Ghost of Clough

Adams unlucky

Waggy misses, but it was a harder chance than it looked

The last couple of mins have been better. Starting to cause them a few problems

1 minute ago, Millenniumram said:

Incredibly poor, complacent start 

I would say nervy. Need to retain position for a bit and calm it down

Biggest surprise is Radcliffe going straight to the bench after being out for several months. Makes sense with no CB cover on the bench and only Smith covering CM. DRobinson away with N.Ireland would have been in the squad instead. I would have gone with Bartley tbh.

2 hours ago, Srg said:

The only reason to play Ebou further forward is for his pressing ability. Either way you slice it, it's a cover up for Hourihane. You're playing him there because Hourihane can't do it and when you do play him there, you lose out deeper because Hourihane is there. It was kinda ridiculous against Bolton that we ended up with our best defensive-minded midfielder running around pressing centre backs after Gayle went off. Should never ever be plan A.

He used to fill in at Am at Forest Green. Basically their 1st choice DM and 2nd choice AM.

51 minutes ago, trappatoni said:

Sorry no idea how to clear that. 

Re using data it'll be universal now amongst clubs our size at least as much as looking for players with certain characteristics .    We really need to find our own angle where we can be ahead of most of the competition.  Brentford did it by scrapping the academy and using the money to invest in potential for their B team.  I'd say we might want to look at a longer term route with the academy which then begs the question how do we make our academy more productive than most others.   If we want to recruit and retain the best young players we need to sell them a reason to choose us over higher profile clubs.   The most obvious one is to point to a load of successful academy graduates which is why it's essential we continue to bring players through - the manager has to buy into that even if at times an older experienced player would be safer in the here and now.   

After that stuff like making sure we offer better  outcomes for those that don't make it to reassure parents, that the academy players love being here so want to stay etc is vital. 

Matt Hale made a point which suggested our USP for academy players is opportunity. They're more likely to get game time with us than at a PL academy. I can't see Warne given them chances until our status in a division is confirmed (automatic promotion this season, or mathematically safe from relegation next season).

To be fair, it was similar under Clough, gave Huighes his debut early in the season (a couple of minutes in additional time), but then only gave him 20 minutes on the penultimate day of the season and first start on the last day. Hendrick was only given 4 sub apps at the end of the 10/11 season, before being a regular the next season. I hope we seal promotion early, so we can give Robinson the full 90 for Carlisle to prove himself. Maybe Brown too, since the National League season finishes before ours does (but only if the don't finish in the Playoffs)

12 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

I guess they’re just getting a head start on the rest of the crowd without missing the action. 
Not for me, but I guess it works for them.

4 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

I think it’s obvious why some people do it. In order to get a head start on the crowd leaving the stadium. It’s simply a bit of a compromise. They want to leave earlier than most people but don’t want to miss any late goals. 
 

I wouldn’t do it myself but some obviously do.

I imagine it could sometimes take 20 minutes to get down from the top of the South Stand if waiting until after the final whistle.

On 18/10/2023 at 21:36, Gee SCREAMER !! said:

I mean they've spent a fortune on players and wages.  Regularly finishing above midtable and missing out on the playoffs by a whisker should result in him getting the push. He's done a crap job on such riches. 

Still a bottom half wage budget though. Transfermarkt state a total of £9.5m spent on transfer fees during his time at manager. Even if you group this all together and add it to their wage bill, the total would still be lower than at least 6 clubs' wage bills.

Leicester again. This time charged by the PL.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/3938339

16 minutes ago, angieram said:

It's been a busy week for fan engagement. Last night was the latest SCG meeting and the minutes are up on the RamsTrust website now. You can view them HERE.

There is some overlap with the Fans' Forum, of course, but new stuff in here too, including an answer to the burning question about counting  attendance at Pride Park. (You see, I do listen to you sometimes! 😂) 

Your link doesn't seem to work for me. I had to go on the site first and then click on the link there.

https://ramstrust.org.uk/wp/derby-county-supporters-charter-group-meeting-20-march-2024/

41 minutes ago, BaianoPOTY98 said:

I get what your saying but my point is, you making 5 substitutions at half time along with changing the whole team around apart from the 3 centre backs and goalie, in my opinion is ludicrous and what you’d do in a friendly not an important league game. Yes if we need to make 4 or 5 substitutions during the game due to tactical reasons, form, injuries or players not yet up to match fitness then so be it.

