RodleyRam

51 minutes ago, Kokosnuss said:

It's more of a parallelogram made up of 2 separate triangles really 

In one triangle McGoldrick isn't an active participant, in the other Barkhuizen isn't.

The passing triangle creates the space and then gets the ball to the spare man.

The way you're looking at it you could just say that that the whole team is a hendecagon 

Paul Warne's hendecagon army

Has a catchy ring to it

2 hours ago, Kokosnuss said:

We all love a triangle, and here we have 2, potentially 3! (Barkz/Knight/Hourihane, Knight/Hourihane/McGoldrick,  Barkz/Hourihane/McGoldrick)

You've essentially got one 4 player triangle there... Which is a square in anyone's book!

Pythagoras is turning 180° in his grave...

I love how this has turned into a hack thread for b4's Christmas shopping! 

For what it's worth, I always used to go on Christmas Eve. Quieter than you'd think and many a bargain to be had...

If we persevere with this formation:

Wildsmith

Chester Cashin Roberts 

Mendez-Laing Knight Bird Sibley Barkhuizen

McGoldrick 

Osula

Maybe it's too attacking in midfield but I think we need a bit more pace and energy in the middle and at the back hence Roberts and Sibley get the nod ahead of Davies and Hourihane. 

For PW's formation to really work I think we need an out and out CDM, especially if the wingbacks remain Barks and NML.

1-1

Barks with ours 

1 minute ago, FindernRam said:

The reason was too many sideways and backwards passes mainly in our half. Time we got to shooting range they had all players back and had had time for a cuppa before we got there. I think this was why DC dropped LR.

Not sure I agree. We didn't lack good goalscoring opportunities, we just didn't take our chances. Anyway, it's an issue that has been done to death!

I think we will ultimately benefit from moving the ball more quickly and increasing our tempo but I don't think 'long balls' are the way to do that.

When we went forwards on Saturday with the ball on the deck and down the flanks, we looked dangerous but we needlessly gifted possession to them too often by by passing our midfield. This caused us to come under pressure and look vulnerable. Didn't need to be the case and PW said so himself!

Play to your strengths. We are not set up to play percentages or traditional long balls to a big striker and feeding off second balls. Not saying it can't be effective for some clubs but there are limitations to hire successful you will be if you sacrifice possession through too many aimless long balls.

The key thing for us is dictating tempo and controlling games according to circumstance. 

I personally felt we did this reasonably well under LR but didn't convert control into results. 

Against Port Vale we had very limited control, mostly because we didn't control possession. We gifted then the ball too often and failed to dictate the tempo when we were ahead.

We have to learn to mix up and use our considerable talent to get control of tempo and possession. I don't think a long ball game is suited to our personnel and I don't think it's going to get results that a possession based game would...

On 07/10/2022 at 17:40, 86 Hair Islands said:

Doesn't look wildly enamoured with the prospect.

Game face bruv

On 07/10/2022 at 13:10, Duracell said:

K AND AN E AND A DOUBLE T...

Go on, I'll bite...

E  AND  AN  R  AND  AN  I  N  G...

Hourihane has obvious quality and won us 6 points on his own so far. However in general play I think he lacks the energy and determination required at this level. Doesn't look fully fit but could just be age and his style.

Bird has more drive but has looked a bit shell shocked so far, quality is there but needs someone to do more of the dirty work.

Knight has been at RB for 90% of the games so far, but he's looked better in the middle. He's got to be a big asset in this league with his energy and quality.

I'd love to see Bielik back and think either Smith or Rooney in for Hourihane is a good shout at this point.

I think the players are top quality for the league, they should be dominating more than they are. We just haven't found the right balance and adjusting to both the physicality and our own dynamics.

I'm confident it will come but definitely inclined to give Hourihane a break.

Did he make the WC squad? Possibly hasn't been announced yet.

A return would be great / make a lot of sense with the new style and formation. Gets my vote and would be a shot in the arm in the new year.

Bielik / Bird / Knight would be a good midfield 3.

3 hours ago, Ambitious said:

We played more long balls against Plymouth (62) and Wycombe (63) than we did against Port Vale (52), so I'm not sure where the assumption we've now suddenly become a long ball team has come from? 

We're getting the ball forward quicker, but not necessarily by long passing. It's usually just getting the ball forward, down the wings and then in the box. It's disappointing to lose a game that we should definitely be winning, but important to not let assumptions/prejudices get into the way of the facts. 

The forum will implode if people aren't allowed to simply make stuff up, repeat it 14 times over and pass it off as fact... Shame on you for suggesting otherwise.

It just felt like the ref wanted to be centre of attention yesterday.

