DavesaRam

Agreed. The city has been turned into a dump by our rulers, but the county is indeed an absolute beauty!

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/krystian-bielik-reveals-derby-county-8346700
"I've got my last year at Derby and I hope they get to the play-offs," Bielik said.
"I think when they get to the play-off stage, if they get there, they have a massive chance to actually go up so I pray that they go up because this is important for me.
"This is my club still and I really support them, I hope they do it, they have a massive chance, they have a good team, so we will see what happens.
"In the summer, I'm trying to focus on the last five games and we will see with my agent, the people at Derby and we will see what we options do we have."
 

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

One problem is offering the city of Derby as an attractive place to spend the non-football parts of tournament life. Its a dump!

No, he tried to put it in the dishwasher but missed. 

I said it a couple of matches ago re NML's enormous crosses. Isn't it about time that when he gets the ball and heads off down the wing one of our wide left layers immediately goes to the far side of the penalty area so  when the inevitably over-hit cross comes sailing over we have someone there completely unmarked to run in and slot the ball home? Or is that a bit to "common sense", a bit too obvious?

I said it a couple of matches ago re NML's enormous crosses. Isn't it about time that when he gets the ball and heads off down the wing one of our wide left layers immediately goes to the far side of the penalty area so  when the inevitably over-hit cross comes sailing over we have someone there completely unmarked to run in and slot the ball home? Or is that a bit to "common sense", a bit too obvious?

As I've previously said about the penalties given against us this season, Knight was going away from goal and looking for any kind of contact and I applaud referees for not buying these penalties. However, I crave consistancy in these decisions and the only consistancy that we've seen lately is that most of the ones against us are given and all the ones for us aren't given.

Which I think will be one of the biggest wastes of talent this club has seen.
He hasn't had a run in that position since he got injured under Cocu 3/4 games into that season.
On 2 occasions, when he finally has started in his favoured role he has played really well, started the next match and then made the scapegoat at half time when others have played worse! Happened under Rooney and happened under Warne. Yet, more experienced players are given many more chances despite poor performances.
Garbage management. If he had a long run of matches and failed to deliver I could understand, but we haven't seen him complete 2 matches in a row in his favourite position since Cocu. How can he ever progress when that happens?

Yeah! 1 - 5! Couldn’t happen to a nicer Leeds!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Yeah! 1 - 5! Couldn’t happen to a nicer Leeds!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

If we get in the playoffs past form means nothing as Hull proved to us in 15/16. Being solid with match winners is a blueprint to win playoff games and we’ve got that. We just didn’t get the second today, and they literally scored with the only chance they created with the aid of a deflection as well. Sometimes it just isn’t your day, unfortunately we would’ve been better with a s**** performance and a win today, this stage the result is all that matters which is why today is devastating regardless of how well we played. 

Personally I think describing it as “rank” is a little over the top. The quality all round (officials, opposition, away grounds) isn’t as good as in the Championship (or the Premier League of course) but not rank.
At this moment in time, in the hope Warne manages to get something like the players he wants despite our restrictions and we have a proper preseason, I’m looking forward to next season already. No doubt that enthusiasm will quickly evaporate if we don’t have a good start.

I think that’s the point @David they’ve been messed around which has hindered their development, Sibley more so. He should have been ‘the one’. Rooney ruined him and he’s not recovered. He needs that bite in his game that many have criticised him for on here. I hope he can come good. I’ve no idea why managers haven’t played him in his best position. Such a waste.

The reason he didn't get it today was poor refereeing. It's a penalty by the rules. Not interested in this soft penalty nonsense, pushing your arm/shoulder into someone's back is a penalty and always will be. Claiming Knight is diving is laughable.

As I am sure you are all aware, there were two extremely serious injuries yesterday to their gallant numbers 22 and 33.
It was heartbreaking to see the 33 crawl pitifully back on to the pitch so he could reach a teammate and whisper his last words to pass on to his wife and children. The number 22 had a serious head injury requiring extensive physio work on his leg and again only the miraculous intervention of the highly trained medical staff delayed serious harm.
However, a friend of mine who works at the Royal, has reported that neither is likely to make it through another night. Can we please come together as a football family to pray hard for these brave warriors - real men - who gave so much to the game that we all love. 

