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

“It appears, gentlemen, that we have won a game”, “A win, an ugly win. Let’s hope for many more”, “A massive win going into Ipswich at home”, “I had forgotten what that winning feeling was like, I’m so chuffed”, “A brilliant win and I don’t care how we played. Stopping the rot was all that matters”, “

“We needed that.” Rangers ended a run of six losses and four games without scoring with Saturday’s 2-1 win at Wolves. Fans went through the full gamut of emotions with the team briefly dropping in to the bottom three when Blackburn were leading at Huddersfield in the day’s lunchtime kick-off.

“We are in deep trouble, no sugar coating.” Although this result has brought a huge sense of relief, West Londoners are under no illusions about the scale of the task Ian Holloway has taken on since arriving in November. “We are in really big trouble, anyone thinking otherwise is simply deluded.”

“Oh, how we have fallen. Who would have thought this would be happening a few years back?”, “If we don’t invest in proven Championship players, I’m starting to think we might actually go down”, “Queen’s Park Strangers, this team is a shadow of the side I have supported over the past 65 years.”

Tony Fernandes and Les Ferdinand

“We are rudderless”, “Respect to Fernandes [the club chairman] for ploughing his money in and sorry he has lost it all, but it is totally his own fault”, “His problem is that he thinks like a fan and listens to fans. He gets caught up in the whole hero worship thing with managers and players.”

“Fernandes has been the one constant in our decline”, “He has put a hell of a lot into this club”, “He has been let down by some very good people and some good pedigree managers have taken him for a ride”, “Supporters think his enthusiasm will see us through. This is a disastrous misconception.”

Many Hoops blame Fernandes’s poor judgement for the club’s decline since their promotion to the top flight in 2014. However, just as many are out of patience with director of football Les Ferdinand for a succession of poor signings and manager sackings since taking the role on in February 2015.

“Les Ferdinand is to blame for this squad but Fernandes is accountable for the big picture”, “Les was a legend when he played and always will be but is losing the faith of fans now”, “How can people not see Ferdinand is to blame? He is tearing the club apart with woeful players Holloway wants shot of.”

Ian Holloway

“I’m over the moon and happy to be proven wrong about Ollie never winning another game for us”, “I’m really pleased for him. The last few weeks cannot have been easy for him”, “He is planning a busy January. He says players will be moved in but will bring in experienced hungry replacements.”

“We need to stick with Holloway as this has turned out to be a very average squad that will take time to gel and grow. We won’t see the best of them this season”, “Ollie encourages players to improve and raise their game and are definitely easier on the eye to watch with him in charge.”

“An Ollie is not just for Christmas.” Fans have seen an improvement in the style of football the 53-year-old has been working on despite a “nightmare start to his second stint as QPR boss” with a run of six defeats in eight games. “At least losing every game was fun because he was having a go.”

“He took over a successful, settled team at Blackpool. I wonder if he is trying to run before his team can walk by trying to get us playing free-flowing football like that straight away.” Many accept that the squad he inherited is poor. “Give Ollie a chance. Let’s see who we get in the January window.”

Formation

“We don’t have a playmaker. We don’t have anyone with a killer instinct up top and we still lack width. These failings have not been adequately addressed”, “We are nice between the boxes but a danger to ourselves in one penalty area and no threat to anybody at all in the other one.”

“We just don’t have the players”, “The basics need to be right. Defend properly, mark at set pieces and get the spine and shape of the team in place. QPR have none of that but are talking about two number 10s, splits across the field and moving through the thirds. We are all trinkets and no tree.”

Holloway has used no fewer than 22 outfield players in his eight games in charge trying to find the best balance from his inherited squad. The starting XI at Molineux (above) kept his preferred three-man midfield but Jamie Mackie made a first start under him and Ryan Manning made his full debut.

Alex Smithies has been widely praised in goal but right-back James Perch has been criticised for his reckless play and centre-half Nedum Onuoha’s one-match suspension for a red card picked up in the previous game at Brighton was welcomed by many fans. Many want Joel Lynch to be made captain.

