Bris Vegas

Jozwiak and Lawrence can both frustrate. But they can also provide a spark in the final third. I don’t think you would get that from Forsyth while Ebosele is raw.
Rooney has gone on record saying he wants to develop a playing style this season. Could be tough with the current crop, while there is a natural reaction to bunker down when the going gets tough.
I think Rooney will be under pressure not only to deliver results, but also a more pleasing and coherent playing style. You can only really do that with players who are comfortable on the ball. 

Surely the most logical solution is to play your best players in their correct position, rather than move them elsewhere to fit more senior players into the side.
This was Liverpool’s undoing when they played Fabinho and Henderson at CB. Not only were they weaker at CB, but they weakened their midfield in the process.
Derby must play Byrne and Buchanan at fullback. Shinnie in midfield etc. rather than shuffle the side around to fit 11 senior players.
We’d stand a far better chance naming a youngster at CB alongside Forsyth than say bringing Buchanan or Byrne inside or Shinnie into the back four.
Hopefully Davies and Jags will be here by then, but if not, Solomon would be my choice.

Surely the most logical solution is to play your best players in their correct position, rather than move them elsewhere to fit more senior players into the side.
This was Liverpool’s undoing when they played Fabinho and Henderson at CB. Not only were they weaker at CB, but they weakened their midfield in the process.
Derby must play Byrne and Buchanan at fullback. Shinnie in midfield etc. rather than shuffle the side around to fit 11 senior players.
We’d stand a far better chance naming a youngster at CB alongside Forsyth than say bringing Buchanan or Byrne inside or Shinnie into the back four.
Hopefully Davies and Jags will be here by then, but if not, Solomon would be my choice.

Surely the most logical solution is to play your best players in their correct position, rather than move them elsewhere to fit more senior players into the side.
This was Liverpool’s undoing when they played Fabinho and Henderson at CB. Not only were they weaker at CB, but they weakened their midfield in the process.
Derby must play Byrne and Buchanan at fullback. Shinnie in midfield etc. rather than shuffle the side around to fit 11 senior players.
We’d stand a far better chance naming a youngster at CB alongside Forsyth than say bringing Buchanan or Byrne inside or Shinnie into the back four.
Hopefully Davies and Jags will be here by then, but if not, Solomon would be my choice.

It wouldn’t surprise me if he backed out at the last minute due to our circumstances right here.
He surely must have aspirations of breaking through here, so with us taking Baldock in and playing him in friendlies that must have been a kick in the teeth for him.
But now, given the prolonged embargo, it’s likely Duncan could start the season as our back-up striker and a fixed member of the first-team squad.
Surely this is his chance. He’s got to grab it!

Surely the most logical solution is to play your best players in their correct position, rather than move them elsewhere to fit more senior players into the side.
This was Liverpool’s undoing when they played Fabinho and Henderson at CB. Not only were they weaker at CB, but they weakened their midfield in the process.
Derby must play Byrne and Buchanan at fullback. Shinnie in midfield etc. rather than shuffle the side around to fit 11 senior players.
We’d stand a far better chance naming a youngster at CB alongside Forsyth than say bringing Buchanan or Byrne inside or Shinnie into the back four.
Hopefully Davies and Jags will be here by then, but if not, Solomon would be my choice.

Surely the most logical solution is to play your best players in their correct position, rather than move them elsewhere to fit more senior players into the side.
This was Liverpool’s undoing when they played Fabinho and Henderson at CB. Not only were they weaker at CB, but they weakened their midfield in the process.
Derby must play Byrne and Buchanan at fullback. Shinnie in midfield etc. rather than shuffle the side around to fit 11 senior players.
We’d stand a far better chance naming a youngster at CB alongside Forsyth than say bringing Buchanan or Byrne inside or Shinnie into the back four.
Hopefully Davies and Jags will be here by then, but if not, Solomon would be my choice.

Surely the most logical solution is to play your best players in their correct position, rather than move them elsewhere to fit more senior players into the side.
This was Liverpool’s undoing when they played Fabinho and Henderson at CB. Not only were they weaker at CB, but they weakened their midfield in the process.
Derby must play Byrne and Buchanan at fullback. Shinnie in midfield etc. rather than shuffle the side around to fit 11 senior players.
We’d stand a far better chance naming a youngster at CB alongside Forsyth than say bringing Buchanan or Byrne inside or Shinnie into the back four.
Hopefully Davies and Jags will be here by then, but if not, Solomon would be my choice.

