BondJovi

22 minutes ago, Rammy03 said:

Well that's what lampard did, and it worked. We made it to the playoff final. 

But failure to get up left us in the crap we are in now. 4 seasons or so of chasing the dream. A last hurrah before we had to change our ways. 

2 minutes ago, Rammy03 said:

We showed fight at the start under Rooney. Where has that gone?

Well, his fight as a player here didn't last long...

29 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I wonder how much of our downturn in results has been a result of a lack in fitness. Cocu seemingly didn't put much focus on fitness, and we certainly didn't have a good pre-season as a result. This carried on unto the season.

We had a noticeable improvement when Shane Nicholson was drafted in to help with the fitness side of things, but with the congested schedule, was it too much for us? 

Just look at Knight who was buzzing from one corner of the pitch to the other after 90 minutes early on in Rooney's reign. He's looked to be running at half pace from kick-off recently. With a 2 week break between games, the players should be fresh and ready to go again - perhaps an upturn in results?

I think fitness was picked up as an issue for this season. I remember Cocu saying about the energy Leeds had and something we needed. It was always going to take time, especially with a shortened pre season.

Perhaps that raises the question of why a so called championship expert couldn't advise the manager from the start we needed to be fitter for this league!

1 minute ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Our form is bad, but those around us aren't doing too much better.

Points picked up from the last 8 games:
Sheff W - 4
Rotherham - 6
Derby - 6
Wycombe - 7
Coventry - 8
Birmingham - 10

Extrapolated over the rest of the season:
19 - Coventry - 48 pts
20 - Birmingham - 48 pts
21 - Derby - 46 pts
22 - Rotherham - 44 pts
23 - Sheff W - 37 pts
24 - Wycombe - 34 pts

Most of that hinges on Rotherham's games in hand. If they pick up some momentum, the games being close together could be a blessing. They also are the type of team that loves a fight. We don't.

I fear for us if we don't get a result against Luton. The pressure will really be on then.

The issue with Sibley highlights one the main issues I have and why I am rapidly losing interest in Derby under Rooney.

We had nearly got ourselves out of this mess and rather than try to add more creativity we went the other way. It is rubbish. We have just slammed into reverse.

Our manager pushes the need for players to be positive, be proactive. Yet, our team is picked to stop the opposition. Our subs reactive and often too late. He wants more creativity yet the few who have such skills are mere cameos. Is Sibley expected to win the game in 5 mins?

3 hours ago, James Pond said:

Try walking up the down escalator, That's what WR was dealt, He was given a Pigs ear to try and make a silk purse, This squad is head and shoulders better prepared than what PC left, I'll say it again...this division is unforgiving, We were down with the dead men once upon a time, WR has given this club a sense of belief, There's not even a thought from me that we will be in danger of going down ?

I have never felt we would go down. Since that appalling Blackburn game, we have generally been in the games, but it is all very fine margins. Most of our matches have been decided by a goal. Those fine margins and lady luck have turned more in our favour under Rooney but I never saw it continuing that way. Had Rooney picked up his wins against the teams around us, I doubt anyone would need to worry.

1 hour ago, Chris_Martin said:

Really?

Yes.

People exaggerate our performances and give no mind to the players available under Cocu and increasing speculation about his job  based around his captain.

There was a graph on here the other day that showed the biggest negative impact on the team as a player was Rooney, the two best positives Bielik and CKR. 

I am not criticising Rooney as manager and I have plenty of respect for how he has handled this difficult situation.

No one can prove it either way though. Anyway.

I don't believe we will get relegated, I never did.

46 minutes ago, Tyler Durden said:

The point being made is that we are still recovering from the abysmal start endured under Cocu which is still valid and pertinent. Given the results and performances Cocu orchestrated it could be one reasonable assertion to assume that he was trying to get us relegated.

Without checking other posters facts it's been progressed on here a couple of weeks ago that if the season had started when Rooney was introduced as manager then we would be 6th in the table which hopefully answers your second point. 

I think if we had started the season without Rooney as a player and Bielik fit and CKR. We would be absolutely fine with Cocu. 

Sure we were poor in games, but equally we dropped points in very tight games. 

6 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Just watched it several times. Very poor decision IMO. Martial was clearly already on his way down before any contact.

I think Martial was expecting contact so he started to go down. No contact, so he doesn't make a fuss hoping to not be booked for diving.

It is hilariously bad and appalling character to dive at 6-0.

As for the offside against Adams. Another poor decision. 

Then you look at the red for David Luiz. The ridiculous thing there is if he had gone to get tha ball and got nowhere he would have got a yellow!

My love of football is slowly eroding away and garbage like those decisions only make it worse.

1 minute ago, Ambitious said:

I've just had a conversation with a mate about this, who mentioned he should've stayed with Derby. I massively disagree, it's not a problem with Chelsea, it's a football issue. He would've absolutely been sacked as Derby manager at some point and received a much lesser pay off. He will get a new job now and inevitably get sacked from that - it happens. 

The last five seasons, between all the English league clubs, there have been: 52, 60, 67, 63 and 74 sackings. 52 being an outlier due to Covid. We can consider roughly half the clubs in the English professional leagues will sack their manager each season. I find that absolutely barmy. I used to find it intriguing, but now I just find it boring.  

