TuffLuff

It depends how we eventually set up in the attacking positions because it’s all quite disjointed. There has to be space for Corey Blackett-Taylor somewhere, you’d think Gayle and Waghorn, Sibley and Barkhuizen are currently in the mix, personally feel we could rest NML short term but there’s currently five/six players you’d think are starters currently for two/three positions. You could drop Hourihane instead but he got another assist yesterday? It’s getting a balance, I’m sure it’ll work out. One thing I’ll say is that aside the two goals I thought we were defensively very good yesterday, which sounds a bit daft but I can’t see many attackers causing us that many problems. Saying this though, and realising this after posting, a four might suit us better because it brings Nyambe at full back over Ward and Wilson. Glad I’m not the manager anyway!

Been mulling this over since FT today but think this is my current hypothesis about Warne. I think Warne gets the mentality of opposition teams who see Derby as ‘a big day out’ (or however you want to put it). I think he gets the different approaches when he comes up against the vast majority of league one sides and whilst it doesn’t always mean the prettiest football, he probably gets about 90% of decisions in these games correct. Hence our league position. I think where PW struggles is where a team fancies it and aren’t treating themselves as underdogs. What I mean is, that there are games where you need to encourage teams to play, let them have the ball and make mistakes and you capitalise. Again it doesn’t equal the best football but it’s effective. There’s also games like today where I think we need to be, for lack of a better term, Billy big bo****ks and play a professional game. What concerns me, for example in games like today is that they have a big attendance and we don’t go about shutting the crowd up. We let it all grow, the crowd gain confidence, the players gain confidence and we invite the pressure on. We’ve dropped major points in important games this season and i think we can see it’s from maybe not having that mentality to see a game out or poor game management. PW will persist with players and tactics and gamble on the wrong outcome. Our joy today was through Cashin, Bird and Sibley linking up, but he upset that second half by taking Sibley off and changing shape. He persisted with Wilson, who did little today except, and NML on the wings which Barnsley could defend against, rather than the passing movement that was working a bit. I like Warne and he’s smart enough to figure out how to overcome the problem he has in these matches, but he’s got to evolve past maybe relying on the easy decision (eg taking sibley off) and try and manage these games more smartly and frustrate teams. Keep the ball, slow the game down, don’t worry about entertainment etc etc

I’m as pro Warne as they come but the record of the season shows he has been out thought and fought in the games of those teams around us. Not played poorly per se but if you go over those games he’s got decisions wrong, personally for me today that was taking off Sibley who was causing problems and linking nicely with Cashin and Bird. We kept going wide and it was covered. It’s going to take a hell of a run of games with an unbeaten or even a strong winning streak. We are capable but there’s not enough evidence over a season to show that it’ll happen now.

IF I remember correctly, they were meant to play at Forest Fields and there were pretty extensive plans to build a ground where the Forest Recreation Ground is (where they currently have the Goose Fair) at the turn of the 20th century. Not quite sure why they ended up at West Bridgeford, I think possibly because the ‘powers that be’ saw Nottingham as a centre for sport and recreation and wanted to build a centre out of the city that was prestigious. Essentially keeping the riff raff away. To put it simply they made a rather ‘19th century’ decision rather than foreshadowing the changing urban landscape, not saying they should have seen it but I think it’s something that’s been a bit of a regret for them overall.

