Zag zig

11 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

Yes, a lot of our moves start with his interventions.

I just can’t fathom how someone (and I include other forwards in the squad) can choose to play as a striker and not be able to hit a target eight yards wide from twelve yards out.

You mean the sort where a keeper and defender throw themselves at an instinctive volley, that instead of getting a lucky deflection in, goes wide of the goal? Like the shot he made against Oxford. The club even featured it under the tag “it’s coming collo”

He really does just need a bit of luck.

9 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

I think Collins and Rosenior should go through videos of his games so far to analyse the positions he takes up in the box. 
Often only a slide rule precision pass would find him at the far post beyond the keeper and a defender.

He was in the box, perfect position at the end of last nights game almost exactly as you describe and unfortunately didn’t seem to read the flight of the ball from McGoldrick my best guess. (It’s on the highlights if you didn’t see it).

Right now Lady Luck is deserting him, he’s just not getting a break; must be mentally very frustrating for a striker.

11 hours ago, Chellaston Ram said:

Considering all the money they have spent their forwards still looks poor

Just looked at their fixtures first time  and being objective, I’d say they will get little change out of Man City next, but the 5 games following are all winnable and definitely against teams that will give them scoring opportunities. 
 

Even putting to one side Dirty Leeds and Foxes away, the 3 at home versus Bournemouth, Fulham and Villa should be games they look to win; mainly because the next cluster of 5 are once again far tougher and will be tricky to pick up points

Man City is a free hit damage limitation, the next 5 games will be more telling as to their scoring capabilities and season 

3 hours ago, Srg said:

Look at last season. Their poor form is a lot longer than 4 games this season. They’ve been pretty crap all 2022.

2 hours ago, Penelope Pendrex said:

This is it. Derby fans would be exactly the same. Any club would. 
 

Everything is relative. Villa are a top half Prem club now, and should be better. 

Don’t know about top half but definitely been sliding as you and @Srgsay sometime now.

I’ve no dislike for Villa, firstly know a few Villa fans and they sided with us naturally in our banter with blues fans, secondly Villa away much better away experience than the Small Heath pig pen. 
Given their start, can get their angst, so hope they turn it around myself but I’m hearing Gerrard is being found out now by better tacticians from my Villa mates ?‍♂️
 

See where they are 10 games in, if there’s not much change and I reckon he’ll be gone.

1 hour ago, Jubbs said:

Have to disagree! I thought the other fights were quite entertaining, the Kenny vs Sensei fight was quite high quality. But that's just me. It was certainly better than any other influencer boxing events so far.

Again, I'll disagree. Perhaps this is because I'm young but this is good for boxing. It brings so many more people to the sport and the fighters are being paid better than actual boxers, which helps as boxers need to be paid more. A lot of boxers are in favour of these events because they're aware of the publicity (and money) it brings to boxing and how it gets others involved in the sport. 
For example, the KSI vs Logan Paul 2 fight did around 2 million PPV buys, which would put it in and around the top 10 highest PPV boxing events. 

Yea I’d say it could be a youth thing, albeit my lads show these youtubers no interest either.

Wasn’t aware of current boxing fraternity thoughts in all honesty but maybe you’re right. I’m sure it splits opinions. As for Logan Paul and KSI really they are just names to me, purely from a lazy bank holiday, I googled the prompt from @Davidand have to say, it looks a bit of a joke bout to me; personal choice but maybe others feel differently.

2 hours ago, David said:

The main fight where KSI took on the “professional” Pineda was embarrassing, the guy looked like McLovin had been thrown in there having got in with his fake ID.

Never seen someone so scared to be in the ring, complained to the ref every time he took a hit. Looked like a guy that had been given a shed load of money to go in there and let the KSI show continue.

If it’s available anywhere to watch online, you have to go look it up.  

OMFG!!! 
 
Had to look out of curiosity, that’s just massively embarrassing ?.

Absolutely right about those paying, how does that represent any value? It was a non event. KSI needs to fight a real opponent and be given a whopping; promoters not going to allow that, whilst dumbos take in and pay for the hype. What a shocking advert for boxing!

