The Scarlet Pimpernel

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

Didn’t work Saturday. Never will.
Even if Ward or Sibley get into wide areas, who can they cross it to?
Collins on his own against two defenders or NML who can’t head it?
Need to go 4-3-3 and let them worry about us.
Two central defenders is enough at this level. Three get in each other’s space.

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

The lack of excitement at the ground is primarily down to the standard of football being played. As a general point though im not sure our manager appreciates that for over 100 years the club has hardly spent any time down at this level and a large proportion of our match day fans can still remember top class football. Sorry for being a bit arrogant but perhaps Derby fans and certainly myself dont get excited by seeing us draw with the likes of Shrewsbury Town. I strive and expect the club to be challenging at least towards the top of the Championship and hopefully getting into the top tier. Sorry to sound "entitled" but imo we need an injection of arrogance on the pitch not lower league chat and bobble hats! Raise the standards for goodness sake!
Yours Victor Meldrew

As you will know I manage between 6 and 8 games a season, watching the rest here in NL via my RamsTV "season ticket". Friday to Sunday for a game including flights and hotel etc is around £500. The Stevenage game will be #4 or #5 this season thus far. Already booked for a 6 day stay for the Reading and Bolton games in March and coming back for the Carlisle game in April as well. Damned expensive hobby being a Ram. I'd do more games but finances get in the way.
Why do we do it? For me it's many facetted. Seeing old friends (and making new ones) and family in Burton and Derby. Getting to drink real ale instead of lager. A change of scenery and last but by no means least... once a Ram, always a Ram. It's deep inside us and we are addicts, pretty much in the same vein as Del Boy telling Rodders "this time next year...". 
Seriously, how do you break a habit of, in my case, 63 years and counting? 

Yes much more to do with the defensive mindset of 'holding on to the points'. The few minutes after they scored showed how we might play but we don't.

To be honest I'm more concerned with retention of the ball by the players than retrieval of the ball by the kids. 

To be honest I'm more concerned with retention of the ball by the players than retrieval of the ball by the kids. 

This is it for me if we somehow go up this season playing like this then next season we are in a relegation battle just like Rotherham always are.

This train of thought that we are struggling to play good football because League One football is poor and the opposition drag us down to their level is just a complete cop out for poor coaching.
Do you think if Leicester were in League One they’d suddenly struggle to play football too? Or do you think they would just play how they are in the Championship and batter everyone 5-0?
You can’t use the opposition as an excuse for playing crap football. That is on our manager and coaches.
 

Looking at the game today I've basically come to the conclusion that despite my happy clapping we really aren't very good. The division is poor and in it we are better than most. The football however is boring and littered with poor control and poor passing. It's as much to do with the players as it is the manager. Oh well, we are where we are. 

Yes, completely agree. I'm not one for bashing the manager generally but I think it's becoming clear that PW has really only got lower league experience and success at that level by having the underdog mentality we are seeing now. We are not in control of games we are not retaining the ball as we should. Yes, we are second in the table in league 1 but my goodness, and here's the problem for me, our play is basically not very good and as a result not very enjoyable. 

Yes, completely agree. I'm not one for bashing the manager generally but I think it's becoming clear that PW has really only got lower league experience and success at that level by having the underdog mentality we are seeing now. We are not in control of games we are not retaining the ball as we should. Yes, we are second in the table in league 1 but my goodness, and here's the problem for me, our play is basically not very good and as a result not very enjoyable. 

Yes, completely agree. I'm not one for bashing the manager generally but I think it's becoming clear that PW has really only got lower league experience and success at that level by having the underdog mentality we are seeing now. We are not in control of games we are not retaining the ball as we should. Yes, we are second in the table in league 1 but my goodness, and here's the problem for me, our play is basically not very good and as a result not very enjoyable. 

I have no faith in this squad and management setup to navigate the playoffs. 
Too cautious, not enough arrogance.
We can't use administration as an excuse forever, we have the tools to get the job done this season. At some point the management team and players need to remember that they are representing the biggest club in this division in front of the biggest crowds in this division and act accordingly.
All this sitting back and trying to hold out against dross like Shrewsbury is farcical. Get stuck in to them and project some confidence. If Warne can't be that manager and foster that attitude then we should find someone who can.

Yes, completely agree. I'm not one for bashing the manager generally but I think it's becoming clear that PW has really only got lower league experience and success at that level by having the underdog mentality we are seeing now. We are not in control of games we are not retaining the ball as we should. Yes, we are second in the table in league 1 but my goodness, and here's the problem for me, our play is basically not very good and as a result not very enjoyable. 

Yes, completely agree. I'm not one for bashing the manager generally but I think it's becoming clear that PW has really only got lower league experience and success at that level by having the underdog mentality we are seeing now. We are not in control of games we are not retaining the ball as we should. Yes, we are second in the table in league 1 but my goodness, and here's the problem for me, our play is basically not very good and as a result not very enjoyable. 

So are you enjoying the matches this season generally or do you view the ends as always justifying the means? 

Occasionally yes, when perhaps you are lacking in confidence, or playing a team above you and on a roll, but when at home, on a great run, against a team that have a dreadful away record and are way below you in the league?
Yes, maybe coming to Pride Park is their cup final. It will be the same for most Premier League teams going to Man City, or Championship teams going to Leicester. Are they tinkering with their formation? I doubt it.
And using having Cashin out missing as an excuse is poor. We have enough CHs to keep a consistent formation.
PW needs to establish an identity, recruit to it, and play that way consistently. You'd think this far into the season we would have stopped bloody tinkering. We are 2/3rds through the season. We should know what we are doing by now