Had a long ponder about Saturday after the game and to be honest for large parts of yesterday, mainly because I think this squad and Warne’s tenure in general is very hard to conclude on. Simply put, anything that you can say is wrong is rebutted by our league standing and stats. Generally I look at qguhin Imost of the moaning as a bit OTT, but I say this who isn’t going to games regularly right now and can appreciate that people are taking the best part of a day over a weekend to be served a football match which is ponderous at best. I did go on Saturday and do believe you can see a lot more in the ground than what you can on a telly screen so felt I could add a bit more into how I saw things. -In the first half there was a single over used pass that was Wildsmith to Nyambe. It’s not a slight on either player but it was the east option because Shrewsbury didn’t press it and kept their shape. We’d pass out and there wasn’t a real option for Nyambe and it made our midfield drop. We maybe missed Cashin here because he’s a lot more willing to gamble on a diagonal punt towards a runner. -The other issue we had was our wing backs lacked match sharpness. Both seemed unwilling to run at their opposition half despite Shrewsburys willingness to try and put a foot in. A part of this was also how flat our passing was, much of it was direct to feet rather than in front of a player running onto it. Meant Sibley and Ward especially were taking touches to get it out of their feet. There was space for both players but it was never capitalised on. -A lot of offsides were avoidable, simply put. You could Shrewsbury players moving up when the counter was on. All it would take was for NML or whoever to hold the run for one moment and they would beat their defence in a foot race or tempt the keeper out who was far from convincing. -In general I think we needed to run at them more, attract fouls and pull them out of shape. We didn’t do that enough in either half -We dropped off second half after the goal and we are nearly looking at points being dropped at home in the last 10 minutes being in double figures. Unfortunately I do think that’s because of aside maybe a core 7 or 8 players you struggle to believe we have players you’d rely on. Like the subs that came on, did any improve on what we already had? But the biggest thing I noticed in the ground was how everything halted in the ground once we went 1-0. Atmosphere went after singing ‘The Rams are going up’, players passing was casual and back to being about holding on to this 1-0 than maybe going to finish it off. I don’t know what comes first in that regard, but I do think there’s a collective assumption that we’re better than everyone else and in control of games we really aren’t controlling. Much like Mac in his second season. We need to stop allowing opposition teams get a foothold in games because defences lapses will always happen. But you need to minimise their impact -Last point but I got slightly irked by Bird’s interview post game, because he was speaking about clubs like Shrewsbury coming to Pride Park and it being their cup final or whatever. There is some truth in it but I think it comes across terribly when you are dropping points against a side because the simple truth to me is that they are showing more heart and not giving up. Less getting involved in the push and shove dramatics in the box too, i want to see us control games and gives these sides a tough afternoon across the pitch.

I’ll add more thoughts about the game later as it’s tough one to really have a conclusive thoughts over but I just wanted to add something whilst everyone is talking about the pushing and shoving….i honestly think it’s something we didn’t need to get involved in when we are winning. First the players did and then the fans and I thought it was all a bit OTT and a distraction. We weren’t and because we thought the game was a physical game, Shrewsbury out did us with probably the best move of the match. I didn’t think we were switched on all game today, especially after we scored. Is it from a bit of arrogance? I’m unsure but Bird saying in his post game about us being a big game for them and giving a bit extra is poor and kinda summed upvour approach on the pitch.

The last day of the Jan transfer window is always a bit crappy in a crappy window that doesn’t really suit anyone. Only way I think it would work would be to give Prem two weeks to sort their dealings, the can have it in that weird break bit they have, then have the champ cut off a week after then league 1 & 2 a few days after that. Yes everyone gets plenty of time it sort these things but when you are waiting for everyone else to make their signings so they can move someone on then ofcourse everything is going to go to the wire. All you have is players stuck at clubs not getting game time because everyone’s looking for the best deal which could fall through or never happen. FWIW, the frustration I’ve read today reminds me of what I saw from Pompey fans last year. We have to go for it this year but it’s worth pointing out that this league for most clubs is a grind and it takes a while for everything to fall into place whether it’s on the pitch or off it or even finding the financial budget. Also I really don’t like the ITK stuff, I don’t mean it disrespectfully but I’m not sure it helps people when there’s such ups and downs throughout the day.

I think it’s a bit of both, but it’s exposed by poor game management. I think for the last few games it’s probably been the issue, but last night really showed it. We’d win the ball and Wilson or NML were running into blind alleys where they were doubled up on. Bird and Hourihane were passing 10 yards ahead of a man trying to make things happen quick rather than holding onto the ball and maybe trying to make Reading chase. There is room for that in Warneball despite what people think. We were predictable in what we wanted to do and erratic with how we did it because we had no way of slowing the game down. We miss Nyambe, I think that’s the big one and most obvious. We didn’t look poor against Peterborough whereas in the games since we haven’t been anywhere near as convincing. Nyambe has a bit of composure and can find himself in space with the ball. Smith is another one who i think right now we miss. Yes hes a bit of a sideways passer and not the most exciting but we probably need a someone who is steady right now and isnt going to lose the ball with a wayward pass. o

