Jourdan

Good farewell win for Warne.

He has laid the foundations. He can walk away with his head held high and leaving us in a position of strength.

John Eustace can come in and take us to another level.

I see it now.

On 22/10/2023 at 22:22, Jourdan said:

Derby 3-0 Exeter

Waghorn FRGS

Edited

6 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

you keep saying that, but what actual evidence do you have? go on, just a tiny shred...

What actual evidence do you have that it won’t get better? Neither of us can dip into the future and see.

When you look at how we started the season, we lost two of our first three league games. Since then, we have won four and lost two in nine. We’re recovering, albeit slowly.

Saturday was our first loss in any competition since the beginning of September. The way some are carrying on, you would think we’d lost 10 in 12.

Our current form simply suggests that we’re recovering from a poor start, but that recovery is not yet complete for several reasons - injuries, inconsistencies amongst players, some poor decisions by the manager, a lack of cohesion, a lack of luck in some cases. Obviously we haven’t clicked as quickly as many would have liked, surely including Warne himself.

We can all see performances haven’t been good enough in the main, but it’s a long season and you don’t have to be the finished article in October, November or even January. I would be worried if we were in this position in April and time was running out.

As it is, we have 34 games to play and there is so much life left in the season. There’s no need for so much catastrophic thinking, especially when a team can click very suddenly and often in spite of any evidence pointing to it, and then they look a completely different prospect playing with confidence and belief and riding momentum.

Derby 3-0 Exeter

Collins FRGS

1 hour ago, Millenniumram said:

We found him ladies and gentlemen. The one remaining pro Warne Derby fan.

Does this mean you are David Clowes himself?

Warne will come good. Wait and see.

The scenes in May next year will be glorious. Warne leads us to promotion and Waghorn and the lads are on the Wembley turf in front of the Sky cameras belting out ‘Paul Warne, your football is s***’.

I’m looking forward to it more than my honeymoon in Antigua.

Personally I’m still in the pro-Warne camp.

We will win 3-0 on Tuesday and the fans will be singing Warne’s name for the right reasons again.

7 hours ago, nottingram said:

The key is to find these forwards before they become £1m players. It’s not easy obviously but that is what people are paid good money to do. I don’t think the question is how much would Colby Bishop, Devante Cole or Dion Charles cost now, but rather how much did Bishop and Charles cost Accrington, and Cole cost Barnsley.

It’s not an exact science, I’m sure Accrington have had some duds alongside those two but if they can find these hidden gems, so can we. Incidentally Bishop was at Derby til he was 15 and released. Probably the best all round 9 at this level now. 

If the manager or recruitment team are simply looking at last seasons top scorer list to inform their targets then we will never ever get good value for money again. We have to be smarter.

I don’t disagree, but you also have to weigh up time and expectation.

Warne has been here for 12 months. Mark Thomas has been here for less than 6 months. It will take time for them to get our recruitment department in order.

We are the biggest club in the division and have the expectations to match and perhaps also a difficult bargaining position.

If we are going to see ‘smarter’ signings, surely this will also take time and perhaps too require an adjustment in expectations.

If we are going to unearth players, there has to be an appreciation of what that entails.

Our fans are used to having players who are proven and can hit the ground running. Would the fans have the patience for a different approach, or would they think ‘doing an Accrington’ is settling for life at this level?

10 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

I find these sorts of comments baffling. Warne picks the team. We can all see Collins is a terrible finisher and also that Warne needs to set up differently to make us more threatening. For me, it's absolutely Warne's fault that he's relying on Collins to take chances, without having us playing in a more dangerous way that creates better chances, and for better finishers.

Forwards are expensive to acquire. Who could we have signed realistically that would have come here and we could have afforded given our financial limitations?

Nombe cost £800k - £1 million, for instance. How much would other high performing forwards at this level like Devante Cole or Colby Bishop have cost? Probably similar or more.

We have Waghorn and Collins in the top 10 of scorers in the league at the moment. Take their goals away and we are likely to be 10 points worse off.