I never said half time. I said "starters" and "finishers"

3 minutes ago, BaianoPOTY98 said:

It was a different game on Saturday, we hadn't got control of the midfield (so he had to change things) plus Gayle went off injured so they were virtually enforced changes. I agree Waggy cant last a full game and fresh legs may be needed in the centre of the park at some stage later in the game. I don't like the idea of making so many changes unless circumstances dictate.

Using all of our subs allows us to play the way Warne wants. From our last 6 games, it's no surprise the better performances have come from being able to bring more player off the bench and keep the starters fresher.

Barnsley - 4 changes
Charlton - 4 changes
Port Vale - 4 changes
Bristol Rovers - 5 changes
Reading - 5 changes
Bolton - 5 changes

Out of the 8 games we haven't won since November, we used all 5 subs only twice (Reading and Peterborough)

7 minutes ago, BaianoPOTY98 said:

Please Mr Warne don't mess about with the team like this on Saturday, lets just get the game won and don't take any risks. Yeh if someones struggling with fitness make a change, but dont just make a change for changes sake 🤷‍♀️

🤷‍♂️ It's not too different to what we did vs Bolton?
Adams went to AM when Gayle came off
Both wing backs were subbed.
Waghorn not fit enoguh for a full game, so will need to be subbed for Washington
Thompson came off the bench to play CM

The only real difference is not bringing Blackett-Taylor off the bench. He's played as a more traditional winger in the recent sub apps, despite us starting with our current version of a front 2.

1 hour ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

Suggests Barkhuizen is out? 

Waghorn and Mendez-Laing starting the game in a 5212. Waghorn off in the 2nd half, with Washington and Blackett-Taylor seeing the game out in a 523. If we're a couple up, we could rest Mendez-Laing and play Sibley further forward.

Starting 11
Wildsmith
Nelson   Forsyth   Cashin
Ward   Smith   Hourihane   Sibley
Adams
Waghorn   Mendez-Laing

Finishers
Wildsmith
Nelson   Forsyth   Cashin
Wilson   Thompson   Adams   Elder
Sibley   Blackett-Taylor
Washington

Stephen Pearce and Paul Warne comments:

Finances
Pearce - losses are high for a L1 club due to our facilities and infrastructure. We're in a healthy position and debt free (no mention of the £36m loan from the parent company). Relatively small legacy costs. Unlikely to see much change in the operating losses for the current season.
Pearce - always looking to boost income. Stadium developments would be down to Clowes Developments (as it's not owned by the club)
Pearce - doesn't beleive the communications at the start of the season were misleading regardign restrictions. Pointed out the only restrictions were the ones we wrote up and submitted to the EFL for approval. It won't be too disimilar going forward, as we'll still set our own budget and intend to stick to it (but we'll have greater flexibility to exceed our own budfget if needed)
Pearce - Academy is currently costing around £4m a year which is independant from the first team squad budget.
Pearce - almost all clubs are reliant on an owner putting the money in, with most at risk of administration if the owner decides to pull the plug.
Pearce - 5 year business plan is costed and already agreed with Clowes' funding it.

Governance Bill
Pearce - almost all EFL clubs support it's introduction. Indepensdant body capable of stopping in if needed, and power to more fairly distribute money between leagues (if EFL and PL don't sort it out themselves). 

