AbuDerbyDave

But you don’t. You are on the case of young, developing players the second they aren’t a Messi in the making.
Your reactions and comments aren’t measured or thoughtful. I have no idea how old you are or how much football you have watched but you exhibit a singular level of petulant subjective criticism without seeing the bigger picture beyond a particular passage of play. 

Ftfy

Mods...change the title to Player sweetness! ?
 
 

Well, well, who'd have thought it? Put players into a formation they are more familiar with, round pegs in round holes and watch them go! Credit to Paul Warne for making the change that resulted in our most fluid performance since he took over (I hope it wasn't only born out of necessity.)
I will start with Hourihane, because I have been particularly harsh on him. I thought this was his best game for Derby (goals notwithstanding.) Not surprisingly, this also enabled Bird to have his best game for a while. Their workrate and closing down was excellent. When they had the ball, they were spoilt for choice who to pass it to. Our midfield has discovered its engine at last! 
The defence worked so hard. The rocksteady Cashin the standout for me, but Fozzy marshalled them well and his experience was vital at times. Smith and Roberts worked their short socks off and got up to support the attack admirably. I felt a bit sorry that they let two goals in, but that was a very inexperienced combination. Despite this  Wildsmith didn’t have a lot to do, says it all.
But the plaudits of course go to the forward-line. The first goal was simplicity itself, McGoldrick stroking the ball into the back of the net. I think it gave him the confidence to go for those other two shots. The best finishing we've seen at Pride Park for a while. I'm so pleased a player of his quality has got his first career hat-trick in front of such a boisterous and appreciative crowd, who seemed to have recovered from Tuesday evening's lethargy. Well deserved, Didzy, and I enjoyed your comments afterwards on Radio Derby about managing your training time to maximise your time on the pitch. Warne, take note - it's not all about running around! 
Having said that, Collins - what an engine today, and he did make so much difference to the team dynamic. Mendez-Laing was excellent as ever and Dobbin more at home, although he does need to remember to track back with his man occasionally. 
4-2 at half-time slightly flattered Bristol, I thought, but plaudits to their fans, who got right behind their team.
After such an explosive first half it was perhaps inevitable that the pace dropped in the second, but we started brightly, should have scored more, and managed to hold on comfortably with the introduction of fresh legs. 
A word about the ref, I thought he did a good job (only missed the blatant foul on Collins just outside the box first half.) I did think Hourihane's was a booking. On today's form we'll miss him on Tuesday night. Hope we've saved some of today's fight for then.
Well done, Rams!

Just got home...
So, let's just re-cap on this afternoons game...
 
 
 
WTF just happened?  ?‍♂️
Collins:  Best performance thus far.
DMcG:  Same, but with the added bonus of being absolutely clinical.  BOOM (x 3).
NML:  A Beast.
Fozzie:  Best of the rest.
For once, all eyes were not on the defence, so I concede I couldn't name anyone else for being great or poor.
All Rams goals at my end.
Best 45 mins for what seems like an age... and the second half wasn't too shabby, all things considered.
Just a game-in-hand win away from a PO spot.
Even the ref was the best we've seen this season.  (Not perfect of course, but none of them are!)
Pleasantly mild (Why on earth did I take my coat! ?) And surprisingly dry, considering this morning's washout.
A stunningly beautiful woman waiting for me when I walked in.  Film night, sofa-cuddles,  and a celebratory tipple or two in store for later.
Oh... and an extra hour in bed... not that I'll need a full hour!  ?
 
What the heck... I'm putting today down as a good 'un!
??

My efforts with documenting and preserving the history of our club through its shirts have been acknowledged and rewarded by the kind gift from the club of the number 9 shirt as worn by James Collins through the pre season games when we were without our new seasons kit, depicting Derby as a United City and football club, it was nice to be rewarded but even better for the club to officially recognise the longer term purpose of the collection.

1995-96 Promotion medal, finishing runners up after what was a fantastic season, we were back in the big time in the Premier League, Jim Smith and Steve McClaren had achieved success and built a great team on a shoestring budget, lovely addition to the collection ! #dcfcfans ??

A shirt that is a privilege to add to the collection, our brave captains shirt from the amazing promotion season of 1985-86 from division three, the start of the DCFC rebuild under Arthur Cox, a brave player who lead by example on the pitch RIP Rob Hindmarch.#dcfcfans

He was just getting some new bolts for his neck?