Wolves dominated possession and chances on Saturday, but fans gave credit to a central midfield trio which finally showed steel, industry and tactical discipline and which kept them in the game. The work-rate and intelligence displayed by Mackie was praised in what has been a problem position.

“Once the other team score our lot are done”, “I definitely don’t like the way our heads go down too easily at times when we concede.” Confidence has been a problem in the side’s run of defeats. “We haven’t come back to win a game from being behind in a year and a half.”

Getting the Midfield Balance Right

“Villa score from a defensive error. Here we go again”, “This is what happens when the ball is coming back continuously.” The line-ups in Rangers’ previous two games highlighted a lightweight midfield which has left them toothless and which thereby has also encouraged opponents to go after them.

“At the moment, the ball just gets to the opposition penalty area and then comes back at us”, “Every time we reach a 50/50 tackle we just lose the ball. We need to get stuck in much more”, “What is wrong with rolling up your sleeves and playing with passion”, “We have no leaders on the pitch.”

“We need a new number 10 as without a doubt Chery is a weak point.” The line-up (above) against Aston Villa last Sunday week included a central trio of Grant Hall, who is usually a centre-half, Massimo Luongo and Tjaronn Chery. Luongo and Chery were criticised for failing to impose themselves on the game.

“Having one up front isn’t working as Villa are shutting us down when we push forward”, “We are poor all over the pitch. Players don’t run with the ball or into open spaces and we cannot close the opposition down”, “We were easily contained by an average Villa side and had no shot on target.”

“We just need a creative midfielder who could add some rhythm to our game.” Holloway introduced holding midfielder Ariel Borysiuk and Jordan Cousins in the starting XI (above) for Tuesday’s defeat at Brighton. Luongo moved further forward but was unable to effectively link up with Idrissa Sylla.

“Brighton obviously decided to target Cousins and Luongo in midfield and they were regularly being mobbed”, “They opened us up just about every time they attacked and our defence was all at sea”, “Albion looked much better when they had the ball and they were way more composed without it.”

Wolves 1 — 2 QPR

“Recently we have played well and lost. Today the plan is to play rubbish but win. I like the tactic”, “No Onuoha, no Chery, no Luongo, three points”, “Let’s take the feeling from this hard-fought win into the next two games”, “Oh my God, how did that happen? We won a game”, “A cracker.”

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10713467/wolves-1-2-qpr

“This isn’t looking good, is it?” Visiting fans were nervous at the interval after a first half in which the hosts dominated play, but Rangers broke the deadlock when Sylla fired home from Pawel Wszolek’s 53rd minute cross. The lead lasted a mere eight minutes as Dave Edwards turned in a cross to level.

“Edwards arrives in the box to tap in, sound familiar?”, “Sounds like we are barely hanging on here.” The Hoops mounted a rearguard action before Wszolek poked a low shot home with three minutes left to win the tie. “A scruffy old winner but they all count, especially when you’re near the bottom.”

Brighton 3 — 0 QPR

“Yet another in a long line of shambolic performances”, “It is fair to say we are now in a crisis. If ever we needed some proper players it is now”, “Individual errors cost us but there were spells in the first half when we played well”, “We have done since Ollie arrived. The problem is that we can’t score.”

“I thought we were decent in that half.” Brighton opened the scoring with a 20-yard shot from Sam Baldock on 11 minutes. Hoops felt they had competed well in the first half but the game went from them after the break when Glenn Murray scored a penalty on 53 minutes after a foul by Luongo.

“As much of an idiot as Ned is, that sending off was wrong.” Onuoha was dismissed on 56 minutes for a professional foul and Anthony Knockaert added a third for the Seagulls when cutting inside and firing home. “The difference in quality between the two sides in the second half was amazing.”

QPR 0 — 1 Aston Villa

“Christmas came a week early for Villa today”, “QPR basically gave up once the Villa goal had gone in and balls were punted high and long down the field towards Sylla after they scored”, “If you can’t create a shot on goal, it’s no surprise that we give up once we fall behind as it really is game over.”

“We were a team that didn’t have a pattern of play.” After having a first half penalty saved by spotkick specialist Alex Smithies, Jonathan Kodjia won the game for the West Midlanders with a low shot on 75 minutes. “Nothing quickens the pulse quite like a relegation zone approaching at speed.”