Squad
Pearce - It sounds like an assumption we'll be promoted this season, but do have plans for all scenarios. We'll have a competitive budget to compete.
Warne - Rectuiting for the current formation, but with flexibility to adapt. Less adapting in the Championship as there's a wider variety of playing styles.
Warne - no contract extensions before the end of the season. Focus is finishing the season first.
Warne - "Significant player changes" if we go up. More athletisism and a yougner squad. If we fail to go up, changes will be needed anyway as we will have failed with the current squad. "A bit of time" to get academy players into the first team
Warne - unlikely to sign Adams, but would love to keep him at the club
Warne - More players back at set-pieces correlates with fewer goals conceded due to the box being more crowded.
Warne - a few candidates for player of the season. Nelson is his pick and is a good leader, very professional, and Warne likes touching his abs. Cashin up there and so is Bird. "Forgot about Mendez-Laing"

Club Vision
Pearce - work done to determine how to run the club, with staff being a key part of building the right culture. Group decisions made with key stateholders, so no current need for a Director of Football.

Support
Pearce - believes the remaining 3 home games will be similar to the Bolton game.
Warne - enjoyed the flags and want to see more of them. The atmosphere made it feel like a "real match", than when clubs only bring a few hundred fans with them
Warne - Players have more of a boost at away games. They feel the nervousness at home games, and thinks the fans should cheer every small detail (every kick, every header, etc...)
Warne - save the boos and abuse to full time if you feel it neccessary. Doing it during the game won't imrpove player performances. Warne wil give them the hairdryer treatment in the dressing room at half time if we're playing badly.

Other
Pearce - around 50 applicants for the Supporters' Board for a minimum of 3 roles. Plan to have the Board in place in July. What we're implementing is the 'gold standard' for supporter boards

These are the main comments I picked up from Matt Hale and Jake Buxton. 

Academy chances
Buxton - players haven't done enough in training to convince Warne to play them. However, he aknowledges some players need to be given the chance in the team to show they are good enoguh. He used Thompson as an example, as he wasn't a standout in the academy, but showed he was capable once given game time in the first team.
Hale - pointed out it's difficult when Warne's priority is promotion and the risk of dropping an untested player in potentially resulting in less points on the board. Harsh on those youngsters when we're 3-0 up in games and have unused subs.

Breakthrough players
Understandably, neither wanted
Hale - average age of a Premier League debut is 21. I disagree with his view that a debut at a younger age is a good achievement, espeically with us being a L1 club (and hoopefully Championship club soon)
Buxton - highlighted the young players we have in the U21 squad at the moment, with several 17 year old playing. However, Robinson and Fapetu and 19 and Weston are 20 (all should be looking at first team football either with us or on loan).

Development
Hale - Restructures our U18 and U21 setup at the start of the season, to ensure each individual player has their own session, reviewed regularly. Now in the Central League to play agaisnt older players and expereicne the importance of wins over performances and help transition to men's football. Pointed out that we need to teach them the dark arts (tactical fouls, etc)
Buxton - greater variety of games is important and gives them a different experience (passing football in PL2 and more direct in the Central League)
Hale - work with other sports to look at transferable skills (momentum was highlighted). Also work with other businesses. Applies to staff and players.
Hale - review suitability of loan (game time and suitability). May want to ask more money off the loaning club if they aren't playing as much as we like as they could be in our U21s instead. Ensure staff watch every game of players out on loan and offer support to all players (such as life skills for players who will be away from home for the first time)

On style of play
Buxton - Writing a playing phylosophy for the whole club which hasn't been fully implemented yet. He described it as "free flowing football" with a "high press". U21s are already aligned with the first team.
Hale - Added that they need to teach them when to press, when to drop off, knowing that we'll be more adaptable in the first team. Pointed out ball retention is important and correlated with league position, but also added winning the ball back is just as important.

Other comments
Hale - Derby's training ground is twice the size of Southampton's.
Hale - Vision for the academy is to be PL ready in terms of staff, players, facilities
Buxton - All staff sit with players to discuss if they will or won't be retained. If to be released, they're told early on in the season. Players will be offered trials prior to signing for the U21 squad.
Hale - a lot of scouts viewing all age groups to spot players and have a filtering process. Strong competition with other Cat 1 clubs, with Moor Farm "packed" every game to watch our games. Plans in place for reviewing contract offerings to 16/17 year olds to aid retenation. Opportunity and pathway to the first team is our USP as we can't offer the money PL clubs can.

