DCFC Kicks

Now would be an ideal time to sack him. Home game against Northampton, then two unimportant cup games for the new coach to analyse the squad.

He got tactically outthought by Steve Evans. What more needs to be said?

What tactics are we actually using in this game? does anyone even know? the players? Warne? 

There's no pattern of play anywhere. Players are just kicking it in the general direction of Stevenage's goal. 

Are we seriously playing Nyambe in LWB?

2 minutes ago, HorsforthRam said:

Keep it on the floor. Play through midfield. And we might get something from this game 

You do know who the coach is don't you?

I'm sorry but why is Washington playing? The only attribute he has over our other strikers is his pace and pressing, which isn't need in this kind of game.

7 minutes ago, Srg said:

Next season will be interesting, anyway. Bird, Cashin, NML, Hourihane etc all gone. 

If you'd told Hourihane, NML etc. when they signed for Rosenior they'd be playing like this they obviously would never have signed. They'll be gone the first chance they get. Waste of quality signings at this level which we won't get again.

1-1

Nelson

9 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

My point is that the size of our stadium, the population of our city, the number of clubs in the city and size of our fan base shouldn’t make us feel entitled. I gave a couple of examples of clubs with small stadiums, low populations and relatively small fan bases that have competed at levels you wouldn’t normally expect them to if you base their expectations purely on those metrics.

I never once said we should accept that our future lies in league one. That would be ridiculous. We should aim, expect and strive for promotion but not feel entitled to it.

Whether we’re underachieving is dependent on the squad of players we have at our disposal and the manager/coach to lead them. I think the squad are not performing as well as they should be (largely, but not entirely down to the tactics being coached) but I don’t know if the manager has the ability to do better or not.

But doesn't the size of club etc. in part affect the quality of players/managers they can get? 

Small clubs overachieving are different to big clubs underachieving, because of wealthy owners. A big club like ours will always have more financial power over most other clubs due to the bigger fanbase spending more money, especially in L1. Unless they aren't run properly, or have sanctions (which according to Stephen Pearce we are no longer under).

6 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Yes, entitlement is definitely the wrong word. Expectation maybe but not entitlement.

It will never happen bit theoretically, (in someone's dream world) Chester City could one day compete if they found a rich sugar daddy. Who would have thought that a team like Bournemouth with their historic fan base, stadium size and population could compete in the Premier League? Or Yeovil could make it to league 1 and even the Championship (albeit for only one season).

I'm not sure what your argument is. Are we just supposed to accept we're a L1 club now? Do you not think as a club we're underachieving as a L1 club?

3 hours ago, Foreveram said:

Well of the top of my head I think Notts County, MK dons and Lincoln City prove you’re wrong, there’s probably more.

Milton Keynes has a slightly lower population. Nottingham has a bigger population but its split between multiple clubs. Lincolns population is only 90k. 

3 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

We should never feel "entitled" purely based on stadium size, fan base, city population, or number of teams in the city/immediate area. Our performance expectations shouldn't be based on these metrics.

Entitled is probably the wrong word. Those things are metrics to some degree because they obviously affect overall potential through revenue etc. Otherwise theoretically Chester City could compete with Man Utd, which would never happen. 

2 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Generally I agree with you. However, two of the items you have listed proves the point that to an extent we do have a sense of entitlement. Just because we have the best stadium and the biggest fan base doesn’t mean we should be winning games or getting promoted. MK Dons have the best stadium in league 2 and Bradford City have the biggest fan base (I think, or thereabouts) but that doesn’t mean they should be doing better.

At what point should we feel entitled though? What if we were in League 2 or the National League? We were underperforming in the Championship

We’re a city with a population of 300,000. The only city in the country with a bigger population who’s team is lower than ours is Bradford. We’re also a one club city. 

1 hour ago, Srg said:

Don't particularly need them to be 20 goal plus, just a striker with those attributes would improve the entire team. For all we know, that guy is Dajaune Brown but Warne continues to completely ignore him despite the tragic options in the first team. At the very worst, he's no better than what we have. But at least we'd know.

But doesn’t Washington have those attributes? He’s not rapid but he’s quick. Has good stamina. 
 

Hasn’t Warne somewhat abandoned the pressing game anyway? I’d much rather have a Rhodes type striker who can hold the ball up for the 3 behind him. That new guy for Bristol Rovers would’ve been ideal.

2 minutes ago, Srg said:

Rhodes wouldn’t have been the answer. We need someone with pace, athleticism and youth. Warne preaches a pressing game but we are completely unable to do that with what we have. 

I’m not sure a 20+ goal striker with pace and athleticism is available at this level. Warne spent most of the transfer window looking for one and couldn’t find them.

I think Washington can press well, but he’s not great at much else to be honest (good goal tonight though). 

