ram59

45 minutes ago, Wolfie said:

Oh I'm sure there's a few around these parts that will expect top 4, however unrealistic that is.

What!!!!!!

Just settling for the play offs, a club of our size?

Surely, it needs to be top 2 at the very least.😉

After all, the championship will be the weakest it's ever been with the big clubs going up and replaced with traditional championship clubs. If Warne can't get is in the autos against that lot, he needs to go. 😉

1 hour ago, The_Sheriff said:

So what you are saying is its OK to bet against your own as long as you want your bet to lose

Yes, I just don't see the problem with it. 

I don't want Derby to lose, I'll be there cheering them on as much as anyone else on Saturday, in spite of not winning a few bob on the game. None of my actions will have any detrimental effect on Derby's chances of getting automatic promotion. As it happens it's not even my money, thanks to the joining offers, you put a first bet on an odds on match, get your money back, then put the bookies' bonus on Bolton, so I haven't put a penny of my money against Derby, technically.

I'm comfortable with it, those who aren't, then don't do it.

15 minutes ago, jimtastic56 said:

Nelson has been solid in tier 3 but got relegated, last time in the Championship . Showing what a big step up it is . Gayle was the desperation signing - his hamstrings have shot it . We have to get quality in , this Summer to give Warne a fighting chance . NML brings no guarantees in the Champ . 

So, from what you're saying there, is that every player who plays for a relegated club, isn't good enough for that division?

Nelson only signed for Blackpool in the January window, when they were already in the bottom 3.

21 minutes ago, The_Sheriff said:

Like all of you I cannot wait for Saturday. I was young when we last got automatic promotion so it's my first real taste of it in person, live at the game.

This temptation has made me question my own principles. I have seen many DCFC fans back us to fail and Bolton to make top 2 at 100/1.  This has now gone to 50/1. 

So my question to all is.. is it OK to bet against your own team? To set up a consolation prize?   Or is this as good as treason?

There's a subtle difference depending on how much you stand to win and how it affects your support of the team on Saturday. 

On the one hand some of us are taking advantage of the ridiculous odds offered by the bookies, in order to ease the pain if things go wrong on Saturday.

Where it goes into the traitor territory is if you bet enough money whereby you actually want Derby to mess up. Like many moral decisions we all have a price. If someone offered anyone on here a free £100k bet on Derby missing out on the autos, I suspect that we would all put up with the play offs and take our chances.

If you look at it from one point view, a fan who has put £100 on to win £10,000 and is still cheering on the Rams on Saturday, is proving their loyalty to the Rams because they're willing the team to win even though it's costing them £10,000.

4 hours ago, MadAmster said:

Bolton now an average of 6/4 to go up. Not worth the bet. If it was still 100/1 it would be worth a bet. We go up, you're deliriously happy and don't give a damn about the lost bet. Bolton go up, you're totally deflated but at least you've got the wherewithall to fund the next 2 to 3 season's football if you do home and away.

My choice would be to lose the bet..

You're confusing the bet that's relevant to Saturday. They are 6/4 to go up, but that includes the play offs, which they would be favourites for.

They are still 100/1 for the autos which would deny us. 

There is a scenario whereby Derby could win the play offs and you would still win your 100/1 bet.

58 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

I wouldn’t hold your breath for winning the FA Cup, I reckon the top half a dozen or so teams have got that pretty much sewn up despite their lack of interest in the earlier rounds. I also don’t think we’ll be back in the Premier League anytime soon.

For me it’s not just a case of celebrating any kind of achievement whilst you can but also a sense of relieve being back to where we belong. I guess some people will just politely applaud, as they may have done if we’d been able to attend the game when we narrowly escaped relegation (it could be argued that avoiding relegation is nothing to celebrate but, it’s the same, - it was an achievement of sorts and a sense of relief - albeit only short lived) but I’ll be cheering and applauding with vigour if we make it on Saturday.

Coventry coming within a toenail of reaching the FA Cup final gives us all hope that with a bit or a lot of luck, one day we could make the final, then who knows what could happen in a one off game?