Well what a day! I was well impressed by how w played as a team today, getting the ball down and playing it on the ground for lots of the game - was Warne on his Easter holiday or something? WE did everything but score, and although I wasn't able to watch the FGR match, this match seemed poles apart for how we played. I wonder if Warne was resting a few for that match, and deliberately went for "aerial assault" mode because of the awful pitch, which sounded like it was a ploughed field on heat. Today was way, way better. But then, so is the pitch! 27 shots says we are doing plenty that is right. I thought Roberts had a great game, despite missing that sitting duck near the end - almost as though he was frightened of hoofing it high and wide, and his hesitance made him miscue completely. Bird did something similar, when the ball sat up for him on the edge of the box. He had to challenge a defender for it, but was favourite, but instead he held back, possibly just in case, and the chance was gone, when he'd got the white's of the keeper's eyes in sight.
But the result hinged on 3 things - Mendez-Laing's inexplicable desire to play Knight offside, then shooting wide when he should have either taken the net off the posts, or laid the ball in to two better placed team mates. Either (or both) of those would have been the end of the Dons. And then the penalty shouts. I have to confess to playing the role of Gobby McBiggob by saying that the ref looked like he was ok, although I did wait until the second half to say it. At which point he remembered where his true loyalties lay, giving us the third instance which the result hung on. There were 3 really strong shouts for penalties in a 10 minute spell. The first one I could hear the smack of ball on flesh, and the arm was straight up in the air. Apparently Collins had tipped the ball onto the defender's hand with his own hand, so perhaps the ref got it right. But the response from the players and the crowd was instantaneous. As it was for the second shout moments later, with exactly the same response from the ref. And then the foul on Knight - I was looking straight at Knight's back when the defender barged into him, planting his shoulder between Knight's shoulder blade - which cannot be described as shoulder to shoulder, which is what the ref thought it was, unless he simply thought "Nahh not giving that". Moments later MK Dons equalised, and the bout of decisions had clearly got into our player's heads. The cynic in me thinks "just as it was designed to do". 
Listen: we should have put our chances away when we got the opportunity, and there are plenty of "do-gooders" on here saying that we shouldn't be dependant on refereeing decisions to win matches. Actually I agree, we shouldn't, but neither should we be dropping points  because of refereeing decisions. And allegedly refereeing decisions even themselves out over the season. Not during Derby's season, or seasons because we are nearly 4 years into this situation now. If they do even themselves up we will have to play extra time because there won't be enough time within the 90 minutes for all the penalties we are due.
But it didn't stop there - as most are, this ref was extremely quick to wave yellow cards at Derby players, but often didn't reciprocate for similar offences. White hauled a Don down in their own half to prevent a breakaway and a free-kick was rightly given. But instantly the card was out, even though the player wasn't breaking clear and in his own half. In the second either Dobbin or Sibley was actually clear in MK's half and hauled to the ground, but only a free-kick given. What's the difference, apart from the MK Don's foul being in a much more dangerous position. or another breakaway (with Barkhausen?) where a defender, in our half, had slid in with a challenge which failed, and then simply stayed down, lying inert on the ground and the ref stopped the match when we were in on goal. What happened to the rule that you only stop the match for head injuries? Or the defender making a hash of it, falling over and handling the ball, then simply grabbing it with both hands to stop it rolling to one of our players, and then literally picked the ball up. As yellow as any yellow card could ever be, but did the ref wave it? Not a chance, because the handball wasn't by a Derby player. Or their number 33, who had multiple fractures of his ankle 4 times, the last one literally rolling back onto the pitch right in front of the ref who was powerless to do anything about it. If we had picked the player up and carried him off we would have been carded for that, no doubt at all. There was also the shameless time wasting. Good grief. 
We are still in with a shout of the play-offs, but it will have to be a really loud one because we are talking mathematic chances, now, rather than dead certs. I actually don't mind, because even with an easing of the restrictions we will still find it hard to compete at the next level up, let alone in the play-offs themselves.
What was most satisfying today is that we played football for the majority of the match, and didn't resort to hoofing the ball into the channels as soon as we got pegged back. So there is still hope for proper football with this team and this manager!
Right! Let's dust ourselves down and go and see off Bristol Rovers on Tuesday!