It’s probably also worry mentioning, even if it’s a little unpopular because of the Wilson love in, but we’ve missed Nyambe so much these last few weeks. For the criticism him and Smith get for maybe not being the most exciting players I think ‘Warneball’ or whatever we call this does need players who are comfortable on the ball even if it slows the game down because the other option is a lot more erratic. I don’t think we’ve had any real control of a game since Nyambe went to AFCON

I think the real test for Warne now is that he needs to start getting performances from Sibley, Ward, Fornah and a few others that you’d deem to be on the edges of the first team. Warne has done a great job in the first half of being able to have one or two players who for a few games together are in form before they are marked out of games or get an injury etc. NML and Collins had done it just before this slump, Waghorn did it early season, Hourihane and Bird had there moments, Barkhuizen, Smith arguably to. But these fringe players need to step up now and provide a different option from th bench and force themselves into the first team. Especially someone for that no. 10 role as no one seems to want it

That performance has probably been coming. Collins and NML are running on empty and we can only try the same things over and over. My feeling is we are desperate for a Plan B, thst small change in shape and personnel when needed. Problem is Warne has a lot of what we’d consider to be decent players, but very few he can rely on.

Fwiw it looks like Radio Derby have been at Moor Farm today and Dom hasn’t tweeted any snippets from Warne and they haven’t released the audio yet. This means my guess is there will be something to announce before 6pm or at least Dom will have some form of update he can say by then

Hugill, great goal but did absolutely nothing else. Paterson rolled the dice with 30 mins to play, much like Warne did against Peterborough after 45. It works for a bit, but it gives the opposition chance to counter what you did. Peterborough did it the other day a lad that’s what Derby did on Monday. Substitutions and when the right time to do them is vital. It gave Burton a short boost but over 90 mins it probably weakened them.

Been thinking about this since Monday, but I think the Burton game felt like the most disappointed I’ve been in a Paul Warne side. I think I’m wrong with thinking this really but I really wanted a statement win, a good showing on the telly when we’d have a few eyes on us and I don’t think we delivered on that. I think that’s maybe from the armchair perspective I have on things more nowerdays though. I just felt we were complacent as a club on Monday and I think Warne maybe needs to control that better? What I mean is I listened to pretty much all of Radio Derbys pre and post match coverage and the feeling I got was everyone they spoke to and themselves expected it to be a foregone conclusion that Derby would win. It reminded me sometimes of those days and nights that you’d walk in PP and you could sense in the ground an apathy around the place and you’d end up with a frustrating, poor game. I can’t quite explain why that was, sometimes you go in and sense you were in for a good game too. I think we are getting to a really important part of the season and we can say this and that about performances and Warne’s style of play, but everything is in our hands and we need to maintain that we are picking up more points than the rest. League One football maybe isn’t about possession and nice football but about gambling on things that won’t come off 9 times out of 10. You rarely get time in the ball so the ball needs to be constantly moving. Mistakes will happen, but it’s maybe not worth the ‘oh maybe Elder isn’t up to this’ and ‘We need Wildsmith back’. Warne’s has rarely made a wrong decision overall this season, there has to be some acceptance that he knows what he is doing. I think if we want to get out of this league, we need to play the game what is presented. Maybe the players and Warne are doing that and it’s time for the rest of us to get on board. Fwiw, the radio Derby coverage has been a breath of fresh air since Gibbo’s return but I do think as a collective there’s a lot of over analysing stuff which then trickles down into the fanbase. It’s excellent radio, but I’m not sure it helps the mentality of the fans. Not that I want happy clapping either btw. I was thinking about the Rosenior vs Warne stuff too today, and I have have no doubt that Rosenior would produce better football. I just don’t think it’d work in this league. Warne has set us up to go away from home and pick up points that are at difficult grounds. It works enough at PP but it sacrifices the shape of the midfield two. TL:DR I think it’s just time to enjoy everything and see what happens? It’s going to be chaos but just accept it for what it is and I think we will come out of it on the right side. I’ve kinda scattergunned this post but couldn’t be bothered writing in a load of different threads so here’s everything I think about the club atm.

