Carl Sagan

We shouldn't be held to ransom by Charlton. They need money for their purchases, and have tried to start a bidding war, but few clubs have a transfer kitty at our level. Plus the player wants to come to Derby. Walk away, move on to our other targets and have Charlton come running after us.

We never seem to step up and embrace the pressure of these moments. Instead in the past we have shrunk from them. Today there were wins for Barnsley, Oxford, Peterborough and Stevenage. We're at home against a team low in the table. To remain on track, we also have to win or we will have fallen back into the pack. If we are victorious, I think it will indicate something of a turning point in the mentality of the squad - that we are not afraid of fully entering the promotion battle. And it would be amazing if we were to move into second spot as our reward. I'm intrigued to see how the players react and if they will seize the day. This should be their time. Come on you Rams!

Good knowledge, and it was a day of wonder when Poppies opened on a street I used to live. Fascinating you worked around there - Sandra got a gong in the NY Honours. For running a pub! But you're right, very overrated, and has gone even further downhill since Pat who owned it died a year or so ago. I'd moved on to Jack the Chipper long before, but now have discovered the wonder of Wicked Fish. Try it if you're back in the area!

I applaud you Dean. It's very important to be precise about salt and vinegar in this context. I am a lover of malt vinegar. Might be a trip to a Spitalfields chippie tonight, so I'm tempted to ask for a pea mix and see what happens...

Warne says it's almost sorted that we'll extend the loan till the end of the season: https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/derby-county-paul-warne-latest-9028056 Apparently we made an offer and Arsenal countered, but both parties are close. I believe TJJ's contract is up at the end of the season and the article then says, once we get to May (presuming the lad has stayed fit) it will be to Warne to convince him to stay (hoping he's done well).

Genuine question - what is it?

I'll be delighted if he continues to win Manager of the Month awards for the remainder of the season. Well done for this one, which we needed to put ourselves in the mix.

Burton are reportedly bringing in 20-year-old centre forward Jordan Hugill on loan from Man Utd.

Apparently returned to us "with a heavy heart" after 22 appearances and his first goal on Boxing Day. https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2024/january/odurohreturnsderby_jan24/ Have we brought him back to sell him, or loan him elsewhere, or compete for a starting berth with Nyambe away?

So we might as well take it seriously and win this "tinpot" tournament?

I would bring Wildsmith back, but defo have Vickers on the bench. Wildsmith can do daft things (imagine if he'd been sent off when conceding that first-minute penalty against Oxford), plus while rarely used, not having a keeper on the bench sows seeds of doubt in your mind in terms of how you should play. With Nyambe at the African Cup of Nations, I think this is our strongest and most balanced starting lineup.

Warne said (Bradford post match) we're close to getting two in at the top end of the pitch who we'd be buying to start, not to be squad players.

Sounds like the Crewe game. We're obviously lacking at times, and can't maintain the levels required to win match after match. In which case, if we bounce back and win the next 4 or 5 league games, it's fine. Our fragility evident tonight. Disappointing but it focuses the players and manager now. There is only one remaining objective.

You and me both! Very disappointed when I saw the final date, but my Rams Wembley record is W1 L3 so it might be for the best.

Think Warne will try again with the 3 central defenders thing, so will give the same lads more practice: Vickers Nelson Bradley Cashin Ward Thompson Fornah Elder Sibley Collins Barkhuizen Bench: Wildsmith Forsyth Wilson Bird Fapetu John-Jules Brown I don't think John-Jules will be fit enough to risk him starting another game so soon, and I don't think Warne will start with an academy centre forward instead. Resting Hourihane and Mendez-Liang completely. Unless there are first teamer coming back who will be put in for fitness, such as Smith, Waghorn, Washington. If any are ready, they'll play a part.

On TV

Derby women had come from behind to be leading Liverpool Feds 1-2, but the game was abandoned with 10 minutes to go after what must be a serious injury to Derby's Megan Tinsley Hope she's OK.

I had forgotten he even existed. Very much hope we can cancel the loan now the window is open.

600 up for John Brayford. And an excellent player for us.

Original story comes from Nixon in The Sun: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/25271364/danny-ward-sheffield-united-transfer-news-leicester-euros/ "Elsewhere, Derby are watching Blades midfielder Ollie Arblaster, 19, who is back from a loan at Port Vale. Arblaster may be out for a month with a gashed knee suffered in the Carabao Cup against Middlesbrough last month. So the Rams will have to leave it late to check on his recovery."

I think having a cup competition is excellent for keeping the full 18 fit, giving them extra confidence and blooding a few youngsters. So far this season it's really helped us. Academy players have got game time and for instance, I'm sure Collins' goals in the league were helped by freely scoring in the earlier rounds.

Bear in mind this is the division of haves and have nots where you need to be flat-track bullies to have even a whiff of going up. Last season ended up: 1 Plymouth 2.20 ppg 2 Ipswich 2.13 ppg 3 Sheff Wed 2.09 ppg 4 Barnsley 1.87 ppg So 1.96 isn't too shabby, but is only playoff form and still some way off the automatic pace (Bolton, currently in second, are on 2.13 ppg).

Because we're chasing so this is from the position we were in, to ending up in the autos. As I said, from here that guarantees us 97 points. Not enough for automatic last season, but would probably be enough this season.

Obviously my favourite Thunderbird and the one I had as a kid - we're heading into orbit! Fair play to Max for creating the two goals today. Showed what he can do. Needs to do it more. Any win is a good win. Bolton have a game in hand on us they're likely to win, putting us 4 points behind second and 5 behind first place. That's still a significant gap. In this division, to be at the top you have to keep winning 8 out of every 10 games. We've done that once and it's landed us in the chasing pack. Now we have to do it again to catch the leaders. And then again to pull away. 16 more wins from the final 21 games probably gets us over the line.

Perfect for TJJ. We start him and he plays an hour to build his fitness. But he doesn't score a hattrick, so there's no Arsenal clamour for his recall. Let those goals start flying in as soon as the window closes! Meanwhile, are we struggling because we're playing into the low winter sun? Fleetwood have come much more into the game. Vickers oddly without a cap.