Well what a day! I was well impressed by how w played as a team today, getting the ball down and playing it on the ground for lots of the game - was Warne on his Easter holiday or something? WE did everything but score, and although I wasn't able to watch the FGR match, this match seemed poles apart for how we played. I wonder if Warne was resting a few for that match, and deliberately went for "aerial assault" mode because of the awful pitch, which sounded like it was a ploughed field on heat. Today was way, way better. But then, so is the pitch! 27 shots says we are doing plenty that is right. I thought Roberts had a great game, despite missing that sitting duck near the end - almost as though he was frightened of hoofing it high and wide, and his hesitance made him miscue completely. Bird did something similar, when the ball sat up for him on the edge of the box. He had to challenge a defender for it, but was favourite, but instead he held back, possibly just in case, and the chance was gone, when he'd got the white's of the keeper's eyes in sight.
But the result hinged on 3 things - Mendez-Laing's inexplicable desire to play Knight offside, then shooting wide when he should have either taken the net off the posts, or laid the ball in to two better placed team mates. Either (or both) of those would have been the end of the Dons. And then the penalty shouts. I have to confess to playing the role of Gobby McBiggob by saying that the ref looked like he was ok, although I did wait until the second half to say it. At which point he remembered where his true loyalties lay, giving us the third instance which the result hung on. There were 3 really strong shouts for penalties in a 10 minute spell. The first one I could hear the smack of ball on flesh, and the arm was straight up in the air. Apparently Collins had tipped the ball onto the defender's hand with his own hand, so perhaps the ref got it right. But the response from the players and the crowd was instantaneous. As it was for the second shout moments later, with exactly the same response from the ref. And then the foul on Knight - I was looking straight at Knight's back when the defender barged into him, planting his shoulder between Knight's shoulder blade - which cannot be described as shoulder to shoulder, which is what the ref thought it was, unless he simply thought "Nahh not giving that". Moments later MK Dons equalised, and the bout of decisions had clearly got into our player's heads. The cynic in me thinks "just as it was designed to do". 
Listen: we should have put our chances away when we got the opportunity, and there are plenty of "do-gooders" on here saying that we shouldn't be dependant on refereeing decisions to win matches. Actually I agree, we shouldn't, but neither should we be dropping points  because of refereeing decisions. And allegedly refereeing decisions even themselves out over the season. Not during Derby's season, or seasons because we are nearly 4 years into this situation now. If they do even themselves up we will have to play extra time because there won't be enough time within the 90 minutes for all the penalties we are due.
But it didn't stop there - as most are, this ref was extremely quick to wave yellow cards at Derby players, but often didn't reciprocate for similar offences. White hauled a Don down in their own half to prevent a breakaway and a free-kick was rightly given. But instantly the card was out, even though the player wasn't breaking clear and in his own half. In the second either Dobbin or Sibley was actually clear in MK's half and hauled to the ground, but only a free-kick given. What's the difference, apart from the MK Don's foul being in a much more dangerous position. or another breakaway (with Barkhausen?) where a defender, in our half, had slid in with a challenge which failed, and then simply stayed down, lying inert on the ground and the ref stopped the match when we were in on goal. What happened to the rule that you only stop the match for head injuries? Or the defender making a hash of it, falling over and handling the ball, then simply grabbing it with both hands to stop it rolling to one of our players, and then literally picked the ball up. As yellow as any yellow card could ever be, but did the ref wave it? Not a chance, because the handball wasn't by a Derby player. Or their number 33, who had multiple fractures of his ankle 4 times, the last one literally rolling back onto the pitch right in front of the ref who was powerless to do anything about it. If we had picked the player up and carried him off we would have been carded for that, no doubt at all. There was also the shameless time wasting. Good grief. 
We are still in with a shout of the play-offs, but it will have to be a really loud one because we are talking mathematic chances, now, rather than dead certs. I actually don't mind, because even with an easing of the restrictions we will still find it hard to compete at the next level up, let alone in the play-offs themselves.
What was most satisfying today is that we played football for the majority of the match, and didn't resort to hoofing the ball into the channels as soon as we got pegged back. So there is still hope for proper football with this team and this manager!
Right! Let's dust ourselves down and go and see off Bristol Rovers on Tuesday!

Oopps! I guess I just can't wait!