32 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

 

Not quite, as a neutral ground was suggested, so no advantage finishing 5th over 6th.
If the higher placed team was to get a home tie, then you'd be bang on.

 

Correct, I didn't read his proposal properly.🙄

Regarding the finalists having a long break, I think that any third placed club would rather go straight to a Wembley final rather than one or two play off semi finals, beforehand.

1 hour ago, Animal is a Ram said:

I do find myself agreeing with this, and sometimes it feels as if there's more prestige to going up through the playoffs than there is coming second (matron!)

That said, for me, I'd change the format: 

3rd goes straight to the final, 4th place becomes the semi vs. the winner of 5th vs. 6th.
Single games, at neutral venues, final at Wembley.

Will never happen, mind.

I've been saying that this should happen for many years. It has so many advantages over the current unfair system.

It rewards every single place from third to sixth, with each place having a better chance of promotion than the place behind.

It will help reduce the likelyhood of dead rubber games where a team can rest players like last night.

It maintains the spirit and excitement of the playoffs in every game, as they're all sudden death, whereas now there is an anti climax at the end of the first legs.

I cannot understand why this format hasn't even been trialled for one season.

12 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

Bolton are 100-1 with Bet365 to finish in the top two 

I can't believe those odds are still available, for just 2 results. 

I've seen that one poster has gambled £100 on Derby not going up, which would result in winnings of over £10k.

I'm sure that a number of us have had a little bet at the ridiculous odds that have been offered, to soften the blow.

How much 'compensation' would make up for suffering another year in league 1?

The useless EFL have already let this kind of thing go.

On the last day of the 21/22 season, Northampton were ahead of Bristol Rovers on goal difference. Northampton did their job by beating Barrow 3-1. This meant that Bristol Rovers needed to win by 7 against Scunthorpe, the result was 7 nil and Bristol were promoted on goals scored. Already relegated Scunthorpe fielded a team consisting of 7 teenagers including 4 from their u18s and a first year scholar in goal.

I can't find any details of any punishment for Scunthorpe.

If Scunthorpe ever get back in the EFL, they should have points deducted, in my opinion. Poetic justice that they crashed through the National League.

3 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

2 noe. Posh taking time off before the play offs

It's disgraceful, doing that against a team fighting against relegation. I'm sure that Burton and Cambridge won't be happy. 

It looks likely that we'll definitely need a point on Saturday.

1 hour ago, Gerry Daly said:

I think you would still get the continuity. You wouldn't have had a break in your season tickets. But yes Sage, I did say in the original post that it would cost you and you have to weigh that up. But it would be my advice if you want to get two together in the South stand. There are no easy solutions. 

I stand corrected.😊

30 minutes ago, On the Ram Page said:

Couldn’t disagree more. You cannot (although you will) compare Rotherham in the Championship (with all due respect to them) to a Derby side. No doubt your evidence that Warne cannot manage in the Championship is that he has had relegations with Rotherham? you are basically saying that individuals cannot learn and improve - which is crazy. Hopefully you will prove to yourself that people can learn over the next year, and that in a year’s time you will come back on here and say you were wrong.

As I've previously pointed out Warne's last relegation with Rotherham was with a team with the lowest budget in the Championship and if that wasn't bad enough, they actually made an operating profit that season and a profit on player sales. I think that many top managers would struggle under those circumstances.

His budget at Derby will be competitive with most teams in the division and I would be very surprised if he was forced to make a net profit on player sales next season.

It is often claimed that Warne's style of football is just 'hoofball'. Seeing Cambridge's pitch on Saturday reminded me of one important requirement in order to play 'hoofball', that is a dry pitch. You need the ball to hold up if you're playing it over the top all the time. Anyone going to PP will notice that the sprinklers are usually on pre-match and at half time, to help promote a slick type of play, which is actually the style Warne prefers to play. If you have a wet pitch, any balls over the defence are likely to run through and out of play. 

