bcnram

31Vickers  7
2Wilson  7
35Nelson  8
6Cashin  5
20Elder  6
7Barkhuizen  5
16Thompson  6
8Bird  6
4Hourihane  6
11Méndez-Laing  7
17Sibley  6
19John-Jules  6
9Collins  5

Blimey Eddie - you seem to be comparing our team with some untrained Second World War heroes who took on the Nazi's with a spade and a fork.
I accept the team are gutsy and of great character. Management too. However, when you describe them as a bunch of shoestring-budget journeymen and kids you lose me.  We are in League 1, which consists almost entirely of shoestring-budget journeymen and kids.  In my opinion our bunch (squad) of shoestring-budget journeymen and kids are the strongest in the league. I can't personally think of another squad I would swap with. Peterboro or Bolton perhaps, but I really doubt it.
I said at the start of the season that with our squad, in what is a weak league, we should and must finish top two. I also said that in spite of Warne we should achieve it. I still think we will, but I really can't say the team has improved much in terms of playing controlled football this season.  I opt to watch less these days, and my last 3 watches have been Stevenage, Peterborough and Burton. In none of those games have we shown any decent game management. We just seem so open at times in a desire to go toe to toe. It'll probably work if we pick up a couple of decent players this window, but will we get them? Of the 12(?) players we bought in the summer how many have been useful, and improved the team and its footballing quality. Nelson, Nyambe and perhaps Wilson. 
Overall I am happy we have another 3 points, and I can't wait for promotion, which I will celebrate like everyone. But lets not think we are achieving results as some plucky underdog. We are better than that, and Warne needs to cut out the mistakes he is making - see @Caerphilly Ram's viewpoint on his weaknesses above. He should also ensure he buys/prioritises a good midfielder to support Bird and Hourihane.

Walk along Tissington trail near Parsley Hay. Completely litter free apart from every few yards little black or green bags of Doggy poo. On return walk of about a mile and half I counted 18. Who do they think is going to collect it all. Getting dog owners a bad name.

I would like to think that the coaching and scouting departments attach some 'what if' to their planned tactics. In that, we will play this formation and team because we believe we will win, but 'what if' it doesn't work either because of player form or because the opposition have changed how they normally play, what do we do then? Last night I saw changes but nothing particularly impactful. All I saw was not for the first time this season, Derby being out-footballed (the stuff where you pass to your own teammates) by a supposedly inferior team.
Maybe the players didn't attach any importance to the game (I didn't), and if it had been a league game things may have been different.

I’ve corrected it for you the bold is warne signings.
 
the bold italic and underlined is Craig Forsyth signings 

Just got home. That was fun. Absolutely freezing, terrible game and had my ears bombarded all night by a large number of young people who both a: seemed extraordinarily giddy about being outside and watching a football match b: seemed to know absolutely nothing about the game they were watching and c - seemed only able to shout incoherent drivel where one out of every three words was an obscenity (not that I’m prudish about swearing, you understand… I couldn’t give a f… it was the inane nature of it that was far more troubling. Just shouting for shouting’s sake - and not in a ‘there to support the team’ sort of way, just shouting. One young person seemed to be trying to impress his girlfriend but only succeeded in making himself look silly; sadly I doubt he had the personal insight to recognise this).
I might not have noticed this too much if the football had been in any way engaging but it wasn’t and so I can only reflect on the state of our young people and consider whether I was similarly stupid when I was their age.  I can only surmise that I probably was and that makes me sad.  It also makes me realise that I’m probably closer to death than I am to their age. Which also makes me sad. 
So, yeah, thanks Paul and Co. I’ve probably got pneumonia, have become a grumpy old man shaking my fists at the youth of today and am pondering my own mortality… all because you couldn’t string two passes together against Bradford f’ing City. 

