Cifuentis

[Abseits]

I agree that our recruitment is very patchy but I wouldn't use Celar as an example..

He was a sought after player. He looked a very good acquisition on paper. During the Euros, he was specifically named in lists of players who had looked the part and appeared to have what it takes to do well in England. I was actually staggered we were able to sign him to be honest.

[ragr]

That's the thing about the data driven approach - if those guys they've focused on haven't played in English football before then the data is incomplete. Now, I'm sure they're not daft enough to ignore that deficiency and there may be some other way they interpret the numbers, there may even be some fancy software that provides some predictive way of how they'll cope in English conditions. They may even - shock, horror - rely on old-fashioned scouting profiles as a further source of info. What I think we can declare with a degree of certainty is that Madsen, Celar and Santos were abject failures this season and, in the case of the first two, pretty expensive ones as well. I can't see any English club parting with much money for Madsen or Celar given that failure and any return to their previous level probably won't return anything like what we've paid - I think we're on a financial hiding to nothing with those two. I think both still need to be offloaded, however.

Recruiting for the Championship requires players with that bit of character about them and most of those are here already or in League One waiting for a step up, but then there's the English premium you pay. Unless you develop them yourself, of course and it's only looking like Sutton may make that step up next season, Esquerdinha aside - there's a lot of 19/20 year old defenders in that development squad and I've not heard any suggestions that any are ready for the step up yet. Some may have to, however.

[SheepRanger]

He did well at Bristol Rovers in that position but he’s repeatedly on record as saying he sees himself as a 10. So, he could play there but how happily?

If Vale plays as a Nos 10 then there's even less need for Madsen and hopefullt we can get some of the rumoured £3.2m back that we paid for him to invest elsewhere in squad.

I was at an AZ Alkmaar game last Thursday which was watched by circa 12,000 fans paying €25-40 for the privilege. There are ball players out there across Europe, but it's the ones with a bit of steel too that might be illusive. That Alkmaar game was typical QPR, knocking the ball around and going no where with one player up front.

[ragr]

He did well at Bristol Rovers in that position but he’s repeatedly on record as saying he sees himself as a 10. So, he could play there but how happily?

[Jeffqpr]

We got Vale & he can play wing back

[ragr]

At the risk of being permanently pessimistic about our outlook - and I'm perfectly sanguine about dropping to League One - we're going to end the season with a defensive line, not including keepers, of JCS, Morrison, Larkeche & Esquerdinha; I may have missed someone still under contract. The method is to play out from the back, hopefully with pace. Where are we going to get a half-dozen ball playing defenders with our budget?

I would love to see that resolved but, as you say above Qpstranger that is just one of many something extras someone's going to need to pull out of the hat. You could argue it will take a magician for next season.

[Qpstranger]

We are going to really need something extra next year to be competitive in the Championship. We have only narrowly avoided relegation both last year and this year again.

Next year the Championship will have Leicester, Southampton, Ipswich, Birmingham + Wrexham - I suspect that the same kind of showing from us next year might not be sufficient to keep us up.

[ragr]

Sadly, I don’t think it’s either in their nature or their interest to explain anything. The occupants of the back room seats are identical to those sitting on government quangos and corporate head offices. They do what they do, talk about it with people just like them and jump at any opportunity for a similar role for a few more quid. Marti’s the lightning rod. Nourry will speak when he has to but it’ll be well practiced burble.

Am I cynical? That’s the thing - who knows any more? Football has always been at least part business. Nowadays it often feels part football.

[SheepRanger]

Even though the results have been very indifferent I'm never one to change managers every five minutes. I hope he stays and can get the players he needs and fitness issues get resolved. It seems there is a lot wrong that goes beyond Marti.

If he does leave then we need to get at least £1m in compensation. We've sold players for less!

We must decide if we're aiming to be a stable championship club through the development and sale of young players, or if we're aiming for promotion. The latter isn't possible with so many young players cutting their teeth on the pitch. Our youngsters are not like a championship version of the 'Class of 92'.

It's time CN, MC, the Head of Methodology, the Director of Bananas and the Senior Manager of Boots decide on a clear vision and explain that clearly to the fans. They must manage our expectations!!

[Stanfan]

Just listened to pre match interview. Although Martí said the right words about the speculation I am never convinced when people mention they have a contract , especially in football!

[ragr]

Just had a listen to the West London Sport podcast with Jon De Souza, our Head of Methodology and it sounds like football clubs are like a lot of places these days, where you have the people actually doing the job backed up by a larger number of people who are doing "a" job. So familiar with this in my industry where there's a bunch of people - who honestly feel like attached grifters a lot of the time - looming over you the whole time justifying their positions as oversight.

Now, I wouldn't like to say that these people at the club are not filling a genuine role but if Marti is feeling frustrated, and this is part of the reason, then he has my sympathies.

[Dono77]

Do you think MC had zero input into the signings we made last summer? I doubt very much he was just allocated players and told this is what we're giving you?

MC has to accept some responsibility.

Not good enough from the club as a whole and I hope there are constructive summer discussions and MC gets it right next season.

Well he pretty much said celar was bought by belk and nourry who then told MC this is your new striker. Off you go. Not a chance Celar fits the bill of a lone front man in a MC type formation. So can't see MC giving the green light on that one.

I think he def wanted Varane though.

[Qpstranger]

I think Marti has done a pretty decent job in his time with us. We are safe again this season, the players have on the whole appeared motivated and team spirit looks good, despite many of them being loan signings or at the end of their contract. It truly could be an awful lot worse than it has been over the last 18 months.

There have of course been some poor moments and odd decisions, but on the whole we look like a squad that has a first team with proper viable options for substitutions during games who we can bring on to change the game - we haven't always had that. I hope he stays with some backing for next season.

[Sleeping Giants]

I'm sure he's the "Head of" and has all the data he needs to direct the "hands on" team.

But something certainly needs to change to stop these guys getting injured all the time. That might involve buying players who are younger without a long legacy injury lists. But, perhaps we can only afford damaged goods? Are the guys training on artifical pitches? Is MC motivating them enough to ignore minor tweaks? Is the end of contract thing pushing guys into the treatment room?

As supporters we'll never know the full picture, but those inside the club need to get this sorted because the owners are putting in £250k a week for this garbage!!

Bristol City's manager said our pitch was dangerous after one of their players got injured in the warm up. Something to do with angled bits on edge of pitch so wouldn't explain the volume but may be relevant?

[Sleeping Giants]

Any sources other than other fan sites?

I think it started from The Sun so it's very unreliable at best I would say.