gfs1ram

How do I play these beauties?!

He didn't fully deliver at Derby but he was great in spells.
Sad time to join, Mackay's Derby really needed a striker to replace Franny Lee. Then Mackay was pushed out and the decline was underway...... The Doc completed it with a bang. Leighton James was not the only one to suffer..... Well, we all did. 
Anyway, Leighton, thanks for some happy memories RIP Ram 🐏 

Straight from the horses/footballers mouths:
Wildsmith was asked about rumours of him leaving Derby. He has not yet been offered a new contract. 
Ebou and his missus are absolutely loving everything about Derby. He said there are several things that need to fall into place about signing but seemed positive. He is the loveliest down to earth person. Didn’t stop smiling all night. If we need to forcefully restrain him to keep him here count me in! He doesn’t mind the Ebou chant sounding like booing. 
Dwight Gayle is recovering well and hoping to be back next week.
Max Bird still very much focused on the next too games, despite moving on. 
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing smells very nice
 
 
 
 

What a brilliant night! Dan (B4) and Angie Vallance received the Alfreton supporters award.  I almost missed it as I was in the loo 😂 the glass award is lovely and will have pride of place in my parents house. The players looked visibly touched when it was announced Dan and Angie were being awarded posthumously. It was lovely to see so over 200 people there to celebrate DCFC and those who love the club. I had no idea what to expect but it was amazing. Lovely food and company. I had no idea the players and David Clowes would be there, so that was a lovely surprise. 

Well mate, we gave it a bloody good go!
Congratulations to Pompey for finishing in top spot, and here's to us joining them in promotion, very, very soon!  🐏
 

No. 
Even if we beat Cambridge I won’t be tempting fate (too many years of being a Derby fan I guess).
I fully expect Bolton to win their two home games this week meaning it will all be decided on the last day ideally with us still a point ahead rather than one or two points behind.
Beat Cambridge and 3 or 4 nil up against Carlisle going into time added on and I might finally allow myself to believe. 😀

Those seasons all had one thing in common, a lack of widespread social media.
The moaners and the WUMs never had a platform in those years beyond their own small social circle.
I'm sure that I would have been a lot happier this season, if I hadn't constantly reading some of the negative rubbish on here. But I like to read and write about the Rams with a vast majority of the fans on here and so put up with it. My way of combating it, is to have a few days away from the forum after a defeat or particularly poor display.

Before others go off on tonight's matchthread tangent, I just wanted to say what an enjoyable afternoon at Pride Park. A cracking atmosphere, good football and a deserved win. 
I  had assumed Warne would revert to a back three, simply because it allows Sibley and Wilson to get forward more. I thought both were excellent,  but it was the inclusion of Thommo that made all the difference.  It gave us a midfield three with tenacity and bite. As a result, all the other parts of the team played better than midweek. Collins, especially,  looked so much better in the role today, and although Mendez-Laing's traditional wing play is sacrificed in this formation, he managed to get out wide at times, delivered good set pieces and could have had a couple of goals on the break.
Although I loved the set-piece goals, I do wish we could finish some of our chances created in open play, as it would do our confidence the world of good. 
Still, the defence was excellent,  snuffing out the few chances that Orient created, and providing the goals, too. 
It was difficult to choose a MOTM today as there are so many contenders. 
And as Warne said afterwards, no further injuries. 
Results went our way so automatic promotion is back in our hands. Play like this for the last two games and we are there! 
 

No words needed.

And can you fudge Collins's scan so that he is not out for the season. Please. Thank you.👍

We had Harry Wilson on loan and he was worth 50 million 😉

Was gonna do my usual morning after post on the game but what’s the point , better to quietly enjoy it and try to ignore the derby / warne are rubbish posts🤷🏻‍♂️

Watched on Sky
1Wildsmith                     5.5   Not a lot to do but shaky from the off.
2Wilson                          6      Steady performance
35Nelson                       7.5    Usual self
6Cashin                         7       Did well
17Sibley                         7       Tough winger but did well.
23Ward                          8       Excellent goals
16Thompson                 6       Energetic as usual
12Smith                         7.5     Solid performance
4Hourihane                   6
32Adams                      7.5     Usual self. Good battling performance 
27Blackett-Taylor        7.5     Best game in Derby shirt. Lively, looked dangerous.
14Washington               6
11Méndez-Laing           6       Solid but lacking his early season form
9Collins                         6.5     Physical ands put himself about. Good to see him back.
10Waghorn                   6
Good performance. Unlucky. Goals offside? and Handball?  Although thought the ref did well.
 

Ah yes, a solid point away from home this evening so of course you’ve rode in on your horse to be dismissive about yet another result for the club you allegedly support 🙄 
 
We created and scored 2 goals, they created and scored 2 goals. It was a draw, a deserved one. 

ATG.
1Wildsmith                         6.5    Did what he had to do well.  Hope he stays.
2Wilson                              7       Good performance
35Nelson                           8       Back to his best.
6Cashin                             7.5     Solid
17Sibley                             7        Much better today. Some good corners. Good cross that led to the goal
23Ward                              7       Took 20 minutes but then settled well linking with Wilson.
10Waghorn                        6
32Adams                           7.5     Super goal. Energetic. Normal service resumed.
12Smith                              7       Added much needed energy and security to midfield.
4Hourihane                       6
27Blackett-Taylor             7        His best 60 minutes. Lively and looked dangerous at times. More to come.
16Thompson                     6.5     Usual Thompson. Energetic and lively.
11Méndez-Laing               6.5     Did ok but not fully fit to me. Indicated hammy problems again. Hopefully nothing too serious.
22Fornah                           6        Thought he did ok.
14Washington                   4        Clearly not fully fit. Gets extra point for that but for me disappointing. Missed good chance.
9Collins                             6.5      Good to see him back and I thought he did well. Lively and physical. Needed for final 5 games.
 
