Ghost of Clough

We're 7th now and dropping like a stone. Here's a table of results since the 5th of Feb:

This hardly looks encouraging to me.

Is no-one concerned that Warne doesn't appear to take an active interest in the academy?
See the Academy Thread.

Is it too simplistic of me to think that with a preferred formation of 3-5-2 
Knight Bird Sibley 
Should be the midfield ? 

We're 7th now and dropping like a stone. Here's a table of results since the 5th of Feb:

This hardly looks encouraging to me.

It only needs major surgery because of the consequences of having Warne as manager.
He desires a 3 at the back. This means 4 new wing backs, 2 new CFs, 2 new CBs, a GK. That's before any current players leave.
In the event of failing to get promoted, we will lose a number of our best and most promising players.
In total, we'll be looking at 13 new signings. GK, 3 CBs, 4 WBs, 3 CMs, 2 CFs.

I like Warne. Find him down to earth, easy to listen to, passionate, clearly an intelligent guy. 
But I’m a bit disappointed with the football we play under him.
I may be alone in this.
But I preferred Rosenior. We may still have lost 0-2 to Ipswich, but we probably would have done so with a greater outlook as we dominate the ball, create more chances, give the younger players more game time.
When we lose under Warne it’s just depressing. The football is generally crap and we look like we have no real identity.
When we lost under Rosenior (especially at Charlton) we still looked a good side. 
I thought we were looking good under Warne but the more you analyze it, you realize our amazing run was down to playing crap teams more than anything Warne actually did.
Under Rosenior we picked up two points from Lincoln, Shrews and Fleetwood away. Horrible results. Yet in the reverse fixtures at home under Warne, we still only picked up two points and arguably played worse.

I don't personally think he's ready yet and should have another full 90 for the U21s.
Warne will have him in the matchday squad and put as many of the older players in the starting lineup as possible.

When you already have a tiny squad, U21s have to be part of the first team picture. Even if that's to play the same amount of minutes as the likes of Osula and Springett.
We've only used 22 players in total in the league. 6 of those have played less than 500 minutes. That's absolutely ridiculous where the league average is 30.5 players.
By playing U21s in first team fixtures, not only do you allow senior players to rest, but you also put them in the shop window. They have the chance to prove they're good enough to be used in the first team more often, or they earn a move away. It would also help ease them in to first team football.
Tommo and Rooney should have been involved much more than they have done. Stretton and Cybulski should have been used rather than shipped out. Richards, Aghatise and others should have been given opportunities too.
Your comment on the quality in the U21s is also unfounded. Results have been heavily influenced by not having a CF all season (Stretton, Cybulski and Nunn all sent out on loan), and the only CBs spending most of the season out injured (Solomon and Bardell)

When you already have a tiny squad, U21s have to be part of the first team picture. Even if that's to play the same amount of minutes as the likes of Osula and Springett.
We've only used 22 players in total in the league. 6 of those have played less than 500 minutes. That's absolutely ridiculous where the league average is 30.5 players.
By playing U21s in first team fixtures, not only do you allow senior players to rest, but you also put them in the shop window. They have the chance to prove they're good enough to be used in the first team more often, or they earn a move away. It would also help ease them in to first team football.
Tommo and Rooney should have been involved much more than they have done. Stretton and Cybulski should have been used rather than shipped out. Richards, Aghatise and others should have been given opportunities too.
Your comment on the quality in the U21s is also unfounded. Results have been heavily influenced by not having a CF all season (Stretton, Cybulski and Nunn all sent out on loan), and the only CBs spending most of the season out injured (Solomon and Bardell)

The startling thing is Wigan being allowed a £13m wage bill despite being under a business plan...

The 2nd Rowett 😅

Didn’t Rooney used to go and give team talks to the under 23’s sometimes or have I imagined that? As well as some of the senior plays in the squad (Kazim-Richards etc)? I know he was forced into playing a lot of them but I always loved how he engaged with the academy, I wasn’t a big fan of him and I think he’s been exposed as a manager without the staff he had here but it’s one big plus I’d give him.

