HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday’s game at Portman Road by delving into their forums.

“Well, that was brilliant”, “What a win, fantastic result”, “Yes, a great start for Ian Holloway’s blue and white army”, “That win was so good. I thoroughly enjoyed everything. It has been too long since I felt proud of the team”, “If Ollie can get us playing football and enjoying ourselves, I will be happy.”

“It’s so good to have Ollie back where he belongs. Long may this new era continue.” Rangers came away from last Saturday’s 2-1 home win over the Canaries with a spring in their step, delighted as much by the manner of their first victory under returning manager Ian Holloway as the result itself.

“It is good to see the spirit and enjoyment back”, “Walking down South Africa Road to White City after the game I enjoyed listening to people’s comments, everyone positive with an excited tone. That alone says a lot as it’s usually heated discussion about the manager and the formation.”

“Getting the ship steadied will do for me this season. We aren’t ready for promotion, we need more confidence and consistency for a season”, “Let’s just try to enjoy some decent exciting football for a change and see where it takes is. At least we will get a bit of entertainment along the way.”

“I’m looking forward to going again”, “That was a pulsating, compelling football match. After many dirge-filled weeks, it turns out football doesn’t have to be attritional boring stuff after all. Perhaps a little more thought has gone into this appointment than people have given QPR credit for.”

Ian Holloway Returns

“Football management is not that difficult. Approach a game with a plan, stick to your tactics, set the team up correctly and put players in their best positions”, “A brilliant home debut for Ollie, that’s what you get when you get a manager who knows that he is doing”, “Such a breath of fresh air.”

The 53-year-old returned to the club he managed from 2001 to 2006, taking over from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (JFH), who was sacked at the beginning of the November international break. “Ollie has shown JFH up as tactically naïve and stubborn. He also proved that enthusiasm can win you games.”

“Holloway is a good motivator but tactically I’m not so sure. I love his enthusiasm”, “We can expect madness, bizarre anecdotes and maybe a promotion push”, “Confidence and belief can do so much and Ollie definitely has it in him to bring the best out of this squad”, “He will inject passion for sure.”

“We saw the good and bad of Holloway in 90 minutes. First half he had them playing lovely football but his substitutions could have easily cost us the game”, “We started well for sure but, let’s face it, we were outplayed by 10 Norwich men for the last half hour. He’s not quite the tactical genius yet.”

Where Jimmy Went Wrong

“Jimmy knows best”, “Not now”, “His tactics were a shambles and he was obsessed with a particular system”, “He would have stuck rigidly to his 4-2-3-1 system from start to finish against Norwich”, “His biggest problem was that he couldn’t watch a game, see what was going wrong and address it.”

“JFH’s football was dire.” The 44-year-old former Burton manager has been heavily criticised for his “anti-football philosophy”, showing a tactical inflexibility and using a toothless formation which left a solitary striker isolated and men played out of position to shoehorn them into his preferred shape.

Holloway’s Formation and Tactics

“One thing Ollie figured out was to set up for the players available and it paid off”, “The formation is just a starting point. It’s more a change in philosophy because regardless of how many we play at the back, we are still able to attack. Players are in their natural positions and forwards are supported.”

“What a first XI”, “He’s bloody playing three at the back. I love it, welcome back Ollie.” When the starting XI (above) was announced last Saturday, fans quickly knew that their new manager was trying to address several problems which had plagued the team under Hasselbaink’s time in charge.

“A strike partnership gets a goal, well I never.” The move to a target man (Sebastian Polter) and a quick striker (Conor Washington) up front made Polter less isolated and Washington more effective than in his previous role stuck out wide. It also gave playmaker Tjaronn Chery two men to work with.

Box-to-box midfielder Jordan Cousins had been played by Hasselbaink on the right wing where his form had suffered. Full-backs James Perch and Jack Robinson were far more effective operating as wing-backs while the three centre-backs gave the heart of the defence a better sense of balance.

When the Canaries’ Martin Olsson was red-carded in the second minute, Holloway switched Grant Hall into midfield, pushing Massimo Luongo forward with Washington and Chery either side of Polter in a three-man attack. They took the game to the depleted visitors and were 2-0 ahead at half-time.

Although Holloway kept the two-man strike force after the break, fans felt that his changes played a part in handing the initiative to the Canaries who pulled a second-half goal back. They were unhappy with the removal of Luongo and the introduction of a not fully match-fit Sandro in a two-man centre.

