonder if that role, the hard tackling, creative, ten goals a year lynchpin of a team, I wonder if that role exists any more. I wish it did. Saturday's game was appalling, almost a negation of the game I grew up loving.
So what says the board? What has happened to the midfield generally and is there a role any more for the midfield general? |  | | |  |
| Midfield General(ly) on 17:56 - Dec 19 with 1458 views | Lanhoop |
| Midfield General(ly) on 17:36 - Dec 19 by joe90 |
To be fair, I think part of this is seeing our players differently to other fans due to watching them regularly. I remember thinking Ovie Ejaria was the bees knees when I saw him play against us for Reading a few seasons ago...I even thought he had a better game than Eze on the night and look where they both are now! |
Yeah, but if Eze had been unlucky enough to be at Reading for the last few seasons what would have happened to him?
Ejaria needed a better place to be - never had as much potential as Eze but could have been decent at a better club than Reading. Now he's just been released by them maybe he has a chance somewhere? | | | |
| Midfield General(ly) on 19:11 - Dec 19 with 1361 views | joe90 |
| Midfield General(ly) on 17:56 - Dec 19 by Lanhoop |
Yeah, but if Eze had been unlucky enough to be at Reading for the last few seasons what would have happened to him?
Ejaria needed a better place to be - never had as much potential as Eze but could have been decent at a better club than Reading. Now he's just been released by them maybe he has a chance somewhere? |
We’ll never know, but drawing on your point, it’s an interesting comparison. Ejaria was an Arsenal/Liverpool academy product and Eze a serial reject. I’m really pleased it worked out for Eze not only because we got to watch him play but because he seems like a descent fella. |  | | |
| Midfield General(ly) on 20:45 - Dec 19 with 1278 views | paulparker |
Imo we have suffered since SJ legs went , for a lot of 2021 and parts of 2022 he was one of the leagues best , great passing, could score and had a bit of niggle about him , we have missed a player like that |  |
| And Bowles is onside, Swinburne has come rushing out of his goal , what can Bowles do here , onto the left foot no, on to the right foot
That’s there that’s two, and that’s Bowles
Brian Moore
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| Midfield General(ly) on 18:28 - Dec 20 with 1073 views | gazza1 |
Bottom line is that Field has not been playing well for much of this season.....even stuff that was his 'bread & butter' is not working out for him. Going forwards he is very limited and always has been. I would still pick him atm but his form needs to improve.
As for Chair, our biggest asset but a long way to being a Premiership player unlike Eze who was ready to progress upwards. | | | |
| Midfield General(ly) on 18:30 - Dec 20 with 1075 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| Midfield General(ly) on 18:28 - Dec 20 by gazza1 |
Bottom line is that Field has not been playing well for much of this season.....even stuff that was his 'bread & butter' is not working out for him. Going forwards he is very limited and always has been. I would still pick him atm but his form needs to improve.
As for Chair, our biggest asset but a long way to being a Premiership player unlike Eze who was ready to progress upwards. |
I really don’t think he’s played badly. Just a handful of stupid decisions and a bad miss. Something almost everyone in this squad is guilty of.
His mobility and break up play has been fine. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 18:44]
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| Midfield General(ly) on 18:34 - Dec 20 with 1063 views | gazza1 |
| Midfield General(ly) on 18:30 - Dec 20 by BazzaInTheLoft |
I really don’t think he’s played badly. Just a handful of stupid decisions and a bad miss. Something almost everyone in this squad is guilty of.
His mobility and break up play has been fine. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 18:44]
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Field is nowhere near the consistent level that he was playing last season......his decision making has not been as consistent either and occasionally not good at all, his forward passing has been worse than last season. His impact in games defensively was very good, not as good this season. Overall, he has been mostly average. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 18:36]
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| Midfield General(ly) on 19:44 - Dec 20 with 993 views | Benny_the_Ball |
| Midfield General(ly) on 18:30 - Dec 20 by BazzaInTheLoft |
I really don’t think he’s played badly. Just a handful of stupid decisions and a bad miss. Something almost everyone in this squad is guilty of.
His mobility and break up play has been fine. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 18:44]
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This season he's been ok defensively but poor in front of goal. He missed 3 guilt edged chances at Rotherham, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday. Had he converted those we'd be 6 points better off. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 19:47]
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| Midfield General(ly) on 19:46 - Dec 20 with 989 views | Benny_the_Ball |
I've been saying for a while that the midfield is too weak for the championship. In recent years QPR has been reliant on one player, most notably Johansen and Field. I'm struggling to remember when we last had a cohesive unit that takes games by the scruff of the neck, dictates play and scores goals. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 19:48]
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| Midfield General(ly) on 21:26 - Dec 20 with 930 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Midfield General(ly) on 19:44 - Dec 20 by Benny_the_Ball |
This season he's been ok defensively but poor in front of goal. He missed 3 guilt edged chances at Rotherham, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday. Had he converted those we'd be 6 points better off. [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 19:47]
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I'm fascinated by the idea of 'guilt (sic)-edged' chances. Does our lovely Sam have repressed criminal tendencies manifesting as a bad conscience in front of goal? [Post edited 20 Dec 2023 21:27]
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| Midfield General(ly) on 23:13 - Dec 20 with 859 views | nix |
| Midfield General(ly) on 19:11 - Dec 19 by joe90 |
We’ll never know, but drawing on your point, it’s an interesting comparison. Ejaria was an Arsenal/Liverpool academy product and Eze a serial reject. I’m really pleased it worked out for Eze not only because we got to watch him play but because he seems like a descent fella. |
https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2023/12/18/24006737/ovie-ejaria-leaves-read
One of those mysterious players with a MH/attitude/IDK problem seemingly. I couldn't believe Reading had signed him when I first saw him play. He seemed a great prospect. |  | | |
| Midfield General(ly) on 01:10 - Dec 21 with 769 views | PunteR |
| Midfield General(ly) on 12:06 - Dec 19 by T_Block |
Excellent thread.Agree Field is one of our top players.At times he has carried the team but yes he is not creative and recently has been slightly off.If we were premiership yes some Chair criticism justified.But again he has carried us.
First post is correct though.Aball winner who attacks would help.
Dixon Bonner in three years time.I believe the lad can do it.Love it when he shoots.
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Yeh DB looks good. Like he's trying to control the tempo, when to move the ball ,play the game on our terms. I think that's key to midfield. Sometimes I see Chair for example drop deep to pick the ball up and just rush the attack . We haven't had an intellegent midfielder for a while. Johansen was good for a bit. Field lacks a bit of flair and just plays the easy pass. Dozzell has a bit of cutting edge but just doesn't do it enough and he doesn't dig deep and battle.Colback is a liability and couldn't care less if he misses the next 5 games. |  |
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