Ramarena

1.26 am just got home after numerous road closures and diversions.
It's hard work sometimes. 

Now then, now then.

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.

I moved to Canada in June 2023. It's been a great move for me, but apart from family my connection home has been through Derby County. I wish I saw more games during this season, but I've done a lot of hungover early starts to watch us grind out the wins that got us into this position.
And here we are. Portsmouth away seemed very significant. It's poetic in my own personal way that Derby will get promoted in the first season I can't go to any games. But from thousands of miles away, I finally feel a bit of confidence.
Long story short - This Wycombe car park ambulance chasing lot made me hate a lot of modern football, and I'd love to turn these over and tell the football world we are back.
As a Brit now in Canada following on and loving every second of this season...
We're going to win this one. Quote me, screenshot me, @ me.
And we're getting f****** promoted.

What am I reading? I know we've all been through some right bottle jobs following Derby, but come on.
Barnsley ruled themselves out yesterday.
Peterborough have a horrifc run of games in 21 days and rely on a high energy game. 
Bolton really struggled to beat a poor Bristol Rovers team and haven't taken any more points than us over the last 5 games - and we've had to navigate Portsmouth, Blackpool, and Bolton themselves in that time.
Wycombe are playing a final this evening....beat them and it leaves 2 home games and Cambridge away. 
Honestly, I can see us winning the next 2, and Bolton drawing against Portsmouth, and it all being all being effectively over. Only 6 days to wait.

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

I just boil it back down to the fact that we'd much rather be in our position than Bolton's or Peterborough's.
We know for a fact that 4 wins from here and we're up regardless of anything they do.
We also have softer fixtures on paper than either of them, with Bolton having Pompey & Peterborough, and Peterborough having Bolton to play and 7 games 21 days.
We'd have gladly taken this position at most points of the season if offered.
C'mon Derby, final push.
 

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

I don't really get the criticism of Joe, though in fairness, I think most Rams supporters rate him highly. You take away some of the worldies he's pulled off this season and there's no way we sit 2nd. Hopefully he's just wanting to see whether we go up as I'd re-sign him in a heartbeat. If he chooses to go elsewhere, so be it, but I don't see he owes us anything to be honest. It's sometimes hard to take when players move on, but this is their job not necessarily their passion and one club careers are as rare rocking horse poo anyway.

3 wins puts us on 91 points which should see us up. But Bolton are starting to turn the heat up and I’ve got a nasty feeling they’ll win their last 3. Need Pompey to do a job on them.

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

That’s a surprise

Less than 2 years after near annihilation, I'm not sure what Bris expects. If they can't just enjoy this for what it is, then I feel sorry for them.

We have half a squad out of contract. Whether we go up or not, the team will be vastly, vastly different. The whole debate that this team will struggle is completely pointless. That's why I'm annoyed by it. Even Ipswich have brought in double figures this season, and that's after having an expensive, for League One standards, squad before they went up. 
Concentrate on going up, worry about the squad for next year when the hoards of inevitable transfers start happening later.

Can't underestimate the conditions they played in, either. As well as the rain the wind was swirling around, making judgement of bounce and pace so difficult. 
We were ten rows back and still wet through. 
The touchlines were borderline unplayable and I did fear it might be called off at times during the first half. Luckily the rain eased off enough to continue. 
 

Too bloody right! Still buzzing from last night. What a disappointing read this thread has been.

Can I suggest you try something like basketball instead. Might be a bit easier for you to follow, where the tactics aren’t too taxing - just run from one end to the other, shoot, turn round and defend the other team’s attack. 

Ah yes, a solid point away from home this evening so of course you’ve rode in on your horse to be dismissive about yet another result for the club you allegedly support 🙄 
 
We created and scored 2 goals, they created and scored 2 goals. It was a draw, a deserved one. 

We’d have taken that before kick off. 
Shame to have lost the lead twice but it’s still a good result which keeps the pressure on Bolton.

To be fair they could have had a peno at the end 

Good point in the end that. Got undone by a screamer which can happen.
But on another night they could score that open goal and get a penalty (if that was us, I'd want a penalty for what Wilson did) it definitely falls into the category of "I've seen them given" and I would agree with Curtis Davies in that if it's anywhere else on the pitch it's a foul. 
But we defended well, held our shape well and it was a good away performance.
Now we've got 8 days to rest. A luxury no other team is getting.
I think 3 wins will do the job now. That would mean Bolton need 4 wins and a draw from their last 5 games. Which I just cannot see them getting.
If we can go to Wycombe and get a result, it will take the pressure off slightly for the remaining 3 games. 
Hoping Bristol Rovers can do us a massive favour on Saturday, but they seem to be on the beach, so I'm not hopeful.
Another thing with the result today, it means that Pompey can go up with a win at Bolton. So they'll still have something to play for.
Maybe have Bird, Gayle and Barkhuizen back for Wycombe away too. Who hopefully will have a Wembley hangover.
We can do it.
Up The Rams!