DesertRam

Draw would be great. Would only need 4 points!

Imagine where we'd be it we'd had a decent start, and a bit more luck with injuries. Hopefully next time we beat this record it'll be in a higher league, where it'll mean even more.

https://skylab.com/bouncebackability-what-are-the-chances/
https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/how-difficult-is-it-to-climb-through-the-english-football-league-system

There are a lot of fickle of fans amongst our fan group. Once they get a scape goat in there sights that’s it. Bradley has played well for a few games until his moment of madness. Came back into today was superb. Unfortunately like past players like Keogh ect some will never accept him. He’s the next target, very sad tbh. 

There’s nothing to be fearful about in the Championship and I can’t believe this narrative is already being pushed.
The jump in quality really isn’t that significant, outside of the usual teams we see every year that are leaning on parachute payments to keep their squads together. Even then these teams are nothing close to infallible, especially in one off games.
A third of promoted teams from League 1 in the past five years have not only gone up and consolidated their position but they have competed at the right end of the Championship table, in some cases getting promoted or mightily close.
The teams that usually go up and find their way back to League 1 are the ones without the resources or infrastructure to hold their own.
We are only going to end up like Rotherham, Wycombe, Barnsley, Blackpool, Peterborough and others if we show a serious lack of ambition financially or there is a lack of synergy and effective strategy behind the scenes.
If Clowes, Pearce, Thomas, Hale and Warne are all working well and pulling in the same direction, why is it beyond us to build a competitive squad for the Championship, one that could finish 15-18th in year one, for instance?
No-one stands still and neither will we. Everyone resets. Teams get better. Teams get worse. Managers change. Managers improve. Managers decline.
There are so many variables at play, why would we be fearful now when we can work towards a stronger position over the summer? Such needless negativity when nothing is set in stone.
 

We have to start with CBT, if that chance had gone in, he would be the new superstar by now
99% of the time he scores. We need his speed and ability to create space for others to score.
 

We have to start with CBT, if that chance had gone in, he would be the new superstar by now
99% of the time he scores. We need his speed and ability to create space for others to score.
 

We have to start with CBT, if that chance had gone in, he would be the new superstar by now
99% of the time he scores. We need his speed and ability to create space for others to score.
 

Pride Park Stadium – KO: 15.00
After a chastening visit to Wycombe Wanderers, next up, the Rams play host to Leyton Orient. I know the whole, ‘must win game’ is horribly overused cliche in sport, but sadly, it actually applies on this occasion, as it will do for all of our remaining games. On the basis of ability and potential, you’d fancy our chances strongly, but as has been the case through a good deal of the season, the team remains somewhat Jekyll and Hyde and it’s anyone’s guess which Derby will turn up on Saturday. Having been concerned about the Wycombe game being a potential banana skin, I’m less so for this match, but it’d taker a braver man than I to be dogmatic about the outcome.
Leyton Orient:
Founded in 1881 as the Glyn Cricket Club, they began playing football as Orient in 1888 and joined the London League in 1896 after success in the Clapton & District League. The club adopted the name Clapton Orient two years later and were elected into the Football League in 1905. Most recently and under current manager Richie Wellens, the club was crowned champions of League Two in the 2022–23 campaign and sit mid-table in this current season.
Form Guide:
In the corresponding away fixture, we rode our luck a little early on, but having scored 1st, the game turned on a somewhat controversial sending off, with Brandon Cooper dismissed for a foul on Max Bird. Derby ultimately ran out comfortable 3-0 winners and this with Collo spurning a brace of golden opportunities, but even then, I felt the scoreline flattered us a little - Please see the match highlights link below. FWIW, my view is that Orient are a tidy enough side for the grade and should not be taken lightly. Much like Wycombe, they will be able to relax a little more than our lads and we need to be controlled and alert throughout the 90 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zPSKzMlFGE&ab_channel=DerbyCountyFootballClub
 