46 minutes ago, Gerry Daly said:

Loving it. We are on a journey again just like we were when Arthur came. There is hope for the future and the expectation of progress is realistic. Don’t worry about it being years till we can have parity with Forest that doesn’t matter. It’s probably not true either things can change very quickly in football

Exactly, this season is taking me back to my youth. Told my lads how much fun it would be, even if we lose 1-0 away on a bleak, rainy day (or night, thinking Belle Vue on a Friday night).

We have a target on our backs for a lot of clubs but so what, embrace the league and pressure. This is going be a promotion campaign, you can sense it. No divine right, but we’re going to be in the mix. That’s exciting whatever league and our support will be crucial.

I’m loving it too ??

16 hours ago, David said:

Oh well

None of you lot know what it's like to have social life's ?

One of my lads was going to a party with his girlfriend Saturday night, on 85 minutes he said shall we go, I said give it 2 or 3 minutes; seeing one goal, we sensed another and left as soon as we scored the 2nd.

Had to run to the car, to help his cause, he was in for earache but I ended up saying mate, you need to reign in her expectations, football should always be priority (outside medical emergencies).

He’s going to have a word with her ?

1 hour ago, Rev said:

Purely from memory, so is probably wrong, but didn't Mel personally cover a discount of the ticket prices to Derby fans?

Yep. For all his sins, seem to recall Mel made some sort of gesture along those lines and a fair few saying what a jolly nice chap he was to have in charge. ?

3 minutes ago, uttoxram75 said:

I've been 5 times to Liverpool and always enjoyed it. The Kop is not always as good as it appears to be on European nights but, if its full, its awesome, nearly as good as the South Stand!

Not been since the bigger capacity so it will be like a new ground really. Hope its a decent attendance but tbf it will be a youth team outing for Liverpool.

Youth team playing will give us that upset chance, unless Liverpool pay us a bit more respect that is!

Always enjoyable going to Anfield, if only to encounter the watch ya car mister experience ?

Probably get Forest, just when we thought we’d got rid of them!

50 minutes ago, Ramifications said:

Well, his replacement isn't doing too badly at all. Onwards and upwards. 

 

Doing fine at this level, Pearcey is building his confidence up nicely.

1 hour ago, nottingram said:

Am a big believer that if you get performances right, results will follow. We’re playing well, no need whatsoever to panic. 

Besides, Dobbin starting over Smith is a much more attacking move

Completely agree, we’re practically dominating games, so the tactics are sound. He’s even tweaking things to become more goal focused.

A little slice of luck, with an in off a deflection or scruffy goal wouldn’t go amiss and could’ve opened the floodgates if we’d got our noses in front.

Truly believe it’s a matter of time before we click, our overall play is too good, to keep drawing blanks. L.R is doing alright, I’d love him to start Sibley more myself because he always looks to play forward; get McGoldrick fit too and the threat will improve.

We’re all a little frustrated, but the goals and points will come.

13 hours ago, Anag Ram said:

What time were you there?

We we’re there between 3.30 and 6.15am.

We did fast track too but in truth it all ran pretty smoothly.

Between 12 and 3.30, fast track was fine but in truth saved no more than 20 minutes. On grand scheme though, suppose an extra £5 gives full peace of mind.

2 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

I don’t understand what we are trying to do.

All possession to get into a one vs one position with NML? By the time we are in a crossing position Shrewsbury have five defenders in the box vs two attackers.

But it has taken 40 passes and two minutes just to get there…

It’s been easy for Shrewsbury so far.

It’s almost like we need a quick burst of pace through the middle or out wide?

8 hours ago, sage said:

I would recommend anyone flying this summer pays the extra for fast track security. Saves the Squeaky Bum Time as you stand in queues

Went through Bristol airport Sunday, saved about 10 minutes in truth, but the comfort factor was reassuring ?

1 hour ago, angieram said:

This and @RoyMac5article just says everything you need to know about his performance.

When your fellow pros are singing your praises, you know you’ve done bloody good ? 

I’m starting ti get a feeling, this lad is going to go the furthest out of our Prem 2 winning team.

