chadlad

If I were Max I would be off to Hull pdq, a Manager and Assistant who know him well and no doubt appreciate his attributes.

Let me say that Max Bird is NOT a number 10, but he is a very good defensive midfielder with the vision to play a killer pass.

I don’t understand why we would try to convert him into an attacking, pressing number 10. Play your best players in their best position- it’s not rocket science!

1 hour ago, B4ev6is said:

Just offer him a better contract then.

Not a bad idea, now that restrictions have been eased…

Shame that the ball is never on the grass…😂

16 points from 14 games since the Morecambe 5-0 home win.

Can’t decide whether to blame PW for his tactics or David for his EFL post. 😂

46 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

Exactly. So it's not necessarily possession that matters. As @Tyler Durden says, it's what you do with the ball when you've got it and how well you defend when you haven't that matters.

Agreed, I am not suggesting possession for the sake of it but the better sides in this league will try and hurt you when they win the ball and not simply lump it up top. We have players who can deal with the ball in tight situations with their back to goal but our current tactics don’t allow for it. During our unbeaten run it seemed to me that we played in a direct but much more purposeful way by passing the ball when we had it.

Our only option now seems to be to hit it over the top behind their defenders for our aging strikers to chase down. Inevitably it comes straight back, we then have to defend again and try again to win the ball back. Sooner or later they score, sometimes more than once.

10 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

Plymouth had 37% possession and Barnsley, despite winning handsomely (and missing a penalty) only had 41%.

It’s OK to surrender possession away from home provided you created and score a few chances and/or prevent the opposition from scoring even if they have most of the ball. Sadly, two things we’re incapable of at the moment.

The difference may be in what you do with the ball when you have it. I would suggest that our preferred tactic at the moment is to immediately kick the ball up the pitch and run after it, perhaps with the aim of winning the 2nd ball. This tactic will not get you very far against the better sides which probably explains our poor results against top half teams.

The Plymouth and Barnsley statistics suggest that when they get the ball it’s passed forward rather than hoofed forward with the purpose of getting their best attacking players on the ball. A big difference.

59 minutes ago, Rev said:

Clocks ticking.

The BBC stats give us 30% possession of the ball against a mid table League 1 team. This tells me all I need to know about the style and quality of our football.

Warne seems like a bright bloke, he surely must realise that the game of football is not just about running. If you constantly give the ball back to the other team, sooner or later they are going to score a goal or three. Yes, they scored with a dodgy injury time penalty but they were always going to score at least one goal and I would say we were lucky to come away with a point.

If we control possession of the ball we control the game and the penalty doesn’t arise. IF we have the ball they don’t score, ability/skill, strength and fitness are ALL important and I don’t get the obsession with running. Pretty sure Chris Martin wouldn’t get into a PW team!

What I have seen so far under Warne’s tenure makes me have serious concerns about the direction we are going in. The style is very reminiscent of the Clough years but without the nurturing of the better young players such as Sibley, Bird and Thompson.  It’s not entertaining or good to watch and let us not forget that DCFC are in the entertainment business and some of the less committed fans will sooner or later vote with their feet if this continues into nextseason.

The BBC stats give us 30% possession of the ball against a mid table League 1 team. This tells me all I need to know about the style and quality of our football.

Warne seems like a bright bloke, he surely must realise that the game of football is not just about running. If you constantly give the ball back to the other team, sooner or later they are going to score a goal or three. Yes, they scored with a dodgy injury time penalty but they were always going to score at least one goal and I would say we were lucky to come away with a point.

If we control possession of the ball we control the game and the penalty doesn’t arise. IF we have the ball they don’t score, ability/skill, strength and fitness are ALL important and I don’t get the obsession with running. Pretty sure Chris Martin wouldn’t get into a PW team!

What I have seen so far under Warne’s tenure makes me have serious concerns about the direction we are going in. The style is very reminiscent of the Clough years but without the nurturing of the better young players such as Sibley, Bird and Thompson.  It’s not entertaining or good to watch and let us not forget that DCFC are in the entertainment business and some of the less committed fans will sooner or later vote with their feet if this continues into next season.

No excuses and no mucking around, win at all cost sort of game.

Sibley needs to start, maybe in behind Didzy, and really do not want to see Collins or Smith anywhere near the pitch.

As others have said, sh1t or bust.

Embarrassing thread… said as much recently but was put on the naughty step.

Enough is enough, delete the thread now 11 points from the 10 games since the thread was started says it all.

Step up mods, the playoffs could be in your hands 🙂

1Wildsmith 6 might have done better with both goals

12Smith 3 unbelievably poor

33Davies 5 not the same player as last season

Roberts 7 did okay 

6Cashin 5 allowed a poor game

3Forsyth 5 gave the ball away for 2nd goal

8Bird 6.5 tried to pass the ball, not just hit and hope

4Hourihane 5.5 unlucky to be hooked, could easily have been others

McGoldrick 6.5 tried hard but nothing really came off for him

11Mendez-Laing 4 what has happened to the early season NML?

