Rample

12 minutes ago, RodleyRam said:

I agree with you on that. I seem to recall someone saying he did have a beast in front of the defence, someone with better knowledge will be able to clarify that.

In league one it was mostly Wiles, with Barlaser and Rathbone filling in.

Flattering score, but we were fairly good second half.

Decent end to a naff week. Hopefully we can take confidence from it and carry it on now.

Wilson and Elder coming on.

Thommo for Collins

Washy 3-0. Didn't seem like anyone wanted to shoot.

Nice pull back from Bird to CH who dispatched a nice shot from the edge of the box. Bar any craziness we've got this in the bag now.

Waggy and Washy coming on.

12 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

 

Thought I'd found Maddie McCann for a second there.

3 minutes ago, Cam the Ram said:

Mason Bennett on for Burton. Well, we all know what's happening next, don't we?

Hopefully not a car crash.

The Bird/NML partnership looking decent at times. Bird's earlier throughball to NML was really nice, NML's positioning was good, just a shame about the finish. Then NML pulls it across the goal and despite a lousy finish Bird got himself in a very good position.

Lively start to the second half. Some nice movement and passes.

Hoping for a second even if it's a scrappy one before the Mason Bennett factor comes into play.

Erk, how did Bird miss that???

Will take that. Not brilliant but it's something to build on.

Bradley/Wildsmith mix up. Bradley puts his foot on it, Wildsmith can't pick it up and has to put his boot through it. Straight at Burton player and cannons over the bar.

Wobbling a bit now, lucky a couple of Burton shots have been quite weak. Fozzy wayward header gifted them a corner.

Looks like we've withstood a bit of pressure and are taking the upper hand again.

Hopefully that will settle some nerves.

It's certainly helped mine.

Looking forward to seeing the new kit. Like the colours but not sure on the style yet.

20 hours ago, ketteringram said:

You missed the important bit. You gave it 4/10. But what would your mother score it??

Quoting it verbatim "I wasn't sure at the start but enjoyed it when it got going". 8/10 from the 80 year old!

Need a real showing after midweek, but is keeping some of the players who underperformed and hoping for a reaction the best bet.

Wildsmith is an easy pick

I don't see a change in formation or personnel in the back 3. So still Nelson, Bradley, Cashin.

Ward and Forsyth at wing backs is a change and improvement - I'm pretty sure both were due to come back in anyway.

Midfield may change. I think there is scope for Thompson to start after Blackpool. My guess is he will replace Smith.

NML and Washington up front? I think he sees Washington as our goal threat and NML adds creativity.

Meg 2. Pants.

No spoilers as it happens in the opening 5 minutes, but we open on Jurassic Park before Statham goes eco-friendly James Bond/Ethan Hunt.

Saw a 10am screening and was still dozing off.

To be fair I only gave the first one 5 out 10, and only went to this because my elderly mother loves shark movies. I was hoping that my low expectations would stand me in good stead to enjoy it a bit, but its a mess. 4/10

On the other hand I caught up with Air the other night and thought that was okay. Not great, but engaging enough to sit through without fiddling on my phone. 7/10

On 01/08/2023 at 18:42, ramsbottom said:

And hows it going??

Not great, still in pre-season. Lots to sort out.

Spent ages trying to land an orthodox right back, left winger and striker on a very tight budget. Loads of marginally better than what I have players I can't actually afford (Nathan Bryne and Ravel Morrison included, who want almost double my wage cap). Managed to agree terms with a few but that's no guarantee of anything. So far my only senior signing is Todd Kane. Agreed terms with Madine but he moved to Sunderland instead. 

Bird, Cashin. Thompson and most young prospects have agreed new deals without asking for much of an increase. Sibley won't sign and Lyon are courting him.

Nunn and Weston have sparkled in pre-season cameos, and Elder just scored a 91st minute winner in a 2-1 victory at Chesterfield.

Trying to flesh out my under 23s and under 18s with 16-18 year old free agents who have some level of potential, plus improve my coaching staff. The pay offs for Richie Barker etc are crazy so I guess I'm stuck with them for now.

Coventry in the bidding aswell. 

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/portsmouths-league-one-rivals-derby-county-could-lose-key-man-as-hull-city-and-coventry-make-bids-4251553

Pretty sure he'll be off somewhere, but its probably going to drag on 2 weeks and at best we'll get calamity Spurs lad back on loan.

18 hours ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

Hey, don't listen to me, ask Max Bird, Derbys number 8, how he feels about Warne??

 

Ask Bird what division he wants to be playing in, and if he wants his wages improving. Hull is far from exciting but it's years ahead of us at  present and a step in the right direction for his career.

13 hours ago, G-Ram said:

I still think the club is too big for him & his coaching staff. Its not arrogance. You cant play the type of Rotherham football at Derby in league one. It just screams armature.

Regardless if playing staff & style etc an experienced or half decent manager gets us out of this division.

I know we dont have the same playing staff as Wednesday last year & i know they went up in the end but they were held back by moore & thats thhe reason he was sacked after promotion.

 

Couldn't care less about style, if its effective in this division, and 3 times so far it has been, then its fine by me. Sure we'd all like free flowing footy and dazzling skills, but you don't get that down here, you get half decent players with missing attributes to become top players, therefore you play to strengths and if those strengths are pinging it up the pitch quickly and crossing to a target man then fine as long as it is successful. At least I can see a plan with the signings, its just a shame that big man has so far eluded us. What is disappointing is getting next to none of the Bielik/Knight money to reinvest.

Thinking that Derby are above this league, have the best players, and don't have to do anything but turn up to win is most likely what has cost us in the past few games. It was fine to an extent when we had individual match winners, look at Mac's time here, if it wasn't going great someone like Ince, Ibe, Bryson, Russell, Martin, Bent or whoever could have a storming match and win/turn a game pretty much on their own, you don't get so many at a lower level and whe you aren't throwing money around - last season we had McGoldrick and Mendez-Laing for that, maybe occasionally Hourihane and Dobbin. This season we still have 2 of them, who will be the catalyst for a few games (if NML is played in any appropriate position) and I expect Washington and Ward will have matches that they are largely responsible for winning. To rely on a system with interchangable players seems far better than hoping someone has a 40 game purple patch.

With regards to the Championship, which is a long way off, there is no evidence Warne can or can't do it, only that he left Rotherham in a very good position last season. Every time previously he has been hamstrung by players leaving at the end of their contracts and lack of funds for improvements or a best replacements - the only thing it tells me is the championship is higher quality.

No. Early days.

Opening day is always a lottery, most teams come out of the first 3 or 4 games with mixed results

A weakened/unfit/reserve team underperformed in the cup

Everybody is psyched up because of pre-season comments about promotion so it seems worse, plus the fact these games were at home

Transfer window is still open, and we're still chasing 2-3 players so its not a finished squad

Warne knows how to get out of this division. Once players have gelled with each other and the system, and are playing with a target man (who may still be Collins) we can properly become his team and get playing as he thinks can get us out of here.

Signings don't look great so far but are we really judging by just a competitive game or so on the pitch, if almost all your team is underperforming, it must be hard to have your best game.

I will say though that after the hyperbole about being leaders, standing up and being counted, and driving the team on, that was was seriously lacking tonight

Brown and Collins incoming

2 minutes ago, 8Leeds said:

Have we had a change of formation?

Nope, all like for like subs.

Forsyth and Ward also on

Wilson, Hourihane and Bradley off.