Comments from Stephen Pearce and Paul Warne to follow...

9 hours ago, Will the Ram said:

They could be facing another points deduction. £104M loss before they sold Johnson if I’m reading it right:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/nottingham-forest-profit-sustainability-rules-32391580

£30m overspend WITH the Johnson sale included.

It means selling someone like Gibbs-White for at least £50m, Elanga for £45m, or Awoniyi for £40m (or several players above book value). 

I think they'll struggle to sell many players at a profit tbh

6 hours ago, Chesterfield_Ram said:

Having seen the success that Dajaune has had; it makes me wonder why we don't loan out some of our other youngsters to give them experience. Yes some have been loaned out in recent times, such as Callum Moore to Matlock, Harry Evans to Barwell was it and Harrison Solomon to Belper last year, but some that are closer to the first team would surely benefit.

The likes of Fapetu, Lindsay and Weston would surely benefit from spells in the National League or National League N/S.

Lindsat is on loan to Glentoran and has 2 goals (0 assists) in 7 appearances (233 mins)

3 hours ago, TuffLuff said:

The previously relegated clubs would find it hard to look for compensation/legal action because the accounting period runs through to end of June. So essentially into the next summer transfer window. I hadn’t really thought about that but it’s a good way of maybe stopping what Wycombe and Boro did to us. 

Our penalty was a result of being judged to have failed 3 separate P&S periods.

£7.8m in the 3 years to 2017

£11.7m in the 3 years to 2019

£2m in the 4 years to 2021

Based on the points structure vs excess loss figures set in an earlier case (was it Birmingham?), amd the fact points should be deducted ted in the following season, we would have had 6 points deducted in 17/18, 12 in 19/20, and 3 points in 21/22.

As set out in the Reading and Sheff Weds cases, the value of points deductions was halved - so 3, 6 and 1 (or 2) points respectively. The result of which being:

17/18 - Derby dropping to 8th, with Preston taking our place in the Playoffs 

19/20 - dropping from 10th place to 13th

21/22 - having a maximum of 2 points instead of 9 deducted due to P&S, we would have finished 21st, with Reading finishing in the bottom 3 instead. That's even with the administration points.

Both Wycombe and Boro's claims were were wrongful for the point you raise. The season finished before the relevant reporting periods had finished. Wycombe's main claim was from believing the EFL should have given us the full 9 point deduction in 20/21 despite our battle with the EFL not being concluded until a few months later.

14 minutes ago, Chesterfield_Ram said:

Some interesting names in there.

I'd love Callum O'Hare, but I presume he'll be in high demand.

Ivan Sunjic alongside Ebou Adams (on a permanent) would be handy.

Always liked O'Hare too and is someone I would want in our current AM role (3412).

Others from the potential Championship free agents list: Aaron Connolly (CF), Alan Browne (CM), Will Vaulks (DM), Sam McCallum (LWB), Bartosz Bialkowski (GK), Tyrhys Dolan (AM/RW)

https://twitter.com/jack1hompson/status/1770502220334674292?t=ijW8X28Qs4Ac1oVhZ-dGxQ&s=19

1 hour ago, angieram said:

Niall McAndrew Number 8 - live coverage (4 pm kickoff, already 1-0 down)

 

8 minutes ago, Topram said:

Not much of an incentive for the players to get promoted now is it? Or am I looking at it wrong 

It's only extensions BEFORE the end of the season. We'll see a fee extended during the summer.

11 hours ago, Ambitious said:

Ahead of his move to Bristol City, I thought it would be interesting to note that Bird has not played in 10 games this season and we’ve won 8, drawn 1 (Portsmouth) and lost 1 (Bolton). 

A coincidence? Who was Bird partnered with in midfield, which forwards could he link with, etc...?

Bird and Waghorn have only started a single game together all season (a win)
He then only had 2 games with Gayle, losing the first (Gayle's first start since November) and winning the 2nd.
He also only had 7 games with Adams as a midfield partner. We lost 2 of those games but didn't have a CF in one of them, and the other was Gayle's first start