 | Forum
Reply | thoughts on west ham in t'cup
at 11:04 11 Jan 2026
But you’re assuming I would start him for a league match, which I wouldn’t.
It’s not because it’s a cup game it’s because he’s just come back from injury and we haven’t got anyone else.
As for the NHS preventing injuries I’ve just posted an article that says hamstring injuries have doubled in the last twenty years in elite football. On the basis of your theory they should have halved.
It makes sense to me to bring him on when the West Ham defence is tiring. But also because they do a lot of pressing early on in matches so have someone like Morgan or Vale doing your pressing in the first half then Kolli coming on in the second half to do runs into the box and take shots.
But fine you’re entitled to your different opinions but to be clear my OP was in response to why don’t footballers play as often as other sports people, they’re all wimps etc. |
| Forum
Reply | thoughts on west ham in t'cup
at 09:47 11 Jan 2026
Passion does not protect your hamstrings, nor does eating healthy food, seeing a club doctor or being paid well.
If you’re coming back from previous injuries and that makes a difference to your risk of future injuries and playing less minutes helps with that, then that’s a consideration.
And if you get an injury today you’re not missing the Stoke match you’re missing at least a month and if it’s a hamstring, then two to three months. [Post edited 11 Jan 9:50]
|
| Forum
Reply | thoughts on west ham in t'cup
at 09:31 11 Jan 2026
Usual straw man.
Me saying that we shouldn’t flog players to death and you can’t compare modern football to other sports or football in the 70s does not mean I think we should play the development squad. If I wanted to say that, I’m perfectly capable of saying it.
What I actually said, and not what you guessed I said or thought was some hidden meaning was I wouldn’t start Kolli necessarily. Not that I would play our entire second string. Dembele and Saito for instance haven’t been flogged to death at all, they’ve had plenty of opportunities to start in the second half, miss matches, come off early etc.so no problem with starting them. In fact the only players we have probably played most matches are Dunne, Burrell and Madsen. Of those three Burrell is out and IMO was overplayed, Dunne in his current role is not probably sprinting too much and we’ve now got Ronnie who can spread the load and Madsen. Madsen is my biggest concern as we’ve not got a replacement for him and he does work really hard. But maybe not sprinting flat out like Burrell.
Kolli as a forward and our only real kind of replacement for Burrell is someone I’d protect too. I’m not saying not play even him, I’m saying maybe don’t start him and bring him on when the defence is tiring. That’s it. |
| Forum
Reply | thoughts on west ham in t'cup
at 08:26 11 Jan 2026
People keep trotting this out. It doesn’t matter what happens in other sports or what used to happen in football in the old days. What matters is what happens to players now under these conditions the way we play Championship foosball now. If players are more likely to get injured then we have to protect them more, not call them wimps or saps.
The number of hamstring injures has doubled in elite football; not just for QPR but in all elite football. It’s now 24% of all injuries. Richarlison for Spurs instance has had three hamstring injuries in the last two seasons, one of which was last night just after the Christmas busy season, go figure.
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/5
https://www.apollov2.com/posts
The second study is obviously a PR article but it is based on all the studies and explains in simple terms why it happens more frequently now.
As fans I think our only contribution is to trust the manager when he is resting our favourite player to trust that maybe he’s got a reason for that. I remember Warbs saying that fast-twitch players (pacy players like wingers and strikers) need more rest than others as they’re more prone to injuries. And unfortunately I do think they’re influenced by fans and probably do read SM to some extent.
I wouldn’t have a problem with Stephan starting with an extra midfielder and bringing on Kolli in the second half for all these reasons. Plus Kolli being injury prone and only just coming back after injury. It’s not being overly cautious or the players being soft, it’s actually protecting your investment and ensuring he will be able to play for the rest of the season and won’t leave us with just Frey or a false nine to partner Kone for the rest of the season. [Post edited 11 Jan 9:54]
|
| Forum
Reply | Ronnie returns, but is it the handsome deal QPR hope? – Signing
at 10:08 10 Jan 2026
Much as I’m nervous about the gamble we’re taking I’m excited about the difference he can make just when we are rocking a bit from the injuries.
Sometimes you just need someone to hit the ground running rather than find his way in the league, the club, with the teammates etc. Ronnie is the nearest we’ve got to a shoo-in for player who can do that, while still young enough to develop and improve. |
| Forum
Reply | Sell Jon Varane ?
at 10:03 10 Jan 2026
Surely we wouldn’t just send him out of our team without a loan fee on the off chance they’d buy him at the end of the season? I’d rather have him in our team if he’s not going for anything at all up front. |
| Forum
Reply | Ronnie Edwards
at 19:32 9 Jan 2026
I agree that defensively we look more fragile than up front. Only one team (Wednesday) has let in more than us this season whereas we’ve scored more than five of the ten teams above us in the table.
Obviously we’re a bit light at fullback, particularly on the left, but it doesn’t seem daft to buttress our CB selection. Also one of Ronnie’s strengths, at least last season, was bringing the ball out from the back which I think only JCS is really good at from our current line up. It really was noticeable in those few matches he played how much difference he made. I’m hoping that will make a difference against the teams that try and shut us down rather than take the game to us. That extra ten metres of bringing the ball up takes pressure off the midfield and means people like Kone may not have to drop back so far to pick up the ball. That’s my theory anyway.
Also last season when he played DCM in the second half against Middlesbrough when we were being torn apart in the first half he can make a difference elsewhere when needed.
I know we are trying to develop players for profit but people also want results as well. It’s all a balance. A blend of rough diamonds and players further down the path seems like a sensible way forward. |
| Forum
Reply | Arsenal v Liverpool
at 22:11 8 Jan 2026
Awful match. At home, top of the league and didn’t really try to win. |
| Forum
Reply | W Ham losing last night good or bad thing?
at 15:09 7 Jan 2026
I bet he knows some triffic pros who happen to have the same agent as him (who will be extremely grateful and reward Rosie handsomely) and may have had a recent patchy injury record but are now top drawer… |
| Forum
Reply | Man City Academy v QPR DS today
at 11:46 7 Jan 2026
I don’t think Kolli will play 90 minutes every week like Burrell has been playing. He’s young and has been injury prone. Surely Bennie’s likely to come off the bench at least if Burrell is out for a while?
Hopefully he’s going to be back soon though and Bennie will get a loan. We’ve been a bit disappointing in loaning people out IMO, not sure if that’s because other clubs are unwilling to take our players or because we want to keep them as back up. Depends on the player obviously. Midfielders maybe less useful to go out on loan at the lower levels which often seem to bypass midfield altogether but you’d have thought Walsh could’ve done with a loan out at any level as I wouldn’t have thought it makes such a difference for a goalie. [Post edited 7 Jan 13:04]
|
| Forum
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? |
| Forum
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. |
| Forum
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. |
| Forum
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. |
| Forum
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. |
| Forum
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. |
| Forum
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. |
| Forum
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. |
| | nix
|
Site Scores| Prediction League: | 36 | | TOTAL: | 36 |
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.