Andicis

God no. Get it over with ASAP. I really don't get this desire for a mad, stressful, day against Carlisle. Id rather be turning up knowing we're up and having a bloody lovely time of it.

If we can't draw at Cambridge and beat Carlisle at home we don't deserve to go up automatically.

Have you watched Derby… ever?

Thank you Shrews! 

Congrats to Pompey as well, they deserve it.

Hurrah
Just need 4 points, 3 probably enough with goal difference
 

Never in doubt

 

 

FULL TIME! 2-2
G'wan Shrewsbury!

There are a couple but there are also many others with legitimate points being shut down. In terms of supporting the team, people don't go to games shouting 'Warne, I have serious concerns about your tactical flexibility if we get promoted'  

Why? If someone has a legitimate point to make, let them make it. I don't see why posters should try and control what other people want to talk about. 

Instead of belittling people who aren't fans of Warne or confident in him in the long term, why not try debating the points they make.
 

You've stated twice that my opinion is everything wrong with football. I'd describe that as being outraged yes. 

You've stated twice that my opinion is everything wrong with football. I'd describe that as being outraged yes. 

I'm sure this is a controversial take, but if we see out the job and secure promotion I think we should give Warne our sincere thanks, a good bonus and a full pay out of his contract and then we should part ways. 
Nothing against him personally, but I don't think the way we play football is sustainable for Derby in the long run, and I'm not sure Warne is the right man to take us any further. 
I'm sure that's not the way it will go, I just have a strong feeling that next year will be rough if we stay the same course.

A good example is that Derby should have sacked Billy Davies when they were promoted last time. They didn't and it was a mistake. Warne is obviously not the same basket case, the overarching point though is that a manager being right for the situation we are in now doesn't mean they will be moving forwards. 

The football this season has rarely been pretty, I don’t think anyone can deny that and the thought of more of the same isn’t very appetising. However, how much of that is down to the manager’s preferred style and how much is down to a need to adapt and do whatever it takes to get out of this league? Probably a combination of both. On the latter point, a lot of games this seem to blur into each other (which maybe says it all) but I reckon a lot of our entertaining football has come against the better teams in the league (I can’t substantiate that theory before anyone asks, it’s just a gut feeling). So, on that basis, I think we’ll either get rolled over pretty much every week (or, if we’re lucky manage to cling on for a point or three every now and then) or, we’re able to make some decent recruitment in the summer and will be able to go toe to toe with the more talented teams you get in the Championship - matching them to an extent in terms quality of football. 
 
Obviously the former is what we all fear whilst the latter is what we all want. I for one (not that it’s up to me of course), am prepared to give PW the benefit of the doubt and accept that, to a degree, the quality of football we have seen this season has been down to the league we’ve been playing in. I totally get that some members on this forum really don’t rate him, don’t like his football, don’t think anything will change if we go up, and want him gone but, I’m hoping such individuals (not aimed at you by the way) give their Warne out campaign a bit of a rest next season for at least a dozen games.

Evidently not. It's a gamble one way or another, probably more risky to fire Warne. It would be my preference to roll the dice personally as I think the potential upside could be higher.

I never said I felt it was likely. It's just the opinion I'm of really. None of us know what it'll be like, I just personally haven't enjoyed the football very much this year which I can appreciate is down to personal taste. I just have a feeling it isn't going to translate well to being in the division above when we don't have such advantages. 
I don't think Clowes would do what I'm suggesting for a second.
It could well have been determined by all of the above. And ultimately, if we see the job out it will be a success. I could be and would like to be wrong, I just have a feeling it won't be much fun for us next year. 
 
Everyone would take a mid table Championship season next year, and if Warne achieved that it would be a job well done. I'm slightly twitchy however that it'll be a real scrap at the bottom. Wednesday have awful recruitment of both the manager and players to blame and Plymouth are going to stay up from here. 

Naturally. But meeting a short term goal isn't the be all and end all. 

It's "everything that's wrong with football" that I could be of the opinion that the manager isn't right? Slightly reactionary. 

A good example is that Derby should have sacked Billy Davies when they were promoted last time. They didn't and it was a mistake. Warne is obviously not the same basket case, the overarching point though is that a manager being right for the situation we are in now doesn't mean they will be moving forwards. 

I never said I felt it was likely. It's just the opinion I'm of really. None of us know what it'll be like, I just personally haven't enjoyed the football very much this year which I can appreciate is down to personal taste. I just have a feeling it isn't going to translate well to being in the division above when we don't have such advantages. 
I don't think Clowes would do what I'm suggesting for a second.
It could well have been determined by all of the above. And ultimately, if we see the job out it will be a success. I could be and would like to be wrong, I just have a feeling it won't be much fun for us next year. 
 
Everyone would take a mid table Championship season next year, and if Warne achieved that it would be a job well done. I'm slightly twitchy however that it'll be a real scrap at the bottom. Wednesday have awful recruitment of both the manager and players to blame and Plymouth are going to stay up from here. 

I never said I felt it was likely. It's just the opinion I'm of really. None of us know what it'll be like, I just personally haven't enjoyed the football very much this year which I can appreciate is down to personal taste. I just have a feeling it isn't going to translate well to being in the division above when we don't have such advantages. 
I don't think Clowes would do what I'm suggesting for a second.
It could well have been determined by all of the above. And ultimately, if we see the job out it will be a success. I could be and would like to be wrong, I just have a feeling it won't be much fun for us next year. 
 
