Old Spalding Ram

I can’t believe some of the stuff I’m reading on here!
I make no apologies in posting this which I pinched from elsewhere.
Taken from a press conference before a match against Forest.
Of all the directions we thought Wayne Rooney’s career may take after the end of his playing days, we perhaps didn’t expect this. 
The eloquent and passionate spokesperson for a community worrying about its football club. A father figure for young footballers fearing for their livelihoods.
But this is Rooney in January 2022. As manager of Derby, Rooney carries responsibilities far heavier than anything he experienced during his years as centre forward and captain for Manchester United and England.
Derby is more than a football club,’ Rooney said.
‘It gives everybody in this city hope. It gives kids the right to dream. It gives young players opportunities. It’s incredible that it’s been left in this situation.
‘It needs to remain in the football pyramid. If not there will be a lot of hearts broken.’
He has already spoken to parents of his players about their mental health, asking them to look out for red flags. Local supporter groups, he revealed on Friday, have his phone number.
Rooney has paid for vital training ground equipment himself and has promised football staff made redundant over the last 12 months that, if brighter days do return, they will be the first ones back through the door.
In short, Rooney has vowed to carry the load of Derby’s troubles on his own shoulders and on the field at least there has been a revival.
So, there has been some brightness but trying to find a way through the gloom of impending extinction continues to represent the greatest challenge of Rooney’s career.
‘Yeh, I think it is,’ he said. ‘It’s been incredibly tough at times. It’s been emotional. I have seen staff lose jobs. I felt the right way to go about this was to try and burden myself and take pressure off staff and players.
‘I know they look to me for guidance and I try. The results and the efforts of the players and staff have been incredible. The players believe in me and I am more than capable of dealing with the stuff off the pitch. 
 
Impending extinction …………so for those Derby County supporters wishing the worst for Rooney hang your heads in shame.

I can’t believe some of the stuff I’m reading on here!
I make no apologies in posting this which I pinched from elsewhere.
Taken from a press conference before a match against Forest.
Of all the directions we thought Wayne Rooney’s career may take after the end of his playing days, we perhaps didn’t expect this. 
The eloquent and passionate spokesperson for a community worrying about its football club. A father figure for young footballers fearing for their livelihoods.
But this is Rooney in January 2022. As manager of Derby, Rooney carries responsibilities far heavier than anything he experienced during his years as centre forward and captain for Manchester United and England.
Derby is more than a football club,’ Rooney said.
‘It gives everybody in this city hope. It gives kids the right to dream. It gives young players opportunities. It’s incredible that it’s been left in this situation.
‘It needs to remain in the football pyramid. If not there will be a lot of hearts broken.’
He has already spoken to parents of his players about their mental health, asking them to look out for red flags. Local supporter groups, he revealed on Friday, have his phone number.
Rooney has paid for vital training ground equipment himself and has promised football staff made redundant over the last 12 months that, if brighter days do return, they will be the first ones back through the door.
In short, Rooney has vowed to carry the load of Derby’s troubles on his own shoulders and on the field at least there has been a revival.
So, there has been some brightness but trying to find a way through the gloom of impending extinction continues to represent the greatest challenge of Rooney’s career.
‘Yeh, I think it is,’ he said. ‘It’s been incredibly tough at times. It’s been emotional. I have seen staff lose jobs. I felt the right way to go about this was to try and burden myself and take pressure off staff and players.
‘I know they look to me for guidance and I try. The results and the efforts of the players and staff have been incredible. The players believe in me and I am more than capable of dealing with the stuff off the pitch. 
 
Impending extinction …………so for those Derby County supporters wishing the worst for Rooney hang your heads in shame.

Exactly this. Entitlement has nothing to do with the reason I am critical of Paul Warne. I am a ST holder, I was at Cheltenham and I’ll be at Stevenage in a couple of weeks as well. I am invested in the club and want us to do well. I don’t boo or abuse Warne or the players;  never have, never will. 
But I reserve the right to express my view on the style of football the team plays. I dislike it, it’s tedious, one dimensional and makes it really hard to enjoy watching my team. I don’t rate the manager and don’t think he will bring us success. I understand some fans would be happy to watch us grind out 1-0 wins all season if it got us promoted but i‘m not one of them. I want to be entertained and I think it’s possible to play good football at this level. 
Ultimately you pay your money and takes your choice and so my position is that I’m entitled to air my view’s as long as I’m not being personally insulting or abusive about anyone. I do however agree that there are far too many  Warne in/out threads on the forum.

Gonna get one hell of a reception when he comes back!
 
 

Plan A…….how to avoid an “overloaded” midfield.
 

 

I think the point people are making about yesterday is that although we didn't do too badly playing the way we were set up, some of us feel we could have done so much better with a midfield three and playing football on the ground more. 
Cheltenham are poor. 
 

It’s not hyperbole we should be beating the worst side in the division by some distance and the worst thing for me is when we do try and play a bit of football we create chances so why don’t we get the football on the floor more ?