4 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

According to the BBC, player of the match was Tom Lawrence as Rangers overturned a 2-0 first leg deficit to progress in the Champions League: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62460304

Read the Rangers forum thread on Tom, many saying MOTM 2 games in a row. Pretty unequivocally stating he was their best player last night.

https://www.followfollow.com/forum/threads/tom-lawrence.215753/

Went on looking for fan comments, just made me think back to our big home games last year when he turned it on. Already a few comments about him made for the old firm games. Have a feeling, he will either shine or ends up off red carded.

35 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

Is that "in the East, facing West" or "in the East-facing West"?  

I think I'm lost.

East v West is fairly ambiguous so no punctuation needed.??

Get the sun in your eyes late afternoon in the East facing West.

My first away hand was Liverpool v Derby, can’t remember the score let alone year, but we drew, did score and my Dad was telling me not to shush a fair bit, as we were almost standing right behind our away team dugout; so when they went mental, it was my queue to join in….. why not eh ?

Since then I’ve had plenty of good experiences and a fair few wins, watching us in home corporate ends at Man Utd, Sunderland, Stoke, Ipswich, Coventry, Villa, Wolves and tinpot Burton. The only real hairy time I can think of, was in the proper away end of old double decker at Filbert St, when we scored at least 3 one game. There was loads of Derby fans up there and it got more than a bit boisterous. 
 

I’m sure there’s been a few more, it’s always ok if you don’t create a scene and fun if you’re team is winning to listen to the natives moan!

18 hours ago, Rammy03 said:

It's not that deep. We've missed a few sitters and then conceded. That's football!

This sums up the whole game, any other day we’d have won. Knighty will be replaying that miss a few times; there was your nailed on point saver.

All we needed was better finishing, without any over analysis of the game.

7 hours ago, LERam said:

Good luck to him

Very harsh to write him off completely. The coaches and manager haven't got rid permanently so I assume they still believe he can do something. They see a lot more than we do from the 20 mins or so you might see him as a sub etc. 

Players aren't robots, and a lot of things can affect how they play. Run of games, bit of self belief, experience in the adult game (not the u23's) may all help reach a decent level. I imagine seeing Plange doing his thing can put real pressure on a kid in the same position, he's probably so desperate to get some goals and get his career underway that it hinders your game. Hopefully he feels less pressure at Carlisle and finds the net. 

For everything you’ve just said, I think had we been operating last season, as say 2 years back under Lampard, it would’ve been highly likely he’d have gone out on loan for the 2nd half of the season had he been fit. The only reason he was more under the first team microscope, was the state of our threadbare squad. 

Players do develop at different times as someone else commented, Cashin for instance only started to get his chance in pre season last year and again was forced to wait because of circumstances, but again I suspect under Championship seasons of more than 2 years back, would probably have been loaned out to a league 1 or 2 club. The benefit of our threadbare squad, worked to his advantage when Jags went and he outperformed Stearman. Any other year he’d still have been largely waiting in my opinion.

Don’t get why fans can’t wish him the chance to build confidence, with a Manager that looks after him, ultimately to come back from a successful loan spell, to feature more prominently for us. That has to be the goal, for as many of our home grown talent as possible. Let’s see what he does before writing him off here.

1 hour ago, TF Ram said:

Good move for him. Can get up to speed ready for the World Cup…

 

 

 

Is what his deluded agent will be telling him. 

Part of me feels sorry for this kid, he clearly had something as a teenager, on every level it would appear he’s been badly advised. Maybe a fresh start, family near by but above all, well out of the spotlight, is just what he needs to have an actual career.

Agents are the last people he should be listening too right now.

19 minutes ago, Donegal Ram said:

Hourihane didn't influence the game as we hoped but came up with the goal at the end. Sibley turned that game in our favor really when he came on. Good win plenty to work on with fluidity.

Rosenior wasn’t slow in mentioning Sibley’s contribution either, the runs in behind, stretching the opposition in the first few minutes after coming on.

He did exactly what was required and battled well, let’s hope this is his year. It was noticeable he didn’t panic either and picked Hourihane out with the pass.