They say a week is a long time in football. Was really disappointed seeing them at Northampton but enjoyed yesterday's game. Energy  and effort were back. Defended well. Tactics worked letting them have the ball although as the home team it would have been nice to see more attacking. Great result that's all that matters.
 

Pompey fan, in peace.  I read (a lot) and posted (a little) when you were having issues with the ownership.
I just wanted to pass on my belated condolences for B4's passing - as an outsider it was clear how much he cared about your club.  It's lovely to see how much warmth he commands and how he's being remembered.
I'm sure it doesn't need explaining that I hope my club gets up, but having read some of this thread I hope you manage to make it up with us.  It's also a great reminder that football clubs are all about the people who support them.  Raising a glass to Daniel this evening. 

Totally disagree, I thought that Collins and Thommo were excellent, non stop chasing down 3 defenders between the pair of them. Some nice touches from Collins showed us just what we've been missing lately and he's come back not a moment too soon, imo.

Total agree mate. I thought Washington did nothing.
He just jogged from one defender to another kinda closing them down. Obviously he was under orders to not commit himself and get beaten but he had no intensity or change of pace and didn't work back if they worked it round him. He didn't hold the ball up and had one golden chance that he fluffed.
Collins instantly came on and worked harder, held the ball up better and was smarter with his passes.

I’ve read a few times that Washington looked lively.
 I thought he looked lazy. He and NML regularly failed to close down defenders and created very little. Even when Wash got the dream chance, he fluffed it.
 I thought he was our weakest player.
Everyone else deserved 7 or higher except perhaps NML who still looks like he’s struggling for fitness.

When Daniel died I kept seeing rainbows everyday. I know how science and weather works but I like to think that’s his way of saying hello… or guiding dcfc to the back of the net 😂 I got to write a message on the dcfc changing room white board for the team to read today. I asked them to score a goal for Dan. Ebou delivered 🐏❤️🐏

A little bit of Daniel at Pride Park forever ❤️ Give him a wave when you pass the east stand 🐏

Hi Rams, I commented on the reverse fixture when you battered us earlier in the season so thought I would do the same just to give some context from the other side.
A very different game to the one at Pride Park earlier in the season. The San Sixfields pitch is much smaller which definitely helps us, particularly against the big boys in the division. We have taken a pasting of pretty much all of the teams at the top of the table away from home this season, whilst at home managed mostly narrow defeats instead.
No doubt that you should have scored at least one of the two chances in the first half, or at the very least worked the keeper, one of them goes in and you dont lose the game without a shadow of a doubt. The game earlier in the season you were picking holes in between our midfield and defense with ease, also NML pace was a constant threat. However in this game were clearly more compact and outside of those opportunities it didn't feel like you created a huge amount of clear cut chances. It was noticeable that you were much more direct this game for whatever reason, which I am far more confident of us deadling with. I know you have a number of bodies out, but we have 10 out (mostly in defence) so the injury list was similar on both sides.
I thought the goal was a really well taken finish, definite foul in the build up but the defending after that would be pretty poor. Your full back (Wilson I think) also definitely handled it in the second half with no one around him. 
I sit in the end where Bradley got his red, he definitely put his head in. Don't get me wrong i dont think Monthe is going to require a trip to the hospital but unfortunately you have to go down to almost bring it to attention. Thought it was poor from a guy who is that experienced and was seemingly always looking for physicality in the game. Yes we tried to slow down the game, no doubt about it. If i was an away fan I would be furious and hope the ref would stop it. But to add some context our season has been petering out to a degree with mid table safety and clearly our manager has given them a rocket pointing out there are still points to play for, there was not a lack of effort on our point despite little to play for seemingly. To be honest we are doing about as well as a club our size could be expected to do, as we were on of the favorites for the drop.
I hope you go up, clearly a huge club that should not be at this level (plus dont want Peterborough to go up). I am guessing there is a big split in the fanbase over the manager, that was evident by the booing of one of the substitutions which you don't expect from a team that are fighting for the title. As a completely neutral observer Warne to me sits in the Gareth Ainsworth esque category of managers. Likeable character and personable, but with limitations at a higher level and in developing a more free flowing style, it dosnt seem like the best fit. Playing Pompey and Peterborough recently (both away so different challenges I guess) but they seemed much more composed in their style of play and just seemed to have more ways to hurt us.
Hopefully your injury woes ease up a little and all the best for the rest of the season.

I think the (narrow) pitch was quite cleverly prepared to play into their hands. It was bobbly and seemed very slow, so it was difficult for us to find weight of pass. That led us to resort to route A and that’s a leveller despite that we had more quality on the pitch

My opinion of Warne as a manager is well known and he is what he is so I’m not going to go over those talking points again. 
 
I’m sick of slating the woeful tactics so My anger yesterday is directed at the players. Can any of them come off the pitch with any sort of credit? 
 
Their goal was Sunday league defending. Bradley letting him get the cross in too easy. Cashin and Sibley breakdown in communication allowing the scorer the freedom of half of the pitch. 
 
Passing accuracy was abysmal. Even the passes that went to our players were always causing the receiver to turn back and collect it from behind them or to stretch for it. Wasted the 3 real opportunities we had with awful finishing.
 
Constant hoofed balls up rather than the composure to play it through a pretty crap league 1 press. 
 
Honestly a good chunk of the team yesterday printed their own P45s for the end of this season regardless of division. 

At the game today.
Can't help but feel that this could / will be the defining game of the season against a very poor Northampton team lacking several first choice players and on a bad run of form.
A complete no show from 1 to 16. Add the NML injury and Bradley's stupid sending off and I fear the worse.
It's the Derby way nothing ever straight forward !!