“We should not have ended in a nail-biting finish”, “We lost all shape and stopped passing in the last 15 minutes”, “We panicked and looked like conceding”, “What annoyed me was how deep we got. This was a typical Holloway tactic from his last time here. We were hanging on against 10 men.”

Fans were nevertheless delighted with the side’s newly-found industry and mobility. “I was surprised by so many players getting a foot in and regularly trying to disrupt Norwich”, “The main thing was an attacking movement in Holloway’s first game. The players looked like they were enjoying the game.”

QPR 2 — 1 Norwich

“Oh, it’s so sweet when we beat the Budgies. I always get stick from them when they beat us so now the wind-up texts can begin”, “A nervous end but a great start against a top team in this league. Well done”, “We finally did execute a high-press on an opponent as opposed to merely talking about it.”

Chery missed the second minute penalty which accompanied Olsson’s dismissal for handball, but the Hoops went ahead when Washington netted from a corner on 21 minutes. Polter added a second six minutes later when fed through by Chery. Steven Naismith pulled a goal back on 78 for the visitors.

“Our best game without a doubt”, “While ‘Alex, sort it out’ may seem a bit harsh from Norwich fans as Alex Neil was forced to play with 10 men for 90 minutes, there’s something clearly not right there. The decision to leave Cameron Jerome and Wes Hoolahan on the bench will take some explaining.”

Nottingham Forest 1 — 1 QPR

“Two abysmal teams and a dreadful referee, pure Championship stuff”, “I would take a point all day being a goal and a man down after 38 minutes, but it’s a big opportunity missed”, “Forest were poor and they were there for the taking but once again JFH got our tactics wrong, and now he is gone.”

Britt Assombalonga gave the hosts the lead on 38 after Karl Henry had been dismissed four minutes earlier for a second yellow card. Rangers took control after Forest’s Hildeberto Pereira was given his marching orders, also for a second caution, on 71 and equalised through Idrissa Sylla on 87 minutes.

“The supporters lost patience with JFH a long time ago and now the QPR board has too.” While Reds complained about throwing a lead away when a goal and a man up, West Londoners left the ground equally frustrated at being unable to beat a poor Forest side. They are yet to win a game at the City Ground.

QPR 0 — 2 Brentford

“I don’t know what to say”, “Tonight has really done it for me”, “This was a thorough beating in every aspect of the game”, “This is awful. How can anyone say we are a good side?”, “That was horrible. Nobody on the planet can excuse that”, “As comprehensive a 2-0 win as you will ever see.”

Brentford secured a first win in over 50 years at Loftus Road under the Friday night floodlights. Josh Clarke opened the scoring, squeezing a shot home on 42 minutes after beating Nedum Onuoha and Romaine Sawyers added a second on 74 with a good strike into the top left-hand corner of the goal.

A combination of excellent keeping by Alex Smithies and poor Bees’ finishing kept the margin of victory down in a game the visitors completely dominated. “How far have we fallen. Brentford, yes, Brentford are streets ahead of us in footballing terms”, “A derby at home? You’re having a laugh.”

The unbalanced, static and toothless starting XI (above) was a typical Hasselbaink line-up. “The players are half-decent but the style and formation they are being told to play is the problem”, “We are abysmal going forward. It puts all sorts of pressure on our back four who are all over the place.”

“By all accounts the decision to ditch JFH was taken a week ago, after the pathetic capitulation to our near-neighbours Brentford. The 2-0 defeat flattered us, a London derby embarrassment too far for a board that has experienced quite a few in recent years”, “It was difficult to play any worse.”

Goalkeepers and Central Defenders

“Class is permanent. Alex Smithies is a wonderful keeper and we’re lucky to have him.” The 26-year-old former Terrier “is a good lad with years of service to give”, “Without him we would be fighting in the bottom of the league, not mid-table”, “A cracking keeper and I hope we keep him long term.”

“Smithies has had the odd hiccough but generally has been excellent. He is our best player”, “If there is one thing I would work on it is his lack of coming off his line to collect crosses at times”, “Twice the keeper [former QPR man] Rob Green is, I am so thankful we have him”, “Worth his weight in gold.”

“Grant Hall looked back to his best against Norwich, he’s a very good footballer for a centre-back.” The 25-year-old ex-Spurs man “is able to bring the ball out of defence. He is the more cultured of the three centre-halves”, “Miles more composed than nervous Ned [Onuoha] and a far superior player.”

“Grant Hall, what on earth has happened to him?” He has struggled in the earlier games this season. “He has looked physically weak and been error-prone. Look how many times he has been beaten in the air in our box”, “At his best he plays good football and very rarely gives away possession.”

