BrudeRAM

What I'd be looking at:
Marshall/Roos
Byrne/MacDonald   New/Wisdom   New/New   Buchanan/New
Bird/Bielik*
Knight/Shinnie    Sibley/Watson
Jozwiak/New              New/CKR              Lawrence/Ibe**
 
*Bielik is here because honestly I don't think you can plan around him being back and should plan without him being available for the season
**Obviously with the precondition that he is mentally fit to play
Now for a bit of explanation 
Goalkeeper
For now I think this position is fine, I think between Marshall and Roos we have enough. Ideally we'd have a keeper with a mix of traits from either and it's 100% position we have to look at again in a year's time.
Defence
Byrne and Buchanan both should be clearly earmarked as part of any starting eleven for next season and typify ideal players for aggressive overlapping fullback. From the looks of things we do have MacDonald who looks like by next season he will be more than capable at providing backup, with also Ebosole also likely in the mix as well. As much as I like Forsyth I do think it's perhaps getting to the time were we look towards other options for cover competition and I don't think there is anyone in the academy who's quite there yet to challenge Buchanan (could be wrong on this and happy to be corrected). Centre back is likely going to be the key place we look to have to fix next season and it's really likely we need to get 2-3 in with a mix of permanents and loans. I actually quite like Wisdom as a centre back although I wouldn't have him first choice in an ideal world but I would be offering him a new contract to stay on. Clarke would be absolutely ideal for the left hand berth if we can get him back in some form but I wouldn't count on it. Ideally any players we bring in should have a bit of pace about them and be comfortable in possession so we can play an aggressively highline and not get caught out.
Midfield
Honestly I feel like this is the key area we've largely got wrong for most of this season and to be honest quite a few seasons before it. Right now our arguably most promising, talented academy prospects are all midfielders and we should be building towards a system that gets the most out of them and a squad that supports that. With that I do think we should strongly be considering moving to a 1-2 in midfield as opposed to a 2-1 as I think it likely has the highest possible ceiling in terms of potential. Bird I think will highly likely perform better as a sole axis in midfield as he will be more central and have more chance to find a pocket of space for a defender to feed him the ball, turn and find another player. In essence I suspect it will be easier for him to build from a such a position. Defensively I think this position will suit him better as well as it largely a position about being in the right place and holding your position as opposed to charge around, thundering into tackles and Bird has excellent positional sense. Knight will be served a lot better playing as an #8 in such a system as his ability make runs, press, get into the box and general energy are going to come a lot more to the fore in such a system with Shinnie ably providing back up and support. Sibley is the most creative talent we have and we need to make a real effort in getting what we can from him, personally I think he will be served better by being central and a touch deeper where he can pick the ball up and run through the centre either to pick a pass or shoot but in a 433 he'd have plenty of license to roam. Defensively I'm not too worried about him either as he has the energy to press and harry, and whilst he can be a touch reckless he doesn't shirk a challenge. Watson from the bits we've seen of him looks technically excellent, can really find space, link play and pick a pass and I would expect him to be used in rotation with Sibley and Knight. I think that midfield would allow us to play a progressive brand of attacking football whilst having the energy to press aggressively from the front.
Wide Forwards
I think it's vital that we have options in these positions, as I think it's the position that likely needs the most rotation in this division as generally players in these positions are more prone to drifting in and out of form. I think we had the right approach under McClaren were we had frequent rotation of these positions both between games and aggressively subbing them in games as I think that's generally out you get the most out of these positions. Jozwiak has had a rough go of it as of late but I really do think there is a player there and I think it's likely that a lot of the issues he has had with his game get smoothed out if we are more progressive in set up and have more/better options to rotate with him. His touch, dribbling, link up play and ability to find space are all excellent with him linking well with Byrne especially. I would expect given time and confidence more end product will come. Lawrence is mercurial but honestly we have missed him from several angles this year. He can be hot and cold and his decision making is off at times but he can get something from nothing and always makes him self available to get on the ball which can extremely important at progressing forwards. We definitely could do with at least 1 more competitive option and 2 if things don't pan out with Ibe, as like I said before we would strongly benefit from good options to rotate in these positions particularly.
Centre Forward 
This is clearly an obvious gap going forward. CKR has done excellently coming from nowhere this time and I really like him as an option going into next season. However we should be looking at bringing in a new player to ideally start. We should really, really be careful about who we scout for this position as it's arguably the position we've got wrong more than any other. The minimum should be a good touch, comfortable back to goal and ability to find space with pace, ability in the air, clinical finishing being obvious and clearly 

