LeedsCityRam

Derby 1 Tinpot nonsense 1 FRGS Kenzo

Wor Mackems 2 Derby 0

Wasnt so long ago Leeds couldn't even get 26k at Elland Road let alone 26k season ticket waiting list!! Im always very sceptical of their claims, they're desperate to project an image of strength to non-Leeds fans when reality is their support is very fickle & they know that only too well. Remember their club shop closing in town 15 years ago due to poor sales & their top tier East Stand effectively being mothballed around that time. Derby's support by contrast held up despite dropping down 2 divisions in past 15 seasons. Meanwhile Forest talking about 50k capacity is so open to ridicule, its untrue. Our potential? We averaged 27k both seasons in League One with many half empty away ends at PP. Thats a great foundation & with the inevitable added interest a PL team would generate, I think the long mooted 44k capacity would suit us fine as a top end. I also believe our location & strong identity as Rams (not just Derby) would make us interesting to broader foreign markets & offer potential tie ins with teams with similar identities should we become a consistent Prem side (LA Rams most obvious)

Suspect its the EFL Trophy matches that have brought him level with Burley who had 2 full seasons & a couple of months at end of 2002/03 season. Certainly that was the main argument against him leaving last autumn after Stevenage/Shrewsbury games but I think the main factor in him staying was Clowes' strong belief that Warne would get it right & take us up. Being a savvy businessman, I'd be surprised if he hadn't budgeted for things going wrong though & hence a severance could probably have been funded but to the likely detriment of the playing budget and/or Academy investment. Fair to say the club is in a stronger position now though & I'd be in no rush to start new contract talks until the end of the season at least (when Warne would still have 16/17 months left in any case).

First time we've had a manager getting to his 2nd anniversary at Derby since Nigel Clough in January 2011. Yesterday's game also saw Warne enter the top 10 for most Derby games managed post-war. Probably an indictment on how short managerial careers are these days but he's also the 19th longest serving manager in the top 4 divisions. Whatever your views on Warne, it is good value for the club him getting past 50% of his contract. The manager pay outs at clubs like Stoke & Hull must be ruinous & that's even before considering the inevitable upheaval as new managers start bringing in their own backroom staff & players to suit their particular style of play.

Good day out & whilst disappointed with the result, can hardly be too down about it. Kiefer Moore/Hamer/O'Hare would absolutely walk into our team & most of Champ...we gave them a good game (particularly first half) & their winner was from a free kick that clearly wasnt a foul as their lad dived. Dreadful ref btw Thought we created little second half in response but always tried to play (Yates on throughour) & loved the fight all game esp from Ebou. We are where we are..onto Norwich up the Rams 💪🖤

Fapetu? I think he's left now, disappointing as thought he was a prospect.

Blunts 4 Derby 1 FRGS Jackson

Between Yates & Goudmijn, the technical standard of this team has increased substantially in the past few weeks. Not knowing much about Yates before he signed/having watched his highlights on Youtube, I'd assumed a mobile penalty box predator. He's far more than that & a great foil to the express pace we have out wide. Intelligent, awareness of others, great first touch & actually very unlucky not to have scored a couple already this season. My only concern with him would be in games where we are really under the pump & he gets isolated but in games where we're able to compete in midfield, he gives us a real cutting edge by meshing the attack together. Would be keen to sign him permanently if Swansea are reasonable on price.

I'm actually really enthused by it rather than depressed. To get to the top end of this division we need better quality throughout the squad & the quickest way of doing that is buying cheap & selling expensive to increase our overall budget. If both leave next summer for £10m combined (I'd hope for a lot more personally) that elevates this club to fishing in player markets that could see an outside playoff push next season - pretty exciting I reckon. The cycle then continues again buying talented young lads with good resale potential & good character. Still very early days but both Zetterstrom & Goudmijn look very good value for money with the potential to improve further. Good work by the scouting/backroom team & credit to Warne given both look so settled in the starting XI so quickly. Very important with young foreign players that they are made to feel at home very quickly & a strong, inclusive culture is key to that - something you imagine Warne is very hot on.

Derby 1 Swim Away 1 FRGS Jackson

My favourite manager since Jim Smith - I was gutted when he left. Built a fantastic side on peanuts whilst having to contend with terrible owners - did a remarkable job considering where he found us after Gregory & the football was brilliant to watch too. Wishing you all the best George 🖤🐏

It would be 1.2 PPG across the season to date rather than the period in question. With regard to consistent spells, I think if we are bottom 3 for more than a month or dip into it for a second occasion that would be grounds for getting a replacement. Yes, its true the safety bar can dip as low as 46 points but I wouldn't ncessarily see 4th bottom as 'success' for exactly the reasons @trappatoni describes. 55 points invariably sees teams slightly above bottom 6 & ftom that yield, you could deduce that we've made a decent fist of our first season back i.e. a 10 point improvement in season 2 would see us threaten the top half, which is ultimately where we want to be in the midterm. P.s. i share your concern about Academy progression but unlikely this would be a factor in Ckowes performance metrics this season because of the importance of staying up above all else & probable justification from management team that youngsters 'arent ready'. I feel next season would be the first season Clowes might be more forceful in expecting Academy minutes in the first team.

What does success look like? ANYTHING ABOVE BOTTOM 6 AND/OR 55 POINTS When is this to be judged? ON AN ONGOING BASIS FROM MID OCTOBER ONWARDS What would failure look like? CONSISTENT SPELLS IN BOTTOM 3 AND/OR CONSISTENTLY TRACKING BELOW 55 POINT MARK (1.2 POINTS PER GAME) When is this to be judged? ON AN ONGOING BASIS FROM MID OCTOBER ONWARDS In case of failure, would you change manager? YES What would you expect the new manager to achieve that could not be done via the existing? In what timescale? GET AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM 3 WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF APPOINTMENT Who would we wish to replace and at what cost? What if he is unavailable? ROWETT IF CONTINUING SHORT/MID TERM PRAGMATIC APPROACH I can't quite get my head around people only judging Warne at the end of the season when there clearly will be strong indications well before then of where the season is likely to end. To not act if we are consistently bottom 3 would be pretty reckless, this club can not sink back into League One again. For thise who havent seen previous post I made explaining 55 point target, this is the lowest points total at which no team has ever been relegated from the Championship and the amount of points Derby won on the field in that horrendous 2021/22 season.

Brilliant result! Well done Derby. Them new signings got some work to do to get in the first XI 😉 Up the Rams 🖤💪 P.s. keep this going Paul Warne...loving this 👍