Steven Caulker missed the Norwich game with a hip problem. The 24-year-old former Bluebird “is a level above the Championship”, “He is so composed and is probably our most consistent outfield player”, “When he took command with the ball we nearly broke Brentford’s midfield down.”

“Under JFH, we bypassed midfield using Steven ‘Pirlo’ Caulker to spray 50-yard passes to a four-foot striker”, “I could see a lower-half Premier League team coming in for him as we have seen glimpses of the defender that once played for England”, “I will be very surprised if he’s still here in February.”

Fans are less kind about 30-year-old ex-Manchester City man Nedum Onuoha. “Under Jimmy, Ned has been the player who has constantly been the weakness in the defence. Nervous, unsure, poor judgement and worth a couple of mistakes in every game. I wouldn’t question his effort or desire.”

“Ned has been decent at centre-back lately but should never play at right-back”, “He has struggled out wide but is ideal on the right of a back three”, “His distribution is poor with the ball at his feet in a flat-back four”, “Our inability to start attacks from the back under JFH put Ned under pressure.”

Joel Lynch

“Joel was great on Saturday and his one-v-ones impressed me. He literally just powered through the Norwich challenges”, “He looks composed with a good head on his shoulders. He wanted the ball and wanted to be involved in everything”, “I really like the look of him and he is a talker too.”

The 29-year-old summer arrival from Huddersfield “is absolutely ideal for the left-sided role in a back three”, “He was pressed into service after the break as a marauding left-sided wideman”, “He is a fantastic centre-back. He puts his head on everything and has the ability to play with the ball too.”

“Lynch is a natural leader which Ned is not”, “He is very vocal and helps younger defenders out on many occasions”, “An absolute unit and decent with his feet”, “He switched into the left-back role against Norwich where he was both solid defensively and remarkably dangerous going forward.”

Wide Defenders and Wingers

“James Perch has struggled badly for form at right-back since signing from Wigan at the start of last season but he was much happier as a wing-back against Norwich”, “You have got to give him credit. He is no winger, but he was a decent attacking threat for us and linked up very well with Chery.”

“What on earth was Perch doing for Brentford’s second goal?” The 31-year-old’s error in losing the ball near his own corner flag surprised nobody. “He was trying to be clever but gave a chance away”, “His foul which led to the Norwich freekick and goal was one of the most stupid I have ever seen.”

“That was some throw from Jack Robinson which led to the scramble that resulted on the Norwich red card”, “His throws could be a big weapon, they are like corners.” The 23-year-old ex-Liverpool left-back or wing-back “was a constant threat on the left and linked up superbly with Joel Lynch”.

“Robinson may be out for a little while as he is a fragile boy.” His substitution at half-time against the Canaries with a hamstring problem has made him a doubt for Saturday and was the latest in a run of injuries which have sidelined him. “He gets forward well and is clearly a positive quality player.”

“You cannot tell me Ben Gladwin has changed any game with his footballing ability”, “A League One player.” The 24-year-old one-time Swindon man has been used by Hasselbaink in a wide role. “He gives us width and holds his position out wide. He’s also a big unit and good at defending set pieces.”

“Playing as a winger you need to have a small amount of flair”, “Gladwin tries hard but his shooting is poor, he can’t tackle for toffee and his passing is average. I can’t fault his effort but he’s a poor player”, “He is ungainly and looks and plays like a Sunday league centre-half. He isn’t good enough.”

“I could slot Pawel Wsolek in to one of the wing-back slots and he would do a great job”, “I’m not so sure about that. The times I have seen him, he looks totally lost coming back to cover.” The 24-year-old Verona loan signing “is an old-fashioned winger, a proper wideman who gets to the corner flag.”

Olamide Shodipo

“If Ollie selects Shodipo, it should make for some interesting games.” The Dublin-born 19-year-old youth product “is nothing complicated, just getting at his man and getting a cross over. He can play the referee well and win freekicks”, “He terrorises full-backs and puts decent crosses over.”

“Get ball, get at a man, get cross into box. Shooting chance? Have a shot. Contact from opponent? Go down for freekick. He’s a beacon of basic football goodness in the over-elaboration of the JFH reign”, “He understandably lacks stamina and this is why he is being used as an impact substitute.”

Central and Attacking Midfielders

“Karl Henry is the most experienced player in the team. He should know better.” Rangers were angry at the needless red card which the 33-year-old ex-Wolves man picked up at the City Ground. “What an idiot Henry is, thanks mate”, “Was he doing anything good for us apart from taking up space?”

