jono

On 30/03/2024 at 21:35, Beetle said:

Let's go two up top, Washington and Collins. NML and CBT as wingers and tell them to go for it with Ward and Wilson replacing them early second half, Adams and Hourihane Central Midfield. Smith at right back and Sibley at left back.

Come on you Rams!

I agree. Washington has way more in his locker when he’s got a foil

59 minutes ago, Poynton ram said:

With so much talk about investment and the depth of DCs pockets I question whether the club maximise the commercial opportunities at PP. Other clubs seem to hold concerts and not just at stadiums like the Etihaad, Old Trafford. I am sure the Killers played Bolton. No idea if the clubs make much money from these events and clearly the pitch may suffer but can’t recall much happening at PP. With all the nearby parking and the vicinity of the station I would have thought PP would be a decent venue. Maybe the club have tried to attract promoters but no interest or couldn’t get the numbers to work?

Odd when you think of the red hot chilli peppers and that was 18 years ago ! 

I am an old goat so don’t know much but is there a Derby / East Mids school league ? Wouldn’t it be amazing if you were a kid and the schools final was at pride park. A stadium should be a flagship for the community, somewhere you dream of going 

I agree, though a fantastic location there must be potential to make it earn more money for the club but I suppose like everything there is competition.. so many stadia ? On a more prosaic note, I ate at the yard once before a youth match, really enjoyed it but what’s it like on match days .. is it a scrum and how long do you have to book in advance ?

2 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Not at all what you'd expect from a player of Sibs experience. The way you comment on my comments is very amusing. I only do it because your view of Sibs is typically 'one-eyed'. 😆

I find your ripostes equally amusing.  My “one eyed” comments that weigh his good and bad traits sit well with your monocular refusal to accept anything other than drooling praise or criticism of management concerning his deployment on the field of play. The boy is clearly a genius. Do tell me how we resisted all those PL callers last transfer window ? . It must be a miracle.

2 hours ago, Chester40 said:

And that's the nub really isn't it... especially next season with no restrictions,  no excuses about them not being his players etc... if we continue to play that way every week without the results he won't last long. 

Can he genuinely change? Tbh I doubt it.... so its whether we keep on winning games or not.

It’s an interesting debate isn’t it. ? I can’t decide. There are times, when we are on song, playing pretty good mixed football. Sure some long stuff but some decent on the ground intricacy with it.  Then you get Warne saying in post match interviews that he wants them to take more risks and how he loves it when Wilson takes on his man. So far so good, BUT we then lapse in to a gloomy safety first 3 touches when one will do and all the instinctivness and flair just disappears as if it was never there. We look ponderous and slow. No one touch, no urgency. It’s odd. 

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

He was the only one to make 'lousy' passes was he? Adams got caught on the ball at least twice, and had to hold off some of their players as he too reacted slowly on the ball - but he (rightly) gets MoM.

But you forgot the tracking the two Blackpool men into the box last minute, and making a great interception. Thought they were bound to equalise. Clearance finished by Cashin, Nelson and Adams.

 

Someone commented about Sibs. I responded to that with my feelings about Sibs. I wasn’t making comparisons. 

My post was not a general critique of the team as a whole. Predictably you chose to leap to Sibs defence. Really Roy the way you lock on to a player and decide that no balanced observations are allowed because he’s on your “preferred” list is very tiresome. Yes other players misplaced passes and Adams did get caught in possession. It is a feature of this team, lapses of concentration and awareness when you least expect it. Skilled players that leave me baffled with a miscontrol one minute and neat one two the next. Sibs has considerable abilities and is one of the few that has the potential to create a champagne moment but he is also more inconsistent and error prone than one would expect in someone with his level of natural talents

2 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

I presume he'd just taken an inswinging corner. On the radio in the bit I was able to listen to, they were saying Sibbo's corners were very good (as I think they always are).