Goalkeepers and Defenders

“We will honestly struggle letting Alex Smithies go.” The 26-year-old former Terrier “is a proper keeper, one of the best I have seen along with Phil Parkes and David Seaman. He is way above this level and I dread to think how bad things would be without him”, “The lad is pretty special.”

“Without Smithies, we would have been in the mire again at Wolves. He made a great save again one-on-one that stopped them taking the lead”, “His record of five penalty saves out of seven is amazing”, “He gives the team huge confidence”, If I were Smithies, I would join Huddersfield.”

Hoops have been less kind when talking about right-back James Perch. The 31-year-old “is a poor player overall, a liability on a regular basis”, “He was lucky to escape a red card at Ipswich for a nasty tackle on Tom Lawrence but he did it again a week later against Wolves and was rightly sent off.”

“Perch is a bang average player, no more no less.” The former Wigan and Newcastle man “is very hot headed. He can play, but is an idiot”, “He seems to be in some end-of-career death spiral”, “He was absolutely destroyed by Solly March at Brighton”, “An abysmal player who plays out of necessity.”

“Jake Bidwell is a solid, defensively dependable left-back and does what it says on the tin.” The 23-year-old arrived from Brentford this summer. “He is not fast but very good defensively and has good ball playing skills”, “Steady and nothing more, I would like to see more attacking play from him.”

“I like Bidwell, no frills and spills and he has a good delivery from dead balls out wide”, “I love how he uses his body to block attackers and frustrate them so that they can’t get around him. He’s the sort of player you don’t notice but he gets on with the job”, “He does little in the opposition half.”

“Grant Hall is a good footballer and rarely gives away possession.” The 25-year-old former Brighton man “was good covering as a defensive midfielder against Villa, but is a first-choice centre-back for me”, “Our best centre-half by a country mile and a player who can carry the ball out of defence.”

“Hall was my player of the season last year but he hasn’t looked as physical strong this season. He has been pushed over very easily”, “He was first to so many balls last season but has looked lost at times this year”, “He looks miles more composed than Onuoha and is a far superior player.”

“What on earth was Nedum Onuoha doing?”, “Ned found himself in a terrible position conceding that red card at Brighton. The geezer is turning into a liability.” The 30-year-old former Manchester City centre-half “is an absolute joke. He shouldn’t even be a guaranteed starter let alone captain”.

“Onuoha is an OK centre-back in this division although recent results and performance may suggest otherwise”, “He is slow at the back although he does make some fine interceptions and shows a bit of heart”, “He was the last line of defence for Brighton’s opening goal and is still turning around.”

Joel Lynch

“I love how Lynch just passes through people with his dribbling.” The 29-year-old former Forest and Huddersfield centre back “puts his head on everything and has the ability to play with the ball too”, “He wins everything in the air and is very composed on the ball”, “He is class, an absolute monster.”

“Lynch is wholehearted, strong in the air, all effort and action and pretty decent except for his one crucial flaw, abandoning the old centre-half basic of staying goal-side and inside the centre forward”, He can look cumbersome and he was rolled by Kodjia for Villa’s goal”, “He was done like a kipper.”

Central Midfielders

“If we are behind and need someone to run at opponents, Jordan Cousins is that guy.” The 22-year-old ex-Charlton man “makes great lung-busting runs through midfield and just needs to do it more regularly. You can see the potential is there”, “I hope he becomes the player everyone is expecting.”

“For every good game Cousins plays, you get five where he was as poor as he was against Ipswich”, “Tell him to run at opponents and he will do more for us but his first touch really needs work”, “He hasn’t had a regular position or a settled partner in central midfield so he deserves some slack.”

“I detest Massimo Luongo, I totally detest the bloke. He has no pace, creativity, strength or brains. He brings absolutely nothing to the table and jogs around looking like he knows what he is doing but contributing nothing”, “He’s a good player but it seems that he doesn’t give a damn about this club.”