I don't think money is remotely an issue for him!

I would agree with you but the Chelsea job becomes available so often, why not prove yourself first. As he hadn't proven anything and certainly has time on his side.

On 24/01/2021 at 07:45, RamNut said:

he’s the best left back since Chris Powell. 

What I find most hilarious is that someone on here genuinely described Buchanan as non league at best.

A lot of people were unsure when Cocu dropped Lowe for Buchanan at the end of last season but he has been one of our best players so far.

Hope we keep hold of him.

1 hour ago, Spanish said:

say it every season but being in a safe position with 4 or 5 games to go gives us a real chance to get prepared for the following season.  Every year we stagger across the finishing line which is great and exciting but if the opportunity arrives where we can blood a few without pressure that may work in our favour.  

I think it worked for Buchanan at the end of last season.

10 hours ago, Beetroot said:

Maybe he should have stuck his neck out a bit further and actually picked him?

Maybe. He signed on the 15th October. Wasn't in the squad the next day but was up until the Bristol game. I don't think he was match fit. I think the only realistic games he perhaps could have started were QPR or Barnsley.  He came on as a sub in all but one game.

CKR and Bielik were both binned for the first game post Cocu.

Our one striker who can do the job, I think we were right to not rush him in but we needed something different certainly for Barnsley. 

Probably also easier to pick him when you don't have to also pick Rooney!

7 hours ago, Millenniumram said:

Was just gonna say, glass houses and all that. We’ve won one game in about the last 10 in all comps, and scored just one league goal, whilst conceding four. Whilst Forest’s demise is entertaining, we’re following them every step of the way at the moment. We need to change that by getting a win tomorrow.

We at least have excuses, something called a transfer embargo and injuries to several key players.

Forest, it would take at least 15 injuries for them to remotely be close to how we started the season.

I was greatly surprised they stuck with the manager, I thought it showed they had become sensible. However, signing a whole new team...

Just to add to the VAR debacle. The premier League have confirmed that 3 big decisions in games last night VAR officials got wrong.... Having seen the Man Utd penalty and the push on Kane non penalty, you do wonder what the heck they are watching.

Can't blame the rules for that!

9 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

Did I understand right - that VAR was used to say whether it was in or out of the area and they didn't look at the fact that it wasn't even a ducking foul?

When you consider that they are happy to spend over 5 mins deciding if someone is 1mm offside. They "checked" that penalty in no time. Awful.

1 hour ago, Srg said:

I'll give it to them, it's predictable and it is working. But i've now watched Forest 10-15 times this season and haven't been impressed for more than about 45mins of it.

Same here. Most matches they seem second best, yet they continue to be clinical. Not much entertainment going.

My Forest fan wife, whilst enjoying it,  fears playing that way if they get promoted.

On 05/02/2020 at 18:54, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

It’s a brilliant show. Seriously underrated.

My favourite that I watched was the two magicians/ entertainers for one last hurrah. I had never seen the show before but it got all the emotions. Greatly enjoy the ref one.

Had a load of emails saying someone has tried to log into my steam account. Not that I use it anymore, but having seen all the above I may change that password!

I honestly thought this was too soon for such a big job but well done Frank. Got some talented youngsters along side some seasoned pros. Perfect for what he wants to do.

One thing that annoys me greatly about Pro 19 is online co-op. All me and my mate ever play against is bloody My Club teams, we always pick Arsenal as that is his team but it is pointless when you have to face a team of overrated superstars but you can't casually not face them. The stupid thing is that the My Club Messi was rated at over 100, when we picked Barcelona to try he was only 94 or something. Impossible. Much better game offline.

In general, games today are designed for online and left unfinished to steal your cash. Those that are single player tend to be huge. I love Red Dead 2 but it is simply too big for the amount of time I can put into it. My favourite recent games have been the Uncharted series, easy to drop in and out.  I have the same issue in finishing games and when I go back to them, I have no idea what to do. Very difficult these days to load up a game and dive straight into action without having to travel miles in game to get there.

3 hours ago, Ewe Ram said:

People who post on ‘Spotted’ sites on Facebook. I have it on my feed for work reasons really but the absolute cretins who always have to post a ‘funny’ response really annoy me. Then there’s those who think they are the voice of reason who jump to the defence of everyone accused of wrongdoing by saying ‘you don’t know if they’ve had a poor upbringing/mental illness/bad day ?

The modern world, always an excuse for something. Responsibility going, if not gone.

Anyway...

6 hours ago, Alpha said:

Don't worry, EA has been taking advantage for years too. 

Call Of Duty Black Ops Warfare Starter Pack Ultimate Zombie team unlock DLC.

I love it how we buy half a game now and then the rest of it in paid instalments. 

David could do a similar thing. You could unlock different fonts and more smilies. 

And we still pay a hefty price for an unfinished game. Just making mugs of us all and we lap it up.

Maybe call em Kitbags. A bit of cash his way and ol David will grant you entry to one of his many bags of tricks.

9 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Yeah, that's how the whole thing started

Where do we go from here?

7 minutes ago, Alpha said:

I thought you weren't allowed near schools since the conviction? 

Shhhhh. That is our little secret.