Mine has to be Whitby Town (of all clubs!)
My parents emigrated to North Yorkshire from Derby while I was serving in the Army and stationed overseas.  I came "home" to Whitby only to be dragged down to Wembley for the FA Vase final and was instantly granted my new nickname of "Sheepy" on account of my Rams connection.
Always well worth a visit to the Turnbull Ground if you're in the vicinity - the football isn't always great but the chippy in the ground is lovely and the ground is just off the cliff road!

Only just signed a new contract. Have made the 4 most expensive transfers in PL history and they're still nowhere near. Definition of a PE Teacher.

Thanks buddy. Yes I’m still here, currently shriveled up under an AC with the heat outside unbearable.
I’m glad to be back on. It was an all-or-nothing really as the price increase for RamsTV subscription admittedly tested my support for the year considering we’re almost certainly in for a struggle. 
But regardless of my opinion on the manager and those in charge, the club needs all the support it can get right now!

I’m torn on Wayne Rooney.
On the one hand I despise the fact he signed with talk of him as an understudy to Phillip Cocu while winding down his career. I felt his presence immediately undermined Cocu who didn’t deserve that at all, and his post lockdown performances on the pitch were horrible. We were stuck with an out-of-shape superstar who was seemingly undroppable, and his presence in the team made Cocu’s job of getting results all-but impossible. I then hated the fact Rooney benefited from Cocu’s exit with the managerial job despite his evident lack of experience. His ensuing results towards the end of the season did little to sway that opinion.
However, on the flip side, none of the above was Rooney’s fault. As a player he was on a natural steep decline. Anyone in his shoes would have done the same. The club signed him on ridiculous terms with a stepping stone into management. A big Championship club may I add. And the club later appointed him manager. I can’t hate him for simply taking up the opportunities which have come his way, as much as I disagree with it all. 
My displeasure is directed more at those who made the decisions. Simply terrible.
We’re stuck with Rooney, and he and the players need all the support they can get.

It would be interesting to know how fellow supporters rank the importance of the current trialists, assuming we sign them.
I can’t help but feel Jags is the most important. Not only are we desperately short on defenders, but his experience could play a vital role too.
I know we need another striker and attackers, but I’d place Carroll over Aluko and Baldock. I think we need to place greater importance of adding creativity in midfield over flushing out options in attack. Carroll is a potential vital first-teamer, whereas Aluko and Baldock would surely be squad players only?

It would be interesting to know how fellow supporters rank the importance of the current trialists, assuming we sign them.
I can’t help but feel Jags is the most important. Not only are we desperately short on defenders, but his experience could play a vital role too.
I know we need another striker and attackers, but I’d place Carroll over Aluko and Baldock. I think we need to place greater importance of adding creativity in midfield over flushing out options in attack. Carroll is a potential vital first-teamer, whereas Aluko and Baldock would surely be squad players only?

Extraordinary. Not the post as such but the poster. welcome back.

I’ll also add that I firmly believe Mel brought in Wayne Rooney in a bid to raise the profile of the club in order to sell it.
Rooney the player was never going to come in to the Championship and single-handedly turn Derby into serious promotion contenders. We didn’t sign him as a player for football reasons, despite being arguably England’s greatest ever player. 
Mel then doubled down on him by naming him manager. And he’s still yet to sell the club. It was a bold move which ultimately backfired.
With hindsight, I wonder if Mel wishes he never brought Rooney to the club.
I firmly believe if we had never brought Rooney in and stuck with Cocu, signing a few of his targets such as Dursun, Panzo, Dykes, Moore and Dickie, we’d be in a far healthier place now, on and off the pitch.
Cocu was our Nigel Clough. Maybe he would have never have gotten us promoted, but he was exactly what we needed while clearing the decks.

I’m torn on Wayne Rooney.
On the one hand I despise the fact he signed with talk of him as an understudy to Phillip Cocu while winding down his career. I felt his presence immediately undermined Cocu who didn’t deserve that at all, and his post lockdown performances on the pitch were horrible. We were stuck with an out-of-shape superstar who was seemingly undroppable, and his presence in the team made Cocu’s job of getting results all-but impossible. I then hated the fact Rooney benefited from Cocu’s exit with the managerial job despite his evident lack of experience. His ensuing results towards the end of the season did little to sway that opinion.
However, on the flip side, none of the above was Rooney’s fault. As a player he was on a natural steep decline. Anyone in his shoes would have done the same. The club signed him on ridiculous terms with a stepping stone into management. A big Championship club may I add. And the club later appointed him manager. I can’t hate him for simply taking up the opportunities which have come his way, as much as I disagree with it all. 
My displeasure is directed more at those who made the decisions. Simply terrible.
We’re stuck with Rooney, and he and the players need all the support they can get.