There’s a very interesting under current to all this as to whether Johnson was pushed out by Forest to help bankroll everything. I think there is a bit of spilt milk between the Johnson family and the club now, but I’m not ITK or ought. There ls certainly some between who I look at as ‘traditional’ fans and the ownership over stuff like what has happened with the academy. There’s a lot on the surface atm, but I think there’s quite a bit going on behind the scenes too

My presumption is to be able to use the excuse about going over a threshold you’d have to show that you are some way down the line with getting the deal done. Thats similar to how it would work in the real world I think when it comes to accounting (I’m not an expert on that). To enter negotiations after the cut off date and getting a deal done and thinking you’d get away with it doesn’t really hold up. Having a constant dialogue with the Prem is one thing, what you are telling them is another and my guess is they are just answering whatever you put to them and nothing else. Was the same with us under Morris and the EFL.

If you get chance to, and I hope they put it all on rams daily, but I think Radio Derby just had a great discussion since full time and it’s well worth a listen. Lots on the transfer window, where the club is at in terms of transfers, the performance tonight and what it says about the depth of the squad. Good post match interviews with Warne and Sonny Bradley too

More ‘interesting’ stuff coming Paid £12million for him in Jan, ripped up his contract in August.

As someone who works outside it can’t come some enough! Feels like we haven’t had a dry spell since September

It’s the game they decided they wanted to play (like we had failed it a couple of seasons before) and I think eventually, unless you are a Villa, you do run out of road. It’ll be interesting but cant help but have that feeling that modern top tier football is becoming more of a weeing contest rather than about playing football, not that they have any sympathy from me.

Sorry for a mundane and obvious post but just to say to be careful over the next few days, A6 between Darley Dale and Bakewell was as bad as I’ve ever seen it there, 13 bends was just passable and Baslow was pretty bad. Everywhere is ok to drive but saw quite a few being caught out in the dark on my way back. The rivers are very high at the minute and a lot of water is coming off the hills so it’ll probably get worse before better across the county for a few days Public Service Bulletin over, I miss dry weather.

Please don’t blow this out of all proportion but I think It’s interesting that Thompson got 45 today when he wasn’t ready for that and Cashin was given the armband. Not saying that defo means that Bird is on the way but it’s just two things you can pull out of the sky if you really wanted to. Saying that I do think it’s time we need to be able to give Thompson more game time, and Fornah to some extent. Also Bird needs to play at yheIf we sold Bird and the money was then reinvested into our strike force then I’d see that as a good move. It’s also worth maybe pointing out that I think Bird ready to push that next level, like Knight was. A Derby side with Bird in might mean an extra 4-5 points this season, if selling Bird means we have a strike force of Collins, John-Jules and ,for arguments sake, Lapado* than that could be 7-10 *Not forgetting Waggy and Wash who are more than capable of picking up important goals when called upon

Thought the same thing throughout the game. We are a decent side but we need a couple of signings to give everyone a lift. Nelson deserves all the praise this season, and before anyone takes this out of context I was on the Nelson bandwagon before all of you, but he can have these lapses of being headstrong. He didn’t need to come across, or if you are it’s not about just winning the header it’s about winning the header and making sure it clears the box. But it’s one of them and it happens, I just think there’s maybe been a few instances recently when we have to trust another player and deal with the consequences. Another was when Ward tripped that player for the penalty a few weeks back, when he had Nelson coming across and Wildsmith coming out. Good game though and a good advert for what this league is. Peterborough very good, thought we had them under control for large parts but they really did their homework. Stretched the midfield and attacked the fullbacks who weren’t given protection. Warne changed it, we looked better and he got his subs right at half time too. But the problem was. it was too early for that gamble and Peterborough took control again and Thompson wasn’t ready for 45 so our midfield became stretched again. Ward needs to pull his finger out or else he’s going to get some backlash because his effect on the game was minimal in what was a good opportunity to really make a statement. But yeah that aside it was a good game and I don’t think you’d complain if either side had come out with a last minute winner. I don’t think it’s the type of game we look back on in May and go ‘we dropped 3 points there’ fortunately our previous two games put us in a decent position going into today so I have no complaints with where we are. Little thing for those who want penalties to be hit hard at the goal, if it does get saved it’s hard for keepers to control where the ball goes and there’s a good chance it falls straight back to you.

Think the ref made a cracking decision tbh