Most recently, Orient’s form has been decent enough, with a 1-0 victory away to Stevenage followed by two losses by the odd goal only to Lincoln and Peterborough. Their last two matches, both at home, yielded a 3-1 victory against Cheltenham, followed by a 2-2 draw against Exeter.
The most obvious dangerman would seem to be the ever-present Ruel Sotiriou with 11 goals and 5 assists across 42 games played. Shaquai Forde is next best with 9 goals and 5 assists, with Oliver O'Neil chipping in with 5 goals and 4 assists. Their preferred formation is seemingly a 4-2-3-1, but perhaps someone who has actually watched them regularly can confirm, as my research yielded conflicting data.
Head 2 Head:
Historically, Derby have the edge and perhaps more significantly, we have not lost at home to Leyton since 1981, with 5 home losses in total since the clubs first met way back in 1907 in what was then the 2nd division.
Games won: 23
Games drawn: 8
Games lost: 18
Team News:
Warne again has some worries to address. Our own @Caerphilly Ram has battled manfully to keep us all informed against an ever-changing background and his latest summary suggests the something akin to the following scenario for Saturday:
Joe Ward – was said to be out for 2 weeks at time of injury – 50:50 for this match is perhaps mildly optimistic
Max Bird – was mooted as a possible for the Wycombe game – may well figure from the bench
Dwight Gayle – not expected to play this weekend, but may be available for the last 2 games
Craig Forsyth - not expected to play this weekend, but may be available before season end
Callum Elder – groin injury, status unknown
Ryan Nyambe – out for the season
Tyreece John-Jules – most likely out for the season
Jake Rooney -  most likely out for the season, but has been ‘back on the grass’ we’re told. No jokes please!
I do have some sympathy for Warne as it seems every time he has the lads playing well, injuries to key players undermine any momentum, but that said, we’re not alone in that regard and we’ll need to make do as best we can.
Line-Up:
I think PW will start with a very similar line up to the last game. I’m going to suggest a slightly controversial tweak (assuming Ward is s recovered) and a change from the MF 2 we seem to favour, to variant of an undeniably old fashioned 4-4-2 – yeah, I know, straws...clutching...much… If Ward is indeed fit, he comes in for Nate, who looks like a man in need of freshening up – perhaps he and Max might be best deployed as ‘finishers’ off the bench when legs tire and the game is more stretched, assuming we’re not winning comfortably. Likewise Barks, who could also play on the right if Ward remains out. That said, if Max is healthy enough to start, I'd be sorely tempted to switch to a 4-3-3 with he and Corey either side of Ebou and Washington dropping to the bench. Irrespective, we must control the game better than we did in the 2nd half at Wycombe, where we repeatedly left a yawning chasm in front of our back 4, for their midfielders to play into.
The front two and CM remain unchanged for me; despite both Wash and Collo looking understandably short of match sharpness, IMO, they remain our best current options. Once again, the back 4 pick themselves, as do Corey and Ebou in at CM. Joe keeps his slot, having done well enough since his return to the fold.


The Match:
Honestly, I’ve no idea which Derby will turn up. After Wycombe, some will want wholesale changes, but my take on what was an admittedly hugely disappointing result, is that Wycombe should have been dead and buried inside 40 minutes. I’m not sure that the subsequent slaughtering of Warne for what was to my eye, the profligacy of his forward line, is entirely fair, but each to their own. He remains the incumbent, for better or worse and whatever might happen next year, it seems a long way off right now. As such, the focus for yours truly remains the next 3 games and nothing else.
A last word, as I’ve avoided reading all bar the last couple of pages of the last thread, would be that despite the stuttering effort against Wycombe, the travelling Rams faithful were magnificent in their support for the team. It’d be grand if we could mirror that at home and all try to channel our inner B4 and help carry the lads over the line. At least remember that Warne and his players are trying their best and are just people, like all of us and hurtful appraisals will only serve to undermine their confidence further.
Enjoy the game one and all.
COYR
BE MORE B4
  

Wycombe  0 - 2  Derby,
Collins

Stanton in Peak, beautiful place, actually moved in 2019 but for some reason only just got around to the name change on here.
Am surprised that my attempt at humour, satirising the modern trend for people to make earth shattering announcements on social media about totally mundane and unimportant things, has attracted so much interest.  
In other news, and in keeping with the modern trend for everything to be preceded by a commercial, this message was brought to you by Lavazza espresso and the Roderigo Guitar Concerto (Concerto de Aranjuez).

my nephews spilt milkshake all over my carpet today.  Smells like a Forest fans pheromone.  That hasn't helped.😃

I’ve got a jacket called Kenny.

So long as he sticks with a back four, and plays Smith and Ward rather than Bradley and Hourihane, we  will be fine.
At Northampton we started with both Bradley and Hourihane, Ward and Blackett Taylor were only subs. 
We also have Collins back instead of Washington/Waggy.