“Henry is a defensive midfield option that won’t do much for us in attack”, “Lacks pace and energy”, “We have nobody to win the second ball in midfield when he is not there. He takes some stick but we miss him”, “He has often been the only one in a hooped shirt who really wants to win the game.”

“Hopefully Sandro will make the most of his opportunity. At least we will find out if he is willing to graft and recapture some distant past form.” The 27-year-old ex-Spurs man had hardly played under Hasselbaink but made a half-time entry against the Canaries. “He looked good given his rustiness.”

“Sandro has a very good footballing brain and links with play no matter where it is. When match fit he will be a very important player for us”, “His range of passing is on a different level to the rest and he’s the best player at directing traffic on the pitch”, “Some of his one-touch passing was class.”

“Ariel Borysiuk is similar to Henry but better in the tackle, faster and has a better pass completion rate”, “Given a little time be could be a real gem. It’s just nice to see a defensive midfielder who has a bit of vision and doesn’t just pass backwards or sideways and take so long when on the ball.”

Borysiuk arrived in June from Legia Warsaw. The 25-year-old “is a very solid central midfielder and will improve with game time”, “A neat and tidy player, he loves a shot on goal and nine times out of 10 hits the target”, “When he tackles, he means it. He doesn’t treat the football like a hot potato.”

“Jordan Cousins is a highly-regarded box-to-box midfielder who JFH was playing on the wing every week.” The 22-year-old summer addition from Charlton “has bags of energy to get up and down and he is a solid tackler”, “He is at his best with someone sitting in front of the defence alongside him.”

“I didn’t realise Cousins was playing against Brentford for half an hour”, “He ended up playing right-back having been on the wing”, “His confidence was shot to pieces under JFH”, “Jordan just needs to be put back in the role he understands and for a decent manager to put an arm around him.”

Massimo Luongo

“Massimo should be the creative alternative to Chery, but I don’t think he’s the messiah like some fans do. When he’s on his game he’s good, but he’s not great.” The 24-year-old ex-Swindon man and one-time Town loan signing “was another talented player suffocating in what JFH was trying to do”.

“Removing Luongo in the second half against Norwich did not help. The Australian’s smart presence in the middle was key to our intelligent possession retention but it all went to pot after he went off”, “His work elevates everyone else in the side to do better. It’s a testament to Luongo’s quality.”

He struggled in the derby defeat to Brentford. “Massimo stood around watching the game, admiring the Bees most of the night”, “He got the run-around from Ryan Woods”, “He moves the ball forward quickly but his game is not effective if nobody is showing for the ball in front of him.”

Tjaronn Chery

“Chery cut three Norwich defenders out of the picture with an exquisite through ball to Polter for our second goal”, “It was the pass of the season. The weight was perfect, just enough to get Polter running at full speed but too little for the keeper to come out for it”, “Our best player by miles.”

The 28-year-old ex-Groningen man “played with direction and purpose against the Canaries. The wing-backs suited him as did having two strikers”, “Our only creative player and one of the most creative in the division, one of the select few that can produce some true quality in the final third.”

Not everyone is convinced. “It’s all about opinions and this guy divides it. For me he’s overrated and has little end product”, “A show pony with little to show for it”, “The system under JFH was meant to suit him but he wasn’t good enough to be effective”, “Ollie’s change in tactics will benefit Chery.”

Strikers

“Idrissa Sylla looks like he knows how to score a goal”, “We should try and accommodate someone who can finish the chances we create.” The 25-year-old arrival from Anderlecht has been lauded for finishing. “Only Sylla looks to have a hitman’s instinct. He comes on, he plays well and he scores.”

“Sylla has been awesome so far, a proper goal-poacher who is good in the air”, “A player who thrives on good crosses into the box. Get the delivery right and he’s always likely to put them away”, “He’s more effective off the bench as an impact sub. He cannot find space or shoot as well when starting.”

Sebastian Polter

“The more, the merrier up front with Sebastian Polter.” The 25-year-old ex-Mainz man “will come good under Ollie. He should hold up the ball to bring in Sylla or Washington, providing knock-downs which they can score from”, “He has the potential to be a really good player and a cult hero for us.”

“Polter is effective when used properly”, “You can see what many of us were saying about him in the Norwich game. He needs a partner up top to thrive”, “Ollie doesn’t want him venturing outside the box”, “Under JFH, he was often playing up top with no QPR players within the same post code.”