A noticeable difference in the pattern of play was when Andres Guardado was subbed off at half-time. He absolutely ran it for Betis in the first half, dropping deep and pinging 40-yard passes to the fullbacks high up the pitch. He supplied the pass for their one-on-one. Byrne and Buchanan had to tuck in, otherwise they could have just played through the middle. That deep-lying playmaker role is vital.
Derby have actually lacked once since Wayne Rooney pre lockdown and Tom Huddlestone. It’s partly why, IMO, Cocu struggled last season. Ironically, Cocu had Guardado at PSV.
As much as I like Shinnie’s tenacious tackling, Jason Knight’s energy and Max Bird’s simple ball retention, we desperately lack a creativity midfielder from deep. Krystian Bielik has it in his locker, and despite having a great defensive presence, his absence has hurt us immensely from at attacking/controlling perspective too.
 

Fair play for saying that. Clough was by no means perfect, but over time he built a great squad of talented and committed players, all for pretty much nothing.
I think he would have eventually got us promoted, but not in the barn storming style that we nearly did under Mac.
His time in charge seems like ancient history, especially now when we are desperate for a manager like him to sort us out.

I’ll also add that I firmly believe Mel brought in Wayne Rooney in a bid to raise the profile of the club in order to sell it.
Rooney the player was never going to come in to the Championship and single-handedly turn Derby into serious promotion contenders. We didn’t sign him as a player for football reasons, despite being arguably England’s greatest ever player. 
Mel then doubled down on him by naming him manager. And he’s still yet to sell the club. It was a bold move which ultimately backfired.
With hindsight, I wonder if Mel wishes he never brought Rooney to the club.
I firmly believe if we had never brought Rooney in and stuck with Cocu, signing a few of his targets such as Dursun, Panzo, Dykes, Moore and Dickie, we’d be in a far healthier place now, on and off the pitch.
Cocu was our Nigel Clough. Maybe he would have never have gotten us promoted, but he was exactly what we needed while clearing the decks.

Absolutely, and I was one of his critics. Looking back, he’s been one of our better managers of the past decade, arguably the best (not coach, but manager). 

Absolutely, and I was one of his critics. Looking back, he’s been one of our better managers of the past decade, arguably the best (not coach, but manager). 

I’ll also add that I firmly believe Mel brought in Wayne Rooney in a bid to raise the profile of the club in order to sell it.
Rooney the player was never going to come in to the Championship and single-handedly turn Derby into serious promotion contenders. We didn’t sign him as a player for football reasons, despite being arguably England’s greatest ever player. 
Mel then doubled down on him by naming him manager. And he’s still yet to sell the club. It was a bold move which ultimately backfired.
With hindsight, I wonder if Mel wishes he never brought Rooney to the club.
I firmly believe if we had never brought Rooney in and stuck with Cocu, signing a few of his targets such as Dursun, Panzo, Dykes, Moore and Dickie, we’d be in a far healthier place now, on and off the pitch.
Cocu was our Nigel Clough. Maybe he would have never have gotten us promoted, but he was exactly what we needed while clearing the decks.

I’ll also add that I firmly believe Mel brought in Wayne Rooney in a bid to raise the profile of the club in order to sell it.
Rooney the player was never going to come in to the Championship and single-handedly turn Derby into serious promotion contenders. We didn’t sign him as a player for football reasons, despite being arguably England’s greatest ever player. 
Mel then doubled down on him by naming him manager. And he’s still yet to sell the club. It was a bold move which ultimately backfired.
With hindsight, I wonder if Mel wishes he never brought Rooney to the club.
I firmly believe if we had never brought Rooney in and stuck with Cocu, signing a few of his targets such as Dursun, Panzo, Dykes, Moore and Dickie, we’d be in a far healthier place now, on and off the pitch.
Cocu was our Nigel Clough. Maybe he would have never have gotten us promoted, but he was exactly what we needed while clearing the decks.