Matchday Fred

 Never understood the emotional pull of wanting to re-sign ex players, particularly when those players weren’t good enough in the first place. An ageing squad cost us last season with legs gone after 60 mins in many games, and the wheels falling off after the Fleetwood game. We need to be looking for the next upcoming players,  not relying on overpaid journeymen. For me it is no to Waghorn and Rhodes. 

Need a central midfield enforcer, high energy, tough tackling no-nonsense Savage type. Plus at least 2 strikers one of whom is a physical handful, and ideally a pacy winger. I see two or three loans and maybe one or two more signings. Ultimately the goals scored column gets you promoted and we need to cut out the nils, we must be looking to force that ball over the line at least once every game, and then look to score again as Ipswich and Plymouth did every week, home and away, all season long.

Watched the playoff final. There was very little quality, buts lots of energy, physicality and aggression. Both sides put a premium on being hard to beat, giving nought away. I could see how they finished in the top six., probably scoring a decent amount of goals from set pieces, managing the ref well, particular Wendies at home. Peterborough we’re the only side to play football in the playoffs but still had physicality where it mattered and we’re ultimately done by a Homer ref who can’t count down 6 mins of Fergie time.

That is what Derby has lacked for years, we’re always the 5’6” medium paced gang who can reportedly caress the ball, if only the likes of Fleetwood would let us. I could have cried when we signed Harvey White to sit in middle with those hairy arsed bruisers Hourihane and Bird. We certainly need more physicality, more pace and height, a set piece and ball over the top threat. And the ability to run box to box for 90 mins. We want other teams to look at our guys and think I don’t fancy this today. Fleetwood came to our place, saw our team of midgets and clearly thought I fancy this today. That was the beginning of the end of our season.

Easy to say, hard to do under the challenging circumstances of the last few years, especially marrying the energy with the quality needed to put the ball in the net. Be interesting to see what Warne can do now with some shackles off. Hope we can keep Didz, suspect he’s hanging out to see what the best offer will be, and that will not be in League 2. 
 

2 hours ago, caymanram said:

Fact is what we got want we deserved. This side should be more than good enough to get out of League 1. Right up until last week we had the chance to secure top 6.

Can’t agree more. In our hands, one point from the last 2 games. The players didn’t want it enough. Move on.

Number of League games in last season where no goals scored …

Ipswich 4

Sheff Weds 5

Derby County 13

At least next season dull folks will no longer be able say ‘at least we still have a club, we only had 5 players at the start of the season blah buckin blah …’

The season was a mirror of most games within it. We looked good for the first two thirds, and coughed it up in the final third. Entirely predictable with too many tired legs, not enough athleticism or pace. The home game against Fleetwood was the big killer. Why Warne changed the formation and line up after that 19 game unbeaten run I will never know. A return to Bird and Hourihane in the middle which doesn’t work, Knight on the wing, Forsyth on the right of a three man defence, Smith and Barks dropped. All very strange.

Ultimately we couldn’t find the goals when we needed them. Next season won’t be any easier with the embargo still in place.

Odd set up by Warne with Forsyth on the right of a 3 man defence. Not learned the lesson of having Bird and Hourihane in midfield, need Knight in there with Smith and Barks on the pitch.

Warne must be thinking of subs. My advice is don’t let your indecision take you from behind, trust your inner vision, don’t let others change your mind. Will he bring on Bucks Fozz ?

Too many unnecessary changes in the starting line up today. If Didz and Knight are fit you play them every time. And you play two of Dobbin, Barks and NML. Not sure why Roberts doesn’t get more games. This is not the time of season to pick Springett and Davies just to give them a game. If anyone needs resting it’s Hourihane. Warne messed up today.

Shame to see the season starting to drift away but not a surprise with a squad of over 30s and under 22s. It’s a long season and at some point it would bite our squad, not being able to strengthen in Jan due to restrictions not helping. I did say at the time that, neat as he may be, White is too lightweight especially considering we already have Hourihane and Bird who are equally good on the ball but no good in a physical battle. Plymouth are up there (and others like Barnsley) not because of silky skills, but at times pure brute force with players with physique who will wear our midfield down eventually, running hard for 90 mins. Plymouth has a track record of winning games in the second half, we are now seeing the opposite.

Please no more ‘nice, neat’ players like White and Hourihane. When we are next allowed a recruitment policy it has to deal with the physical aspects. We are desperate for a lower league hairy arsed midfield enforcer (is Roy Kent available ?)

Not confirmed yet, but just heard from step brothers girlfriends mate that Chris Kirchner’s money has literally just arrived …..

Springett could be the man to unlock the oppositions offside trap ?

The window slams shut. Overall underwhelming but actually pretty much as expected given the availability of players and the EFL restrictions. Onwards and upwards …

He’s played in multiple positions. We need more Orks but at 5’5’’ and only 60 kg White is a hobbit.

We need everyone we can get, but we already have Collins as a false 9. Was hoping for some hairy arsed, aggressive, hard running box to box player as we already have too many nice boys who can pass a ball but can’t run fast or far enough. But with all the restrictions we’re are prolly years from attracting that type of player. We do however need more Knights and less Birds.

Same position as Springett ? Seems unlikely …

Whilst epitomising at the same time, quite remarkable ….

Beat the only club in the league with a name that doesn’t reference a real place. Not bad, worth more than 3 pts ….

Studger was like Dobbin is now before he went out on loan to Torquay. Came back a world beater with confidence high. It will come for Dobbin too.

Duane Dobbin turns into Diego Dobbin in the space of 2 mins ⚽️

That particular wardrobe must be ready for the Antiques Roadshow ?

I’d be doing everything to keep hold of Curtis. After 164 games and the level of performance, he deserves that as long as he understands that with all the restrictions on the club it doesn’t make sense to offer more than a one year extension. Jags still going at 40 !

I’m hoping Curtis isn’t done yet. He was fabulous next to Jags last season.

No thanks Hugill. Another lump with one gear, no better than Collins, with a huge hill (or Hugill) to climb just to recover some semblance of fitness.