He was everything the recent Sibley has been. Some good positional play, a couple of clever darting runs, beat a man with some beautiful twinkle toes. A bullet of a left foot shot just over the bar. Then mix in some lousy passes under minimal pressure, got shoved too easily off the ball, slow to react. … Will the real LS please stand up. He confuses me ! 

20 minutes ago, ram59 said:

Totally disagree, I thought that Collins and Thommo were excellent, non stop chasing down 3 defenders between the pair of them. Some nice touches from Collins showed us just what we've been missing lately and he's come back not a moment too soon, imo.

Yep 😊 There was a panicky moment in our box after Collo came on, a mix of botched clearances, blocks and scrappiness. Collo brought the ball down from one of them, played for the free kick with 2 men on him, all calm and collected. Just killed the the threat by using his nous. He hasn’t got the pace and skill to rip defences apart but he’s a flipping good experienced player with diverse and valuable elements to his game

46 minutes ago, Ted McMinn Football Genius said:

Johnny Russel esq that image. 👍🏻🐏

❤️ what a great photo 🍻

On 19/03/2024 at 05:41, 8Leeds said:

He’s built like a tank

When I watch him I w***

He’s f****** mustard

He’s Ebou Adams 

I am struggling to understand if there is an iambic pentameter in this ?

1 minute ago, Anag Ram said:

I’ve read a few times that Washington looked lively.

 I thought he looked lazy. He and NML regularly failed to close down defenders and created very little. Even when Wash got the dream chance, he fluffed it.

 I thought he was our weakest player.

Everyone else deserved 7 or higher except perhaps NML who still looks like he’s struggling for fitness.

I think there was quite a lot of coaching and tactics in that performance. I do see what you are saying but the sort of player Wash is means he is a better player with a foil to do the give and goes. He strikes me as a short bursts of energy feeding off others type of player, a harrier that needs a base stone ? Yes , in round figures he wasn’t quite on it today but give him a couple of games to get to speed and he will contribute. 

24 minutes ago, Wolfie20 said:

The ref was overly fussy but can't recall any major errors but the twonk running the West Stand line was just an incompetent buffoon.

I felt the same. The ref was petty and stopped the game flowing but you get those sometimes. I’d say Blackpool got the best of the decisions(I would wouldn’t I 🤣) but his bookings were spot on.

The Lino on the East side sounded as bad as yours .. But for some epic blocks, clearances and scrambling we might have conceeded when 2 Blackpool boys were yards offside unnoticed then a flag when Wash (I think)  timed a run perfectly, being at least a yard on side when the ball was played. 

What a weird game. A lot of tactics and mind games between managers I reckon. Why did we sit so deep, let them have the ball ? Yet, with it, they didn’t seem very scary did they ? A fair few individual errors, tried a few things early on that didn’t come off, then we got all “safe” with no panache or zip;  but giving the walking wounded thing, maybe that was inevitable ?
Loads of effort from all the lads. Beautiful technique and finish from Adams, well deserved MOTM. That was a certified belter of a goal and worthy to win any match anywhere. CBT’s performance was very encouraging and I  thought Smith had an excellent game.. All the subs made a difference, Tommo’s energy,  Collo’s physical presence and guile shored everything up in the last 20. 
Fussy ref, Lino made some terrible offside calls and just didn’t see others. Very poor on both lines today in my opinion.

3 precious points … it’s getting closer everyone. Keep the faith. 

16 hours ago, YorkshireRam said:

Why are people preferring Ward over Wilson at RB? Neither are defensively amazing but Wilson has looked more solid there to my eyes (and gives away less penalties).

Playing Wilson at fullback gives him the space to use his greatest strength- progressive dribbling, whilst Ward as a winger would still be able to utilise his crossing. Given that Wilson sometimes lacks end product, this way round seems more sensible to me?

I find it a difficult one to call. The right cross from Ward wins a game, he has excellent ability to put pace and bend on a pass. Not seen any in this league who can get that dangerous low trajectory but Wilson is such a fighter who has that ability to beat a man properly. Rare these days. Neither excel defensively. … Glad I’m not a manager. !