“Luongo has good feet and he can play.” The 24-year-old former Swindon man played on loan at for Ipswich in 2012. “He shows the occasional nice touch here and there but he gives possession away, makes stupid decisions, gets pushed off the ball too easily and runs around like a headless chicken.”

“Ariel Borysiuk is a proper holding midfielder, fearless, capable and he keeps it simple.” The 25-year-old ex-Legia Warsaw man “is extremely combative, gets his foot in and has a rocket of a shot on him. He gets into great positions to make his challenges although he can have a tendency to dive in.”

“I like how Borysiuk makes up his mind. When he gets on the ball he moves it quickly and directly. His short passes are simple, incisive and tidy”, “He hasn’t let us down so far. His positioning is great and he covers well for team-mates too”, “He’s a right spark, but he looked a lost soul at Brighton.”

“Sandro was a really good player with a good long shot and a crunching tackle. He has lost it now though with his injury record.” The 27-year-old former Spurs man “is a level above in terms of his natural ability and his awareness and passing range are above Cousins and Borysiuk.”

“Sandro is too immobile to warrant being on the pitch and certainly at the start of games”, “He does not chase or tackle much.” The ex- Brazil international “needs someone to run for him and we can’t afford to carry anyone”, “Scoring goals doesn’t make a great holding player but defending does.”

“The players made Ryan Manning go over to the away support after the Wolves game to take some well-deserved praise.” The 20-year-old youth product - who trained with the Town academy as a schoolboy - has played as a central striker and on the left wing at youth level for Rangers but impressed on his debut with a “calm, composed” performance in left central midfield.

“We will be miles better without Tjaronn Chery, miles better.” The 28-year-old Dutch ex-Groningen man “is a player clearly out of form and having a confidence crisis”, “All flicks, tricks and no end product, he has been a luxury player lately”, “No way should we be building a side around him.”

“Holloway has said we rely on Chery too much. Rely on him for what?”, “Our wingers cannot play as wingers with him running around everywhere, compromising us and doing very little. His play is so poor that we endlessly play across the back four while the striker watches the game pass him by.”

Jamie Mackie

“The manic work-rate of Mackie seem to have been more effective at Wolves than the subtle skills of Chery.” The 31-year-old former Forest winger or striker made a telling difference at Molineux on Saturday. “Man of the match today, stopped one certain goal and supplied the winner at the end.”

“Mackie made a long-awaited and welcome return from injury against Villa. He never stopped going and was just what the doctor ordered. If you could get Sandro to play with half of his commitment he might look a decent player”, “He’s an industrious workhorse who can make things happen.”

Wide Midfielders

“We had no real attacking intent against Villa until Olamide Shodipo came on.” The 19-year-old youth product “reminds me a lot of Junior Hoilett with his dribbling and pace”, “I know he is young but he’s the one player we have who seems willing to take on his man and get the ball in the box.”

“Yeni N’Gbakoto is one of the worst players I have seen at QPR.” The 24-year-old summer addition from Metz “has shown nothing in his time here and my gut says we have been sold a donkey. He doesn’t shoot, he refuses to run with the ball and when he does he is unable to beat a man.”

“The anonymous Frenchman”, “N’Gbakoto is complete dross, a truly woeful player”, “I have not seen him do a single thing of note since he arrived. He’s the type of player you give barely any responsibility to”, “He adds a little bit of pace but I have no idea what kind of player this guy is.”

Pawel Wszolek

“Pawel should be in every week. The 24-year-old loan signing from Verona “is a good crosser, he’s a genuinely talented winger and he can score”, “I love the way he never gave up the ghost for his goal to win at Wolves. He hustled and bustled before poking it in”, “He is pacy, tricky and determined.”

“I like Pawel a lot. He makes cracking attacking runs and seems quite quick as well. He knows how to produce a cross and would be lethal if combined with a decent striker”, “A strong imposing winger who can cross. There aren’t too many Polish internationals in the lower reaches of this division.”

Strikers

“We have seen enough of what the big lumbering German can do”, “Sebastian Polter is a lamppost impersonator.” Many Hoops would not be surprised if the 25-year-old ex-Mainz man departed in the January window. “He always needs a ball to be served up to him. He cannot create scoring chances.”

