Lac291884

Derby 2-1 Oxford

FRGS Bird

Accrington 2-2 Derby

FRGS Barkhuizen 

Derby 2-1 Port Vale

FRGS Knight

Cambridge 0 - 1 Derby

FRGS - Collins

Weirdly got a good feeling about the game today, but the hope could fade when I see the team in half an hour. Hopefully Knight will be in midfield, I'd go with:
 

                       Wildsmith
Oduroh     Davies    Cashin     Forsyth

 NML         Knight      Bird        Barkhuizen
        
             McGoldrick    Collins    

Derby 1-0 Wycombe

RGS Collins

Wildsmith - 6 (Not a fault for goals, but below average distribution)

Knight - 4 (His worst game this season, gave away penalty, struggled against Diamond, needs to be in midfield)

Roberts - 4.5 (Poor, prefer Forsyth in that position)

Cashin - 6 (Did ok after his poor mistake last week)

Davies - 5 (Just coming back from injury but didn't look his best)

Dobbin - 4 (Gave the ball away far too much and made errors in good positions)

McGoldrick - 5 (Didn't do much when he came on)

Sibley - 6 (Thought he kept the ball reasonably well, didn't create much, brought off too early)

Hourihane - 4 (Has offered next to nothing outside set pieces too many games this season, this game being another)

Mendez-Laing - 6.5 (He troubled the defenders at times, should have stayed onside but couldn't see it too well)

Bird ? - 4.5 (Wasn't at it today, positionally wasn't good, him and Hourihane are struggling as a pair)

Collins - 5 (Not sure whether his goal was offside but good finish, other than that he rarely got involved)

Barkhuizen - 4.5 (Should have finished his chance, did nothing of note other than that)

Osula - 6 (Came off bench and looked ok, did nothing wrong)

Dreadful Performance.

The midfield 2 of Bird and Hourihane is simply not working, need to drop Hourihane and give him a reality check. Both are far too immobile, especially in League 1 where teams let us have possession and put pressure on until we make a mistake. Should have got a RB in the window so we can slot Knight back into the midfield. Even though it's yet to be seen if he is ready, we should give Oduroh a go at RB.

Dobbin I thought was poor, lost the ball too often and didn't create anything up top. I thought Sibley was playing ok so I don't know why he was brought off so early and players like Hourihane stayed on the pitch. 

We seem so easy to play against and Rosenior needs to sort it out fast. Teams let us have the ball and take advantage of errors we make whilst we hardly create anything to make up for the possession. It almost seems more advantageous for our opposition just to give us the ball in our half and wait for us to bugger it up. Lincoln were pretty much doing that, they constantly played long balls which hardly hit their man.  

7 minutes ago, jono said:

He is hugely able and influential. I have a sense that he is going to be used sparingly for impact - and he definitely makes one - is there going to be a pattern ? starting home games and finishing away games ? 
 

I also wonder if there is some injury history that we don’t know about and he is deliberately not being pushed ? 

Although he wasn't quite as effective in the Plymouth game, McGoldrick was very impressive in the cup game against West Brom. I was pleasantly surprised by his quick movement and good change of pace for a player at the later stages of his career. 

Like you said he may prefer McGoldrick to just finish away games, or he might still be managing his fitness.

Bird and Hourihane got overrun in the midfield against Plymouth as they are both not the most mobile players, prefer the ball at their feet and to dish it out. So, Sibley could be a player to bring more balance in the midfield when we are out of possession.  

 

Surprised McGoldrick's gone to the bench, happy Sibley is getting a start though.

Lincoln 1 - 1 Derby 

RGS - Knight

Derby 3-0 Plymouth
FRGS McGoldrick

Wildsmith - 5

Knight - 8

Forsyth - 7

Roberts - 5

Korey Smith - 6

 Cashin - 7

Stearman - 7

Dobbin - 7

McGoldrick - 8

Sibley - 6

Hourihane - 6

Bird ? - 6

Collins - 5

Barkhuizen - 5

Wildsmith 7
Oduroh 7 
Rooney 8
Forsyth 7
Roberts 7
Smith 7
Knight 8
Thompson 6
Sibley 8
Dobbin 8
McGoldrick 8

Subs:
Bird 6
Hourihane 7
Collins 6
Barkhuizen 6

Need a goal before half time, all I can think of is that Charlton game

Fleetwood 0-2 Derby
FRGS Barkhuizen 

4 hours ago, Coconut's Beard said:

18 times in 454 career appearances according to transfermarkt

It's not like he's ever had a consist run of playing there though:

2012/13 - 1
2013/14 - 5 (no consecutive games)
2016/17 - 5 (4 games in a row)
2017/18 - 6 (2x 2 games in a row)
2021/22 - 1 (plus 2 appearances at LB)

He's still worth a shot in that position imo. Knight is doing a decent enough job at RB but he's too good a player to be played out of his natural position. This all says how much we need a RB before the window ends

I'd go for:

                             Wildsmith
Smith       Stearman          Cashin         Forsyth
                                  Bird
                Knight                 Hourihane
Barkhuizen                                      Mendez-Laing    

                               Collins

Knight needs to be played in the midfield 3, he's wasted at RB. I don't think Oduroh is ready yet so could see how Smith plays at RB because I think he's played there in the past. Forsyth can bring some extra height at the back and is a better crosser of the ball than  Roberts. Sibley, McGoldrick and Dobbin can all come off the bench and make an impact. 

Shrewsbury 0-2 Derby
FRGS Collins

Derby 2-0 Barnsley

FRGS Mendez-Laing

Charlton 1-1 Derby 
FRGS Collins

Derby 2-1 Oxford 
Collins FRGS