Animal is a Ram

Check the first letter of the lines of paragraphs 4, 5 and 6. There's no way that's an accident and not some excellent sneaky swearing.

Yet another 2 points docked for Reading.

Rather apt that it sounds windy on those training pitches

While I'm enjoying your point, I don't think anyone has remotely suggested his career is over...

This image says it all for me. His flexibility and will to play wherever asked - and lets be honest, do at least decent job at all of them - is proving to be a little bit of a negative.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed not to hear the classic 'he's fat, he's round, he bounces on the ground'.

Not me building my hopes for a permanent deal at the end of the season. Nope. Not one bit.

On the last line, true - but McGoldrick has nothing to do with how well the players I mentioned are doing this year. On the rest - thanks to @Rich84 for taking that one on. For the sake of my mental health, I give up. I don't mind Warne not being everyone's cup of tea (the David Brent comparisons always tickle me), but to not even acknowledge that he's doing something right - and he must be doing something right, we're 2nd for crying out loud - is just silly.

Nobody said anything about making players good. No one manager is responsible for making McGoldrick the player he is. You were talking about getting the best out of players - setting up a team to maximising a player's returns? We were set up to get McGoldrick shooting chances, as well as make use of his *gorgeous* first touch. I miss him... where was I? Oh yeah, interesting you ignore the current players, mind.

Both can be true. I was wondering what the smell was...

Mendez-Laing has had the most productive League season of his career. 8g 14a beats his 16/17 season best of 8g 12a. Collins was on course for his best goalscoring season since 19/20. Warne took an unfancied McGoldrick and gave him his best ever season. The team have the meanest defence, and are joint 2nd on goals scored - a team that has largely been assembled on a shoestring, closely monitored budget. Yes, the football has rarely been sparkling, but who in this division is? Peterborough looked far and away the best team to come to Pride Park this season, and we now have a 10 point gap on them. We are second to a team in Portsmouth, who - much like Ipswich and Plymouth last season - have been in this league a while and been building to it. I've been critical of Warne this season, and had lost faith at one point. I'm glad to have been wrong.

I keep watching the goal, and I don't understand how it happens. My dulled brain can't comprehend the few seconds between it leaving Mendez-Laing's boot and it nestling into the back of the net. Anyway... That was a slog, wasn't it? I wasn't expecting too much out of this game given a) it's Steve Evans and b) our record against teams that make it a scrap - but I came out impressed. This was a strong test of our character, especially with the news of the extent of Collins' injury and the predicament that leaves us in. But one we passed. Sonny Bradley looks like the player we thought we were going to get and had an excellent game, with a crucial goal-line clearance to boot. Other than that chance, and the excellent reflex save from Wildsmith, we rarely looked in any danger. Adams continues to gloriously mop everything up - but got caught on the ball a couple of times - and everything else was sent packing by an excellent back three. The front few weren't great though - at times you could have thrown a blanket over Wilson, NML, and Barkhuizen, with Bird too far away. Nyambe isn't a wing-back either - I love him, but he's a bit too defensively-minded for the role. Elder continues to improve but could have done with a bit more pace out there. It all improved as soon as Warne made the changes, and I think it was well-timed. We looked instantly better with Wilson out in the WB role, and Smith in there meant Bird got the freedom he needed. Then getting Mendez-Laing out wide instantly improved things too. I understand what Warne is doing. and that's when I don't entirely mind if he does get it wrong.

Genuine question - what would Warne have to be doing for you to consider him doing a good job? Finding a way to win without a fit CF isn't a good job?

Even with Portsmouth winning handsomely, this one felt like more than just three points. Definitely felt that way in the stadium, South Standers were more like their old selves. Basking in that winning feeling.

To me, the 3-5-2 is making sense. With no fit CF, down to 1 reliable wide player, and 4 centre mids on the bench, it seems the way to go. I agree, the players were in the wrong places - you could have thrown a hat over Wilson, Barkhuizen, and NML, and Bird was too deep - but it's harsh to say the winner was undeserved. You say points despite the manager, but it's Warne who chose to make the substitution? I don't have a problem with fans not liking him, by all means, call out the things he does wrong, but that doesn't mean you can be blind to the things he does right.

I'm going to merge these with the pre-existing Paul Warne thread.

I know you shouldn't fall in love with a loan player... ...but on current form, I wouldn't be averse to signing Adams permanently, whichever division we find ourselves in next season. It's even more obvious that we've been missing that destroyer in midfield than before.

Rams 2, Shrews 0. Collins, please and thank you.

Not sure how the Beeb have it as a Roberts assist, he's nowhere near it 😂

and a Haydon Roberts assist, according to the Beeb at least. Once a Ram, etc.

Ole ole, ole ole...

FTFY

3 point cushion to Posh in 4th, even with that game in hand for them. Huge result.