Stripperg-ram

Derby County vs Reading
Tuesday 12th March
Pride Park   KO 1945
 
Opposition Bio: Reading have made more headlines off the field than on it in recent times as they find themselves in financial strife as a result of incompetency by their owner. Sound familiar? 
The EFL have seemingly cut them more slack than they did with ourselves but their patience must be wearing thin as deadlines to deposit sufficient funds regularly pass. The latest failure to pony up saw them docked further points and their season deduction now stands at six points in total. 
There was a further deduction of three points doled out, albeit suspended, after their understandably fed up supporters invaded the pitch and caused the early abandonment of their home match with Port Vale, the latters best result in recent months.
Where we had Mel Morris, Reading have Dai Yongge. This proves the old adage of being wary of baldies or fake Welshmen baring gifts.
Any sympathy we have for them should be tempered though by the thought that they are probably still laughing at us paying £3m for Nick Blackman.
Reading FC are known as the Royals, a distinctly naff nickname acquired after a young Prince Albert played a dozen games for the club before marrying Queen Victoria. Plus they hail from the royal county of Berkshire. They are also known as the Biscuitmen due to the town's association with the biscuit makers Huntley & Palmers. 
They are managed by Spaniard Ruben Selles and, having been relegated last season, will be looking to secure League 1 survival this season and kick on in 2024/25 under different ownership and without points deductions.
Reading are the proud holders of two notable records. In the 1985/86 season they recorded 13 straight victories at the start of the season in what is now this division and they also hold the record for the highest points total for their whopping 106 points in their 2005/06 Championship campaign. 
Opposition Form: Not too shabby in fairness. In the ten matches played since they beat us 1-0 at their place they have won a further four games with three draws and three defeats.
They arrive at Pride Park on the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Wycombe and in 18th place with a record of W12-D9-L16. It should be noted, however, that without their points deduction they would be in 14th position. 
Their away record is perhaps misleading as the bare stats of W3-D5-L10 needs to be looked at in the knowledge that they contrived to lose their first eight matches on the road. They all count obviously but their more recent form away since then reads W3-D5-L2. 
Their away wins have been at Wycombe (2-1), Stevenage (1-0) and Carlisle (3-1). They have also managed decent draws at Oxford and Peterborough.
In those 18 away games they have only failed to score on four occasions. Promisingly from a Rams perspective, they have only kept the one clean sheet on their travels.
Opposition Players: Going purely off the stats it would appear their chief dangermen are top marksman Harvey Knibbs (10 goals, 6 assists), Sam Smith (9 goals, 10 assists) and possibly Femi Azeez and Lewis Wing. They also have Robbie's son Charlie Savage, the experienced Harlee Dean and the wonderfully named youngster Jacob Hammond-Chambers-Borgnis who I hope gets a runout as I'd love to see if they put his triple-barrelled name on his shirt.
Rams vs Reading History: This will be the 48th league clash between Derby and Reading and the 54th in all competitions. The clubs' first meeting was a League Cup clash in October 1965 (1-1) but it wasn't until 22nd September 1984 that the Rams and the Royals met in a league fixture for the first time and the long wait proved barely worthwhile as we played out a goalless draw at their previous home, Elm Park. The return fixture would prove to be more memorable, for us at least, as Reading's first ever league visit to Derby in April 1985 saw the Rams win 4-1 with goals from Bobby Davison, Steve Buckley, Trevor Christie and Gary Micklewhite in front of a bumper crowd of 7,945 (really?).
That was not a taste of things to come in this fixture though as Reading have had by far the better of it. Our record on their turf is especially poor with just four wins in 24 visits. On Derby soil, though better as you'd expect, it is still deeply unimpressive. Our last victory at home to them was a 1-0 success in September 2021 but our overall home league record against Reading is W10-D3-L10. 
Expected Team: Same again one might think. Possibly a change in the middle to give more legs with Smith or Thompson in for Hourihane. 
Other Fixtures of Note: Something similar to Saturday would be nice. A Derby win and at least one of our rivals for automatic dropping points please. Their games midweek are:
Portsmouth vs Burton
Bolton vs Oxford
Carlisle vs Barnsley
Peterborough vs Stevenage (Weds)
COYR
 

