lrm14

I semi expected a half-arsed performance tonight based on the fact that we've really struggled against the poorer sides this season. What I didn't expect is to see absolutely no youth whatsoever in the starting line-up.
On Saturday the game was over after around 65 minutes. Barnsley had given up, we were in complete control and carving them open at every opportunity. Perfect opportunity to give Weston or Robinson some minutes who would be on a high after the midweek game. We see neither. Okay, perhaps he's saving them for the FA cup game midweek I naively think to myself. We see neither again and instead only see Fapetu for 7 minutes in a desperate, panicked double substitution with Bradley as a last roll of the dice.
No Brown who is on fire in the academy, no Weston who scored for the senior team last week, no Robinson who has Prem clubs sniffing after him, instead we go for a 6'5 CB who we can rifle in diagonal crosses too. It's such a negative, backwards decision that genuinely makes me fear for the academy under Warne. Why would you choose to come here as a youngster when the manager won't even give a couple a chance in a game against league two opposition?
Losing tonight with half a team of kids would have meant nothing tonight. We would have dusted ourselves off and said oh well our focus is on the league. Instead our first team gets comprehensively beaten, the knives are out for Warne again, the fans are annoyed and our youngsters miss out on vital experience. A masterclass in mismanagement.

Because he was allowed a run of games without being dropped. He's held to higher standards than anyone else in the squad. How many games in a row was NML anonymous for early on? What do Hourihane or Bird need to do to get dropped? Hourihane could literally oversleep, skip the entire match, and he'd still be captain next week.

Warne is used to being the underdog, and has the mentality that you're more likely to win if you work harder than the other team to make up for the difference in talent.
And he's had success with that in the past, and he's taking time to adapt to the management of more talented players.

I have some very sad news this evening.  Daniel (B4) died earlier this week. He was just 38.
As you know, he has been battling numerous health conditions for a long time, but always remained cheerful  and was the most loyal supporter of his beloved Rams, home and away.
He was at the match at Crewe and gave his full support as always. 
Daniel leaves behind a grieving dad, mum and sister. Our thoughts go out to them and we only hope they get a little comfort from knowing how well loved Daniel is by all who know him. 
Here are a couple of photos that his dad agreed could be shared. I'm sure many of you have others, as Daniel loved a selfie at the game.
David is hoping to arrange a more fitting tribute in time, but for now please raise a glass in his memory and a good Derby win today. I am sure that's what Daniel would have been doing tonight.
 

I think the recent atmosphere at away games has been toxic. There are a group of belligerent fans who come into the ground tanked up and looking for a fight from the off -  with the players, the manager, the more positive Derby fans. 
This is a huge change to the former almost unconditional support away fans were giving the players during administration and beyond.
We've somehow got to combat this. They aren't the majority (far from it) but they are bullies.
I don't expect unwavering adulation, but the atmosphere becomes an almost self-fulfilling prophecy. It makes everyone nervous and every little mistake is magnified, which leads to more nervousness, more mistakes etc. 
Our next away game is at Port Vale, where the atmosphere was brilliant last season and we kept backing the team to the end. Look what happened there! 
The players clearly have belief in what they are doing. Look how they came back at Crewe when most had given up hope. If we can remember that and get behind them a bit more, it could make all the difference. 

All aboard the 'Warne in train'. Destination: Championship 
It feels like a big week to me. Warne's decision to play so many youngsters in the cup has helped galvanise everyone - first team, academy, fans. The U18s continued it with a controlled win in the FA Youth Cup. The first team finished the week with what I hope is the defining point of our season. We played very well and beat a top 6 side.
Under Mac in the 13/14 season, it wasn't until Feb when we beat QPR when the club started to believe 'this will be our year' and have the self belief to beat other top 6 sides. This win over Barnsley should have the same effect.

After some shafts of light against limited opposition, this has been the first game where I thought he has maybe turned a corner. 
It's a start. 

That’s not true though, is it?
The aim was to be established in the Championship by the time it is concluded. I’d argue it’ll take 2 years to re-establish ourselves in the Championship once we get there. Therefore, promotion this year is a must to achieve that.

And Paul Warne says a draw feels like a win.
Lower league manager disappointed not to win. Warne says a draw feels like winning.
This isn't really the level of expectations I'd expect from us.

This is going to sound ‘obvious’ but I think most people felt Roseniors football was boring because we weren’t scoring. 
 
Now after stating the obvious drill down into it. In every game under Rosenior we comfortably outperformed the other side for xG - I know some of you are scared of stats and only care about ‘goals scored’ but it is a fairly objective metric for quality of chances created. If he’d had McG instead of Collins in that run of matches I believe the goals would have been there and the passing between defenders waiting for space to be created wouldn’t have felt so numbingly dull. When you’re a big fish you have to take a chance sooner than later so the other team can’t camp in their half. 
 
The way I see it is under Rosenior we lost matches we shouldn’t have but we never looked second best in our overall performance. We always controlled the game (granted not always as quickly as we liked but he’d only had about 11 games with that squad of players and a much interrupted pre season), we did create enough chances to win. Our finishing was just the worst I’d ever seen it. 
 
The game against Northampton (although poor opposition) can be the blue print to our success under Warne if we are to achieve it. Physical and aggressive to win the ball back but cultured and composed with the ball. Ball moved side to side quickly To create space. Ball moved forwards into space with purpose, low and hard. Again we weren’t playing world beaters but it was a perfect game to try and come up with a plan moving forwards as it felt like a training game at times. 
 
