Loughborough Ram

3 minutes ago, Coconut's Beard said:

Yes, 4th choice. With a history of mistakes across his career. A player who declined past Championship quality over 3 years ago? Who bit stupidly sent off on a game last season and gave away a goal in his next performance, wasn't trusted to play over an academy CB even when we were screaming put for experience? A player who is known not to be able to pass it out from the back effectively and makes more mistakes than Keogh?

I'm sorry alright, forgive me for thinking that he might be a hindrance to us.

 

 

 

 

 

He wasn't today though

8 minutes ago, Coconut's Beard said:

How low are you setting the bar? He did OK, nothing more nothing less.

I'm in a positive mood so I'll say that his performance did allow Cashin to shine, but really I think Cashin would have shone regardless, doing everything you may have expected Stearman to do.

I don't hate him and unlike the 13 year olds behind me today I won't scream for 90 minutes about his ability regardless of performance, but I'm not going to start pretending. he was or is better than he is.

 

I thought he played well, no pretending and no lowering of the bar. 

If I think that he plays poorly ill be sure to let you know

Stearman played well today

10 minutes ago, Elwood P Dowd said:

The player can stay on the field of play if he/she was injured as the result of a physical offence for which the opponent is cautioned (yellow card, YC) or sent off (red card, RC) and the assessment/treatment is completed quickly. Otherwise, the player must leave the field of play.
 

it does seem there has been a rule change, the change appears sensible.

Sensible to a point but when we trust a referee to decide what is and what isn't a yellow card is where it all starts going sideways.

The assault on Mendez Laing in the first half was a minimum yellow card as was the judo throw by Norwood on Knight but the ref saw them both as a bit of rough and tumble, and booked neither player

Loads of analysis and a fair bit of negativity on here this evening but at this stage of the season, with a completely new team, on a boiling hot day, the result is literally the ONLY thing that matters.

If we play like we did in the first half we can beat anybody, if we play like we did in the second half we could lose to anybody.

The referee made a meal out of a pretty regulation game, with some bewildering decisions but thankfully he didnt really impact the game.

Cashin was just incredible and it seems that the harder the game the better he plays which to me is the sign of a superstar.

When all is said and done, winning home games is the minimum we should expect but the away form is the thing that will define our season, so put today to the back of your mind and focus on Tuesday because another away defeat could seriously start weighing heavy on the mind of the players.

I don't think that we're ready for a big draw yet. Give me Rochdale of similar and we can save the big draws for the FACup when we hitting top form.

Because the EFL are in danger of completely destroying their own competition.

If they deduct points for every club that have transgressed FFP following covid, as they should by the rules, they will have an even bigger disparity between the clubs coming down from the Premiers*it and the rest. Imposing transfer bans on say, 15 clubs, would also have a massive impact on the clubs in league 1 and 2 because many of them rely on transfer money coming in by selling to championship clubs.

I hate the EFL but they are currently caught between a rock and a hard place, play it by the rules and risk the very structure of the league or show collective flexibility and possibly save football outside of the Premiers*it.

2 minutes ago, Ellafella said:

Really enjoyed Martin Fisher and Jamie Ward on RD commentary - both very intelligent and entertaining football analysts / commentators. Jamie Ward clearly keeps tabs on Derby and is up with all the fans opinions & talking points. Great analysis of Louie Sibley & advocating Sibbo to start  V Barnsley. 

I always enjoy it when Jamie Ward is on, I liked him as a player and I like him as a pundit.

I'm not a big fan of the current arrangement of interchangeable Co-commentators. I'd much prefer having Jamie Ward or Adam Boulder on every game

It's good to see that the vast majority of people on here understand football. In my opinion Collins WILL get goals for Derby and WILL create goals for others, without a doubt.

I think that anybody who is prepared to write off a centre forward because he hasn't scored for three games is either on a wind up or needs an alternative hobby other than watching football.

2 hours ago, ramsbottom said:

I didn’t think it was possible, but ITV has managed to make less of an effort than Quest with their coverage.  Nothing says “Footballs back!” More than 5 minutes of Cardiff’s laboured 1-0 win over Norwich.  And to cap it all off the action was analysed by the personality black hole that is Dean Ashton.  
 

Piss poor

What exactly are you looking for?

Personally I was expecting some radically changed, modern nonsense, so I was pleasantly surprised. I don't want fan vox pops, experts standing in front of a smart screen over explaining what we already know, a raft of meaningless stats analysis, I want to see the highlights with a small amount of comment and that's what we got. Not everybody will agree so I'm interested what your ideal highlights programme would be.

I enjoyed the match yesterday, the atmosphere was positive from the crowd even if we weren't at our most exuberant, and the players all did well. 

I liked the look of Mendez Laing although I think that he will entertain and frustrate in equal measure. I thought Corey Smith was extremely influential in the first half before he faded a little in the second, understandable at this stage of the season. I felt a bit sorry for Collins and Barkhuizen because they were both left a little isolated but both did enough with the small amount of ball they had to suggest that they are capable of winning games for us once everybody has bedded in.

Knight was superb and my MOM despite playing out of position, thankfully he seems to be the type of character who is happy to play wherever as long as he's in the team. Hourahaine showed that there is no substitute for class which leaves Louie Sibley. I criticised him after the stevenage game but yesterday he was brilliant, playing with an intelligence and positivity which changed the game.

I don't think anybody will get carried away by a 1-0 victory at home  because we should expect to win our home games. Next week is the big test and probably the biggest indicator of how we are going to do this season, because our away form can make or break our hopes, so a pat on the back for yesterday but stay realistic.