I don’t think they are the problem at the moment unless you are expecting them to score a goal a game, which would beg the question of whether that is realistic.

The problem we have is that outside of those two, our goalscoring threat is very minimal in other areas. Washington won’t get the game time. Ward, Barkhuizen, Sibley, Wilson and Mendez Laing are not going to score on the kind of regular basis we need. Hourihane chips in with goals but hinders the side in other ways.

Realistically the best time for us to improve our attack is when we can go out and spend reasonably high fees, so not imminently.

12 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Hourihane stated at the Fan Forum something along the lines of "adapt to what the manager wants or you're put of thr team".

It's reasonably possible that the players are too scared to actually pass to each other to retain the ball for extended periods of play. They may not want to risk being dropped for not getting the ball forward quick enough.

Too scared to pass to each other? Who are they playing for? Mike Tyson?

Every manager sets his team out with instructions and an intended style of play, but ultimately these players cross the white line and make their own decisions and do what they can. Warne doesn’t have a joystick which can ensure Waghorn heads it in or Collins buries it.

Do you really think Warne would drop a player if he is contributing to good results?

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

Lol. This is their level? That you Paul?

The back four and keeper are easily Championship standard. The midfield too. We're a bit iffy up front in the striker department. But this squad has the ability to play well in the Championship, but most of them won't be there with Warne that is true.

A squad with ‘the ability to play well in the Championship’ would not be this inconsistent and frustrating in League 1.

Players with ‘the ability to play well in the Championship’ would not have given a League One club a second glance.

If this group of players are genuinely above this level, surely they would put it all together more often, even in spite of the manager?

If we have players above this level, which the evidence suggests is not the case, then they are doing a fairly poor job of showing it and that can’t all be down to the manager.

25 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

You must be talking about warne and his coaches because most of those players are capable of holding their own in the championship 

So why are they here?

15 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

ok fine, training facilities, stadium, pitch, fanbase are all premier league quality. 

Remind me when an infinity pool stroked it in from 10 yards?

Good facilities don’t always equate to having a good team.

5 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

You've backed the wrong horse. We won at Blackpool so no-one was allowed to say how poor we were first half, and how we did well on the break 2nd half but didn't dominate or play that well really.

Sorry, but did you read the match thread for Carlisle away?

People didn’t care that we won. They were ripping the performance to shreds.

If people thought we played poorly v Blackpool, no doubt there would have been a willingness to say so.

People were happy because we created chances and scored three goals and that could have been more.

Expecting this group of players to deliver that game after game after game is overestimating their ability.

The attack are going to have days where they miss chances. The defence are going to have days where they switch off and concede sloppy goals.

This is their level. We have to take the rough with the smooth.

We’ll be absolutely fine.

People were falling all over themselves after Blackpool away, but suddenly that’s ancient history?

By the end of October, I expect we’ll be in the top six, progressing well in the EFL Trophy, and in the middle of a solid unbeaten run. Is that a crisis after 15 games?

The amateur dramatics on here are something else.

Classic Derby really.

A big win v Blackpool but fluffing two regulation wins v Cambridge and Cheltenham.

I don’t think you can fault the manager. We have created enough chances to win all three games with a bit more composure.

Clearly we are still a work in progress and clearly when we are on it, we are still very capable of finishing in the play-offs.

Portsmouth and Oxford have set an incredible pace, but there are still 35 games to go. All we can do at the moment is position ourselves to take advantage if they slow down.

Cheltenham 1-2 Derby

Collins FRGS

2 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

How have we been doing so far then? Why do you think it'll get better rather than worse with these players - how do you think they feel?

We definitely need to improve, but is it usual for us to be playing our best football in October? In my lifetime I don’t ever recall us being strong starters.

Last season, we didn’t really click until November, for instance. Perhaps we don’t want to peak too soon? Ipswich were really solid then caught fire in February/March and there was no looking back.

