Anag Ram

I think we have to realise that we’re getting 2024 Gayle, who has lost his pace but can find the net. He’s not going to outpace defenders any more, but if we get the ball into the box often enough he will score. He’s also good at laying the ball off. Just need NML to get his mojo back (he hasn’t looked happy since his injury)

ATG 1Wildsmith - 6 35Nelson - 6.5 5Bradley - 5 6Cashin - 7 23Ward - 8 8Bird - 7 32Adams - 6.5 4Hourihane - 6 17Sibley - 7 11Méndez-Laing - 5.5 27Blackett-Taylor - 6 25Gayle - 7 10Waghorn - 5 7Barkhuizen - 5 12Smith - 6

Bigguth dickuth.

Is Sibley claiming that first goal? Was going wide til their defender knocked it in. His second was nice

Delighted to be proved wrong by Joe Ward. Terrific performance from the player we hoped we’d bought. Still think three centre backs is a mistake which will be punished by better sides. Pleased for Gayle. Port Vale were awful.

Joe Ward? Wow. Three centre backs at home against a struggling side and an out of form wing back. Brave. I really hope it works. Last time we tried two wing backs with no pace it didn’t work but you never know.

I think there’s a bit of a Spartacus thing going on here. There’s a lot of us who would like B4 immortalised with a regular seat. His positivity is sadly missed and we could all learn from his lead.

Are you mad? Which one of those is going to get me an eighty-ninth minute winner from a set piece?

If there’s nothing on a three page menu she likes, she’s unlikely to want me😊

That only leaves Bradley up front!

As you say, it’s unlikely Warne would pick this side but a team in second shouldn’t be afraid to pick this type of lineup against a relegation candidate. We should trust in our ability rather than trying to matchup against them. Barkhuisen offers slightly more defensive cover (only slightly) than CBT and he so often flatters to deceive. I hope he has a scoring game soon. Give PW a ring and offer your suggestions. We’re with you 😊

We are, but not so much with three at the back. Most of that was with a Cashin/ Nelson pairing.

Now you see I think that’s why it works. For me, it was a bit Brontë-like, with the conventionally attractive guy who’s had loads of lookalike girlfriends being seduced by the witty, more grounded lady. I won’t say more so as not to spoil it for anyone but I really liked it and thought the performances were great.

I think he has to find a way to get more early ball and that’s not by standing behind a full back with his arms in the air. The midfield could try the wall pass method of using a forward like Gayle or Collins to pass first time to him beyond the full back but I don’t think they’re scheduled to practice that til May.

Not just three at the back but also one midfielder whose only function is to protect those three! We pick Hourihane or Smith who are both tidy, but slow. Only Bird really supports what is then a front two. Little wonder we struggle to create chances.

We need NML back on form. Without him we don’t have anyone who can change it up and drive at the opposition. I was rather hoping CBT would offer that too. I hope he gets a start and that he gets the Derby experience of acclaim from 25,000 fans. This presumably is why he signed. If we get both of them flying then DG will be busy 😊

I’m waiting. Watching Derby takes up pretty much all of my Saturday. I’m at the stage where I buy my train ticket with almost a heavy heart. I’ll be at the game tomorrow but I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. I’m alright once I’m there and I get excited closer to kick off but 33 throw ins later the excitement fades. It used to frustrate me that we didn’t use our passing skills to negate our opponents’ route one approach but sadly we have few players who can pass the ball intelligently. Each game becomes a battle of attrition and is won with a rare bit of skill or a mistake. I won’t renew if we stay in this league. Sounds churlish but with transport each game costs me about £100. I have to be fair to the family and be realistic about value for money.

Agree, but only if there’s a chance they’ll get on. Sticking them on the bench repeatedly but then bringing on just about everyone else must get deflating for them after a while. I don’t see what we have to lose. The fact that senior players are on the bench is an indication of their poor form. Let the young’uns have 15 minutes. You could unearth a treasure.

He’s lost pace for sure and there were a couple of balls into the box which he might have gotten on the end of a few years back. Just wonder if he and Collins could play together? He looks like he needs a second person to help him create space in the box. With NML freed up to supply them from the wing I reckon they could be a potent force.

I have to show incredible restraint when someone scans a three page menu before exclaiming ‘there’s nothing on here that I like’.

Precisely. If they closed their eyes they couldn’t find opponents so unerringly. All power, no precision. This is what contributes to scrappy football. Little wonder our midfield struggles. They are either trying to control a ball fired at them or indeed to watch a ball fly over them.

TV 1Wildsmith. 4. Unprofessional 24Nyambe 7 7Barkhuizen. 5 35Nelson. 6 5Bradley. 5 6Cashin. 6.5 2Wilson. 4.5 and I’m a fan of his 12Smith. 6.5 17Sibley. 5 32Adams. 5.5 27Blackett-Taylor 5 11Méndez-Laing. 5 8Bird 🐦 5 25Gayle. 5.5 10Waghorn. 5

The ball control and passing are woeful at times. Do they just do set pieces in training? And throw ins? Lost count of the times we threw to an unopposed Charlton player. Ludicrous. I’m telling you, Sonny Bradley messes that team up. Take him out, let Cashin and Nelson do what they did so well. Play two proper full backs and have six players ahead of them who can create goals. It’s not rocket science.

Assus collapsus. Brainless football from the boys tonight. Long ball, no plan and with too many underperforming. Three wingers on the pitch at the end. Bradley, as captain, aimlessly punting balls forward. The penalty was abysmal. Wildsmith should be fined a week’s wages. Something has happened with that lad. He got dropped and has looked all over the place in the past few games. Thought Korey Smith was okay and Cashin and Nelson were generally good. Losing Nyambe was a big blow as he was solid. The rest was dire.