Enjoying this season?

[Bris Vegas]

Hand on heart - Are you enjoying this season?

I recently read a thread where happinness comes from the unexpected, and it's no lie that my favourite two seasons this side of the millennium have been the GB playoff season and last season - because both were largely unexpected.

Honestly, I'm not really enjoying this season as much as I thought I would. I genuinely have this feeling that we're underachieving.

Perhaps we're not, and reaching the playoffs would still be a good season - especialy compared to recent seasons. But given how good we were last season, I'm a little irked how teams like Bournemouth and Boro have overtaken us given how much better we were than them last season.

I can't remember too many games I've really enjoyed this season, even when we've won. Again, the unexpected factor, but how enjoyable was beating Wigan away last season, yet how much of a drab was our away win at Cardiff or Reading for instance this season?

Looking back in recent years, who else would you feel were looking largely like favourites but only finished in the playoffs - which in most cases would represent a good season? I can only think of West Ham, QPR and Leicester in recent years.

I can imagine fans of Bournemouth, Brentford and Boro are loving this season, even if they miss out on the autos. But can the same be said of you lot?

 

[Bris Vegas]

That last bit was supposed to be promotion - not the autos!

I was reading a Leicester forum earlier this week and they aren't looking forward to coming back down here... Why?

Because they're in a no-win situation.

They are expected to win the league, so if they do then great, but it won't be as good as their 2013/14 campaign.

If they finish in the playoffs they'll probably feel they've underachieved, and anything worse off would largely be a disaster.

[curb]

I've enjoyed the football we've played again this season, although it hasn't quite hit the heights of last season, the dire football we played under previous managers is still fresh in my mind, and this season has been miles better than that.

What has stopped me enjoying it as much this season is the constant bickering from our fans. At least three away games this season I've been stood next to people shouting a constant stream of abuse at our players. I've heard our own fans wish injuries on our players, and I assure you it wasn't in jest. 

I'm pretty much resigned to us not going up now, and if we do for me it'll be a bonus, but I don't think our fans deserve it at all TBH, so in a perverse way it'll be justice done if we don't make it.

[Dimmu]

Happiness is weird thing. Lotto winner's happiness lasts about a year. So, very fortunate and unexpected lifechanging moment can make you happy just for a while.

Overall I'm happy, enjoying when on winning run. Good football, (sometimes even great) ambition of Rush etc..great stuff. But at the same time I'm little bit disappointed. Not 'cause we are not first at the moment but the fact our football has gone backwards after that infamous 3-3 with Birmingham. Braver you are, luckier you get IMO.

[robglosta]

I think the problem is expectation. That has got in the way of much of my enjoyment this season to be honest - winning has been a relief rather than an achievement. I also think the many false dawns where we've managed to carve out a healthy standing in the league (five clear of 3rd, for example), and now we find ourselves fifth on the same points as Ipswich..  I appreciate that injures have rocked us, but that fades into the distance when everyone is so hungry for success. 

[Rev]

I'm enjoying it so far and hope it's enjoyable till the very end.

Last season from this point on was great, expecting to see wins and getting them was great, only to see Burnley match us every step of the way.

This season's felt different, 1st time in a while I've hoped for success home and away, and mostly been achieved.

I guess last season spoiled us, if this season had been preceded by the usual mid table performance, instead of 3rd and a po final we'd all be raving about it.

As for the drab of beating Cardiff away, that was my favourite away day of the season, every other time there we've been expected to be be beat, that was never going to happen this time, so that's progress of a sort, a very professional performance that day.

We need to bear in mind our position since Billy, and before that TBE, these have been the best back to back seasons for donkeys years, so let's go out and enjoy every last minute of this season, and worry about the future come the end!

[Alph]

I've enjoyed it. I look forward to games. 

I didn't really realise I'd stopped looking forward to matches. Just used to roll from one week to the next. 

Actually think to myself now stuff like "got the xxx game on Saturday" to cheer up. 

Used to be "got football on Saturday". Kinda like a "gotta nip to see my boring uncle" thing. 

[Alph]

The constant moaning and abuse towards our players has sapped some enjoyment out for me though.

He's ****

he's a cnut

he needs dropping

sell him

not good enough for Premier League, Champions League, Malaysian League etc etc etc 

I'm thinking... I quite like watching him and his mates. That's why I'm here. Why the **** are you here you whinging talentless jealous parasite? 

[robglosta]

I've enjoyed it. I look forward to games. 

I didn't really realise I'd stopped looking forward to matches. Just used to roll from one week to the next. 

Actually think to myself now stuff like "got the xxx game on Saturday" to cheer up. 

Used to be "got football on Saturday". Kinda like a "gotta nip to see my boring uncle" thing. 

[ck-]

I've enjoyed it. I suspect we are playing as well as last year, but we've now come to expect it. Plus of course other teams are now playing spoiling tactics against us. 

