angieram

It's not nit-picking, it's those fine margins for improvement. That's how the England cycling team suddenly started winning all those gold medals. (Although illicit substances allegedly may have played a part! 🙈😂)

They did that last season, kept the outside two blocks closed for latecomers. We need to be at the ground early to bag our front row seats!

Were you there watching? No, so you're just guessing. As @Crewton said, there was a lot of holding onto our players all through the game which the referee was ignoring. I did see that. Doesn't forgive what follows.

I said on the matchday thread that Bradley went to ground immediately before the incident. I think that part of the statement is true. It's what he did afterwards that is the question but fans at a different angle to me saw contact, so it must have happened in retaliation.

I also thought we'd signed Sonny Bradley to be our own league one shithouser, but he's not very good at it, is he? He gets riled himself rather than being the one doing the riling.

No, the scoreboard was definitely not showing how long left for a good eight minutes. I commented on that at the time.

Two days early!

At least they have altered the on-sale time from 10 pm to 10 am. Thought I was going to have to stay up past my bedtime!

1Wildsmith 6 Nothing to do but pick the ball out of the net. Struggled kicking both into and with the wind. 35Nelson 7 Steady. 5Bradley 4 Looked uncomfortable from the start, mis-controlling ball, trying to avoid heading it. Was he even fit to start? Definitely not fit at the finish. Plonker! 6Cashin 7 Steady 2Wilson 7.5 Looked to create. Feel bad that the goal came from him being robbed of the ball, however it should have been a foul. 32Adams 6 Worked very hard (he had to) but also struggled with the ball on this pitch. Missed a good chance. 12Smith 6 Felt for Smith as he has been playing well. By the time he came on the whole team was jumpy and had lost shape. 4Hourihane 5 Didn't look interested for first 25 minutes then put in a bit of effort. I thought Bird was the sideways and backwards merchant? Watch Hourihane back and he gave a masterclass. 17Sibley 5.5 Thought he was doing okay until he got booked. Created Waggy's chance. Should have been moved further forward when Elder came on as he wasn't the worst player on the pitch. 20Elder 6 Did okay. 23Ward 6.5 Lively when he came on, good crosses but by then we'd lost all confidence to get on the end of them. Obviously not fully fit. 10Waghorn 5 Deary me, Waggy. Got to do the simple things better, Lacked pace, didn't hold up the ball and as for that miss! 16Thompson 6 I thought Tommo was bright when he had got hold of the game. Looked to be positive and created runs inside. Needed more players on his wavelength. 27Blackett-Taylor 6.5 Played well when he came on, though his best game in a Derby shirt so far. He has more about him than we've seen so far. 11Méndez-Laing 6 Looked tired and a bit frustrated playing inside. Not much room for him to get out wide. 14Washington 5 I only noticed him because he kept getting flagged offside. His fault or ours for being too slow with the pass? We don't play that way so we aren't very good at it. Warne - down to the bare bones, I think there were several players carrying knocks and a little unwilling to risk getting more. That suited a high-pressing, physical Northampton team down to the ground (or should I say pitch - it was dreadful!) Ref was too. Throw in the swirling wind and it was a perfect recipe for a dismal defeat that felt worse because we expected so much more. Warne could have at least tried keep those few energetic players we have got on the pitch but his substitutions and the second half shape seemed totally random to me. ATG

Weston for the last 20 against tired legs would be my call. Will only work when we are playing on the break but he is much better at avoiding the offside trap than Waggy or Wash! And he can finish.

Great perspective. Thank you.

DCCT 10k earlier today. There may be restrictions around Pride Park. It usually takes ages to clear everything up.

I was on the side, so had a totally different view of it than the camera angle. I thought I saw Bradley go to ground after the ball was cleared, get back up and square up to their player. As everyone then crowded round I didn't see the actual headbutt so I'm guessing it was red mist after the Northampton player had took him down off the ball. Interesting that Sibley's booking also came after he had been fouled and it had been missed by the referee. No excuse for the retaliation in either case, but it was strange how the ref was "seeing" every little foul on them but very few against our players. The push on Wilson he allowed to go before their goal being the most obvious example. But it was happening all game.

Gateshead won 3-2 yesterday. Brown involved in two of the three goals, with the pull back that led to the first, and cushioned header that set up the third.

Defensive midfield mostly.

Yes, you too. Thanks for spotting me. 😊

Did you spot me? It's my last resort if nothing else is working as Derby usually score! Even that didn't work this week.

Tbf, he never had any in the first place.

He was dreadful today.

Exactly. This formation has lo9kwd so much better with Sibley and Ward/Wilson.

I loved reading all the great stories of ten years' ago. Hard to believe that silky smooth team ultimately didn't deliver for us. It's been a bumpy road ever since. Maybe the grittier but effective fight of the current team will give us something to really celebrate this season instead. Up the Rams!

Yep. No Premier League toes to tread on!

And Wembley Ltd have got to pay for that expensive stadium somehow!

Can't believe it's ten years!

Anything by 10cc, but Original Soundtrack is my favourite. Too-rye-ay by Dexey's Midnight Runners is a glorious slice of 80s pop. If you're doing Supertramp, go for Crime of the Century over Breakfast in America. Creedance Clearwater Revival - a bit early, but get the Greatest Hits rather than individual albums. The Who - just all of it!