13 minutes ago, jimtastic56 said:

I think DCFC have done really well to unload Beilik. I hope Brum are paying all of his wages and not a “Pay as you Play “ deal. Liam can go out now and inject some real pace and power into the team.

Kemar Roofe anyone?

1-1

Barkhuizen late equaliser

Pre season friendlies, what a dilemma. 

Pro clubs losing to non league clubs has always happened but 15 to 20 years ago nobody knew it had happened or if they did they didn't know the circumstances because nobody was there to report on it.

The advent of 24 hour sports coverage coupled with football clubs seeing an opportunity to monetise pre season, means that the genie is out of the bottle it is open to us fans, and we are unable to deal with the information we are given.

The manager and the players will be disappointed with the performance but they won't be making too many judgments about the season.

The only match that matters is Oxford, that was the case at the beginning of July and it is still the case, the rest is just window dressing

39 minutes ago, Rich3478 said:

Is this thread not a bit dramatic?

people talk about the games, it’s part of why we go! If someone’s not playing well over a period of time are they a scapegoat? Think it’s ok to point out things you think players struggle with

 

stupid comments as well like “real fans don’t want you there”! Who made you head of fans?

support the team how you want

I'll take Keogh as an example. Every time we lost a game he was blamed by supporters on Radio Derby even if we had to go back 5 minutes before a goal to find a pass that he had misplaced.

We have at least one player every season (apart from last season) that suffers this treatment. 

If you think that's OK, then fine but that's not my idea of fair criticism

1 hour ago, Tyler Durden said:

To turn your point around slightly whom do you consider it was last season?

As I said, I think the fans largely backed all of the players, but I think that Roos was probably only saved by the fact that he didn't play

I have been watching Derby County for close on 50 years and rarely has there been a season where the fans haven't singled a player out for unfair criticism.

After last season when the fans tended to get behind most of the players, will we have the resolution to carry that on, or will we revert to type and do our best to destroy the confidence of at least one scapegoat?

After reading many of the comments following the friendlies, my personal opinion is that James Chester is starting from a point where our fans will quickly turn against him if WE don't start well and if he continues to get in ahead of Chashin. Neither of these issues can be completely controlled by Chester but I feel that he is the early front runner.

Being a Derby fan, it's very difficult to be positive because naturally I think that even if we took maximum points until Christmas we'd have mass injuries in January and fail to win another point.

If we can find a cohesive system that means that we can create more chances whilst remaining solid at the back we have a great chance of winning the league with the quality we have. 

I will predict a top 6 finish, beyond that would be brave, stupid or both.

Jim Wheeler on Radio Derby hardly covered himself in glory. He largely stuck to his guns despite regretting posting the link, which is hard to rationalise.

Poor advice for a small, marginalised group of fans, which they may come to regret

1 hour ago, DavesaRam said:

Same s*#t, different manager. EVERYBODY knows his best position is the Number 10 role, so what did we do? Stuck him out on the wing to get him all frustrated, which then means that when he does get a chance to "do his stuff" his head is packed full of "frustrate" and nothing comes off for him, and the fouls start to flow. Watch LR bin him off saying we didn't see your best. 

Everybody knows this is what happens when Sibbo is started out on the wing, or left on the bench. Just about everyone knows that he needs a run at Number 10, and only then  decide whether he is one for the team or the bin. The big question is: does Liam Rosenior know it?

OK, I'm going to say it, i dont rate Sibley. 

In my opinion he has far too many deficiencies to ever balance up the things he does well.

It's difficult to know what his best position is because he isn't particularly great at any of them but in my opinion substitute is possibly where he could contribute the most to the cause.

He isn't good enough to play as a 10 for me, he isn't quick enough either physically or mentally, and he lacks the discipline needed to contribute defensively when the team doesn't have the ball. He gives away stupid free kicks more often than he beats a man and he generally makes the team look disjointed when he plays, wherever that happens to be.

We all want him to develop into a star, but in my opinion he lacks the ability and the attitude for that to ever happen.

Please make me eat my words Louis

Let him go in my opinion, but hold to both his and Buchanans registration until we are either paid or we are told that we don't own them as players. If that is dragged out for months then so be it

18 minutes ago, rammieib said:

Not saying I disagree but for people demanding £5 million plus for him, how does he not get into the team? 
 

(I’m not sure he’s in Mike either as it stands)

I left him our with a heavy heart to be honest.

If he signs a new contract then he probably gets in at right back instead of Onuro, but if not then we have to get the Young lad up to speed in my opinion, because we're going to need him.

I think you decide which players have to play and then work backwards with what system best suits them and then which of the players that are left, fit into the ramaing places.

Therefore I'd say that Wildsmith, Davies, Bird, Hourihane, McGoldrick and Collins are certain starters.

With that in mind I'd have to go 4-4-2 with McGoldrick floating off Collins. My team would be

G-Wildsmith

RB-Oduro

CH-Davies, Cashin

LB-Roberts

RM-Mendez Laing

CM-Bird, Hourihane

LM-Barkhuizen

CF-McGoldrick, Collins

Harsh on Knight but there's only 11 places and he is battling in the strongest department.

I think that McGoldrick is going to be brilliant for us this season. He has so much quality he shouldn't be playing in League 1. He may not score enough goals but I think he will provide so many chances for others that it won't matter.

He looks about 12 years old. I've got cheese in my fridge that looks older than him.