1 hour ago, Chris_Martin said:

I get the sense you don’t like Collins  

24 minutes ago, Srg said:

He’s still not exactly a needle mover for this team, despite being better than Collins (not difficult though). We essentially just need to limp towards January and hope we have a plan then, or TJJ comes back and stays fit. 

I wonder if we were ever actually linked with Clarke-Harris, and if the rumours of Collins to Shrewsbury were part of that. Shame the Rhodes transfer fell through (if the rumours were true) as he’s already on 9 goals this season. 
 

I don’t there’d be anyone available in January who would be an improvement.

Maybe it’s because of his age, but why is Waghorn not starting every game? I think he’s superior to Collins in every department. Even heading and pace

1-0

Waghorn

35 minutes ago, MadAmster said:

Based on the last 2 games Fornah has been off it, hence my reticence to use him.

Fair enough. But Fornahs the only midfielder we have with legs, which you need if there's only one DM

1 hour ago, MadAmster said:

 

I'd play just the 1 DM. Smith or Hourihane on current form. An attacking 5 in front of the 1 DM. Give them the freedom to be fluid in their positioning. The only instruction being not to make it a 415 leaving us exposed when we lose possession. 

Wouldn’t you rather play Fornah in the DM and just tell him to sit back and only defend? I feel like we’re wasting Hourihanes long shot ability, and Bird could be freed more as well. But both Bird and Hourihane have a bit of defensive qualities as well if needed.

I wonder how low the attendance will be. 

54 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Has he and is he doing it? The tweet below about the Academy's latest video suggests Clowes wants 'the Derby Way' to be a 'possession-based, 'gegenpressing' style'. Someone needs to explain that to Warne! 

 

 

This explains why Warne has mentioned numerous times that Klopp is his favourite manager. I can imagine he mentioned it in his initial interview with Clowes as well. Shame no one at the club had the footballing authority to challenge him on why his Rotherham team played nothing like this.

45 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

Are you suggesting a director of football (although I’m never really sure what they do)? If so, it’s difficult to see how they could  influence what seem to be (to our non expert eyes) the key defects - coaching, tactics, formation and players playing in their best positions, without interfering. I reckon owners (DC) rarely have any in depth knowledge of how football is/should be played and CEO’s (SP) know how a club should be run but don’t/shouldn’t get involved in the actual performance side - that is the managers/head coaches actual job.

I honestly don’t know what the answer is. Until recently, I have been in the “keep PW” camp and let’s see if/when things improve. I’m probably just about still in that camp but it’s becoming more a case of blind faith than genuine expectation.

 

I suppose a DOF should have been appointed by Clowes before he appointed Warne. I agree, I'm not sure how one would help with Warne at this point in terms of tactics etc. I think we do need someone to interfere somewhat and hold the manger accountable, at the moment no one can because Clowes and Pearce don't have the footballing knowledge to challenge him.

I know we're not going to be like Brighton, but they have a Technical Director who oversees the coaching, academy, recruitment etc. from a cohesive footballing perspective. At the moment our entire approach to football is just Warne, which doesn't seem right to me.

If we'd had a DOF at the start of the season, they would've had a meeting where Warne would've presumably pitched his idea of changing formation to a 3-5-2. The DOF would then analyse the squad, budget etc. to determine if it would be best to change formation or stick and build on the existing one. Instead Warne had free reign to attempt and change the entire playing style of the squad. He couldn't bring in enough players to do this, and the existing ones weren't adapting, and he eventually abandoned the 3-5-2 and the recruitment was a mess. 

1 hour ago, IlsonDerby said:

I don’t understand this view? 
 

We’ve got players that are much closer to a technical passing game than this more physical sort of game. 
 

Im not saying get Mac back but if you look at what made his side successful: 

defenders comfortable with passing the ball out - I think Nelson and Cash can do this (at this level) as well as Keogh and Buxton managed in the division above. 
 

Solid central midfield options with one of the midfielders able to absolute dictate. I think we have strong options here when they’re not expected to just do doggies. 
 

Dangerous wide players who can score - I think between Barkhuizen and NML as first choice and Wilson and Sibley as back ups we have enough to get us through until the loan market reopens. Remember the reason we don’t have many wider players is because Warne wanted wingbacks so it’s not inconceivable to think there are players out there we can utilise. 
 

A forward who brought others into play and can finish chances. Obviously none of our strikers come close to Martin during that time but Waghorn is the best of the bunch at knitting things together and we’re a whole division lower. It won’t be as liquid but there’s enough of the key elements already within the squad to have a good go at it. 

Some people underestimate how transformative a manager can be. Many of the players in the Mac team were actually quite average, who have done nothing of note before or after that time. 

There must be some assistant manager at a PL club who wants the step up. Similar to Ipswich with McKenna. As I've said in previous topics, we need someone with a knowledge of football to oversee it on behalf of Clowes and Pearce. Someone who studies football and knows where to find the right manager etc.