The bottom five - with the exception of Derby - are all way, way below the division standard tbh. The fact Derby are within 8 points of safety is remarkable really. One look at their GD compared to those around them (0 compared to -19, -22, -30, -25) shows that they shouldn't really be in the same bracket.

Have to take that in the circumstances. As the old saying goes, if you can't win make sure you don't lose. That's why these clean sheets are so important. Gallagher back to normal today and Butterworth not Championship standard. I hope Hedges can step up immediately because it looks like we're going to need him. Worrying times as far as injuries are concerned. This is worse than pretty much anyone could have predicted.

If this cascade of injuries was happening in Football manager you'd be posting it as a bug that needs fixing on the SI forums.

Pleased to get in at 0-0. We look completely toothless going forward, which is to be expected given the injuries, "injuries" and absences, but at the same time... they've got Amari'i Bell at left back. Come on. Hopefully we can nick a scrappy goal off a set piece and hold on for a 1-0.

Christian Walton has signed on a permanent for Ipswich. https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/christian-walton-on-his-itfc-move-8648174

Presumably the player agrees to contract terms before heading out on loan. That or the club the player is being loaned to are obliged to put in an agreed offer no matter what, but the player can still reject contract terms and cause the transfer to fall through.

Needs to play in the middle. Has a decent header on him and can hit the target given the opportunity. He doesn't often naturally drift into dangerous positions from out wide in the same way BBD does, and he doesn't really possess any attributes which make him useful in a wider position. When he's having a bad day, like at Hull, it is literally like having ten men on the pitch - as the stats showed. I don't think he'll ever have been worth what we paid for him, but he can be useful in the centre and that's where he needs to play if he's in the team.

I mean, this thread is fine for promotion discussion, but it'd be OK if somebody wanted to set up a thread to specifically discuss the promotion chase as well. We've had relegation threads in the past after all.

Some people just can't bring themselves to stop working, particularly if it's a job they enjoy. Roy is probably a lot like Sir Bobby - his life is the game and he'll likely be involved in it until he literally can't be anymore.

Wrong time and the wrong type of club. Roy works best with underdogs, which we weren't at the time. Shrewd appointment by Watford, albeit one of very few they could have made to appoint a manager older than their previous one. All eyes on Everton now. They could very easily end up sucked into the relegation zone with Newcastle spending money and Watford appointing a good manager.

Definitely not based on tonight's performance. It's like they've been specifically ordered not to shoot.

I think the commentator said Swansea have the highest average possession in the league with something like 66% - but they're 17th. Meanwhile according to Transfermarkt we have the lowest overall average possession in the league at just 41% - and we're 2nd.

Watching QPR Vs Swansea. Swansea remind me of us last season - tons of possession with little to show for it at the end.

Was a superb shot from SG. Spun and hit that absolutely perfectly, from an awkward position as well. That's why he needs to be played down the middle, not on the bloody wing!

What a difference having Trav back in the team makes. Especially in a gritty game like that. His influence has been underrated this season.

Well done lads, superb win with a really depleted squad.

I really don't like how deep we're sitting. We're playing like the extra stoppage didn't happen and there's only 5-10 minutes left.

Still a good 20 minutes left with that stoppage included.

Yes Gally 😎

Tbf Boro could arguably have had two pens so at least he's been equally shit for both teams tonight.

The standard of refereeing in this division... Jeez.

Wtf was that header? Do we even practice corners?

Absolutely. You saw it with Man Utd all the time when they were in their prime. People called it luck, blamed it on bias referees, suggested match fixing, but it's nothing to do with any of that. It's having a will to win which persists until the very last second of the match. It starts from the manager but requires every player to buy in and contribute. Seems QPR have that at the moment.

Just read Gallagher's stats, fuck me. 41% pass completion. 0 key passes. 0 dribbles. 0 tackles. 0 blocks. 0 interceptions. 0 shots. 0 assists. 0 goals. 0 fouls. 0 fouled. 0 offside. Seriously, if that's accurate he might as well have not been on the pitch at all. An absolute non-entity.

Can he add the refereeing performance from Wednesday's match to the complaint? It was bad enough to be illegal.