Dobbin 6.5 see didzy

17Sibley 5.5 see Hourihane

Barkhuizen 6 

22Springett 3 see Smith

Knight 6 

9Collins 4 lots of effort but lacks ability

Management 3 wrong team selection, poor substitutions, horrible tactics

4 minutes ago, DavesaRam said:

We beat Morecambe by (a) playing football and (b) by the Morecambe players being on the bus home after our first goal. Losing to Wycombe wasn’t the players, it was the tactics. Instead of playing football, which we gave been good at, we tried to be Wycombe, and we aren’t nasty, conniving or cheating enough. And sadly we have continued with the “run a lot snd kick it hard” philosophy.

For goodness sake get the ball on the floor and play football with it.

I could not agree more Davey boy. For me the most concerning aspect of recent games has been the hit and hope style of football. It’s not very easy on the eye and is probably the reason that we have struggled against the better teams in this league.

On 02/03/2023 at 19:01, G STAR RAM said:

Not seen much from him yet to make me think he would take Birds place in the team.

Think Bird has been a massive loss for us and its no coincidence we are not really controlling games since he has been injured.

HW is obviously a good player, great first touch, good range of passing and looks to have a goal or two in him. Like others he was bruised and battered at Barnsley but he will learn from it.

He isn’t going to replace Bird or Knight but he does offer competition for places in CM. If Hourihane needs a rest I would have thought HW would have the skillset to do the job.

1Wildsmith 7 not much to do, good distribution

12Smith 7 solid in defence, very little going forward 

3Forsyth 7 played well, prone to the odd passing error

6Cashin 7 see Forsyth

15Roberts 7 sound, quite impressed with him

23White 6.5 not a ball winner but good ball retention 

17 Sibley 6.5 looked confident in possession 

4Hourihane 7 influential

11Mendez-Laing 6.5 worked hard but lacks his early season sharpness

22Springett 6.5 nice cameo

38Knight 8 had a very good game, what a motor

Thompson 6.5 looked lively, out to impress

18Dobbin 8 made a difference

7Barkhuizen 6 

10McGoldrick 8.5 class player, goal and assist

9Collins 6

You would think that someone who has made a career out of playing in midfield would be able to cross a ball.

I am a big fan of ? but feel this lad may be something of an upgrade.

Will be interesting to see who is left out when Max is fit again. ?

8 hours ago, StrawHillRam said:

Can this thread be deleted. It’s embarrassing

Agreed, no need for it. Things must be tough if this forum needs to resort to clickbait.

Wasn’t there also an ‘A’ team that played down Sinfin Lane? Was used more for the younger players I seem to remember.

I can vaguely remember watching some of their matches we were living nearby at the time. Not too sure though as I was only knee high at the time. ?

18 hours ago, Woodley Ram said:

I agree, this will be recycled by other teams to make us look like plonkers 

I absolutely hate this thread. Just got to ask why?

Will definitely come back to haunt us…

On 04/02/2023 at 14:52, Carl Sagan said:

Interesting to see how Farrend Rawson does on his return to Pride Park. Is it his first game back here? Always thought he'd make a fine, goalscoring centre half. Hope he doesn't bag one today! 

Despite the goals conceded I actually thought that FR had a decent game on Saturday. A big commanding CH with decent mobility, always liked him when he was here.

1 hour ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Looks a talented lad. Smart bit of business and a well-timed one too. Heart sank when I saw Max was injured, but feeling rather less concerned after this lad's admittedly brief cameo. Another feather in the cap for Warne.

Looked a good player when he came on didn’t give the ball away and sprayed it around to good effect. Admittedly Morecambe had gone by then but it will be interesting to see how he does against a more aggressive and pressing team.

Feeling very optimistic about HW, i am hoping he’s someone he can help us to control the game a little more, especially when we are ahead and need to keep possession, control the game and frustrate the opposition.

6 hours ago, Ramslad1992 said:

Kids, Derby, Wife in that order ?❤️ 

something special is brewing ?

Sounds about right. ??

CM never looked the fittest of players and hasn’t featured in their squad for more than a month. He doesn’t fit our pressing style and there is no way that he will be playing for us while PW is in charge

My opinion, not fact!
 

We will need Curtis around between now and the end of the season, either to help guide us to an automatic promotion spot or to help us to win the playoffs. Any fee we might receive for his transfer, and savings on wages, would be minimal when compared to the possible financial benefits of promotion to the Championship.

4 hours ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

This would be my team but I expect Hourihane will continue in place of Roberts and Sibley will be left back and Barkhuizen will play 

                           Wildsmith 

Smith          Cashin         Forsyth      Roberts

NML            Bird            Knight          Sibley

                     McGoldrick    
                                   Collins 

To accommodate Hourihane I’d drop Barkhuizen move Sibley back to left back instead of Roberts and play Knight wide left. 
 

Most people seem in agreement Hourihane is the issue (I also think he is btw) as he doesn’t cover enough ground and often goes missing in games, but it’s hard to ignore he has 3 goals 4 assists and has created more chances this season than any other Derby player ? 

Really like the look of that team. Solid in defence, lots of energy in midfield and skill upfront. Also makes use of Sibley’s excellent crossing ability.