“I don’t think Conor Washington is the problem. Having one up front is hurting us. There were a few times he won the ball in a scrap but was surrounded by three Villa players with nobody to pass to”, “All the running and hustling in the world isn’t enough if you can’t keep the ball after winning it.”

“I don’t think Washington will score too many goals at this level no matter what system you play.” The 24-year-old ex-Peterborough frontman and August Town target “tends to mess up his chances by taking too long or losing the ball”, “He struggles with little or no support and needs to play off the shoulder of another striker.”

Idrissa Sylla

“If we are going to get out of this mess, Sylla needs to play week in, week out. There is something about him when the ball is in the box.” The 26-year-old ex-Anderlecht striker “Is comfortably our best option up front”, “He works hard on the pitch and he certainly looks like he can score goals.”

“How many goals now for Sylla? I think he is a decent signing”, “I really rate him as a target man at this level”, “There’s a player in him. We don’t often put the ball in the box but when we do he gets on the end of it”, “Playing two wingers will play to his strengths and guarantee that he gets goals.”

Rangers’ Thoughts on November’s Game at Portman Road

“My God, that looked proper Sunday league football. How many times did Ipswich get free and one-on-one with Smithies from hopeful punts?”, “My cousin just called me and said he and most other fans left when the third went in. Ipswich looked bad but we couldn't put two passes together.”

“This was actually one of those Championship matches that could easily have gone the other way entirely, despite the apparent one-sided scoreline. Seeing QPR dominate the first half of the game and yet lose 3-0 — and by the end, it could easily have been four or five — was an odd experience.”

“Honeymoon over. Everything which worried me about Ollie was evident today”, “Having looked one of the worst teams we’ve played this season in the first half, Ipswich were absolutely rampant for the final half hour and could have racked up four or five easily with no resistance whatsoever.”

“We didn't play well, nor did Ipswich. I think sadly their strike force being a bit more accurate came on the same day Smithies, Ned and Perch had a bad game.” Many Hoops felt we were the better of two poor sides despite the comfortable winning margin. “It could have been five or six in the end.”

“We conceded three soft goals and I certainly didn’t like the look of the body language from the players who looked resigned to their fate after the first one trickled in. That’s a worry”, “The second changed the course of the game, but we have a very soft underbelly in these situations it seems.”

Rangers’ Wider Views on ITFC and the Game

With the Wolves game just put to bed, most Hoops have not given much thought to tomorrow’s game although this will change as the day progresses. I will update the forum tomorrow morning with their thoughts and link this on my Twitter feed.

Websites

The busiest QPR message board is our sister-site http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/ which has a lively forum as well as some brilliant match reports and blogs by Clive Whittingham.

@HarryFromBath

Photo: Action Images

Seasider added 17:42 - Jan 1 Happy New Year Harry. The home game against QPR was our biggest margin of victory(3-0) this season;so our best chance for a double, I should think, this season as Micks mate Ollie seems to be struggling the moment. Would also be the first,back to back wins;but Town have flattered to deceive to many times this season,and my confidence has waned as the season has progressed. But I still live in hope if not expectation.

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Mullet added 17:52 - Jan 1 Here to another year of treats. HNY HFB
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LankHenners added 18:04 - Jan 1 Thanks Harry, good read on the first day of the year. Getting the first goal could well be crucial - weak mentality on their part appears a big concern so even if they are playing well you can come out with a good result. The same could be said for us with our tendency to concede sloppy goals so it may not be a classic in the traditional sense tomorrow.
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The_Romford_Blue added 18:28 - Jan 1 Happy new year Harry and thanks for your dedication over the year. I don't know what I'd do without reading one of your previews on the afternoon before game day.
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TimmyH added 20:00 - Jan 1 You couldn't make it up yesterday they were the only team to win and all the other games draws...sounds like they were fortunate. QPR are a poor team and it's a battle of the has been managers who can get that elusive double uner their belt.
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Bluebell added 11:34 - Jan 2 Happy New Year Harry and thanks for all your reports in 2016. I can't go to this game because of a proir arrangement. Hopefully we can play as well as we did in the home game against them.
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