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Expectation indeed! From us & from others. We were/are there to be shot at this season. The benchmark for others to attain. Most teams who have got something after playing us this season celebrate like they have won the cup final. If all/most of our opponents give it that extra 10% then that makes it incredibly difficult.

Having said the above I am still enjoying this season but like others I don't like to see (on here) or hear our own players ridiculed or abused. Constructive criticism? Yes, everyone has an opinion, but no need for some of the stuff that gets said, that viciousness has taken a bit of a shine off this season for me.

[Guest]

If the success of a season if based upon winning promotion or a trophy then I would suggest a team like Chelsea may be better suited for you. The football we have been playing, whilst maybe not upto the standard of last season (yet) is a joy to watch.  

As for the players getting abuse, unfortunately that's the result of the culture that is social media, so easy to hide behind a user name and abuse someone, but I would much rather see that then having someone being negative whilst the game is going on.  

[Alph]

I have no idea what that means. 

[tomsdubs]

You know what? I couldn't agree more. Last season was so much better, my previous favourite was the GB season. Fond memories of that side and the great attacking football we played.

This season I feel like we've underachieved from day one, performance levels haven't matched last seasons. The passing has been slower, the intensity is far lower and I just haven't enjoyed it as much. The most flattering game has to have been Wolves at home, they literally stood and watched us score goals. I'm getting a lot of abuse from guys at work saying Derby are bottle jobs this season and I'm leaning towards believing them right now.

It's a tough division but we just aren't doing the right things when it really matters, if we lose to Watford I think we'll sink to finish 7th or 8th which is a travesty. We've had this division handed on a plate, been points clear and thrown away enough points through ridiculous circumstances to be 6-8 clear right now.

I feel like I'm being ungrateful or spoilt for feeling like this but when you honestly look at the situation am I? Should I just be grateful because we've had to suffer some real **** over the last 10 years? Or should I want the best for my club and be critical when I know they can do better/should do better?

 

[Ramos]

To be honest I find enjoyment in some form, no matter what the fortunes on the pitch Derby are facing. But being born in 1991 I haven't had masses of success or good seasons to cheer about during my Derby supporting years. I was far to young to remember the good Jim Smith years. My memory starts about two seasons before we got relegated from the premier league so about 1999. My first game was against Charlton, we were 2-0 up and the game ended 2-2. That really did kind of set the precedent of being a Derby fan for me.

But I certainly enjoy this season because out of my 16 years of supporting the club I can only say that we have had three seasons in that time to really shout about anything. (GB play offs, BD play offs, SM play offs) So for Derby to be competing I really am enjoying it still. If we end up in the play offs I probably wont be able to handle the pressure but I hope the players do.

People need to learn to relax a little, yes this should of been our best chance in a long time to get automatic promotion and it looks like we have fallen short of that, but it isn't the end of the world if we don't go up this season, I firmly believe even if McClaren goes, there isn't going to be a max exodus of players imo because looking at our key players, I think Russell and Martin will stay (Just feel it in my heart), I don't think Hendrick and Bryson will receive anywhere near as much interest this summer after the on off seasons they have had. Thorne has been injured all season so I don't see anyone taking a risk on him, leaving just Hughes as the most likely candidate to leave. But I still could see a season loan back to us being an option. 

The real person we need to worry about leaving for me is Sam Rush. Having watched interviews with the likes of Andy Appleby etc they have said before that it was Sam Rush who came in and persuaded them to show some real aspirations to get out of this division. If McClaren goes I think Sam will bring in the right man to replace him and we will have some form of funds in place to bring in a few players to strengthen us once again. But if Sam was to leave I'd really then begin to worry that everything we have built will be lost.

[Badlands]

I think it's great tbh.

 

ive had some fantastic awaydays this season and, going by this forum, the lack of home games sounds like a blessing. 

 

Ive been excited about Wigan away for ages now, I never used to get excited about this fixture, must be a good sign.

[ChaddesdenRam]

Quality season so far.

Cant help injuries to Thorne Martin and Bent. We've played some quality football in the main and it's exciting to just be involved. Better than mid table for sure. 

I think after Thorne's injury and the heartbreak of last season my expectation wasn't to win the league or make top 2 but then when we got around half way through the season it became a real possibility and that is when expectations got inflated. Top of the league by 5 points anyone would have thought we should win it.

 

Now though after recent disappointments happiness is low but I have optimism going into the Watford game that the team can put a smile back on the DCFC fans faces and provide some hope of top 2 once again.  

[Dimmu]

I see your username and Im waiting for you to tell us what robg has lost? 

[kingsy1884]

Personally for me this season hasnt been the greatest I thought we looked better last season. Cant help but feel we have stuttered and limped along at times this season.

Then again we were absolutely treated to some delightful football last season so the bar is set very high and by all accounts should have got promoted.

[TroyDyer]

I preferred last season as we went from Tesco value to Tescos finest in the blink of an eye. 

This season we appear to have gone from Tescos finest to slightly better than regular Tescos. 

Still far far better than Tesco value, but I think we had all hoped (and maybe expected) to be dealing in brand names this season.