31Vickers 6
35Nelson 7
5Bradley 7
6Cashin 7
2Wilson 7
8Bird 8
4Hourihane 7
22Fornah 6
3Forsyth 6
20Elder 6
19John-Jules 6
7Barkhuizen 7
11Méndez-Laing 7
9Collins 7
16Thompson 7

It’s a horrendous formation just 4-4-2 please 

I doubt there a many fans who actually know or really care who Steve Bloomer is.
Had it not been for the song, I wouldn't have heard of him and even now, the only thing I know is that he's a former payer who did quite well and who died around 100 years ago.
I have never quite got the song, and as walk on music or music to work the crowd up; it's something of an embarrassment.
 
Having said that, I find the stupid bounce an embarrassment. When I go to a game, I like to sit and watch and enjoy. I don't need the hassle or pressure of having to sing a song with my daughter containing expletives and then bouncing up and down like some deranged zombie.
I find the stupid 'This is Derby' poem they play a major embarrassment. The words are actually cringeworthy.
I was watching Forest v Man Utd the other day and I was thinking just how much 'Mull of Kintyre' is working for them down the road. So much better than what we have. 
 
 

So everyone clapping, lots singing, with a finale of a loud “Derby!” isn’t building the atmosphere just seconds from kick off?
How would listening to music get the crowd engaging en mass anymore than this does?
 
Unless it’s less noise you want while you check your bets online? 😂
 

I must admit, I never met the guy, never saw him play, and have never knowingly met any of his descendants.  We do however share the same birthday... which is nice!
Anyway, the following comments relate to the aforementioned... and titular... Mr Steve Bloomer...
 
He played 525 times for Derby...  And scored a clear record 332 goals for The Rams.
After Jimmy Greaves, he is the second-highest all-time goalscorer in the top-flight of English football. 
While at Derby he was top scorer in the First Division on five occasions in 1896, 1897, 1899, 1901 and 1904. In 1896, together with John Campbell of Aston Villa. He was also the leading "Rams" scorer for 14 consecutive seasons and scored 17 hat-tricks in the league. One of his best seasons came in 1896–97 when he scored 31 goals, including five hat-tricks, in 33 League and FA Cup games. Between 14 November 1896 and 5 April 1897 he scored 21 goals in 20 games. He also scored six goals for the club in a game against Sheffield Wednesday in January 1899.
He helped Derby to win the Second Division title in 1911–12, and to finish second in the First Division in 1895–96; he also played on the losing side in four FA Cup semi-finals and three FA Cup finals (1898, 1899 and 1903).
After four years at Middlesbrough he returned to the Rams in 1910 and helped them win the Second Division title in 1912. 
He missed seven games of the 1893–94 season after Leicester Fosse half-back Peggy Lord broke his collarbone on 10 February. Bloomer recovered and claimed 19 goals from 27 appearances during the campaign.
Bloomer's goals helped Derby finish runners-up in the First Division in 1896 and helped them reach three FA Cup finals in 1898, 1899 and 1903. He scored in the 1898 final, a 3–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. On 3 September 1900 Bloomer scored the first-ever goal at The Hawthorns, the 1–1 draw against West Bromwich Albion being the first match played at the ground.
He also had two spells as Rams Manager.
He also scored 28 goals in 23 appearances for England...
Bloomer made his England debut on 9 March 1895, scoring twice in a 9–0 win against Ireland, which helped England win the British Home Championship.
He scored in all of his first 10 international appearances, which remains a record for number of consecutive scoring appearances. He netted 19 times during these games, including 5 goals against Wales on 16 March 1896, winning three British Home Championships.
He became England's all-time top goalscorer on 2 April 1898, when he surpassed Tinsley Lindley's total of 14 with two goals against Scotland. On 18 March 1901, he scored four goals against Wales, becoming the first player to score two hat-tricks for England and also the first to score four goals for England twice, as England once again won the British Home Championship.
At the end of 1901, his goal tally stood at 25 in just 14 games.
He captained England once; against Scotland on 3 May 1902.
He finished his international career in 1907 as England's longest serving player and England's all-time top goalscorer with 28 goals. He held the record until his tally was overhauled by Vivian Woodward in 1911.
A plaque commemorating Bloomer's by-then demolished birthplace in Bridge Street, Cradley, was unveiled in 2000 by former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Derby player Jimmy Dunn and Bloomer's grandson Steve Richards.[53]
On 17 January 2009, after a long and sustained period of campaigning, a bust of Bloomer was finally unveiled inside Pride Park, Derby. Bloomer's two grandsons, Steve Richards and Alan Quantrill, unveiled the bust in the presence of Bloomer's family and relations, the sculptor Andy Edwards and thousands of Derby County fans. On 17 January 2009, a bust of Bloomer was unveiled next to the home dugout at Pride Park Stadium.
He remains a legend at Derby County
He also had to put up with quite a bit of s*** in Germany, during The Great War... including being interned at Ruhleben, a civilian detention camp in the Spandau district of Berlin, in 1914.
 
