The Scarlet Pimpernel

Derby-born, Hampshire-raised Pompey fan here, still feeling a bit groggy after our promotion celebrations last night but hoping the Rams will be joining us in the Championship next season.
We came to Derby quite regularly to see my family when I was young and were fortunate to go to the Baseball Ground many times in the late 1960s and 1970s in the Clough and Mackay years.
I was on the Popside in 1975 against Carlisle when the second title was celebrated, there when Roger Davies got sent off against Juventus in the European Cup semi-final, at the 4-4 drew with Man United on Boxing Day 1970.
But the most vivid memories are of the home wins over Liverpool and, particularly the Easter Saturday 2-0 win over Leeds in that 1971-72 season. Men with Pack’Em In boards urging people to move forward to let more into the ground, a guy who walked around the ground with a bell before the match to gee up the crowd and another with dozens of rosettes inside his coat doing the same. “Programmes, get your programmes”, Hot Love blasting out over the PA system at the end of games, incessant shouts of “Derby, Derby” urging the team on. 

Against Leeds Alan Durban came over to our section of the paddock beneath the main stand to take a throw in, grinning all over his face with a two goal lead and not long to go. Everyone around us screamed at him to take the smile off his face and concentrate; the game wasn’t won yet.
Hector, Hinton, O’Hare, the magnificent McFarland and Todd (jumpers for goalposts). My first game was a 4-0 win over QPR in Feb 1968, seen from the seats in the upper Normanton End, my second a 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough on Boxing Day 1968. I stood on a milk crate at the front of the middle tier of the Osmaston End.
One traumatic memory is the sight of Bob Wilson standing there in just his jock strap after ripping his shorts playing for Arsenal at the Baseball Ground. After that Easter Saturday victory over Leeds in 1972 I seem to remember watching Derby lose at home to Newcastle on the Easter Monday and thinking they had thrown it away.
But then came that win over Liverpool and Leeds tripping up. My Dad, who grew up reciting the names of the 1946 Cup winning team, had new heroes. And so did we, until living our lives in another part of the country meant going much more regularly to Fratton Park (or The Dell in my brother’s case, sadly).
But we still look out for Derby. We took my Dad to the Charlton game at Pride Park last season and I’ve been to see Pompey this season and before.
Wishing you every success and the hope that you all will have similar fond memories of Pride Park.
 
 

With Warne's managerial background being at Rotherham (no disrespect to Rotherham intended) his managerial tactics evolved based upon managing a smaller club, less resources, less player-pulling power and often being the underdog  in any football match. As such his tactics were based not on how can I get my team to out-pass / outplay the opposition, but more on how to counter them. I suspect that he didn't have that much experience of matches where teams would try to counter his tactics.

I think this year we have seen Warne growing as a manager, we still see that he sets up his team to counter the strengths (real or supposed) of opposing teams, and also he has struggled where teams are countering our play of getting the ball wide by doubling up on our wingers.
However, he is becoming more rounded in his tactical approach, with a lot of the play being along the floor or attempted pin-point long balls down or across to the wing.
Yes, we still hoof it, but only when a side effectively closes us down. 
I was sceptical of Warne when he first came, in fact I started the first thread questioning his tactics after his debut home game and whether our possession-based team could deliver them, but this season (more so than his first) he has learnt and developed how to progress from managing a smaller football club with limited expectation to a bigger club with a high expectation level.

I am hoping for the same development next season if we get promoted, especially starting to mix it up in the midfield area which we will definitely need in the Championship. 
 

Both sets of fans chanting "what's it like to see a hill?"

DC:  "I didn't get to where I am today by leaving kit launches until after the season starts and everyone has already been on their summer hols"!
 

Dont confuse the ability to drop a shoulder and beat a man with the ability to sprint. He’s too slow to be a winger, and that’s fine because he isn’t one (the original point was he couldn’t do what CBT can do). He suits Wing Back well. 

You’re Sib’s girlfriend and I claim my £5!

Why are people all or nothing nowadays?
Yes, Hourihane naturally struggles to get around the pitch like he used to and needs the right balance of players around him but has he made an important contribution this season?
8th best for assists in the league. Top ten on chances created. 6 goals (including a brilliant last minute winner against Burton)
Yes, he has made an important contribution.