I noticed that at Portsmouth in the wet conditions against us, they continued with their pumping high balls over the top to Kamara, with the ball invariably running out of play.

1 hour ago, sage said:

Depends on your financial situation and whether taking a £100 hit affects you.

Also depending on how many years you've built up, it could cost you more money over the next few seasons.

5 hours ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

A reminder.

Take your pick to what to focus on, but this is probably the worst of the lot: "In January 2021, and after ten witnesses of the case have already died, and after reviewing the case, the judge came to the conclusion that there was no evidence implicating Marinakis, and therefore concluded his investigation."

I hope this stuff starts getting more national attention.

And he passed the fit and proper test before being allowed to buy them?🤔

5 hours ago, Reggie Greenwood said:

1-0 would do keeps the GD well in check 

No a 1 nil victory would leave them a near impossible task of scoring at least 7 against Bolton, to catch us. In this scenario, they would concede defeat and rest players against Bolton.

3 or 4 goals would keep them interested but still needing an unlikely 4 or 5 against Bolton.

3 hours ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Presumably the mathematical probability of us going up is better if it's just Bolton that we have to fend off, even if it's a little scarier if they have something to play for and Posh don't.

The bookies odds tomorrow will tell you, if posh don't win comfortably tonight.

Personally I'd prefer both teams to be going for it on Saturday, if one team are saving themselves for the play offs, the other team is likely to win by quite a few goals.

7 hours ago, Oldben said:

 

I dont think our strategy of bringing in older players and loans will save us in the Championship.

Our strategy has entirely been driven by the business plan under which we have had to operate for the last 2 years. Whichever division we're in next season, this business plan will no longer exist.

We will now be in a position to actually pay transfer fees for the likes of Adams, who as a loan player would be just the kind of player who would save us in the championship as did Osman many years ago. With a small transfer pot, there are a number of good young players in lg1 who could make the step up, who we could sign for moderate fees. Regarding loanees, if we're in the championship, we will attract second year loanees from Premiership clubs, who wouldn't carry such a risk.

34 minutes ago, Reggie Greenwood said:

See @Srg ‘s explanation above , the council have reasonable doubts about the ownership / investment into the club who could renegotiate the lease. 

I think It's the council that are trying to sell our get investment for the ground. If that's the case, surely a replacement facility should be made available for the local community.

I know that Solihull Moors are on borrowed time at their current location, but an alternative site has been sorted out, which must be too the satisfaction of the EFL.

Maybe football loving Starmer should have encouraged his labour controlled council to support their local football team a bit more.

The national recognition a town or city gets, when they've got a league football team is not to be underestimated. It helps commercial activity within the area.

Technology is already available to make offside decisions almost fully automated.

Every player already wears device that tracks his movement on the pitch, put an accelerometer in the match balls which detects every time the ball is struck. Every time the ball is struck, an instant map of every player's tracker is produced, the decision is made from the player's tracker and will always need to be worn the same position on the body. The human element will still need to decide whether the player is interfering with play.

Obviously, all players wearing the tracker in the same place will give an advantage depending on which way the players are facing, but it would be consistent and the same for both sides.

12 minutes ago, Charlie George said:

Where were you? They were 5 of us (2 of them kids) in South Habbin stand with another 50 or 60 Derby. Most of us celebrated when we scored and chanted throughout the game. 4 got thrown out at half time. No idea why as the stewards didn't bother any of us.

Anyway,great at the end and nice that most the players applauded that particular corner of the ground.

We must have been slightly to the left of you and saw several small groups given their marching orders, including a couple of lads spotted in the half time queue for refreshments and another couple who used our tactic of moving closer to the half way line for the second half.

Well, I'm back after managing to watch the whole game in with the home fans, unlike many who were 'spotted' by the stewards and ejected from the ground. 

I thought that I'd blown it when NML scored, by throwing my arms in the air and very briefly jumping up and down. 

The six of us decided at half time to split up and it was every man for himself. Not much happened in the second half to give us away.

At least we were able to group together after the final whistle and join in the bounce.