Well what a day! I was well impressed by how w played as a team today, getting the ball down and playing it on the ground for lots of the game - was Warne on his Easter holiday or something? WE did everything but score, and although I wasn't able to watch the FGR match, this match seemed poles apart for how we played. I wonder if Warne was resting a few for that match, and deliberately went for "aerial assault" mode because of the awful pitch, which sounded like it was a ploughed field on heat. Today was way, way better. But then, so is the pitch! 27 shots says we are doing plenty that is right. I thought Roberts had a great game, despite missing that sitting duck near the end - almost as though he was frightened of hoofing it high and wide, and his hesitance made him miscue completely. Bird did something similar, when the ball sat up for him on the edge of the box. He had to challenge a defender for it, but was favourite, but instead he held back, possibly just in case, and the chance was gone, when he'd got the white's of the keeper's eyes in sight.
But the result hinged on 3 things - Mendez-Laing's inexplicable desire to play Knight offside, then shooting wide when he should have either taken the net off the posts, or laid the ball in to two better placed team mates. Either (or both) of those would have been the end of the Dons. And then the penalty shouts. I have to confess to playing the role of Gobby McBiggob by saying that the ref looked like he was ok, although I did wait until the second half to say it. At which point he remembered where his true loyalties lay, giving us the third instance which the result hung on. There were 3 really strong shouts for penalties in a 10 minute spell. The first one I could hear the smack of ball on flesh, and the arm was straight up in the air. Apparently Collins had tipped the ball onto the defender's hand with his own hand, so perhaps the ref got it right. But the response from the players and the crowd was instantaneous. As it was for the second shout moments later, with exactly the same response from the ref. And then the foul on Knight - I was looking straight at Knight's back when the defender barged into him, planting his shoulder between Knight's shoulder blade - which cannot be described as shoulder to shoulder, which is what the ref thought it was, unless he simply thought "Nahh not giving that". Moments later MK Dons equalised, and the bout of decisions had clearly got into our player's heads. The cynic in me thinks "just as it was designed to do". 
Listen: we should have put our chances away when we got the opportunity, and there are plenty of "do-gooders" on here saying that we shouldn't be dependant on refereeing decisions to win matches. Actually I agree, we shouldn't, but neither should we be dropping points  because of refereeing decisions. And allegedly refereeing decisions even themselves out over the season. Not during Derby's season, or seasons because we are nearly 4 years into this situation now. If they do even themselves up we will have to play extra time because there won't be enough time within the 90 minutes for all the penalties we are due.
But it didn't stop there - as most are, this ref was extremely quick to wave yellow cards at Derby players, but often didn't reciprocate for similar offences. White hauled a Don down in their own half to prevent a breakaway and a free-kick was rightly given. But instantly the card was out, even though the player wasn't breaking clear and in his own half. In the second either Dobbin or Sibley was actually clear in MK's half and hauled to the ground, but only a free-kick given. What's the difference, apart from the MK Don's foul being in a much more dangerous position. or another breakaway (with Barkhausen?) where a defender, in our half, had slid in with a challenge which failed, and then simply stayed down, lying inert on the ground and the ref stopped the match when we were in on goal. What happened to the rule that you only stop the match for head injuries? Or the defender making a hash of it, falling over and handling the ball, then simply grabbing it with both hands to stop it rolling to one of our players, and then literally picked the ball up. As yellow as any yellow card could ever be, but did the ref wave it? Not a chance, because the handball wasn't by a Derby player. Or their number 33, who had multiple fractures of his ankle 4 times, the last one literally rolling back onto the pitch right in front of the ref who was powerless to do anything about it. If we had picked the player up and carried him off we would have been carded for that, no doubt at all. There was also the shameless time wasting. Good grief. 
We are still in with a shout of the play-offs, but it will have to be a really loud one because we are talking mathematic chances, now, rather than dead certs. I actually don't mind, because even with an easing of the restrictions we will still find it hard to compete at the next level up, let alone in the play-offs themselves.
What was most satisfying today is that we played football for the majority of the match, and didn't resort to hoofing the ball into the channels as soon as we got pegged back. So there is still hope for proper football with this team and this manager!
Right! Let's dust ourselves down and go and see off Bristol Rovers on Tuesday!