We will get automatics! and we will get promoted!!
We have it in us to pull these remaining results off but we need to get behind the team 🐏 
Not being hysterical at every miss kick and bad result!
Not using ridiculous and visceral vocabulary such as "Bottlers" and start praising the players you don't build player confidence and motivation by talking down about them, they are humans too! They read social media and stuff online. Maybe even this forum? think about that 
I've cant believe how reactionary this fanbase has become! I get the performances haven't been total football but we aren't there yet! we are a work in progress, you know?
We will deal with next season when we get there but for now, 3 games to go let's get out there and support and clap the lads on and off the pitch, comment on the socials with words of motivation and togethernes ❤ that's what's gonna bring us over the line.... plus I'm sick of looking at heaps of negativity on here 🤣
We are 2nd , remember. Start of the season we'd have paid money to be here 🙌🏻
and vibes are real, they'll feed of us it's all frequencies and vibrations ✌
Come on Derby, time for promotion 💪 🐏 ⚽️ 

They are two makeshift full backs
Sorry prior to this season when we how many times had sibley played left back in his life? Oh right never.. thats makeshift roy cmon man i know its late n all that lol 
and no i dont rate sibley. 
allowing for the fact that hes not a full back by trade .. his control was lets say loose and his passing was indifferent , i could forgive him for getting roasted or wrong side of his man… aka pompy away.. cos its not his position(see makeshift) but his touch and passing were decidedly poor again more so given that hes player who many here seem to think is a technical player who can create.. passing and touch is a basic for that sort of player no matter where they play 
u could put george thorne at full back , yes hed get roasted but u can bet he could still pass and control the ball effectively 

CBT is the worry for me.
He looked very bright v Blackpool and then played his best game so far for us v Portsmouth. Then tonight he regressed.
I really thought tonight would be the night he came to the party. He won’t get a better chance.
He is clearly a confidence player and he is clearly playing within himself much of the time since joining us. Perhaps he is overwhelmed by the pressure to impress. There is certainly a feeling of that.
I am not often critical of Warne and the coaches, but perhaps they could be managing him better, because something is not right.

I’m usually one trying to be rational about these things, but that performance at this time of the season bordered disgusting for me. Lazy passing, headless running, poor touches…and that was just Kane Wilson who gave one of the worst performances I’ve seen in a derby shirt this season. Don’t like singling out players for criticism, rarely do it, but for all his ‘Jack the lad’ persona not enough quality shines through when it matters. 
Within the context of the season and where we are, it was shockingly bad. I could have wax lyrical for hours about how good Derby were last week and every inch of praise was deserved. They lost all that goodwill tonight.
I’ve got very little more I can say, it’s not that they haven’t won but the attitude/performance for where we are in the season was so below par.

We can't go into another game with Sibley and CBT down one flank.
It made me want to scratch my eyes out with a rusty nail.
 

Torpidity..........impressive use of the english language.

My hope for tonight is that we start in a confident, positive frame of mind. An early goal would be priceless...come on you rams we can do this!!!
(Beat me to it Chester)

Torpidity..........impressive use of the english language.

Torpidity..........impressive use of the english language.

My hope for tonight is that we start in a confident, positive frame of mind. An early goal would be priceless...come on you rams we can do this!!!
(Beat me to it Chester)

It's just so important to start well tonight. Get on top out the gates ...out battle /work them and let them feel it means much more to us. 
We do that sometimes but if we don't score early there is then a lull and we can give the opposition confidence and start giving the ball away very easily.
Intensity is massively needed,  moving the ball quickly, energy all over the pitch and make it a cup final they aren't that bothered about participating in. Hopefully get an early goal and then sweep them away. 
If not I feel it could be a long night where we give them too much respect and something to play for.
Wildsmith
Wilson Nelson Cash Sibley
CBT Adams Smith NML
Washington
Collins 
 

Rows? I haven't noticed any and, in contrast, have only seen them supporting each other.
I see the defence as a (preferably) 5 person unit that builds understanding over time.
To bring in Vickers at this crucial stage of the season, with his lack of game time, would be a big mistake, imo.

I hope they launch a Scottish sister club called Fleetwood Mac

And we responded by beating Blackpool and drawing away to Pompey unfortunate not to win. We lost back to back games in Feb, we responded by winning 4 in a row. In adversity the team generally delivers, even in the Northampton game despite being awful we still should’ve won. Bolton were battered by Bristol by all accounts but managed to win, we destroyed Bristol when we played them. 
We’ve got the tools and are playing well enough to get the wins to get the job done regardless of what Bolton do. 

Also didn’t vale go and beat Barnsley at their place recently? Drew away with Wigan and we’re unfortunate not to win. They’re in a scrap for survival and are picking up form who is to say Bolton won’t drop points against them. Derby are no more or less likely to drop points than Bolton and we’re net second with 4 games left. As others have said you’d have bitten your hand off for this position back in October when we lost to Stevenage. 

It’s time to believe.

We are in pole position. Embrace the final games, don't cower behind the sofa. 

We are in pole position. Embrace the final games, don't cower behind the sofa. 

We are in pole position. Embrace the final games, don't cower behind the sofa. 

We are in pole position. Embrace the final games, don't cower behind the sofa.