Bristol Rovers vs Derby County
Saturday 9th March KO 3pm
Memorial Stadium (BS7 0BF)
 
Opponents Form: Decent recently with three wins in their last four matches including their last two. They currently sit 11th in the table albeit with no realistic playoff aspirations or relegation concerns. Whilst their home record in L1 this season is a reasonable W7-D5-L5 it should be noted that they have lost four of their most recent six matches on their own patch with wins over Carlisle (2-1) and Oxford (3-1) dampened by defeats to Blackpool (1-2), Exeter (0-1), Fleetwood (0-2) and Burton (1-2).
Opponents Bio: Rovers are managed by Matt Taylor who is in his third managerial role. After an impressive four years at Exeter he was the man chosen by Rotherham to take over the reins after the departure of our own Paul Warne to Pride Park. Taylor's spell there lasted 13 months before he parted company with the Yorkshire club in November 2023 as the Millers were struggling in 22nd place. Within three weeks, however, he found himself in the Bristol Rovers hotseat replacing the ever-delightful Joseph Barton. 
The club have played their home matches at the 11,000 capacity (3,000 seated) Memorial Stadium since 1996 after leaving their previous home in Eastville. They are officially known as the 'Pirates', reflecting Bristol's maritime history. Or because they just arrrr. Or maybe because their form is historically patchy. They are of course also known as the 'Gas', a nickname which was given them by opposition fans originally but was cheerfully adopted by the Rovers' followers who refer to themselves as 'Gasheads'. The name came about apparently due to their former stadium being sited next to a gasworks which produced a distinct aroma which would waft over the ground. Anybody who sits near a few of our more dedicated drinkers at Pride Park will no doubt relate to that.
Opponents Player Watch: Only one place to start here as the Rams go up against our former beau, Christopher Hugh Martin. The Wardrobe has scored 15 goals this season and is joint fifth in the top scorers chart for the division. Second top scorer after CM9 is Anthony Evans with half a dozen goals. Other notable players are ex-Rams youngster Luke Thomas, experienced former Swansea, Celtic and Preston man Scott Sinclair and Chelsea loanee Harvey Vale who I think we were linked with during the summer. I'm not sure if he's their number one or not but they also have a goalkeeper called Jed Ward who you can only sympathise with.
Rams Record vs Opponents: There have been three FA Cup ties between the two clubs but we'll focus on the 27 league matches there have been between Bristol Rovers and Derby County. The first meeting was on 29th August 1953 at Bristol so hats off to any Ram or Rover who remembers that match over 70 years ago. During the early years of the fixture it was Bristol Rovers who held sway with the Pirates winning the first three encounters, four of the first five and six of the first nine overall. Since then though it is the Rams who have had much the better of it. The overall league record for Derby against Saturday's opponents is as follows:
P27: W12-D7-L8
Away at Bristol Rovers our record  is: P13: W3-D4-L6   Whilst that isn't impressive it should be pointed out that we lost on our first five visits and since then we've gone W3-D3-L1 on their turf and are unbeaten in our last four visits.
Since our relegation to L1 for the 2022/23 season the Rams have recorded home wins against Rovers in both fixtures at Pride Park (4-2 and 2-1) whilst last season we conceded a debateable late penalty in a 1-1 draw at their place.
Other Saturday Fixtures Of Note: We will either be second or third going into the match depending on the outcome of Barnsley vs Bolton on Tuesday night. Peterborough are at home to Northampton on the same evening. On Saturday our priority is of course to earn three points in the south-west but we will be hoping for favourable results in at least one of the following games:
Blackpool vs Portsmouth
Exeter vs Bolton
Barnsley vs Lincoln
Burton vs Peterborough
Expected Team: My guess is that Derby will be unchanged from the 3-0 win against a desperately struggling Port Vale. With fit full-back options rarer than a salad in the City Ground boardroom I suspect it'll be a back three plus the two wing-backs who played well yesterday. 
 
Safe journey to those who make the trip and COYR.

Whatever we want could be a 4141 when attacking switching to a 352 when defending 

Sort of a 4-2-3-1, back 4 is Cashin at left back, Nyambe at right back then Nelson and Bradley as the cbs. 
Adams and Smith sitting deeper in midfield with Bird, Wilson and NML behind Gayle 

Looks useful.

