May Contain Nuts

Another pretty mediocre performance rescued by two moments of high quality.  We seemed to be playing a 5 0 5 formation with Hourihane just in front of the defence with Bird and Barkhuizen just behind the front three. OK I'm exaggerating a bit, but how many passes were there between Hourihane, Bird and Barkuizen in the first half?  In my head about five - I'd have to watch the match again to find out, but life is too short for that!  I thought Sibley and Wilson played pretty well in the circumstances - they were looking to go forward and commit the opposition.  It failed fairly regularly, but at least they were asking questions.  Much of the time there was no forward pass on due to our lack of movement, so they were forced into taking on their opposite number.  They looked more natural as wing backs, but that obviously means Bradley is on the pitch.  He didn't really worry me today, but I'm still not overly keen on a back three.  I felt a bit sorry for CBT - the passes to him were not playing to his strengths as they were either too far ahead or just behind him.  I hope it'll improve with familiarity, but our bypassing of the midfield means the chances of a good through-ball are lower.  
Our stupid fouls were driving me crackers.  On nearly every occasion I could see what was going to happen before it did, so why can the players not realise?  It constantly ruined the little rhythm we had, wasted time and gave Cheltenham chances to attack.
At least we got three points.  

Thought it was surprising how both Bird and the team looked 1000000x better when he was played in his proper position as a deep midfielder allowed to control the game. 
I don’t mind Hourihane but I’ve no idea why he was expected to play in midfield on his own in the first half. 

Personally I am thrilled. That was a much needed win and we showed character to claw ourselves back into the game. In years gone by, we would have lost that game in a typical Derby fashion.
Of course the performance police will be gutted, but we have had games where we have played well and not got the desired result. Sometimes you have to take what you can get.
Given the injuries are mounting up, the squad is looking stretched and we have little flexibility and movement in the transfer window, all that matters at the moment is getting results and keeping ourselves in the hunt.
People forget that once you are into January and beyond, every game carries jeopardy and sometimes it’s more about showing guts, determination and grit and getting something out of the game than having a picture perfect performance.
People would be complaining about a lack of character if we were playing well and not getting results. Warne and the players, as frustrating as they can be, cannot really win at the moment.
It sounds like Cheltenham made it very difficult for us and deserve credit, which many people suggested they would by highlighting their turnaround under Clarke, so I can’t understand the outrage.
We got a good result from a very awkward fixture and if nothing else, it consolidates our place in the top six and keeps us in striking distance of the top two.
Maybe it’s just me but I’ll be enjoying my Saturday evening.

I don't advocate for booing, but it's really no surprise that fans aren't happy with such a performance. Winning at home vs bottom of the table league one sides is the absolute minimum expectation for Derby. They don't get plaudits for meeting that. 

a stunning free kick got us into the game,the only piece of football played in the entire match got us 3 points,there is no excuse for the total dross served up for the rest of the game

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.

It is difficult to be that positive despite the league position. The run of form has been brilliant but it feels like it’s built on sand. 
 
There’s the saying ‘title winners know how to win when things aren’t going their way’. This is fine if it’s the minority of games where this is happening but it feels far more often than not that we win in spite of our performances. 
 
What changes? What can change? We’re pretty much staying as is until summer. 

Warne nailed it with the subs leading to the win. Warne in.

So first half was so awful you were considering doing other things rather than the football, but you wish the boo boys would shut up. You yourself acknowledge how dreadfully we played, so you should understand why fans are concerned and unhappy with our performances. Winning purely from better players is a bad sign.

Agree about the booing, never have, but can understand the frustration 😊

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.

I agree, yet when I questioned Warne's 'joking' about Sibs it was totally dismissed.

To be fair Tyler, other than our position in the league, I can’t believe that any fan is truly happy with the performances and football that has been served up. Do you disagree?

It was all a bit FiFa management today...because the idea was having Sibley and Wilson at full back gives us lots of attacking options, maybe even over lapping and tearing them to pieces!!
In reality, Wilson had his worst game.  Just kept trying to force it and losing the ball.  CBT had no clue how /where to go and rarely got an opportunity to run with the ball. Sibley worked hard and did shrug his man off, but oh my he's slow to turn and loses his position. NML was really poor, only Barks had an 'average' game out wide.
Forsyth and Niambe make us so much better its untrue and are better bringing the ball out and not turning it straight back over. 3 at the back is better for now though until we can get proper full backs in.
Nothing came through the middle - at one throw in we had 7 Derby players within 10 yards. Every time we turned inside the passing was scruffy and we turned possession over. Collins was a (very hard working) by-stander for 80% of the game. 
Hourihane and Bird as a 2 was horrendous.  Couldn't understand it at all.
No options on the bench and just let a striker go on loan. An awful lot of injuries, quite a few to players with a history of it that we brought in regardless. 
Looking at the table, a defeat today would really have seen top 2 drifting away. I think Warne got lucky today and that hurts me to say because I want him to succeed.
There needs to be a response because today I just couldn't see that result coming for most of it. 

Opening for Warne? 😉

There was a poster 'apoplectic' about fans that booed. I thought it funny that Warne also booed.

I take my hat off to you and it’s great that there’s more supporters out there the same, but me personally yes Derby County is my luv and I’ll never support anyone else come what may, but I turn up on a Saturday or Tuesday night to be entertained, if I’m not enjoying what I’m watching then rather than travel the 1 and a half hours I’d rather stay at home and unfortunately that’s what I’ll be doing next year and just pick the games out that I fancy watching. Sorry but watching Derby at the moment is not entertaining for me😢
 

Isn't there quite a simple fix for this though?
There's no reason Bird can't sit in front of the back 4 and turn the ball over, it's what he's done under every other manager at senior level. Fornah or Thommo the engine and Hourihane between the lines as you describe.
I'm not saying it would work if we suddenly dropped what we were doing and switched the players around because it would have to be something we've worked on all season on the training ground.
While I understand that having Bird further forward allows him more involvement in big moments and gives him a nice little stat boost individually, is it really what's best for the team?
Our midfield doesn't look balanced because we're asking it to function normally whilst performing a headstand. It's upside down.

The 90 minute process I'm following in recent weeks.

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.

Of course.
That said the level of personal abuse of our manager that actually exists is massively overstated and topic names like this one fool people into thinking it's widespread, and that the nature of discussion on the forum has been abusive off the back of the previous result. See David's post earlier, avoided the forum, but really aside from one or two exchanges (of varying length) the discussions have been constructive. Exactly what the forum should be for.
(Some of the below is actually a little tongue in cheek and slightly exaggerated for effect, but some truth lies within!)
Then you get the posts trying to claim that there's a large swell of people who'll simply never like Warne whatever he achieves, which seems to be mainly from people who just have very low standards and see us getting promoted this season as some sort of miracle and have decided that it's an achievement that ranks up there with what Jim Smith or Billy Davies achieved! (It really really isn't) It's almost as if they've bought into the small club mentality. 
Plus the old "I see the moaners are coming out of the woodwork after a negative result" schtick, usually spouted by people who've actively been accusing negative posters of 'ruining the board' or similar by 'posting repetitive, boring rubbish' when we weren't playing well, essentially telling them their voice wasn't welcome - then acting like those dissenting voices are committing some sort of crime against Derby County when they speak up after a bad performance/result that's come about because of the issues they'd identified all those months ago, which still haven't been and show no signs of being rectified, or indeed any attempt to be.
That one always makes me laugh. You can't tell people to shut up and then slag them off for being quiet! It I do think there are some who just think the forum should be some utopia of positivity.
There's so lovely low-key 'I'm a better supporter than you' vibes at times too.