The formation needs to change to be more positive if you are looking for promotion.
2 holding midfielders with little creativity is partly what is to blame for our current dearth of goals.
The second half performance on Tuesday is what we need to be looking at as a barometer moving forward.
 
3 at the back with real wing backs helps us as we have Byrne who is a real threat going forward and a hopefully improved Buchanan.
Or you go 4 at the back with one holding.
1 defensive midfielder in Shiniesta is enough.
                                       Marshal/Roos
              Edmunson,             Cb,         Cb,
Bryne                                                           Buchanan
                                  Shinnie
       Sibbo                                          Lawrence
                  Colin                 New
 
or
 
                                      Marshall
Bryne              CB                         CB                  Buchanan
                                Shinnie
Joz                          Sibbo                             Lawrence
 
                   Colin                      New

Like the look of this. For me knight swaps with Shinnie and sibley for watson but good competition for places all round. Think we'll miss Clarke sorely unfortunately, the recruitment has to be very good for the 3 NEWs in such important positions. I'd also add that IMO it's all going to revolve around Bielik who we need back ASAP and firing on all cylinders next year if we're going to do anything 

Honestly think if we get these three positions sorted and stop being so negative with the tactics, this is capable of making the play offs next season.

Said it before and I'll say it again, we're in this position because we don't score enough so why have arguably our brightest attacking talent on the bench. Play him further forward, let knight do his running (which knight does brilliantly btw even he isn't having the greatest spell) and we'll be better for it. COYR

Play him consistently in the 10 role and he'll light the league up, as he did the end of last season.

Well to be fair to roony he had wealy  and deal in january and think that why sacrificing some youngsters so he got some funds and depanding who stays or who goes but I hope Richards stays and maybe lee Gregory and I hope selby stays and knight but if we can some rise funds with out sell best young players.

Whilst we need a new CB it is going to be hard to find someone who is good enough for the first team but also happy to join on loan and be back up. We have kept a lot of clean sheets under Rooney including 3 in a row so a centre back isnt going to come straight in and start

No but he is still going and talks about the rams every time I speak to him he’s 85 now and looking forward to being 86 in April 

Really won't take that many results to get out of this. Win tomorrow and we're out of the relegation zone most likely. I don't see us dropping through the trapdoor, I think we'll have enough to be safe. 

Admins/mods, apologies if this is inappropriate or in the wrong place!
As part of a personal mission to make a difference both to myself and others next year, and hopefully to also provide a boost to our local healthcare services, I am committing myself to running 10k each time Derby County fail to win a game (i.e. draw or lose) during 2021. If current form is anything to go by, I'll be stick thin by March!
I have started a GoFundMe page to hopefully do a bit of good while also having a bit of fun following our beloved Rams next year. I struggled to settle on a particular charity to support but have gone with the Derby and Burton Hospital Charity in light of the fantastic work they have done in tough circumstances in 2020. If you would wish to donate and provide me some much-needed motivation I'd appreciate literally anything!
https://uk.gofundme.com/f/running-10k-if-Derby-county-dont-win-dbhc
My other thought was for the Derby City Mission who I know we had done some fundraising for on this forum earlier in the year, please also consider helping their cause if you would prefer;
https://www.derbycitymission.org.uk/
Long and the short of it is...
We're going to make it a good year in 2021. Quote me, screenshot me, @ me.