angieram

1Wildsmith 4.5 24Nyambe 7 7Barkhuizen 5 35Nelson 6 5Bradley 5 6Cashin 7 2Wilson 5.5 12Smith 6.5 17Sibley 5 32Adams 6 27Blackett-Taylor 5 11Méndez-Laing 6 8Bird 🐦 6.5 25Gayle 6.5 10Waghorn 5 ATG (unfortunately!)

Well, we did have a ball juggler at half time to entertain us. Trapped the ball better than most of our players!

This is my biggest bugbear about Warne's management. He can't resist the urge to tinker every game. Pick a settled formation - and play it. Pick a settled team and subject to injuries, play it. When you need to, substitute like for like. And don't just take off your midfield and throw all your forwards on when you're chasing a win. The players look lost at times. Sometimes they are playing two or three formations/positions in the same game. Their instinct and trust for linking play are completely nullified in that situation.

Last night? Wing back, winger, centre-forward. Three positions in under 45 minutes' football. There's no wonder the players don't know what they're doing.

So does Mendez-Laing. But not when they are being played out of position, they don't.

Rams 1 - 1 Charlton Mendez-Laing

I've always thought Riverside should be shut after the final whistle anyway. We go to grounds all around the country where roads are closed for a significant amount of time post-game, but the roads around Pride Park stay stubbornly open.

He knew he'd got sucked over to the right, and wouldn't get back.

We lost that amount last season - our first since coming out of administration. What we don't know yet is whether that was due to some exceptional one-off payments, or whether this will be a pattern. Detailed DCFC accounts for this first year due to be published sometime in March.

We had three midfielders who had all been sucked across to the right of our goal, leaving a big gap in front of the defence. At least one should have held his position. Given that he played to the left all game, I'd say that should have been Hourihane.

Was Buchanan a regular centre half?

1Wildsmith 5.5 Kicking was off but not at fault for the goals. 35Nelson 7 consistent and still did a good job after his mugging 5Bradley 7 good defensively and grabbed a goal 6Cashin 6 not his best ground or game 2Wilson 6 poor until we changed shape then he came alive; needs more end product 4Hourihane 5 so he floats in a good set piece, but his presence leaves big gaps in our defensive midfield 7Barkhuizen 5.5 not his usual supersub performance, got brushed off the ball too easily 32Adams 6 some great tackles but struggled to find his passing range 12Smith 6.5 contrary to some, I thought he made a difference. I'd start him instead of Hourihane. 20Elder 6 was playing well until he got crocked - again 24Nyambe 7 played really well, and seems to be learning his offensive role; needed his physical presence out there for the full 90 8Bird 🐦 6 quiet game, seemed unsure of where to pass to, misses NML in his usual position 17Sibley 7 thought he was bright until he was victim of a heavy tackle, was closing down and linking with Bird. We missed him when he went off 25Gayle 6.5 he needs time to build up an understanding with other players but he will get goals if we play to his strengths. Will we? 11Méndez-Laing 6 wasted centrally and he needs to get back to his best position ATG - a mixed bag from the management team. Sometimes youthful energy is better than experience and Barnsley showed us that yesterday.

Here's the chance I was talking about. Can't tell from this clip whether he was offside but a moot point anyway as he missed!

And what is that formation, iyo?

Sonny Bradley is starting to play consistently well, but could this be a double-edged sword for us? In order to keep his place in the team, it more or less forces Warne to stick with three at the back. I feel our best football this season has been played with a back four. I just can't see Bradley in that set-up.

Well,like you, I attend most games. I quite like to hear the little snippets about people's experiences at the game, what they thought of the referee, that chance for Gayle at the end ( was it really a chance? It hasn't had a mention on here). Why should I avoid this thread? Mods need to do their job and delete all the off-topic stuff or move it to the Warne thread, which I can easily avoid.

Does every matchday thread when we don't win have to deteriorate into the same tired debate about Warne? There's a thread for that.

Did you notice the brace on his leg?

No, thought I'd leave them in peace to enjoy the game. Kids around us were very excited, more their thing than mine. Some of the adults though, embarrassing!

Just a question for those watching on RamsTV - did us or them win the toss? Seemed a strange decision to turn us round, Wildsmith really struggled with the low sun second half and of course, we fans weren't able to encourage our attacks in the same way. I'd have thought Barnsley would have preferred to attack their own end second half, too?

Not bad, but disappointing. They were a strong team, we got brushed off the ball too easily, our passing was off. They pressed very well - and it seemed to unsettle us. They looked beatable early doors, a bit jittery themselves but we never really pushed on after our goal. I'm not a big fan of NML down the middle, Hourihane was lightweight in midfield (though his early deliveries were good.) Despite this, we more than matched them for attempts on goal, but they scored a great goal from a clearance, where was the defensive midfield? Then a header that looped over Wildsmith. One or two of our players were carrying injuries sustained during the game, we really don't seem to be having much luck on that front lately. Or in front of goal - some poor decision making in the final third. I hope we return to a back four on Tuesday, we looked far more balanced after Nyambe came on. But of course by then we were chasing the game and they defended their lead well.

Rooney, Collins and Vickers stood right behind us!

Barnsley 2- 3 Rams FRGS Mendez-Laing