I'd probably echo a change in formation like a few have mentioned already. Going with a 4-3-3 now we have CBT giving us deadly pace on the wings and having an extra midfielder in there. Can switch up to 3-5-2 if nothing is coming off
Wildsmith back in goal where he belongs 
Captain as the quarter back and I put Thompson in there thought he showed great energy and needs a run of games under his belt. 2 midfielders can roam forward on attacks and one stays holding, supported by quite attacking fullbacks 
Substitutes
Barks for any winger 
Fornah for any midfielder 
 
                      Wildsmith
    Wilson     Nelson  Cashin      Elder
                       Hourihane 
          Thompson            Bird
 
NML                                              CBT
                       Collins
 
 

I don’t know how to phrase or suggest this without seeming like I’m trying to damn with faint praise or imply a negative that could still come right/bear fruit, but…
Sibley? As our Lynchpin attacking threat..
 
I started this season with that feeling I usually get with a couple of players every season and that’s: give him a run of 10 games and he’ll come good/light up/become the messiah/save the day etc
I feel like that moments passed for me for Sibs. I know he’s not had a consistent run in a specific role, but, he’s not shown enough. I kinda see why he’s not the first name on the team sheet. Whereas before I was just hoping he would grow in confidence game by game and become our mbappe or something. 
feels like the dream has died, for me at least anyway. 
however - his best (and most consistent) spell was arguably at left back and now he has a chance to light it up there
i see why we can’t just drop elder after one average game where he dropped a massive clanger. But maybe Sibley is the left back we’ve been waiting for? 
Fozzys true heir??
 
I dunno 
it’s Wednesday and I’m drinking rhubarb gin
 

I don’t know how to phrase or suggest this without seeming like I’m trying to damn with faint praise or imply a negative that could still come right/bear fruit, but…
Sibley? As our Lynchpin attacking threat..
 
I started this season with that feeling I usually get with a couple of players every season and that’s: give him a run of 10 games and he’ll come good/light up/become the messiah/save the day etc
I feel like that moments passed for me for Sibs. I know he’s not had a consistent run in a specific role, but, he’s not shown enough. I kinda see why he’s not the first name on the team sheet. Whereas before I was just hoping he would grow in confidence game by game and become our mbappe or something. 
feels like the dream has died, for me at least anyway. 
however - his best (and most consistent) spell was arguably at left back and now he has a chance to light it up there
i see why we can’t just drop elder after one average game where he dropped a massive clanger. But maybe Sibley is the left back we’ve been waiting for? 
Fozzys true heir??
 
I dunno 
it’s Wednesday and I’m drinking rhubarb gin
 

I actually think Burton deserve a bit of credit
theyre certainly not the worst team we’ve played against 
elder has some responsibility for their second goal but it takes skill to score those having just come on on you’re debut 
and Seddon was a nuisance and took his goal well
they didn’t really offer much other than that - although defended well at times 
nothing more than an average league one team, but in such a bad league this year they could’ve been worse 

What a bunch of babies in the south street upper - I’m aware this is the loud minority we’re talking about but my god when it went to 2-2. 
 
Every player was a ‘TWxT’ or an F-ing idiot’ 
 
Elder should have been crucified according to some of these man babies. 
 
Sibley decided to cross and it was close to their keeper ‘F’ing rubbish you useless tw*t shouldn’t play for us again’. 
 
I get it was frustrating we let it slip but Christ look at the run we are on - get behind the lads. They did everything right to try and get back into the game they kept working space down the sides rather than going to the emergency pump balls forward panic tactic. 
 
And by all means criticise the players for their football but they’re not ‘tw*ts’ or ‘c*nts’ theyre just league one footballers who make mistakes occasionally. 

Also, why does Barks always look like he needs a good steak, some broccoli and a sun bed!
Get the lad to Hoar X hall tout suite 
 
(and yes  the ‘tout suite is not their honeymoon suite!!)

Also, why does Barks always look like he needs a good steak, some broccoli and a sun bed!
Get the lad to Hoar X hall tout suite 
 
(and yes  the ‘tout suite is not their honeymoon suite!!)

