Pre-Match/Match Thread: QPR v Aston Villa - Friday 26/10/2018

[achilles]

Well this is our third game in six days so it will be a slog.
I expect to see something like this although it will be highly controversial for obvious reasons (as long as we win, nothing else matters):

...................Nyland

Hutton.....Tuanzabee.....Chester....Taylor

..........Bjarnason.......Hourihane

Elmo.............McGinn...............Bolasie

..................Abraham

PS Adomah is not fit.

[achilles]

Pre-match comments from Dean Smith:

[FoxyAV]

If we're going to do that I would imagine Lansbury to be better alongside Bjarnason. I also wonder if we'll see Bree at RB after Hutton's defensive errors in the last match. I'm still not convinced by Elmo on RW even though I like him more and more with every match. Despite the fact he's scored two goals so far and had an assist or two I can't help feel he's a bit of a Hourihane or Hutton - puts in the effort but only really appears for short periods. I don't know what the answer is (although I do wonder if El Ghazi is better suited to the right than the left, which might have been the problem with him playing on the left for the Norwich match). Maybe:

Nyland
Bree - Tuanzebe - Chester - Taylor
Lansbury - Bjarnason
El Ghazi - McGinn - Bolasie
Abraham

This is assuming Bolasie's knee is ok and Smith has had some time to work with him and El Ghazi. He's our best left winger if both those conditions are fulfilled, and we need to give their defence as much to think about as possible.

I agree about giving Grealish a rest, he looks like he needs to fight for his place, even though I think he's bloody good at it despite the lack of end product. He's also played twice in the last week and McGinn is fighting fit. Stick Jack on the bench and give the opposition something to think about later on, or have O'Hare there.

Kodjia on the bench too until the team knows how to play in Hogan.

[achilles]

I put Hourihane in because he has probably the best dead ball delivery and you just can't argue with his assists and goal record. As Dean mentioned Bolasie in the interview I feel that he has a strong chance of starting this game. Can't disagree with Bree getting a game and I think O'Hare will definitely be in the squad. Elmo hasn't done anything wrong to warrant dropping him, in fact I think he has a couple of goals this season and he also offers better defensive cover.

[achilles]

I sometimes wonder why I actually bother posting as nobody seems bothered anymore:

[Saunders82]

I sometimes wonder why I actually bother posting as nobody seems bothered anymore:

We can all guess the team BUT this is the one that matters, I tend to agree with some of the earlier posts re the team but obviously DS & his team want to go in another direction, we will see who is right soon. UTV

[Fpuppys]

Less than 20 minutes into the game and I'm going for McGinn MOTM.

[FoxyAV]

You know what, we're looking much better. It helps that McGinn and Bjarnason are back and working their arses off but it already looks like our movement is significantly better. Some of the passes are a bit wayward but, well, we look a lot better.

[Saunders82]

All that hard work & effort cocked up by piss poor defending, you could have driven a number 11 bus through the middle of our defence for the goal, so frustrating and now QPR are flicking it about like Barcelona.

[VTID85]

1-0 down, we looked pretty superb until the goal then it has been a bit of panic central since. Need a good firey half-time pep talk now.

Grealish and McGinn both looking fantastic.

[deadbuzzardalive]

I'd be absolutely amazed if we managed to score more than once and equally so if we didn't concede again.Feels like we're jinxed or something, no matter who's in charge, which players we sign, or owns or runs the club, things just go wrong for us.

[FoxyAV]

I wonder if we'll see Collins in as soon as he's properly fit. Again and again it's mistakes in defence. I don't know where the goals have gone but it feels like we don't have any pace and allow whoever we play to get back in numbers.

[Army villain]

The football is looking better, just the defence is shit, it was a hard task for Smith 3 games with not much time to check out the team, or get them fit, or sort out the best players to fit his style of game. I think Smith will get us playing better he needs time, just need the fans to get behind him, not asking for his head. UTV

[achilles]

Smith definitely needs time to try and get this unbalanced f**k fest of a squad that Bruce left us with into any semblance of a team. January sales can't come around quickly enough!

[FoxyAV]

What's with the dithering on the ball in defence? We all hated HOOF but when you have no one to pass to and there are opposition players bearing down on you, kick the thing up the pitch. The most extreme example being Taylor giving away a corner. At least Grealish is taking pot shots on goal, Bolasie looked good and Kodjia got stuck in. Aside from the woeful defence, my main worry is a lack of pace. Still, we looked better in many other areas.

