RamLad1884

Taking a small line from this article: 'The third type includes management companies, like Duet, that look to improve returns from the whole mix of assets - real estate such as stadiums, commercial rights, brand merchandising, and team and management enhancement.' This pretty much sums up why a hedge fund company would be interested in Derby. Commercially we're a sleeping giant, with the right direction and funding we could really attract the highest calibre of commercial deals.

This kind of money is the difference between signing a player like Dowell or Paterson and signing a player like Ramslear. If the funds were there I'm certain we would have never seen Dowell or Paterson in a Derby shirt.

Wayne Rooney

Heard rumours a little while back from a shakey itk at best that the investment was an American consortium, including a couple of guys involved in the DC United ownership. Makes sense to an extent, somehow we got around the Rooney contract without paying anything to them directly, plus it fits with the rumours that some of the previous American owners are interested in coming back. See what will happen on that front, I'd be gobsmacked if this guy was ITK for once though.

Trying not to just sound like I'm slating him here, but Ramage is an awful commentator, the best ones stick to one view and either argue it or accept argument gracefully. But Ramage follows the pitchforks. Last week when we looked great he followed the crowd in saying how great we were, yet Saturday he said we've been awful all season. Sounds like a fan who's been given the opportunity to vent each week.

Derby have somewhat of a recent history of converting wingers to full back though. Bogle, Lowe, Malone, Forsyth have all played as wingers at some point in their careers. Before that, Brayford/Freeman had both been midfielders also. Its perhaps a scouting thing, look for attacking players that could play a defensive role effectively.

We saw Cocu trial Bogle playing in front of Wisdom today towards the end of the game. Can't say they had long enough to really see how well it worked today. Generally we all seem to agree we need a new winger, could Bogle be the solution?

Have a sneaky feeling we'll see Wisdom or Forsyth in the team at CB today, Sibley for Holmes if we play without wingers to give some more balance to midfield.

Not sure how much we really need wingers right now though, between lawrence/zoon/waghorn/JML/Whittaker/Bennett and Paterson then that should be more than enough. This is likely what Cocu meant when he said he didn't want to block youth coming through.

Logic would be send Dowell back in January, his spot in the squad to be taken by Sibley. I suspect Rooney will take the spot of 'Zoon/Bennett/Knight as an attacking player.

He's clearly just embracing the Cocu Culture...the central vrefender is all the rage in Dutch football!

His only defense will be that Bennett/Lawrence didn't get an equal punishment. Reality is the minute you do something that will prevent you doing your job due to your own actions then gross misconduct is on the books. It'd be exactly the same for virtually any job out there.

Give over, Wednesday night football in the wind and rain against Wigan, it was always gonna be scrappy. Defended well and taken the shot that matters in the end.

It's that balance between big squad and managing the wage bill again. Lowe/wisdom/Forsyth means our defence is covered. Evans is getting back to fitness and we could pull Sibley/Bird if we lost Shinnie/Bielik.

He should get injured more often, best he's looked in years 👀