Think JC was unlucky to be honest, clearly wrestled to the ground in the box, decision given against him (and for the hour before that.) He shows his frustration against the pitch and looked genuinely surprised that he caught their player (if he properly did) 

Ref was a long way away from play and brandished the red before properly digesting what he (thought) saw.

Their player not even booked for pushing JC to the ground. 

I'm usually pretty balanced on these things and I think the ref got that wrong. Some bizarre decisions against us, just felt a bit dubious to be honest.

On Collins, it's a desperate shame for the guy. I think he's been good but a tough start at the club in some fans' eyes and just as it's coming good in front of goal, he has to sit it out for 3 matches. I think we'll struggle without him. 

Don't quite know what to make of any of that. Haven't seen any highlights but live I was baffled by some of the decisions by the officials and some of our play.

We were unconvincing and looked like a side trying to play in a style and formation that doesn't suit them. There's still time for both of those things to embed of course.

When we were 1-0 up, I was surprised that we didn't try to dominate possession, even if to frustrate them for a bit. We gave them too much of the ball and failed to control the game. That cost us momentum and let them into it.

That said we created chances to go 2-3 up by half time.

There's a long way to go. That could be to our advantage or it could be painful viewing... 

Derby 3-0 Port Vale

FRGS Bird

24 minutes ago, minesahartington said:

So you support Blackpool?

Sadly I was already inducted into the Rams cult by then and wasn't aware of the mighty Blackpool's existence

I don't support England men's team anyway.

When I was a kid, I thought you chose your national team like you did your club. My favourite colour when I was 5 was orange, so I always support the Netherlands anyway...

If we are going to persevere with wing backs then that has to be a priority for any next signings.

I think teams will quickly be able to exploit gaps and we could look disjointed if we don't get that right. I'm sure the management team is aware and will have some plans in place.

8 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

Yeah.  Didn't we get done for that?  

Other way round I hear, we were the ones that were done...

Typo innit

Father's curse for me. He luckily saw us win the league and pay in Europe.

I did see us go unbeaten at home for my first six games in 93/94 until a Steve Bull hat trick made my world end. I realised that being a Ram was often a beautiful wave of hope and joy followed by a crushing blow laced with abject despair...

Good times, great days. Still going back for more agony 30 years on.

As for the 'why'... It's still a great touch point with all the men in my family and now my football obsessed nephews!

6 hours ago, Magicman said:

I understand its 4 players from our last match .

Loach 

Chester Stearman Fozzie 

Oduroh Thompson Bird Roberts 

Ozula Sibley  

Subs Wildsmith Smith Rooney Robinson Dobbin NML Cybulski 

Back to your relevant best ?

Thought those comments were something of nothing really. I always find it odd that they ask about injured players more than the ones who have actually played. He went on to praise him, so hopefully McGoldrick has a big part to play, quality will count even if in short bursts.

1-1

Knight FRGS

10 hours ago, kevinhectoring said:

Who is doing this ? 

A couple of posters declared he had no future in management and should stick to TV. Our friend Tyler was also suggesting that his reputation was lower than when he interviewed for the Blackpool job. I was disagreeing with both of those sets of comments. CBA to find the quotes as I have a hangover...

Comes across well, not sure any comparisons to other managers are fair as he's clearly his own man, he's definitely not Rowett, who was a miserable Bamford at the best of times. I like he comes across as authentic and has a more light hearted demeanor. That will help to relieve some pressure.

I liked how he talked about entertainment and enjoyment, it's all been very serious the last 5 years, it'd be nice to have a more positive and enjoyable culture at the club.

Couple of things that stood out for me.

Pleased he talked about using the talent appropriately but also noted he was clear that they would be expected to run and fight more. Can't see any issues with that, we've clearly run out of energy at times this season, which had been put down to short pre-season but something they need to work on. Interesting to see how the players take to that, you'd think some will love it and others may be less keen!

His talk about the importance of his leadership team was interesting and not something we've heard at the club for a while. I remember Nigel Clough talking more in these terms. I think NC's loyalty to an average team didn't do him any favours, so let's hope PW's team is as good as he thinks it is.

He was clearly surprised at the size of the club infrastructure and personnel. You can see how he would have influenced absolutely everything at Rotherham (probably down to the brand of coffee!) and may find the size and competing agendas challenging in comparison. Everyone knows we are a big club with a rich history but until you're in the midst of it, I doubt you can fully appreciate the weight of expectation and demands of a bigger club regardless of our recent history. Interesting to see how he adapts to Derby as well as the other way around.

All in all, I liked what I heard and hope that, for him and for us, it's a good relationship and he can build on our strong foundations.