The Scarlet Pimpernel

1 hour ago, jimbobram said:

Surely you can understand that it has been a stop start beginning to his career at derby and the fact that he's being played out of position with no consistent run in the team is definitely not helping things. There is a quality attacker in that man, we just haven't see it properly yet because for some reason he's been drafted in for wing back. 

I dont think playing out of a prefered position accounts for lack of basic skills shown so far. He did well against Portsmouth but in all honesty he needs to buck up. 

19 hours ago, Tombo said:

I think a conversation needs to be had about what exactly constitutes "attractive football" anymore.

Do Pep's City play "good football"? I don't think so, I think it's dull and negative and just suffocates the game into submission until you win.

Do fans want to see their team play it around the back and keep the ball away from the pressing attackers?

A team who move the ball fast on the counter and try to beat the defensive line and get in behind is much better to watch, even if it means that they have to play very direct football to get it into the attacking third as quickly as possible.

There's more to enjoying watching your team play than just "I hope they don't pass it more than 5 yards at a time otherwise we'll get called hoofball merchants"

I agree with this to an extent. I re-watched highlights of our away wins at Oxford and Port Vale and some of the football was very good and exciting.  I know so far we have been a million miles off but lets wait and see.

My expectations are always for the club to be successful. That means top six for me this season. Is it realistic? Probably not but who wants to be realistic? If I'm not happy with how the sesons going I will perhaps have a moan but thats it...on to the next game and potential victory!

17 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

So what if the players in a defensive wall made it taller by having their arms in the air or wider by having their arms away from their body a little? What if a defender on the line prevents a goal by reaching out their arm and the ball hits it? What if a defender is trying to prevent a forwards from crossing the ball by having their arms stretched out? What if a defender, defending a corner, has their arms in the air and the ball hits it? What if a forward deflects the ball into the net by reaching their arm so that ball hits it?

I don’t think it would be acceptable for play to continue in any of these scenarios hence the rules about making the body unnaturally bigger and deliberate action (regardless of whether the ball travels to the arm or the arm moves towards the ball)

In each of those scenarios an effort has been made to potentially play the ball with the arm. Hand ball would be the decision. 

17 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

How do you define “the ball plays the hand”?

When the ball travels to the hand 

1 hour ago, Animal is a Ram said:

None of this happens if the handball rules aren't totally unfit for purpose.

Agreed. Its really simple. If the ball plays the hand its play on. If the hand plays the ball its hand ball.

On a slight tangent but does anyone know the logic in not closing the transfer window before the start of the season?

Just now, Mick Brolly said:

So we've all got to be worried because you say so 

Dont be silly!

Again, awful passing, poor control, bad decision making & lack of options for each other...........Lack of shots on goal is a big worry as well. Nothing lost that matters at this point but you've got to feel worried.

43 minutes ago, TuffLuff said:

I see a lot of people talking about shape, and it’s fair enough, but I will just say one thing and that’s I think being at the stadium we were so low it was really hard to try and watch the game and get a perspective on how the shape should look, who should be where etc. It may have been easier on RamsTV but to be honest I kinda doubt it.

What I would say is that, a lot of our midfielders and even defenders would make good initial forward runs but poor recovery runs. So if you think of it in two phases, first phase is good, second phase bad. For example, there were a few times Goudmijn would make good passes and movement forward, but we’d lose the ball whilst he’s pressed forward and Adams hasn’t covered the run or Goidmijn positionally has pushed too forward than he needed to. There was a time in the first half where Nyambe burst forward, and we lose the ball which then goes over to the left and pushes Cashin forward leaving Bradley on a one on one as no one has covered or has the legs to run back. 

So yes, it’s shape but i think it comes from running 10 yards further forward than what their legs can currently cope with. It’s the type of thing that makes us look crap now but once we are match sharp I’d expect we’d be able to recover faster than what happened last night 

Oh and one final point, as I keep scatter gunning throughout this thread. If you want one thing to actually be concerned about over shape or things that can be solved with fitness, we are about to enter a league that is a lot more possession based. League One, you can get away with a misplaced pass because you will have the ball back very quickly. In the Champ, you’ve got to keep the ball a lot more and from what I saw last night aside Thompson and Goudmijn, our keeping of possession was absolutely woeful.