So many less aimless smashes up field (of which Cash has been plenty guilty). 
 
I’d go as far as to say Bradley’s distribution was the best of any defender in any match this season and should be showed to the rest of the defence on loop all week. 

Disagree, I thought he was brilliant last night particularly in the first half. Played exactly like the sort of player I thought he'd be when he signed. Came deep to collect the ball from the defenders and moved it on quickly to find an opening. Although we took our foot off the pedal slightly last night towards the end of the game, I felt when he was taken off the midfield was much less effective in both keeping the ball and breaking through their lines. Whether he can maintain that standard remains to be seen but last night was a top quality playmaking performance, for this level at least.
I think if he leaves in January we'll really miss him. His set pieces alone contribute massively to the team last season and if we're potentially losing Bird too our midfield will have taken a nosedive in terms of quality. It'll be very difficult to find players with their attributes willing to play at this level.

Disagree, I thought he was brilliant last night particularly in the first half. Played exactly like the sort of player I thought he'd be when he signed. Came deep to collect the ball from the defenders and moved it on quickly to find an opening. Although we took our foot off the pedal slightly last night towards the end of the game, I felt when he was taken off the midfield was much less effective in both keeping the ball and breaking through their lines. Whether he can maintain that standard remains to be seen but last night was a top quality playmaking performance, for this level at least.
I think if he leaves in January we'll really miss him. His set pieces alone contribute massively to the team last season and if we're potentially losing Bird too our midfield will have taken a nosedive in terms of quality. It'll be very difficult to find players with their attributes willing to play at this level.

Re-watched the first half. I thought we moved the ball well. Better than it looked from my view in the East Stand near the away fans. What was obvious was the gap between our midfield players at times. Bird and Smith were pretty much push up against their back line, with Washington dropping to get the ball which was sticking to him. 
 
The above worked well, especially as Northampton just didn’t press at all so we could pick our passes. Didn’t need to be one touch. Against a better or more aggressive team, I think we need to reduce the gaps between the midfielders to successfully play through the lines , which I believe most fans want to see. 

Disagree, I thought he was brilliant last night particularly in the first half. Played exactly like the sort of player I thought he'd be when he signed. Came deep to collect the ball from the defenders and moved it on quickly to find an opening. Although we took our foot off the pedal slightly last night towards the end of the game, I felt when he was taken off the midfield was much less effective in both keeping the ball and breaking through their lines. Whether he can maintain that standard remains to be seen but last night was a top quality playmaking performance, for this level at least.
I think if he leaves in January we'll really miss him. His set pieces alone contribute massively to the team last season and if we're potentially losing Bird too our midfield will have taken a nosedive in terms of quality. It'll be very difficult to find players with their attributes willing to play at this level.

He's not doing too bad is he? That goal last night was a bit of alright.
496 minutes played which is the equivalent of 5.5 games worth of football, in that 3 goals and 2 assists.
So a goal every 165 minutes (1.8 games).
Joint 3rd goalscorer, kinda need to see him on the pitch more right? Just need to forget he used to play for Rotherham as that doesn't go down too well with some 😬

I would prefer him to stay, 7 goals and 10 assists last season, ? 2 goals and 4 assists this season so far. His stats are very similar to the much lauded Barry Bannan (22/23). Key part of the squad and willing to have polite discussions with the fans.

I've missed two home games in the league this season, Exeter and Fleetwood. I regret to inform everyone that I will be going tonight which means we won't be winning. Apologies in advance.

Not sure how I ended up in Derby, but here I am. Hopefully no horror show.

Because he's the one footing the bill and has already paid spaffed £40 million on a club worth half that.
Because we under a business plan that may not allow us to splurge on compo for the latest mass staff sackings, nor splash out on a new gaffer for you to slag off.
Because what you are advocating is what got us in the s*** in the first place, something else you appear to have forgotten.
Because some of the Derby 'faithful' whose club Clowes saved are now revealed as faithless, ungrateful shitstirrers and he's now wishing he hadn't bothered.
I mean, how long have you got? 

You're on the wind up surely.

So now I can't understand why Clowes didn't give the job to Rosenior. He's willing to let us be abysmal under Warne under the belief he'll give us stability, and eventually promote us. A man who I don't think gives a monkey's for this club - he said he didn't care for our history. 
Rosenior who stuck with us through awful times, who had us playing some great football and some dull (not awful, just dull) stuff too. Why didn't Mr Clowes appreciate what he'd already committed to the Club and give him a chance?

Clowes was quoted at saying we had a competitive budget. I daresay he wasn't implying we would be competitive for 8th place but towards the top 3-4. 
I don't expect a team full of world beaters. We should be beating clubs with much lower budgets than us, and if we aren't it's the manager's fault. He signed them. 
If we get in the playoffs, the only way it can be considered a success for Warne is if we come in 3rd or 4th and then win them. Limping in 6th and going out in the playoffs would be unequivocally a failure.

Give me a break. We're not little hard up Derby County. We probably have 3-4 times the budget of the lower half of the league. If you're insinuating Warne signed crap players, that's because he chose poorly. 

Equally, would we be a stable club if fans stop attending pride park in their droves and the players stop playing for the manager?

The guy who thought Sibley broke through under McClaren and said that Rotherham were a long ball team but also that he'd never seen them play... 😬