49 minutes ago, Big Bad Bob said:

It's interesting to see how a lot of people are now suggesting 3 at the back rather than a back 4 that people have been saying is how we should be lining up. I've liked the idea of having a back 3. It allows us more players to attack, but gives us 5 at the back when defending. 

Big game today. No complacency please. We have to be professional and get the job done and not assume it's 3 points in the bank. Northampton will likely raise their game against us. 

COYR! 

I think it’s working because he now has fit players on form able to fit the set up. It’s the old round holes thing.

5 hours ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

I mentioned elsewhere that on the news last night it said the government football regulator will be able to take the decision about financial distribution of funds away from the Premier League.

It’s a huge topic and there will be many pages devoted to it all over the place. One thought (sorry this is off topic ) I honestly think there’s some mileage to be had in making loans dependant on PL clubs paying all wages and accepting all risks. After all its training their players, why should money go back to the PL when the EFL clubs are effectively providing training for nothing ? 
 

Back to Joe. Everyone makes mistakes but Joe makes fewer than most and has proved to be an excellent keeper. Hope he stays. He’s not Shilton or Poom but he’s earned his No 1 spot to my mind.

On 01/03/2024 at 22:59, Van der MoodHoover said:

Been injured for much of the last 2 years.

 

But we can still laugh because man utd paid 86m to bring him back in 2017 and their subsequent trophy glut has amounted to 1 fa cup and a Europa League.

Suspect they might have hoped for more....

I have some Man United in my blood but never liked Pogba even when he was there 1st time round before the mega money. Bling, loud mouth, arrogant - For whatever reason there is always a player you don’t like regardless of their skill. 
Pogba is mine ( Sheehan joined the list on Saturday 🤣) Not that any of them are quaking in their boots !

On 13/03/2024 at 12:59, Inverurie Ram said:

The Bucks Fizz Kids on here could!!

Reds, Blues, Greens, Yellow tops, skirts and chino’s all over the shop! 😂

Up The Rams 🐏

I used to sell steel tubes that ended up in the offshore oil industry and heard a tale that some Oil Company paid for Bucks Fizz to do a gig on a rig. They got stuck in a storm and had to stay on the rig. After they left some enterprising lad auction the sheets that the girls had slept in 🤣

10 hours ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

I actually don’t agree. I think without 3 standout teams outplaying the majority of the rest of the league it’s actually proving to be a more competitive league this season, sides are more closely matched at the top end of the table illustrated by the smaller gap between the sides. Last season it was almost always between 3 sides for automatic promotion, this season it’s been less clear with us, Barnsley, Bolton, Posh, Portsmouth and Oxford all competing at various points. 

I’ve never signed up to this idea that the league is somehow “easier”, it is what it is, 24 teams competing for points across a 46 game season and relative to that we’re currently the second placed side.

The only time a league is “easy” is when there are 2 runaway leaders and you are one of them. That has not happened this year. Only 1 in Pompey. 

This league isn’t easy, it’s highly competitive. Until yesterday there were 5 teams in with a chance of the automatics and probably 9 or 10 with hopes of the play offs. 

6 minutes ago, QuitYourJibbaJivin said:

I hope the powers that be noticed the markedly improved atmosphere in the east stand yesterday.

It’s a real shame they chose to shut down the atmosphere in there by restricting ticket sales and being extremely heavy handed with the residents in those blocks. the atmosphere in that area grew organically over a few years yet was decimated at the beginning of the season due to a few complaints. IMO it can only help having multiple noisy sections in the ground to bounce off each other, no doubt itl be back to normal in a few weeks time.

It was good yesterday, some singing in the concourse pre match and I got to shout and sing at a level that on other days would make me feel a bit of a stand out. If you are naturally polite you can’t help going with the majority in a crowd, so if those around you are subdued then, to an extent you will be too. I loved giving it large with allez allez yesterday 😎🐏🐏🐏

8 hours ago, NorwichExile said:

My Fitbit gave me a warning about my heart rate hitting 130 during the last few minutes, which says it all! God it was an ugly match, but last season we lose that 2 or 3 nil and I'm absolutely buzzing that we managed to bulldoze our way over the line.