Conor Washington

“Washington against Norwich showed what a good striker he will end up becoming”, “He needs to work in the runs he makes and his decision-making at times but his work-rate is phenomenal. He is translating it better on the pitch, closing down intelligently, taking the ball and running with it.”

The 24-year-old ex-Peterborough man “never stops running”, “I would rather have Conor’s effort, industry and ability to work with team-mates than Jay ‘touch of an angel’ Emmanuel-Thomas in my side every day of the week”, “Washington adds so much movement and is an unselfish player.”

“I like Washington, he’s got a lot of heart”, “He is probably JFH’s most glaring example of playing a man out of position. He had him chasing balls down the left wing”, “Hopefully Ollie will look to get the team playing more through-balls to him on the deck. He enjoys playing off the shoulder.”

QPR Fans’ Thoughts on ITFC and the Game

“Over 1,000 tickets sold, the Ollie bounce is in full swing. There should be a good atmosphere on the day. That upper stand at Ipswich can produce a good atmosphere”, “The Ollie effect is in full effect.” With a boosted away following, Hoops will be out to build on the momentum of their Norwich win.

“Beat Ipswich and we could be in business”, “Our Ollie-inspired revitalisation will see us through.” The visitors are travelling to Suffolk in optimistic mood with 63 per cent predicting an away win and only 16 per cent calling a Town triumph. A 2-1 away win is their most popular forecast score.

“Given that we have a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm and enjoy a better than average away record, I fancy us to beat Ipswich. In the land of results McCarthy's job is under threat, which is a real shame as he is a good manager but QPR must be ruthless in their finishing and defending.”

Some Hoops fear a backlash after our poor performance against Forest last Saturday. “I agree on McCarthy and actually think he could be gone if we beat them as it will be back to back home defeats so he will surely have them fired up. This is a tough game ahead.”

Websites

Loft For Words, our sister site, is a terrific source of informative and entertaining comment on all things QPR related. It currently features an interview with TWTD’s Phil Ham ahead of Saturday’s game.

Additional thoughts and opinions can also be found on We Are The Rangers Boys.

@HarryFromBath

Photo: Action Images

Bluebell added 11:13 - Nov 25 Thanks as always Harry. Great report. I must admit I didn't realise Norwich had scored a goal last week and it ended 2.1. If QPR could only get 2 goals against 10 men for 88 minutes, we should be able to get something tomorrow. The only problem is that Holloway has had another week with them. Hopefully our players will be feeling ashamed of the result last week and will be trying harder. With Webster back I will feel a lot happier. We just need to have our scoring boots on and for the strikers to get balls to feet. Mid-field also need to do more than pass backwards all the time. My brain says we will struggle to even get a draw but my heart says we will win 2.1.

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Smithy added 11:20 - Nov 25 “It is good to see the spirit and enjoyment back” “That win was so good. I thoroughly enjoyed everything. It has been too long since I felt proud of the team” “Let's just try to enjoy some decent exciting football for a change and see where it takes us" “Football management is not that difficult. Approach a game with a plan, stick to your tactics, set the team up correctly and put players in their best positions” Have they been watching us????

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LankHenners added 11:40 - Nov 25 Thanks Harry, they seem understandably buoyed but remain cautious, coming across very well like they always do - they're a good bunch. Just because it's us and we're that inconsistent, we'll probably put in a great performance out of nowhere and leave both sets of fans scratching their heads. We need a reaction to the embarrassment served up last weekend and we do tend to give one when under that sort of pressure.

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Slambo added 11:50 - Nov 25 Ha! Didn't know other fans referred to them as budgies as well..!
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ericclacton added 12:27 - Nov 25 Hello Harry, Cue Pee Ahh, queue Pea Are, koobie hour, What is going on Harry and why did we not keep to a game plan second half last saturday? We need a big strong striker who will pull defenders about, but I don't have a clue who. We need a performance at P.R. things have become sloppy and we look jaded. A good read as ever thanks mate. I don't have a clue about the outcome, not a clue.

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Cloddyseedbed added 17:18 - Nov 25 Thanks Harry, great report. It seems as though JFH is thought of by the QPR fans as having the same ways about him as MM in the eyes of Town fans. This game is too close to call, but I also can see a QPR victory, especially if they can get an early goal, and let's face it Town look more likely to concede than score these days. If Town get off to a poor start I can see the atmosphere turning toxic very quickly. Ollie will certainly have his team up for it!

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