Everyone would take a mid table Championship season next year, and if Warne achieved that it would be a job well done. I'm slightly twitchy however that it'll be a real scrap at the bottom. Wednesday have awful recruitment of both the manager and players to blame and Plymouth are going to stay up from here. 

I certainly feel this way sometimes - but could it be that the quality of the football this season has been determined more by:
- the quality of the players available to Warne (loads of injuries, especially to those with better ability)
- His restrictions regarding recruitment
- The reality of the league and the way the opposition force you into playing at times 
I’ve seen us play some horrible hoofball this season but I don’t think we can say for sure that this is all on Warne and, if we go up, he’s going to have earned the right to have a go next season with (hopefully) better players 

Cledara Abbey Stadium: KO- 15.00
We’re on a mini-run, aren’t we, but despite having our fate firmly back in our hands, the pressure to perform remains; two wins from our last two and we’re back in the sunlit uplands of the Championship; a loss, or even a draw and potentially the pendulum swings again.
It’ll be interesting to see whether we might see one or two back in full training this week, but it’s hard to view the win against Orient as anything other than one of our most complete performances this season and this despite being far from clinical in front of goal. Will the confidence garnered see us approach the game with the same positive approach? One hopes so! Another slip up when seemingly set to turn the screw and inevitably, PW’s management will be under fire. A win and we head back to Pride Park with only Carlisle standing between us and our first promotion since 2007.
Our Opponents:
The club was founded in 1912 as Abbey United, and took the name Cambridge United in 1951. They played in local amateur leagues before joining the Southern League after finishing as runners-up of the Eastern Counties League in 1957–58. Under Bill Leivers's stewardship they were crowned Southern League Premier Division champions in 1968–69 and 1969–70, which helped to secure their election into the Football League in 1970. 

Recent Form & Key Players:
Off the back off two absolute kickings from Reading, 4-0, then a 6-0 hammering from Lincoln, Cambridge were held 1-1 by Northampton before closing out March with a 2-0 loss away to Bolton. April has seen them draw at home to Charlton and lose by the odd goal to Blackpool, before showing better form in defeating Wigan 3-1 at home.
Top of the scoring charts sits Gassan Ahadme with 11, with Fejiri Okenabirhie next best with 9. Ellis Kachunga is next best having netted 6 times in 34 starts. Sully Kalkai tops the assists list with from Jack Lankester and George Thomas with 4 and 3 assists respectively.
Rams Match Squad:
Hard to get away from the 11 that started against Orient, given the resounding nature of the win and the style in which it was achieved. A buoyant Paul Warne confirmed in the post-match presser that everyone came through unscathed and it was interesting to hear him saying that we had more energy coming off a shorter break than was the case at Wycombe, where he felt we lacked energy, despite the 8 day break.
The injury picture remains murky and it’ll be interesting to see whether Gayle and Bird might be fit enough to make the matchday squad. I’ll not bother with my selected 11, as I always get it horribly wrong and the gaffer seems to be doing a decent job matching squads to opponents without our guidance. Instead, here’s the top of the table as it stands:

Don't forget to keep an eye on @Caerphilly Ram's injury updates thread across the week, for any snippets on player's likely return dates. I'll append anything I see to this htread as best I can in any case.
The Promotion Picture:
Some key fixtures tomorrow night, none more so than Bolton’s home game against Shrewsbury, whom we know to be a strong and obdurate side, though one lacking the Trotter’s class edge. I’d expect Bolton to take the points, but should Shrews grab an early lead, it could make for rather tougher game.
Oxford, fresh off the back of their 5 goal hammering of Posh play hosts to Lincoln City, whose charge towards the play-offs has faltered a little in most recently. It ought to be a tightly contested affair and to be honest, I’d not be surprised by any result.
The aforementioned Posh have what appears to be a routine task against lowly Fleetwood, but what will be the aftermath of their humbling at the hands of Oxford on Saturday. Might they have a hangover?
Perhaps the best tie of the round features champions-elect Portsmouth hosting Barnsley. A point will surely suffice for Pompey, but I expect them to win and win well en route to a thoroughly well-deserved title win. They’ve been excellent this season and this despite being one of the few clubs with comparable injury concerns to our beloved Rams. It'll be good to see them back where they belong after some very difficult years of their own.
Of the weekend ties, the most interesting involve Peterborough, who have a tricky away game at Bristol and Bolton host Port Vale. It seems odds on we will be going into the final week needing to beat Carlisle to be absolutely certain of promotion and I doubt too many Rams fans will be counting their chickens early! 
Final Thoughts:
A brief digression is in order to congratulate Eiran Cashin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, both of whom made the EFL League 1 Team of the Year. Bit miffed that Curtis Nelson was overlooked to partner Cash at CB, as for me, he’s been top of the pops for us, but I doubt he’ll mind too much if we win come Saturday.
A last word as always to all Derby fans travelling to the game, safe journey to and fro, Rams and Ramettes and hopefully plenty of good stuff to chatter about on your way home. Honestly, I think our away support has been as good as any in the entire EFL this season and they’ll hopefully be rewarded with another complete and controlled performance as we ourselves edge closer to that vital 2nd place finish.
COYR
BE MORE B4
 

League Table since October defeat at Stevenage - just for the current top 6