In January 2024, he was described by someone on the internet, claiming to be a Derby County fan, as "some dead footballer who no one really knows".
Allow me to repeat that, to avoid any doubt... "some dead footballer who no one really knows".
The above comment was further accompanied with "who the hell is Steve Bloomer....and I really don't care if he is watching or not."
 
This is the one time I am genuinely embarrassed to be in the presence of a fellow Derby County fan.
 

'That dead footballer' happens to be our record goalscorer. And I don't think it was just that remark that has aroused suspicion - you seem to hate everything about the Derby fan experience whilst making up some irrelevant nonsense about a club down the road. When they were rotting in League One, they certainly weren't booming out anything - in fact, a lot of them abandoned the club & the place was like a morgue. Their support is an embarrassment & so are your comments.

I consider that to be a harsh judgement of Sibley, as he and Thompson typically press better than any of our other mids, even if he has a tendency of giving away a high number of fouls as a result. Taking this game as an example, he made 3 tackles, interceptions and blocks (and 2 fouls), whilst Bird, Hourihane and Thompson made a combined 3 defensive actions (and 1 foul). In fact, when looking at overall defensive actions this season, Sibley is our 2nd best midfielder behind Fornah.
He's also better than everyone else for open play attacking contributions. He has more shots and key passes than any other player (Thompson and Bird are 2nd and 3rd), whilst he's only a fraction behind Thompson and Fornah for attempted dribbles. As yesterday showed, Sibley's set pieces are just as dangerous as Hourihane's.

1Wildsmith 5
24Nyambe 6
35Nelson 7
6Cashin 6
3Forsyth 5
20Elder 7
4Hourihane 5
16Thompson 7
2Wilson 7
24Ward 6
11Méndez-Laing 5
19John-Jules 6
8Bird 5
9Collins 7
7Barkhuizen 5
17Sibley 6
 
Might have been better outcome if the defence had shown more composure, and when attackin, players looked up instead of just running until they lost the ball. 

1Wildsmith  5
24Nyambe  7
17Sibley  6
35Nelson  7
6Cashin  8
3Forsyth  7
5Bradley  6
2Wilson  6
23Ward  6
8Bird  7
4Hourihane  7
7Barkhuizen  5
16Thompson  6
11Méndez-Laing  6
9Collins  6
19John-Jules 6
 

1Wildsmith 6
24Nyambe 7
35Nelson 9
6Cashin 8
3Forsyth 7
2Wilson 7
22Fornah 6
8Bird 6
4Hourihane 7
5Bradley 6
20Elder 6
7Barkhuizen 6
19Sibley 6
11Méndez-Laing 5
9Collins 6 

Wildsmith 6
23Ward 5
2Wilson 7
35Nelson 7
6Cashin 8
3Forsyth 6
4Hourihane 7
16Thompson 6
7Barkhuizen 5
20Elder 6
22Fornah 6
19Sibley 7
8Bird 7
11Méndez-Laing 6
19John-Jules 6
9Collins 7
Mr Ref 8

I tend to agree, do you have any confidence in Warne bringing in someone better? I certainly don’t based on who I have seen him bring in so far.