What a player Sheehan looked for them, though. If we do get over the line, I'd love us to pick him up.

Sheehan drove me to distraction. Constantly fouling Adams off the ball, moaning at the ref, claiming throws that were even disputable. Huge credit to Ebou who never lost his cool and just seemed to enjoy the 1 v 1 battle 

40 minutes ago, Chester40 said:

Looking at Warne's old team... and how Sheff Wed have struggled....there is probably an argument to be had eventually that we MAY struggle. 

But, yep for now who cares. 

Get up and worry about it then.

Tbh Nelson, Niambe, Wilson, Bradley, Elder, Ward... all look decent enough.

CBT and Washington have hardly featured. Fornah has disappeared. 

So I trust Warne to get in decent players. Whether he can get us above midtable I'm not overly confident- but one step at a time eh.

..

 

Build it and they will come. Outside yo-yo prem clubs with sacks of cash, if you were a player and DCFC came calling ? 
 

There aren’t many places where you’ll get 30,000 noisily wanting you to succeed every other week. Must have been a huge lift for the lads today and it will stand us in good stead whatever happens. 

9 minutes ago, Nuwtfly said:

A few quickfire thoughts from me on todays game:

- Curtis Nelson might well be the signing of the season. Followed closely by Kane Wilson.

- Forsyth was good today but I was very surprised that the MoM award didn’t go to either Wildsmith or Cashin. Both kept us in the game at times.

- We need to begin moving on from Hourihane now. He is just not offering enough and his tracking back is very poor. Thompson and Adams in the middle for me, going forward.

- Derby fans are great. 
 

Hourihan has assets but against athletic teams looking for interceptions / anticipating / pressing .. he gets caught. It happened to Rooney. It’s those nano seconds of reaction time. The toll is taken 

5 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

Plenty of refs would have given NML a red 

Interesting that one. Two players hell for leather wanting the ball. I reckon NML was probably a tad “out of control”

Saying wreckless would be harsh and there was no intent .. I don’t know the rules but to me it was blood and thunder battling rather than dirty play with intent. A yellow seemed just … but whether that’s what the rule book says is a different matter ? 

36 minutes ago, ram59 said:

The ref had a decent game today in such an important game.

He should have given Ward a yellow card early on for a clear pull and inexplicably pulled us back a couple of times when we had a clear advantage, although not in a dangerous position, but nothing that seemed to have any effect on the result.

Yes, I thought he did well. Wardy was lucky, their 8 should have been booked, but he saw several handballs both deliberate and accidental, wasn’t t a fussy big I am. Missed one chance to play advantage but was up with play and gave good quick decisions the majority of time. You couldn’t reasonably ask for more. 

We deserved that, not because we were better than Bolton but because we stuck at it, grafted and gave everything. Bolton played some good football, runs off the ball, slick passing on the edge of the box but Wildsmith kept their two clear chances out.  Many times on the balance of play we have dropped points despite apparently dominating possession, today it was Bolton’s turn. We had a good first 10, they had a good next 15 then (despite surrendering possession too often) it was an even game but we got the goal. They were tidier, we looked more dangerous on the break. Their No 8 was a nasty narky foul playing knob. 
 

I often moan about poor first touch, but Elder’s wasn’t t half bad was it 🤪. Loved when early in the second half the crowd had gone quiet and Smithy almost frantically urged to east stand to up it .. they need us and the ground responded.

Wildsmith gets my MOTM because he came up with goods in the line fire but Fozzie has to a pure bred legend, just seamlessly gelled with his teammates, all that experience, directed headers that find white shirts, positioning, timing .. the lot. He is a Ram.

The football has had criticism but TBH, the scheme is ok, but our touch and quality individually will need to be a step better when we go up … and we ducking are ! COYR