I moved to Canada in June 2023. It's been a great move for me, but apart from family my connection home has been through Derby County. I wish I saw more games during this season, but I've done a lot of hungover early starts to watch us grind out the wins that got us into this position.
And here we are. Portsmouth away seemed very significant. It's poetic in my own personal way that Derby will get promoted in the first season I can't go to any games. But from thousands of miles away, I finally feel a bit of confidence.
Long story short - This Wycombe car park ambulance chasing lot made me hate a lot of modern football, and I'd love to turn these over and tell the football world we are back.
As a Brit now in Canada following on and loving every second of this season...
We're going to win this one. Quote me, screenshot me, @ me.
And we're getting f****** promoted.

I never said it wasn't effective, but it won't work if we get promoted when most other teams have the same technology. If it starts failing there's nothing to fall back on. 

FANtastic listen as always,  10/10   
Course we'll do it!

You have just described technological improvement, and computer analysis - which cost thousands at Moor Farm!

Yes  It was the most consistent  season in our history ., ,,,

Relax. The last time we got promoted on shaky foundations the following season was a breeze...

Best season we have had in a bloody long time , ground was full to the ginnells Saturday with most staying long after the whistle to celebrate and leaving extremely happy , I was surrounded by singing all the way back to the car , seen some great goals scored and seen some not so great performances in games at times over a long season , if we get promoted this season will live long in the memory of this old boy who’s seen the great times and the lowest of lows ,it will live long as the warne promotion season that I really enjoyed ,
simple fact is we have one or two posters who are intent on rubbishing anything achieved and winding people up trying to stop them enjoying all the good stuff that’s happening for our club and us fans,
honestly ? Just stick them on ignore or read there stuff , see it for what it is , laugh and move on without replying and giving them the pleasure of winding you up ,
it really is that simple 🤷🏻‍♂️
 

The issue some posters have is that we don't play like Man City/Arsenal, Then you have to look as to why they wonder, We have a team that ATM is in League 1, We have a team that's playing in a division that's meh! at best, We have a manager that's been brought in to get out of this division ASAP with a brand of football that's not to good on the eye, We've had to get players to fit in a squad where the previous manager bought, Some of those players may find that the managers way is the only way
Football is an easy game if you had the recourses that Ipswich had or players that Plymouth and Sheff Wed had, We didn't have those, There were times last season when we looked pretty good, There were times when we looked...pish...the officials were and still are Poor and hold a joker to play when they choose.
Things have changed this last few weeks, A back 3 with wingbacks, It matters not to me who we play, I was glad to see Forsyth back as a more calming figure than Bradley...imo, Still setting up with 3 at the back is OK against a Bolton team who were c***-a-hoop after sticking 5 past Oxford...job done 1-0 and we move on, I'm not getting worked up with those who say..."Bolton were the better team" so fcuking what 😊
It's all in our hands now, A win on Saturday and Bolton/Peterboro will be lagging behind, There will always be Nay Sayers...who if they were joint winners of the £20million jackpot lottery they'd moan they didn't win it all.
I see a little change in PW/Coaching team, They're not afraid of change where this time last season they looked to be, It's over to you PW and Co, Take the opportunity you have given yourselves and the freedom of the City will be your's...in most peoples eyes 😉
   

TBF Ward is very much like Beckham was.  Get a yard then ping it in, and their left sided players didn't give him much space in the 1st half.  Therefore Warne made the change and Wilson being more of a dribbler was able to get at them a lot more effectively.  His goal came from a corner he himself won by going at their left back.
My point is our head coach identified a problem, and solved it.
I'd love for us to be like the Mac 1 era and blow teams out the water with free flowing, passing football, but let's remember that even Mac 2 failed to recreate that, and had no Plan B.  Here we have a coach who's had Plans A through to H, and some fans still think he's just a PE teacher who just shouts "Hoof it" at every game.  Is he perfect?  No.  Has he made mistakes?  Yes.  Overall is he doing a good job of getting us into a position whereby we could escape this league?  Yes.  Therefore he's well on target to reach the targets his employer set him...

I think whether a Club gets a generic kit or a bespoke one is more to do with the size of their fanbase than where they are in the Leagues. 
We will be able to demonstrate fairly impressive sales figures to any potential new supplier, enough to incorporate our own  ideas.

No problem with either.