[VillaBill]

The football is much better, I’m sorry but the weak link is Abraham, his control is shocking, he couldn’t trap a bag of cement, his lack of hold up skills is the problem, I’d put Kodjia in as the spearhead, I’d even put Davis in before Abraham, I don’t get it he acclaim Tammy gets

[big ming]

You can really see a difference in performance, even though DS has had bugger all time to work with the squad, bearing in mind that he inherited four right backs, one (sort of) left back, four wingers, one centre back (counting Tuanzebe as a utility player). Talk about unbalanced. Very unlucky to lose last night.
We should have binned Bruce in the summer and given DS a  pre-season and a part transfer window.
Results will come, but I think we may not even make the play-offs now.
Derby have brought in a couple of kids and are reaping the rewards. I really think that we should be giving at least two or three of the U23's a go. Mitch Clarke at left back asap, Bedau at CB (he is left sided) and O'Hare at attacking midfield.
Everyone says what a talented first team squad we have, but I am starting to wonder just how talented some of them are.

[Saunders82]

I have to agree with lots of the above comments, we are playing really well then make stupid mistakes and pay the price, surely Mitch Clarke at left back has to be better than Taylor he wants far too much time on the ball which you don't get in this division, Bedeau is another one who is worth giving a try at CB, that could give us a better balance playing players with a bit of confidence and running. As to Tammy he needs to get some studs in his boots so he can stay on his feet, but seriously he is that closely marked he has no chance to control anything, and yes we take too long to get the ball into the danger area so they are all in position waiting for us, and this goes for lots of our players we try to outrun the opposition with the ball and get caught everytime because of lack of pace, pass and move is the game which we are doing BUT we still at times stop and watch things rather than getting in a good position to receive the return ball. Saying all that there are signs of improvement and at some point we will click and someone will get a tattering.

[DelboyVilla]

Well that was frustrating as we battered QPR for long periods but it just goes to show the difference a couple of decent CBs who have built up a partnership make? QPRs defence and our midfield and attack would walk this league? Bolasie in my view is looking like a very expensive luxury player? Fck Potato Head and his idiot recruitment policy!

[Dazzle]

Thought we played well and dominated much of the game, currently lacking a killer touch in front of the goal. Worth noting that we have just played two form teams at their own place and on a different day could have won both. We didn’t. We’ve also been a little unlucky in that Abraham and Adomah were injured in the Norwich game, which changed the game and the outcome, and we lost Bjarnason early against QPR. Small margins. We must remember how we’ve been left and the favourable fixture list that was squandered pre Dean Smith. Defensive mistakes almost inevitable with what we’ve been left, we’ve somehow got to get through to January in damage limitation.

[FoxyAV]

I really like the idea of Bedeau but think Collins has to be the answer. We need solidity at the back and I suspect Chester, in his natural position, alongside someone who knows what they're doing is the best way to do it. With a stable CB partnership with both players in the right place it'll steady the goalie and FBs. I really like Tuanzebe but his position isn't the issue.

[achilles]

We desperately need to stop conceding goals and I don't have an answer, it is such a bloody mess, Bruce has utterly screwed us! The defending isn't even up to park level, it is utterly pathetic.

[De Kuip]

It's grim results- wise at present but most villa fans accept it won't be an overnight fix. Doesn't make it any easier though does it?
I think as long as we see improvement then it will be worth it, but I also agree we are pretty much hamstrung until january.
Definitely another season in the championship I believe, but if that's what it takes, so be it.
The margins do look smaller, even if that doesn't mean points on the board.
Hopefully Jan will see a few Dean Smith type players in and we will shift up a gear.
I really don't want promotion if it means we get battered every game in the Prem, we have to be ready, but that has to be balanced against needing to get out of the championship reasonably soon otherwise wet might end up here for a decade.
All in all I'm still glad we pulled the trigger on Bruce and appointed Deano.

[achilles]

I think it is significant that apparently we have the 3rd oldest squad in the division which doesn't bode well with Dean's pressing game. We need dynamic younger players with a point to prove but it takes time!

As the saying goes 'Rome wasn't built in a day'! UTV

[Army villain]

The only problem is our supporters will they give the manager time to get the team back to winning. I can see a difference in the team, pity about the defence, let's see what we can do on Friday night. UTV

[Sponsored content]