Sparkle

One of many who were largely anonymous tonight

Just now, Topram said:

Even though we started the season ok tonight was a reality check offered nothing going forward gifted goals away like always…. Just so depressing supporting Derby at the minute, doesn’t feel enjoyable anymore more like a bloody chore! Just wish we’d sort the points deduction out sort a take over and start again. Just football none of this off the field rubbish 

We still need to score goals and that’s hard for us currently 

We have lost the options of CKR to battle up front and currently Forsyth to give Roos an out ball to the half way line - hard to move the ball without that.

Next game will follow a similar pattern at WBA so let’s start with Stretton 

Roos - did ok 

Byrne - not attacking much and not the best defender 

jagelka - did ok 

Davies - did ok 

Buchanan - huge blunder but did ok in the rest of the game 

Shinnie - the ball wasn’t used in midfield and someone had to get subbed 

Bird - occasionally a good pass but doesn’t show for the ball anywhere near enough for central midfield 

Morrison - disappointing tonight for me, outpaced frequently and negative

sibley - not involved much but needs to play central 

lawrence - the only one who looks likely to score but utterly brainless take the captaincy off him 

Baldock - not really involved 

subs - Stretton makes good runs but no one can pass through the lines to him 

knight - glad he is back we will need him he is our best central midfielder when he is actually played there ! 

Game wise Birmingham never play actual football - like many in this league - we need to score our chances and keep Lawrence away from free kicks he is useless with them.

Midfield was very disappointing tonight as they never seemed to show for the ball and were basically missing in action most of the game and that needs to change 

If we are fortunate enough to equalise I would suggest that we spend 2 minutes every time we got a throw in insisting that we got the towel to clean the ball 

5 minutes ago, Ellafella said:

First half:

1. Started well. 5 mins.

2. Dropped deep. Inviting the press.

3. Errors; mistake gives them the lead.

4. No possession in midfield. 
5. Lawrence a passenger.

Caused our own downfall. Need to change it. Knight? Is he fit? 

I would normally go with Lawrence the passenger but he is the one who might score then sibley but that’s it 

Well they have created nothing but they are not likely too either 

why haven’t two Birmingham players been booked ? 

Please stop Lawrence from taking free kicks !

we need Stretton on with baldock to move those three centre half’s around and roos can play it down the channels and hopefully get a ball to bounce for us 

Chong for Birmingham is looking a very good prospect ( even if he is a Man United player) 

 About as good as it gets currently for us based on what we have 

2 minutes ago, hintonsboots said:

The legal teams from both sides must be raking it in. The EFL legal bill will be funded from member clubs previous contributions I presume, including Boro, Wycombe etc.....

There was something a while back that the Bill for the championship clubs was at around £50,000 each which is why the EFL wants a win to reduce that amount which probably included our fees 

1 hour ago, TexasRam said:

Shame Joz isn’t playing as well, he’s prolific for us

20/21 Games 41 goals 1

21/22 Games 4 goals 0

someone’s going to get a Hammering soon, it’s coming ?……….

You can see why I suggest playing Stretton and Baldock together ?

6 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

But if they thought what we served up was complaint, Rooney would have signed another 8 players 

Transfer embargo! and what if MM doesn’t want to pay 8 more players?

5 minutes ago, cheron85 said:

They haven't yet - that's the point - We assume at this point they've seen our accounts and they think we're in breach - But they don't seem to be confident enough to outright reject them otherwise they'd have to go to another DC which didn't work out the way they wanted last time - So they seem to be having a staring contest with Morris and Pearce to see who will blink first

They have to justify to the clubs in the EFL who have to pay the legal costs of the EFL in all the next hearings that will have to take place - if they had us banged to rights on something real it would have been done because how could we actually argue? It’s interpretation pure and simple in my opinion and see you in the hearing.

1 hour ago, Crewton said:

I agree that a few journalists and some opposition fans have previously and do still flag up how Leicester got to where they are, but the orthodoxy is they're a model for everyone to follow. I don't think I've come across a single Leicester fan who thinks they did anything wrong.