I think Cooper's a decent manager. I'd probably take him over Warne if I'm being honest

1Wildsmith  6
23Ward  6
35Nelson  7
6Cashin  6
3Forsyth  5
5Bradley  6
4Hourihane  6
7Barkhuizen  6
2Wilson  5
19John-Jules
8Bird  6
17Sibley  6
22Fornah  6
11Méndez-Laing  6
9Collins. 5
 
atg

I'm a reasonably diplomatic, boring, steady middle aged bloke.
I'm reasonably well educated and can write reasonably well so try to choose words on this forum that express an opinion that may be different to others, without deliberately causing offence. I certainly don't have 'poor writing' or 'poor vocabulary' as anything like an excuse if I were to cause offence.........but, without being patronising, I do understand not all so-called offensive posts are intended to be offensive.
However, it's apparent that I'm not alone in finding it tiresome that almost every single thread deteriorates into a game of point scoring, oneupmanship and, increasingly, forum archeology, in order to be unpleasant to one another.
There seems to be, in equal measure, deliberate attempts to cause offence and seek offence and it's just not great reading. I'm not in the slightest bit supportive of closing down debates or censoring differences of opinion but the number of personal spats with unpleasant language is getting beyond a joke.
I can't blame the mods because, individually, most of these posts fall below the threshold of complaint but, collectively, they make this forum so much worse than it could be.
I came to this forum for camaraderie when we nearly went under as a club - and it was a source of great comfort, information and humour.
It's got to the point where I'm considering signing off and and using the Telegraph and Radio Derby as my main non-matchday links - they have limitations but they are civil.
Any ideas what we can do?

1 Wildsmith 6
23Ward  6
7 Barkhuizen 6
35Nelson 7
6 Cashin 6
3Forsyth 6
4Hourihane 7
22Fornah 6
2Wilson 7
17Sibley 7
5Bradley 6
8Bird 6
11Méndez-Laing 8
39Brown 6
9Collins 5
19John-Jules 6
 

I hope Warne sticks with the 4 at the back because we look defensively sound. This is backed up with our current Goal difference being joint best in League one. He still tinkers in matches though, even against Orient in 72 minute bringing on Sonny Bradley and switching to a back 3. For a short period straight after the subs being on Orient had chances then against them pushing for a goal we breakaway and seal the game. Why not just bring Bradley on and rest Cashin and stick with a back 4 ? I wish Warne would bin the 3 at the back, stick with what the team are managing better defensively. Just adapt Mr Warne and don't tinker like you did last season when we fell away after having a long unbeaten run.
Then I might become a Pro-Warne fan, but for now I still have my doubts whether we have a manager that can push us onwards and upwards. COYR

That's not quite fair. Criticism was for the style of play being poor and having very inconsistent results. The results have improved dramatically, whilst the quality of play isn't quite there over a full game yet. To be honest, i'm not sure we'll fix that until weHowever, I now believe we will have enough to get us over the line at the end of the season, especially if we add a couple of the missing ingredients in January.
This is also the first time in close to 40 games where our 6 and 12 game rolling averages have been top 2 worthy. We spent close to 20 games showing only mid-table form! We need to maintain our current form over the rest of the season now.

He will always be our hero.  
 
But here we are: a 60% chance of staying in this godforsaken league for at least another season. And as each year goes by, our club’s stock falls lower. 
 
And even when we get back to the championship, is DC the man to lead us to the PL? Nope. Portsmouth, owned by a Disney billionaire, have a good chance of getting there. And they’ll be competing with other clubs owned by billionaires, some flying high on parachute payments. Truth is, Ryan Reynolds is more likely than us to see his team in the PL any time soon. (Or is it Netflix’s team?) 
 
DC needs NOW to employ a smart well-connected agent to prepare a detailed proposal for a sale and to quietly and selectively market it to football mad billionaires across the globe. With middling PL clubs now going for 100s of millions, many might fancy a roll of the dice with us. 
 
If he does that successfully,  he will go from hero to superhero. If he does not, many of us -  including him - might not see our team in the top flight ever again.