Absolutely spot on…………..early contender for post of the day!👍🐏

Absolutely spot on…………..early contender for post of the day!👍🐏

100% agree with this. Bird is as classy a midfielder as there is in L1. Utilise him in his best role and play it on the deck. Smith too can pick a pass. Fornah, Bird and Smith should be the fulcrum of our play.
I'm not in the Warne out camp  - his signing of Nyambe and Fornah buy him extra time for me - but the overall style of play needs to improve and should be better with the relative quality of our squad compared to most in this division. 

Plan A…….how to avoid an “overloaded” midfield.
 

 

Plan A…….how to avoid an “overloaded” midfield.
 

 

He got his tactics right at Blackpool, Hit them on the break and we score 3, Today the tactic of missing out on our midfield to play it wide is a worry, You do your homework on the opposition as you should, But to be concerned about a team that hadn't scored a goal all season and only 1 point from their games shows me PWs tactics are way short of where they should be.
I'm neither a Warne in or out and unless DCFC do something so catastrophic with results he's here until the seasons end, My concern is PW and tactics are as confusing to supporters who are trying to understand what he's doing and saying🤷‍♂️  

About time they dropped Smith. Rubbish player.

Pinched from the DCFC match highlights

 
 

 

Watched it on rams tv and we looked so much better than saturday. We upped the tempo of our play, had much more movement from Smith in midfield who scored the first and ran the show and got far more bodies in the box than we did on Saturday. If we offered that kind of threat and play at Pride Park, I don't think anyone would be complaining. For once the biggest threat wasn't from set pieces or Forsyth but from our wingers and attackers. Defensively, Nyambie is an excellent addition who i think would look relatively comfortable in the championship, and Nelson looks a good partner for Cashin in a 2 (not a 3) when his main job is blocking, heading, and tackling. 
Bird coming back in is going to help us as he shouldn't be in league 1 and with Barks, Sibbo, and Washington to come back we are starting to have some more attacking options. The away form is excellent and it perhaps fits more with Warne's ideal given that we are given more space in the final third. Now Warne needs to find a way to break teams down who sit back in two banks of four when they come to Pride Park. He does that and we should be on track for a good season.

Wildsmith 6 Will be disappointed with the goal and spilled a couple of crosses…..no panic yet.
24Nyambe 7.5 who’d have thought that a proper right back who can defend would improve the back four!
35Nelson 7.5 Excellent alongside Cashin.
6Cashin 7.5 Excellent alongside Nelson.
2Wilson 5.5 Did ok……till he got into the opponents half
Bradley 6 Right up his street, one dimensional attack, hit it long head it away, repeat.
12Smith 9 Where’s this bloke been for the last 12 months, absolutely outstanding, played 10 yards further forward in the second half, massive impact.
8Bird 🦅 8 remarkable return from injury, took him 20 minutes or so to get involved, then back to his best.
Hourihane 6 nice little run out.
22Fornah  8 This lad is something else, got a bit of a swagger about him, perfect just in front of the back four.
Sibley 6 Good outlet late on.
3Forsyth 7 He’s no Roberto Carlos, but if the opposition are slinging balls into the box Fozzys yer man.
9Collins 7 Put in a good shift, work rate outstanding, smart finish, best match for ages.
10Waghorn. 7 Wanders on, finishes the game off with a classy goal, wanders off, typical Waggy.
11Méndez-Laing 7 another who put in a good shift, great pull back for Smith, looked dangerous
7Barkhuizen 7.5 Excellent, involved in some proper passing football, has to start Saturday instead of Wilson!
 
Watched on TV

Right that’s me done………..off to bed! 👍😁

Right that’s me done………..off to bed! 👍😁

Rioch, Nish, Todd, Lee, McFarland.
lm trying to search out the Graham Richards tribute to Francis Lee broadcast last night on the Radio Derby phone in.
…………...as he said “it was a privilege” to watch Derby County week in week out, those of a certain age were extremely lucky. 🐏
 
 

I've seen a few comments on the matchday thread along the lines of "the 'haters' will be really unhappy that we won tonight".
What nonsense.
I don't hate anyone. Football - as with all sports - is a game of opinions. Just because I may have a different opinion about Warne's tactics than somebody else, does not mean that I "hate" him.
I actually quite like Paul Warne, the person. Unlike some, I even like his interviews. But, no, I do not like his tactical approach. But if he is successful at Derby then, of course, I will be delighted because it means that Derby are successful.
And we all want that. 
Regardless of tactics, team selections, signings and substitutions. We are all Derby.
So let's all enjoy the wins - together.
Please let's understand differences of opinion are fine, healthy, a good thing - they are not signs of "hate".
Thank you. COYR 🐏

Right that’s me done………..off to bed! 👍😁

Right that’s me done………..off to bed! 👍😁

You are Marinakis I claim my £5

Right that’s me done………..off to bed! 👍😁