He was just getting some new bolts for his neck?

He was just getting some new bolts for his neck?

He was just getting some new bolts for his neck?

He was just getting some new bolts for his neck?

Better start to the season than I'd hoped for. Despite being a brand new team thrown together very quickly we are playing some nice stuff at times and creating loads of chances. Liam needs to be brave and believe in his way of playing, the worst thing he can do at the moment is listen to criticism from fans. 
Hopefully he has been around football for long enough to know that fans are generally very fickle (not having a go at any on here, its just a football thing that happens).
We have had an horrendous couple of of years and we stuck together to keep our club alive. Its now back to normal where some fans think we should win every game and have a sense of superiority over so called smaller teams. Perhaps these fans are embarrassed to draw at Fleetwood if they work with gumps? Whatever, tell them to eff off or ignore them, it doesn't matter. 
We are where we are, we are fighting to build a squad capable of getting us out of this tough division. So far, Liam seems to be doing everything right, the players have gelled far quicker than is normal and despite still getting to know each other are dominating games, working hard for each other and the gaffer.
We will not win every game, we will have to be patient, but if the team continues to create chances we will start to convert draws into wins......its not going to be easy but from what I've seen so far I believe we are on the right track.
Others have mentioned Brian Clough and Jim Smith, I was a bit young when Clough came in 1967 but I can clearly remember Jim getting grief early on before Igor arrived part way through the season we got promoted......
After all we'd been through I am a bit disappointed that a few on here are so quick to moan, but its half a dozen folks on a forum that only 5% (if that) of our fanbase uses, so nowt to worry or fall out about.
As long as we all do our best to get behind the players every match, thats the only important thing, and never forget, thats the only thing what us fans can do to actually influence results.
Come on you Rams ?
 

You sunk my battleship 

You sunk my battleship 

You sunk my battleship 

You sunk my battleship 

Alright Rams, Guiseley (who?) fan here in peace.
I came to the Oxford game on Saturday with my mate (Wolves fan). 
It was our first trip to Pride Park between us and usually we pick a random game every so often. So we ended up at your place.
We had a great time, your stadium is fantastic. Plenty of eateries around the ground too. The fans we were sat near were passionate and it was infectious. We were in the North Stand which was family orientated but it was nice to see so many youngsters getting behind the team.
The atmosphere was great, the bounce by the south stand was something I won't forget. Capped with a great goal to get the win aswell. 
Only downside being, we parked at the industrial park past the south stand and we didn't move for about an hour after the final whistle. But that didn't spoil a great day out. 
All the best for the season, will be looking out for your results and will likely come back later in the season too. 

Just spotted this on the Ignition Sports Media website...
https://www.ignitionsportsmedia.com/collections/derby-county-1
Ignition do loads of club's programmes - I get copies posted out for other clubs too just to see what is out there. Just put a call in to them and they confirmed it will be a 52-page edition with laminated cover and spine.
Think the monthly magazine might have been dropped.

Last season the atmosphere and togetherness was phenomenal. Rams in big numbers home and away inspired the team to keep fighting. The Club had its future hanging by a thread & Fans responded & inspired. The result is that high calibre players have signed because they want to play in that atmosphere. But can Rams fans keep that support going now the context has changed? The learning points for us:
1.  Support in big numbers home and away: the cost of living crisis will impact here but Derby is a football city so expect the big numbers to continue. In any case, often the atmosphere was better when PP had 25k than when 30k.
2. Inspiring songs like we fight to the end, Allez Allez, Since I was young…are more likely to insure and raise the Teeam’s energy than Collymore’s a winker and other negative chanting. 
 
There’s a total change of context; we are no longer United in the face of extinction. We will be the big fish, the prime scalp. Teams will play in “Cup Finals” against us and raise their performance 20%. At times Derby will struggle. It’s at these points that we need to stay positive and stay classy and try to raise our new team to higher levels. Generate positive energy which will translate to the Team. Do this and we will move upwards and forwards. 
Can’t wait for next Saturday. ? 

Says you, and Adam a 21-year-old Reading FC fan and writer who graduated from the University for the Creative Arts in the summer with a degree in Journalism and Media Production.  I hope his crayoning is better than his creative writing.