Yes. I thought he was excellent for our U18s. He was a much better prospect than Sykes-Kenworthy who he was competing with in the U23s and Foulkes who came in to replace him. I was surprised we let him go.

Are we including Rooney and Tommo, as they have been largely ignored this season?
Cybulski and Stretton would have been useful squad players, but someone made the decision to loan them out, and in Stretton's case, sold in January.
Aghatise has been the standout for me in the U21s (when fit) and his versatility means he could have been given minutes this season on the wing in the first team. He's physically ready for first team football too.
Hawkins and DRobinson could breakthrough in the next 2 or 3 years, but have a lot of competition in the CM position.
Moloney (LB/LWB) and Richards (RW/RWB) have started playing more for the U21s and have a shot at.
Evans and JThompson (both GK), Cox (CB), Davidson (W/CF), DBrown (CF) and Wheeldon (CF) are all players I see playing for the first team eventually.

Are we including Rooney and Tommo, as they have been largely ignored this season?
Cybulski and Stretton would have been useful squad players, but someone made the decision to loan them out, and in Stretton's case, sold in January.
Aghatise has been the standout for me in the U21s (when fit) and his versatility means he could have been given minutes this season on the wing in the first team. He's physically ready for first team football too.
Hawkins and DRobinson could breakthrough in the next 2 or 3 years, but have a lot of competition in the CM position.
Moloney (LB/LWB) and Richards (RW/RWB) have started playing more for the U21s and have a shot at.
Evans and JThompson (both GK), Cox (CB), Davidson (W/CF), DBrown (CF) and Wheeldon (CF) are all players I see playing for the first team eventually.

My fears too..

To improve the balance on the pitch. To add more control, an ability to pass the ball to another Derby player, to win the ball back, for a killer pass, for a shot on target, etc...

Yes. I thought he was excellent for our U18s. He was a much better prospect than Sykes-Kenworthy who he was competing with in the U23s and Foulkes who came in to replace him. I was surprised we let him go.

Yes. I thought he was excellent for our U18s. He was a much better prospect than Sykes-Kenworthy who he was competing with in the U23s and Foulkes who came in to replace him. I was surprised we let him go.

I don't personally think he's ready yet and should have another full 90 for the U21s.
Warne will have him in the matchday squad and put as many of the older players in the starting lineup as possible.

Agree. Gets far too harshly judged by some of our fans... he's a 19 year old kid on his first senior loan for goodness sake!

It's Warne's job yo get the best out of these players. He's clearly failing at that at the moment.

Must be just when you play Derby then. You were a dirty and cynical side in the first game too...

CB - Nathan Smith (Port Vale)
RWB - Mitch Clark (Accrington)
LW - Conor McAleny (Salford), Armstrong Oko-Flex (West Ham)
CF - Will Keane (Wigan), Ryan Hardie (Plymouth), Niall Ennis (Plymouth)

Dobbin has 5 goals and 6 assists in 2428 minutes this season.
Knight has 3 goals and 3 assists in 2764 minutes this season.
Three things:
1. There's a contract extension clause, so won't be out of contract in the summer. Even if he was, as long as we offer him a contract (which we would) we'd be entitled to compensation. Appearances for the club and international level will be a factor, and I'm willing to be we would get more than £2m for him in that scenario.
2.Considering out financial situation, we could sell him for £100m but cannot spend a penny of it due to the EFL's backwards rules.
3. How well is that 20+ goal scoring midfielder doing in the Championship? 1 goal in 9 games isn't great, especially in a side running away with the league title. Knight averaged a goal every 300 minutes in his debut campaign in a midtable side.
No, we would be guaranteed compensation, and a pretty sizeable amount.
Bird has 4 goals and 9 assists in 153 first team games. The vast majority of which have been in sides struggling for goals, and playing in a role which was to sit in front of the back 4 up until Warne took over.