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Reply | Kolli rescues Rangers, but injuries mount – Report
at 19:08 6 Jan 2026
Little word on our home form too - think that's as many home wins by Jan as we've managed in the last 5 or 6 seasons across 23 games. SW was a gimme, but it's not an easy league this season and that was a big issue. Credit where it's due.
Yes good point. Partly because we’ve spent relatively a large amount on transfers this season and because we’ve started well (after the first three matches) that expectations have risen and people then tend to be disappointed with any dips. Also I think Julien doesn’t have quite the love that Martí had we tend to be less forgiving, maybe? |
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Reply | Man City Academy v QPR DS today
at 18:42 6 Jan 2026
Wondering if this means Bennie, Walsh and Esquerdinha might feature on Sunday if even from the bench? Or in future Championship matches. Pleased to see them getting some minutes. It doesn’t make sense for players to only train and never get match minutes and then be expected to step up to Championship matches. |
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Reply | Sam field
at 10:53 6 Jan 2026
I’m worried about that too. Burrell and Madsen have always seemed the most at risk given the number of minutes and the amount each of them is involved and the ground they cover. Surprised they didn’t give Burrell a rest as I think we have other options for him (maybe not like for like but still someone could play a similar link up role) but Madsen is more of an issue as I don’t think we have a natural replacement for him. His passing accuracy is so much better than the rest of the team plus his creative passing is off the scale better compared to anyone other than Chair, who is unfortunately out. Field, Varane and Hayden cannot do the same kind of role. |
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Reply | Kolli
at 10:44 6 Jan 2026
Fair points Brian.
Yeah, so annoying that they didn’t give Burrell a break with some of the aforementioned. I just think there’s always a risk of injury with someone who’s got pace and makes a lot of runs in matches when there are lots of games close together.
If they were deliberately not playing Kolli let’s hope his reappearance means whatever the problem was is now sorted. And maybe that Bennie gets some minutes. |
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Reply | Sam field
at 09:05 6 Jan 2026
One thing I would criticise Stephan for is how he’s used Sam this season. When he has had a chance he’s either played out of position- and not really done too badly except as attacking mid which I think is not his thing - or partnered with the wrong person. So being played without Madsen and then taken off when the midfield is obviously stodgy without anyone creative. They seem to prefer Madsen on the left but I’m sure he could adapt to playing on the right at times, he quite often finds himself there and Sam can play the more defensive, midfielder on the left. |
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Reply | Our Pitch
at 08:58 6 Jan 2026
I’m not particularly one for conspiracy theories but it does seem like a cock up somewhere as it seemed to just happen overnight. One day the pitch was fine and then it’s suddenly like it’s been eaten. |
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Reply | Kolli
at 08:54 6 Jan 2026
I know Brian it’s a bit weird. But I think he was definitely injured a lot last season. When I went to the training ground he was in the gym on his own, looking like he was having some individual rehab.
As for this season do you think Stephane would actually lie in interviews about injuries? Fair enough if you do. Doesn’t really seem his style but anything’s possible. If he’s just not being played that’s incredibly frustrating for everyone. I just don’t know. I mean I can understand someone being dropped for a couple of matches for disciplinary reasons but for months? I’m not sure. Maybe if he’s not training well?
If it is true then I think we don’t have any choice but to play him now.
Another thing is it’s frustrating about Burrell. I don’t buy all the ‘they used to manage in the 70 s playing 50:games a season’ schtick that’s passed as fact round here. One of the things is they’ve often said they’ve played with injections coming out of their wazoos and ended up often hobbling in middle age - Gerry Francis can hardly walk these days. That just wouldn’t be allowed now and quite right too. But also the game is played at a much faster pace and players have to do much more pressing, particularly Burrell. I was the least surprised ever when Burrell picked up a hamstring injury. I’d be disappointed if they long term flogged Burrell just to punish Kolli. |
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Reply | Kolli
at 23:47 5 Jan 2026
I don’t think the club or the last two managers have just refused to pick him just to be contrary. I understood he’s had a succession of injuries. He was definitely injured for a lot of last season, Stephan said he’s been injured for the last month and I think he said he’s had some physical issues since the beginning of the season that needed to be sorted.
I know it’s frustrating but it also makes sense to bring him back slowly and limit his minutes given that players often get injured again with niggles after a long lay off: Poku and JCS (I know, I know..) being cases in point. After the early part of the season you couldn’t really drop Burrell and Kone who started so well. Maybe a bit weird that Frey was given a number of opportunities from the bench but I guess Stephan had seen he was our top scorer last season and wanted to give him the chances to get back up to (relative) speed. That hasn’t happened unfortunately.
I still think they may be a bit careful with Kolli and try not to overplay him. Possibly this will be Bennie’s chance to get some minutes while it looks like Burrell is out of action for a while.
Hopefully we’ll continue a recent trend of not relying so much on Burrell and Kone scoring with Morgan, Dembele, Mbengue, Dunne, Saito and Madsen as well as Kolli all contributing recently. |
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Reply | Dunne rescues QPR from more Boxing Day blues – Report
at 15:57 28 Dec 2025
If you think that Portsmouth away was that then I think you’re going to be disappointed a lot. It’s a high bar if you think we’re never going to have off days. For me that wasn’t a dismal performance. Nowhere near Leicester levels but they didn’t look to me like they couldn’t be arsed.
Anyway I’ll leave it there. |
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Reply | Dunne rescues QPR from more Boxing Day blues – Report
at 13:15 28 Dec 2025
It seems to me that we hear far more complaints and criticism from you than positivity, at least over the last year or so although I used to think you were a very balanced poster. That’s my perception in spite of the odd bit of praise here and there.