We are missing the options of Thompson, Hourihane, Rooney, Elder, Ward and John Jules. Bird, Sibley, Wilson and Barkhuizen are all working their way back to full fitness. That is bound to have an impact, isn’t it? Having question marks over ten players in what is a small squad can’t be easy, can it?

I think we will be better when more of the squad are fit and the team begins to gel and settle. For one, having the ability to change things up and not play players until they have nothing left to give will be a great boost.

29 minutes ago, DCFC Kicks said:

Warne has made a mess of the transfer window. Despite almost all our existing players not being suited to it, he committed to changing the formation of the team to a 3-5-2, and signed players for this. Now he's gone back to a back-four and we're playing relatively better. 

Two of his signings were RWBs who are now going to have to play out of position at either RB or RM if they get into the team. He's now signed Nyambe because we didn't have an orthodox RB. What a waste of resources that could have been used elsewhere.

He seemed to put most of his efforts during the transfer window into signing strikers because he needed two for his 3-5-2 formation. Despite acknowledging there was a lack of strikers on the market at the time. He ended up signing three strikers and it looks like we're only playing with one at the moment, as Waghorn looks like he's playing at CAM. 

Imagine if he'd just built on last seasons 4-2-3-1 and signed some decent wingers, a CAM, and a striker.

It’s only October, yet you have written off eleven signings?

Can players only play in one system? Why does 4 at the back necessarily affect how successful the signings can be?

Nelson, Nyambe and Fornah are playing well and look like our standout players at the moment. Waghorn and Washington have chipped in with some goals here and there and contributed to some wins.

Wilson was brought in to add depth and competition for places and he has looked lively in his cameos. Vickers as we know is only likely to deputise for Wildsmith. What more could he have done so far?

That’s at least five or six who have made a reasonable start to life in a Derby shirt.

Ward is a natural winger who can play RB or RWB if needed. When fit, there will be a place for him unless NML or Barkhuizen really motor but as we know they are both inconsistent. Elder will return from injury too and push Forsyth for his place. Hopefully John Jules will do the same and push Waghorn and Collins, but if not he’ll be gone in January.

The only signing who really looks to have missed the mark so far is Bradley. I think he could be waiting a good while to get back in the side and he looks a long way from living up to his billing.

A sad day for the club, the city, and football as a whole.

Thoughts go out to his family and everyone associated.

It was obviously before my time (and my Dad’s too) but I am sure such a passing is felt keenly by every fan young and old.

Watching clips of that 74-76 team with Hector, George and Lee is so enchanting. The kind of which can inspire a whole generation of fans to dream and dream some more.

Hopefully the boys can put in a fantastic performance and get a win tomorrow as a fitting tribute.

🐏

Blackpool 1-1 Derby

Waghorn FRGS

4 hours ago, Barney1991 said:

Oxford were nearly relegated last season on the last day. Have recruited really well and are now flying. (No coincidence since the recruitment guy left for us) 

Portsmouth kept there core squad together and recruited frees and loans and are flying.

exeter the same and Lincoln. All were behind us last season. Smaller budgets surely but have got managers in with an identity on how they want to play and have recruited exceptionally well. Is on the other hand look like we’ve just launched bodies in with no plan and have shaped a squad that should have improved considering the manager has had a whole summer and most of last season and have somehow gone backwards. I don’t know what the game plan is and thus far teams have worked it out. On Saturday Cambridge knew exactly what we tried to do

Oxford and Lincoln both have good recent records in League 1, with a few exceptions. Portsmouth are amongst the biggest clubs at this level and have finished in the top 10 year on year since 2017. 

They are all teams who aren’t immediate favourites but know that they are one good window or the right appointment away from everything clicking and being competitive at the right end of the table. If Bolton, Barnsley, Peterborough and ourselves don’t click, there is a window of opportunity for those teams.

The only surprises so far are Exeter and Stevenage. Exeter have lost eight or more important first team players and it has actually galvanised them. Stevenage just seem to have carried the momentum from their promotion season into this one and they seemingly have also benefited from some favourable fixtures.