They broke my window screen wipers when we played them in the cup so they are forever on my crime sheet club 

1 hour ago, ram59 said:

What I can't understand with the EFL, is that why aren't clubs who get promoted to the Premier after breaking FFP rules, not subject to a points deduction on return to the championship?  The likes of QPR and Bournemouth should have started their first season back in the championship on negative points.

They both agreed to a form of financial punishment - I have no idea where the money went?

why haven’t the EFL already charged Aston Villa then - because they are not in the EFL which is nonsense they should still be charged in their absence with any punishment pending their EFL return if it ever happens.

2 hours ago, Coconut's Beard said:

The problem (well, one problem) we have is that with the EFL effectively trying to bully us into accepting a points penalty by withholding our right to operate under normal trading conditions is that if we accept it there won't be any recourse to an appeal to lessen the penalty at a later date.

If we accept their 'deal', we cannot appeal.

...but that just makes you wonder how little they actually have on us, if they're so convinced of our guilt then what's stopping them just applying a punishment and letting us appeal it? They'll win the appeal, surely, without any problems, we're bang to rights...?

It's being presented as them wanting to end this as quickly as we do, presented as them being 'reasonable' by entering into negotiations but is anyone actually buying that? Of course they're not being reasonable, they're trying to get as much from us as possible, a far higher punishment than is actually warranted by our actions, without their decision being scrutinised by a third party.

It's practically extortion - if they get away with this what else will they get away with in future?

It’s fairly obvious in my mind that we accepted a harsher suspended punishment than Sheffield Wednesday accepted regarding our last payment of wages issue after last Christmas - once bitten twice shy I would say. Reading FC have breached F&P but no charges ( we haven’t actually been had that factually proven) - there is and it seems there never will be a consistent and fair ending to any club in its dealings with the EFL.

16,000 is a staggering amount considering what is going on currently well done to all those that have made the commitment 

36 minutes ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

If CKR is fit then him + Baldock or Stretton works. Without CRK then the other two are too similar.

How do we know that Baldock and Stretton wont be an effective partnership? Especially if they are running the channels and moving defenders around creating room for the likes of Sibley and Lawrence 

It will be a sad day when we actually pay money for a player again.

hopefully we never need to buy from other championship clubs or Arsenal - they can find their own money 

Thought of the day 

if we received twice what we paid for the transfers of the likes of Butterfield, Johnson, Anya, Blackman etc would the EFL still be asking us to redo the way we value our players? 
if not then why not?  

4 minutes ago, 24Charlie said:

It’s certainly not sporting, which is what football is supposed to be.

Gone are the days when the batsman “walked” mores the pity. 
 

In the context of the make up of the championship it seems the only way to compete with parachute payment clubs is to seek out and take advantage of loopholes.

 

A bit like taking a quick free quick while the opposition aren’t ready ?

it’s not disallowed and accepted 

49 minutes ago, WestLondonRam said:

Normally A Compulsory Strike off is for a Unfilled accounts and un-used companies by Companies house. 

This is not a Voluntary Strike off.  This isn't Mel retiring it is companies house which has arranged this instead of a Liquidation as the Company in un-used or refused to submit accounts. 

I keep reading this and I still don’t know what this means ?

Meanwhile watford FC continue to sell players at inflated prices to their sister club in Italy and in return receive players at reduced cost to meet their finances/ restrictions and have been doing so for years and have at least two promotions on the back of it.

oh look Nottingham forest do the same 

meanwhile Wolves benefitted hugely from only loaning half of Portugal national team which no other team was allowed the same option to loan the same players.

I am not saying they should be punished because it’s a loophole close it or restrict it maybe.

the point I am making is that these are loopholes ( still open) but loop holes none the less and what we did was exploit  a loophole that might have Benefited us - it might not have but we currently don’t know that, but little else and what the EFL are doing is massively over the top spurred on by over zealous owners of other clubs and a consistent barrage of targeted negative press.