I don’t think what I am doing is accepting mediocrity. I think we needed a reset and rebuild. It’s unfortunate that we’ve heard all that before and we’ve become cynical about that but it doesn’t change the reality. We are not in a position yet to demand success, consistency, a totally balanced, youthful yet experienced squad. There are going to be gaps. Just look at the squad we had two seasons ago. It wasn’t feasible to turn that around with no money without the odd gap and without having to make a few punts and develop players.
The progress this year is a mixture of things. I think we have appointed a good manager who has built on the work of another good manager. We have improved the squad overall, not just the two forwards although their goals have been vital. Mbengue for instance has provided essential pace which we’ve lacked for years, Norrington-Davies although not ours is a big upgrade on Paal. Our bench is much improved. Playing a more direct style is a definite improvement.
But it’s not about the fans not expecting enough. The clubs with fans that expect a lot don’t necessarily lead to improved performances on the pitch - look at Leicester or Chelsea. It’s about meticulous planning, great recruitment, excellent player development and support, a long term strategy, a decent amount of luck, a growth mindset, a positive culture. Complaining about standards doesn’t improve them. Where we can affect the outcome is in the stands, giving credit where it’s due, encouraging the players and making a lot of positive noise. And yes the occasional moan if we think they really aren’t putting the effort in. |
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Reply | Dunne rescues QPR from more Boxing Day blues – Report
at 12:05 28 Dec 2025
If you mean whinging every time we lose, or indeed draw away from home, and then disappearing when we actually win a few matches then yes I’m happy not to fulfil your profile of a real fan with the right kind of expectations. I don’t think it is unreasonable to want incremental change. It was those that demanded instant success that led us to near financial ruin. I understand people’s frustrations and I feel them myself when amazing performances are followed by duff ones. But I don’t think it’s anything to do with the fans not expecting enough. No one expects more than the Chelsea fans, go on their messageboard and read it, but it doesn’t make them top of the league despite millions spent.
As for Warburton, I loved having him as our manager but he did spend a lot of money (I’m sure he put pressure on the board at least to spend cash even if he didn’t sign off on the contracts) and presided over a terrible collapse when we were in a decent position in the league.
I much prefer Stephan’s public position of not complaining about his squad, the Board or the fans but just working to improve individual players. He makes mistakes but seems to me constantly trying to learn from them and improve us as a squad. |
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Reply | Pompey match thread
at 10:57 28 Dec 2025
Yeah I know.
And vaccinations are all designed to kill us.
The Democrats swindle all elections.
The EU produced more bureaucracy than incessant customs forms.
Oh, and the CIA carried out 9/11.
Silly me.
Of course some crazy theories end up being true. But some people just love a conspiracy way more than is healthy. |
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Reply | How confident are you that we could go up?
at 09:18 28 Dec 2025
What a good post!
Yes dream of more but happy with a really decent amount of progress in terms of points, overall squad and playing style this season. Yes there are still some gaps but definitely something to build on. |
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Reply | West Ham tickets
at 08:46 28 Dec 2025
Surely most of us have him on ignore by now?
It’s bliss. Maybe you could get a standby on rotation of people who just have to moderate his posts for your blood pressure Clive.
Personally I’d put him and Lassel in a breakout room to fight it out about who despised the club more. But that’s just me.
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Reply | You can’t always get what you want
at 08:36 28 Dec 2025
Amazing where entitlement leads you. Che fans more raging over narrowly losing to the team in third than West Ham fans are to being five points from safety. So angry they need some beta blockers. I know we all want to win matches but they are presumably only ever happy if they’re in the top three of the PL.
If their players put a bit more effort into playing rather than fouling the opposition and being in the ref’s face they might have done a bit better. [Post edited 28 Dec 2025 9:19]
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Reply | Pompey match thread
at 07:58 28 Dec 2025
On no not with the conspiracy theories now Lassel’s thrown in a bit of poison. Look at JCS and Poku. We’ve been extremely cautious about bringing them back a) because it’s bit us in the bum before, remember Willock, and b) because we can, having enough players on the sidelines to cover for us. I don’t know why because he’s only very young still but he’s uber-prone to breaking down with various muscle issues. I can’t remember him playing more than 8-9 games without having some kind of issue.
Surely it’s more likely that we’re bringing him back slowly than that we’re deliberately holding him back. I’m sure it does happen but in this case he’s been injured. If we did want to sell him wouldn’t we want him showcasing his ability on the pitch? And if he really was disaffected I’m not sure he’d be in that horrible Portsmouth stand even if they were making him go to the game.
Of course it could be machinations and he might be offski. But him not playing now is not convincing evidence of it.
Meanwhile another option is to bring Morgan in as a replacement for Burrell playing behind Kone. Obviously not a like for like replacement but he could bring us up the pitch, he’s always showing for the ball and got a decent amount of energy for the press. Smyth and Poku could provide some pace down the wings. I would’ve tried that for the Portsmouth match. I know we’re not allowed to say it but we were unlikely to get more than a point down there. Would have preferred not to flog Burrell to death for that one match as I think we’d be better off saving him for WBA, which I think suits him better anyway, and Norwich at home. |
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Reply | Chair
at 07:31 27 Dec 2025
We had a thread about the inconsistency before, I think it was the Harvey Vale thread. I know players are going to have good and bad days but Saito, Dembele and Vale seem to veer from the heights and depths more than usual. It’s a shame because they’re so important to our attacking efforts the way we play. Because we only really have a two-man midfield we can’t really attack so much through the centre so we’re relying on them to be our creative outlet. |
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Reply | Chair
at 14:11 24 Dec 2025
I agree the Hoops and Dreams point was great. As for Nardi it’s a problem as he’s got the second worse stats in the Championship for collecting crosses. He’s also 24/29 in save %. I know stats aren’t everything but I think they’re a bit more informative re: goalkeepers. |
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