Also, why does Barks always look like he needs a good steak, some broccoli and a sun bed!
Get the lad to Hoar X hall tout suite 
 
(and yes  the ‘tout suite is not their honeymoon suite!!)

I actually think Burton deserve a bit of credit
theyre certainly not the worst team we’ve played against 
elder has some responsibility for their second goal but it takes skill to score those having just come on on you’re debut 
and Seddon was a nuisance and took his goal well
they didn’t really offer much other than that - although defended well at times 
nothing more than an average league one team, but in such a bad league this year they could’ve been worse 

Also, why does Barks always look like he needs a good steak, some broccoli and a sun bed!
Get the lad to Hoar X hall tout suite 
 
(and yes  the ‘tout suite is not their honeymoon suite!!)

Yeah. Agree with that 
I don’t understand why we can’t just shake up the attacking play just sometimes and play to feet through the middle. With bird and Tommo etc we have players that could do it
not every attack- just sometimes 

I actually think Burton deserve a bit of credit
theyre certainly not the worst team we’ve played against 
elder has some responsibility for their second goal but it takes skill to score those having just come on on you’re debut 
and Seddon was a nuisance and took his goal well
they didn’t really offer much other than that - although defended well at times 
nothing more than an average league one team, but in such a bad league this year they could’ve been worse 

I actually think Burton deserve a bit of credit
theyre certainly not the worst team we’ve played against 
elder has some responsibility for their second goal but it takes skill to score those having just come on on you’re debut 
and Seddon was a nuisance and took his goal well
they didn’t really offer much other than that - although defended well at times 
nothing more than an average league one team, but in such a bad league this year they could’ve been worse 

Yeah. Agree with that 
I don’t understand why we can’t just shake up the attacking play just sometimes and play to feet through the middle. With bird and Tommo etc we have players that could do it
not every attack- just sometimes 

1st off I don't think the ref was as bad as some thought, He let play go on where in the EPL you'd get a free kicks nothing major in his handling of the game.
As for the game...at 2-0 game done and dusted I got the impression the players also thought that, But another challenge went unpunished and they score, A breakaway and a slip put Hugil in and it's now 2-2, One of the best defences against one of the worst attacks...this is the DCFC we have got to know.
NML could have scored in the 1st half when shooting...rebound to Barks who misses, Collins miss cues at 2-2 when on another day it gets smashed into the net, At 3-2 NML clean through and miss controls the ball, So on another day 4 or 5 goals and we're storming the league, It was a little messy at 2-2 not awful messy...we never rushed or panicked just that the ball wouldn't fall for us.
We won, We got the 3 points we move onto Lincoln, No histrionics from me...only we have to show more composure when defending.
I'll sleep well...goodnight and sleep tight all 👍 

I think what happens is that in the second half the opposition managers often make some adjustments to counter whatever we are doing and Warne and the players are frequently too slow to react.
In the second half today Warne had his pants pulled down tactically by a guy who has only been a manager for five days, he was just lucky he had better players on the pitch to bail him out.

Hey all, our penultimate podcast of 2023 is out now....
 
The Rams' penultimate game of 2023 sees a seventh win in eight league games, as Wigan are edged out at the DW. Chris is joined by Ollie Wright (@derbycountyblog) to assess the latest impressive result on the road - including a stressful last 20 minutes, before pondering the future or Eiran Cashin and heralding the new contract of superb fullback Ryan Nyambe.

Ollie also tells Chris about the inspiration for his latest book, 'Coming Home', based on personal reflections of Derby's recent administration period, and we both wonder whether any team in the existence of football will 'beat' Derby's 11 point Premier League record. Happy Christmas!

"Technically", that was a first class away day job done by all involved.
A tad disappointed we didn't capitalise more on our first half superiority.
And in fairness, that nervy last 20 minute watch was based more on history than what was actually happening on the pitch, but that doesn't make it any less nervy.
Still... correct score on the prediction thingy, another 3 points on the board, and Pompey, we really are coming for you.
Happy Boxing Day, fellow Rams.
🐏🍻
 

B4’s Sisters matchday record.
Played 6, Won 5, Drawn 1, Goals For 13, Goals Against 3
 
…………….……think someone somewhere is pulling a few strings! 👍🐏