Bear in mind though, the pressure of being at Stevenage or Exeter is a long way away from what it is here. Often it’s easier to play and flourish without pressure and go under the radar.

Also bear in mind, we are only 9-10 games in. We could overtake each and every one of those teams as the season progresses. The concern would be if we are behind these teams with 7 games to play, not 37.

1 hour ago, nottingram said:

Can you specifically point out what exactly you think will improve and how it will happen?

Yes.

I think we have a stable and settled back four now, so we should improve defensively and make fewer errors. Already we can see that with three clean sheets in a row.

I think we will play better football through midfield when Bird returns and can be paired with Fornah. Hourihane and Thompson returning will bring us added variety and flexibility and the option to go to a 4-3-3.

I think we will be more effective out wide and in forward areas when Ward returns. He is a good threat with his crossing. It will also take the burden away from NML to play every game and play far longer than he is. Similarly with John Jules.

20 hours ago, Brailsford Ram said:

If you have no appreciation of what Nigel Clough (2009-13) did for this club, I can only say that you would fall into the category of supporters who his father referred to as 'blind idiots' when he managed our club. If you think that what you are watching under Paul Warne at the moment is acceptable, I can assure you that Brian Clough would have called you 'a blind idiot' again.

Having said this, I hope and trust that you enjoy good vision. If not I am sorry and fully sympathetic to your problem.

I have never said it is acceptable. I have said we are a work in progress and things will improve given some time and with some fine tuning.

You have an affinity for Nigel Clough. Did people expect him to have everything figured out in 08-09 or 09-10? The frustrations only really started to kick in the following season when we slumped from 4th to 19th and lost to Crawley in the FA Cup.

Warne has only just had his first proper transfer window and his first proper attempt at bringing in his own players. He has had 11 competitive games with his own group, a group which has also been heavily hit by injuries.

We have won 5 and lost 4 and we are still very much in touching distance of the top 6.

If we win the next two v Blackpool and Cheltenham, we are right back in the pack of top 6 contenders alongside Bolton, Barnsley and Peterborough where you would expect us to be.

Is it really appalling? For someone who has watched us for 50 plus years, it is a strong statement to make.

18 hours ago, Leeds Ram said:

2 wins from 13 at home. You've yet to even begin to explain that but of course that would ruin you're theory about Warne needing 'time' when he's already had more than a season

Between December and the end of February, we won 7 out of 9 home games, a run of games where we played our best and most clinical football. We were almost faultless. Was that really going to last?

Towards the end of the season, we won one and drew three of our final six home games. The only performance and result that was really genuinely poor and irredeemable was v Fleetwood. 

With Shrewsbury and MK Dons, we pressed self destruct and threw away four points after being in control. With Portsmouth, we came out flying but couldn’t capitalise and ended up having to battle back for a draw. Even against Ipswich, the game hinged on Cashin’s disallowed goal which could have turned the game in our favour after Ipswich had been in control. Those results could have been much different.

Did we deserve just one win in 6? I am not convinced and when you think about it, if things had been slightly different that’s an extra six or seven points that would put a completely different spin on the end of the season. So again, what’s appalling there?

This season, we have won 1 in 5. The way you are carrying on you would think we have lost four in five and been completely outclassed each and every time. The Wigan game could have been a draw if we hadn’t made such critical mistakes. The two draws could have been wins had we taken our chances v Cambridge and kept our heads in the dying seconds v Portsmouth. Would it look so ‘appalling’ if we had three wins and a draw from five?

2 wins in X amount of games it might be, but you can use stats in isolation to paint whatever picture you wish.

14 minutes ago, Brailsford Ram said:

Look at our league record since February. It's appalling. Have you been hibernating? It's time you woke up.

Hibernating? No, though I wish I had been through the majority of 2009-2013.

We finished 7th by a single point. We are 12th after nine games, not 39.

Appalling? Why do people use such powerful language to describe the performance of a club that were moments from extinction less than 18 months ago and is still clearly going through a recovery period?

What’s appalling is the lack of patience and perspective from some of the fanbase.