Nice cheery one to end on!

 

This is my main concern. The ball retention was so so poor last night. It was either poor passing or poor control. I dont know why it was so bad. A bit embarrassing really as Warne said.

1 hour ago, Sharp_Ram said:

Fee agreed, no contract signed, whats to stop someone matching or improving on our fee? He isn't our player until medical is passed and contract signed. We're a minimum until the 2nd leg of their qualification match. Plenty can change. Players have been showcased on the pitch before choosing other teams

Pre-contract binding agreements are very common in business. I would be amazed having read what has been said if we haven't got one in place.

18 minutes ago, 21CSchizoidRam said:

Their manager is convinced he'll join Derby - but that sounds like there is an element of doubt.

Sounds like 100% a done deal to me.

1 hour ago, Ram a lamb a ding dong said:

Terry

What now Arthur.....

24 minutes ago, jono said:

I like Nelson but if Warne is true to form he will get the players to vote won’t he ? 

In fairness Nelson isn't a patch on some.

Rember he played against Bournemouth away and looked the real deal to me. 

The bottom line is that players have to be good enough for first team football. That decision can only be made by those who see them day in day out in training. IF we have players who seem capable to step up or sell Im sure we will do either. League matches are not the place for developing youngsters unless they are really looking in training like they can improve the team. The realities of professional sport.

37 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

Your standards have dropped.

We want numbers!

 

😉

It is pre-season.....he's not fit yet.

Wish the lad well but it's not management, coaching or position that has held him back, its simply his own ability.

1 hour ago, Alph said:

You would think these are conversations that are going on in team meetings. This is where character is important.

Players have to be able to demand more from each other in the right way. They should be asking why everyone keeps coming short and why we shrink the pitch. Ask who's job it is to spring whatever trap we think we have. They need to say they're unhappy with playing safe. Southgate himself needs to be able to answer concerns both on the pitch and in meetings. Has to show them what he wants is effective or before long they stop believing. 

Suppose it's tough to do in the right way. Could easily turn to finger pointing. 

There's just no way Declan Rice is only good enough to be a ball boy for defenders. John Stones is not there to do lay offs for Pickford. 

It's going to be so infuriating if we go out of this tournament because every player ticking over. And the older players shouldn't be accepting it. Harry Kane should be outraged that he has nothing to attack instead of feeling sorry for himself (If he is)

Totally agree. Players post matches generally say in interviews however they are happy with how things have gone....staggering!

The defence are passing far too slowly. The midfield are not busting a gut to recieve the ball. Trippier cannot play left back. We looked far more balanced with Saka at left back and Palmer on the right. 

Very predictable that as soon as we went 2-1 up we sat back. Not saying we should go gung-ho but we very nearly conceded an equaliser. I wish during interview someone would ask the players or Southgate who is responsible for the slow sideways play with minimal shots on goal. Is it incompetence from the players or are they playing to instructions? Needs to be asked directly. 

Very diappointing despite going through to the quatrer finals. 

Wearing a cap inside for goodness sake.........

5 hours ago, TomTom92 said:

In other news: It’s quite embarrassing that England’s two matches must be in the bottom 5 so far for entertainment. We’re stinking the place out, that’s said can’t wait for Tuesday already. Surely Southgate will do some tinkering and get us firing?

First thing to do is drop Alexaner-Arnold and put a rocket up John Stones as he seems intent on becoming the slowest passer of the ball in history.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go. His level is league 1 in my opinion.

Refs and linos generally do a pretty good job. If they were given a bit more respect by pundits VAR would never have been introduced. Its the cheating players that cause most of the penalty controversies, the offsides are usually very marginal. Hand ball is now farsical. It used to be quite simple, if the hand plays the ball its handball. If the ball plays the hand it isn't. Scrap VAR and pundits for goodness sake!

20 minutes ago, hintonsboots said:

I thought Burrows was under contract ?

Easy to find with a little digging