plymouthram

Yes Warne liked 3 at the back when he was Rotherham. Not done it at Derby, due to not having enough central defenders available so far this season. With Cashin, Davies, Chester, Forsyth, Stearman and Rooney available, now's the time to play with 3 at the back, bulk the midfield up and release 2 up front.

Chester had 45 mins on Monday 20th against Stoke, then Friday 24th had approx 60 mins against Middlesboro for the U21s. I would not be surprised if he made the bench on Saturday.

Chester had 45 mins on Monday 20th against Stoke, then Friday 24th had approx 60 mins against Middlesboro for the U21s. I would not be surprised if he made the bench on Saturday.

So with 24 points still to get you've surrendered. Sheff Weds have lost 2 games on the bounce and have'nt won in 3, are they not getting an automatic place as well. We are 6th, the only way we would lose that position would be for the teams below us to get more points than us, even if they match us on results they fail to get above us. I think our current position is a true measure of where we are, that's being the 6th best side in the League. When you consider the squad was only put together a few weeks before the season started it's a brilliant achievement. And if we do remain in the top 6 after the last game of the season, we end up playing cup games, the league position no longer counts. 

Agree - let’s get behind the team no matter what.
Disagree - the many factors affecting team performance are largely caused by the circumstances under which we are having to operate, which is entirely at the hands of the EFL. There had to be a business plan put in place to ensure that we don’t get into the same position again (although just having Mel leave the building would have been enough), but the one we are under is close to impossible to function properly with. As such we simply have to back the club to the absolute hilt.
Should the EFL loosen the straightjacket this summer, and in time to allow decent transfer activity, then I will happily be more lenient towards them.

There's a guy who works for me reminds me a lot about you B4. He constantly harps on at me about perceived injustices he thinks he's been on the wrong end of in the dim and distant past and in some cases he's regurgitating stuff from literally 20 years ago 
I keep telling him to try to move on as it's not helping his mental wellbeing any.
And that no one can change what's happened in the past but we can strive to make sure that we deal with things in a professional and appropriate and consistent and even manner going forward.
Just some food for thought for yourself I guess.

If we could get a timemachine in, I would'nt bother swapping and changing managers around. I would just bring in Peter Shilton, Roy Macfarland, Colin Todd, Archie Gemmill, Charlie George and Kevin Hector.

You can look at graphs, take in stats, look at form but nobody's going to predict exactly what will happen in every remaining fixture. We can all guess and I've done that loads of times. I stated a while back that the current top 6 (yes it's still the same 6 teams) will remain in the top 6. What positions they will finish in is even hard to predict now, but a few matches ago most were saying Sheff Weds was nailed on for automatic promotion (agree they are still favourites with the bookies).

I think Cashin would shine better in a trio of centrebacks, so if he does his little bursts out from the back we would still have 2 central defenders covering. Is it time try Rooney or Chester in the team being that extra central defender to allow Cashin show more confidence.

I do believe it's been suggested that there will be some scope to review the current business plan with the EFL at the end of the season. I think this is based on the finance and budget is being run well by the club and they (Derby's owner & EFL) did not expect the amount of revenue the club have generated through season ticket sales and gate attendances being that large on the original forecast made back in July last year.

All teams have dips in their form throughout a 46 match season, let's hope ours picks up going into the last 5 or 6 games prior to playing in the play-offs. It's also the business end of the season where teams at the bottom half of the table start putting in more effort in trying to avoid the drop. I personally think Sheff Weds will be promoted prior to us playing them, let's hope they are already champions and they have nothing to play for. With Peterboro playing Barnsley last game, I think Peterboro will be mathematically out of contention for a play-off place by then. I would be more worried about Wycombe if the Rams continue to stutter in the next 8 games.

Unfortunately James Collins is under contract with the Rams until 30th June 2024.

Unfortunately James Collins is under contract with the Rams until 30th June 2024.

That’s it for me, Warne and his staff need to find a way to best use the players at their disposal. To ignore Dobbin’s assets entirely as some suggest seems nonsensical, so using Barkhuizen and NML to start then bringing Dobbin on as they and the opponents tire for his raw pace and dribbling is an option. 

Have you watched the penalty given against us at Plymouth recently? Compared with that White was assaulted. Interesting that non contacts result in penalties against us while definite trips are rarely given to us. Why the clear differential?

I think Cashin would shine better in a trio of centrebacks, so if he does his little bursts out from the back we would still have 2 central defenders covering. Is it time try Rooney or Chester in the team being that extra central defender to allow Cashin show more confidence.

He does well for a littl’un but he will always struggle against a biggun who knows what he’s doing.
Cashin tries to go through his man to get the ball first and is therefore in danger of being turned.
However, I suspect part of the downturn in his form is due to the players around him.
Smith has done well at FB for a midfielder but he is starting to be found out.
The midfield hasn’t been consistent and lacks an enforcer.
Right now we need a strong captain on the field and we don’t have one.
Confidence is low and we need a clean sheet. Conceding two is starting to be a habit.
We need to get a bit more Div One and just win our battles.
Cashin will get his mojo back.

Derek Hales was signed by the Rams having smashed in 28 goals in 1975/76 season for Charlton in the old 2nd Division (now Championship). He had scored 72 goals in 129 apps for Charlton and at Derby managed 4 goals in 23 apps. We off loaded him to Westham where he faired a little better by scoring 10 in 24 apps. He went back to Charlton in 1978 and scored another 76 goals in 191 apps. Most famous for having a fight with his strike partner Mike Flanagan in a cuptie with Charlton in 1979. Also famous at Derby for missing absolute sitters on numerous occasions.

Unfortunately James Collins is under contract with the Rams until 30th June 2024.

He's been terrible for a number of games and when being as a sub, he does not influence the game.  To me, I would try him again with McGoldrick around him.  I think it's time to go three at the back (Rooney not Davies).  We can then use sibley/Bark on left and Smith/Mendez on the left.  Bird, knight and Conor in the middle.  That we if we need to change it up, we can have Dobbin and the players above not starting to run at tired players and can switch formation up

Derek Hales was signed by the Rams having smashed in 28 goals in 1975/76 season for Charlton in the old 2nd Division (now Championship). He had scored 72 goals in 129 apps for Charlton and at Derby managed 4 goals in 23 apps. We off loaded him to Westham where he faired a little better by scoring 10 in 24 apps. He went back to Charlton in 1978 and scored another 76 goals in 191 apps. Most famous for having a fight with his strike partner Mike Flanagan in a cuptie with Charlton in 1979. Also famous at Derby for missing absolute sitters on numerous occasions.

It's possible, maybe even 8 wins and a 3-3 draw at Sheff Weds to clinch 2nd spot.

Not being funny, but it's possible that Barnsley might not be in the play-offs, could be Plymouth if the Tykes keep up their form and pinch 2nd spot.

Not being funny, but it's possible that Barnsley might not be in the play-offs, could be Plymouth if the Tykes keep up their form and pinch 2nd spot.

The guitarist from Blur once said that he would have to extend interviews during the 90's when advising magazine interviewers that he didn't actually support Chelsea like the rest being a Derby fan .  In the end he gave up. 
Just tell him he's dead right that we've spent 10 million on agents fees, average 25k a week in wages and still have Tom Lawrence cryogenically frozen on a 10 million a year retainer till we grace the championship once more.  We hope to thaw him out at Wembley in May, hopefully against Plymouth.