Dean (hick) Saunders

I see Portsmouth game on the 23rd at home to Barnsley is now off because they have 3 called up for international duties. It's rearranged for Tuesday 16th April. That gives Pompey their last 4 games; Bolton away, Barnsley home, Wigan home and Lincoln away.

Bring your scraves and flanges !

Luton 1 up at Bournemouth , Red Dogs in the relegation places as it stands 😂

Got a bit of a must not lose feel to Saturdays match for both sides.
Queue a 7 goal thriller 4 - 3 win.

Derby County vs Reading
Tuesday 12th March
Pride Park   KO 1945
 
Opposition Bio: Reading have made more headlines off the field than on it in recent times as they find themselves in financial strife as a result of incompetency by their owner. Sound familiar? 
The EFL have seemingly cut them more slack than they did with ourselves but their patience must be wearing thin as deadlines to deposit sufficient funds regularly pass. The latest failure to pony up saw them docked further points and their season deduction now stands at six points in total. 
There was a further deduction of three points doled out, albeit suspended, after their understandably fed up supporters invaded the pitch and caused the early abandonment of their home match with Port Vale, the latters best result in recent months.
Where we had Mel Morris, Reading have Dai Yongge. This proves the old adage of being wary of baldies or fake Welshmen baring gifts.
Any sympathy we have for them should be tempered though by the thought that they are probably still laughing at us paying £3m for Nick Blackman.
Reading FC are known as the Royals, a distinctly naff nickname acquired after a young Prince Albert played a dozen games for the club before marrying Queen Victoria. Plus they hail from the royal county of Berkshire. They are also known as the Biscuitmen due to the town's association with the biscuit makers Huntley & Palmers. 
They are managed by Spaniard Ruben Selles and, having been relegated last season, will be looking to secure League 1 survival this season and kick on in 2024/25 under different ownership and without points deductions.
Reading are the proud holders of two notable records. In the 1985/86 season they recorded 13 straight victories at the start of the season in what is now this division and they also hold the record for the highest points total for their whopping 106 points in their 2005/06 Championship campaign. 
Opposition Form: Not too shabby in fairness. In the ten matches played since they beat us 1-0 at their place they have won a further four games with three draws and three defeats.
They arrive at Pride Park on the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Wycombe and in 18th place with a record of W12-D9-L16. It should be noted, however, that without their points deduction they would be in 14th position. 
Their away record is perhaps misleading as the bare stats of W3-D5-L10 needs to be looked at in the knowledge that they contrived to lose their first eight matches on the road. They all count obviously but their more recent form away since then reads W3-D5-L2. 
Their away wins have been at Wycombe (2-1), Stevenage (1-0) and Carlisle (3-1). They have also managed decent draws at Oxford and Peterborough.
In those 18 away games they have only failed to score on four occasions. Promisingly from a Rams perspective, they have only kept the one clean sheet on their travels.
Opposition Players: Going purely off the stats it would appear their chief dangermen are top marksman Harvey Knibbs (10 goals, 6 assists), Sam Smith (9 goals, 10 assists) and possibly Femi Azeez and Lewis Wing. They also have Robbie's son Charlie Savage, the experienced Harlee Dean and the wonderfully named youngster Jacob Hammond-Chambers-Borgnis who I hope gets a runout as I'd love to see if they put his triple-barrelled name on his shirt.
Rams vs Reading History: This will be the 48th league clash between Derby and Reading and the 54th in all competitions. The clubs' first meeting was a League Cup clash in October 1965 (1-1) but it wasn't until 22nd September 1984 that the Rams and the Royals met in a league fixture for the first time and the long wait proved barely worthwhile as we played out a goalless draw at their previous home, Elm Park. The return fixture would prove to be more memorable, for us at least, as Reading's first ever league visit to Derby in April 1985 saw the Rams win 4-1 with goals from Bobby Davison, Steve Buckley, Trevor Christie and Gary Micklewhite in front of a bumper crowd of 7,945 (really?).
That was not a taste of things to come in this fixture though as Reading have had by far the better of it. Our record on their turf is especially poor with just four wins in 24 visits. On Derby soil, though better as you'd expect, it is still deeply unimpressive. Our last victory at home to them was a 1-0 success in September 2021 but our overall home league record against Reading is W10-D3-L10. 
Expected Team: Same again one might think. Possibly a change in the middle to give more legs with Smith or Thompson in for Hourihane. 
Other Fixtures of Note: Something similar to Saturday would be nice. A Derby win and at least one of our rivals for automatic dropping points please. Their games midweek are:
Portsmouth vs Burton
Bolton vs Oxford
Carlisle vs Barnsley
Peterborough vs Stevenage (Weds)
COYR
 

Dajaune has strength and power. I always felt he was a little reluctant to use it.
If this loan allows him to feel more comfortable doing so, he's going to be some player.

He looks thrilled

This is excellent news, confidence will be soaring.  

No Bird. Story of my life.
 

Looping header into the far corner of the net

Best result tonight in terms of the Barnsley Bolton draw. A shame Peterborough are coming up on the rails. With Portsmouth off in the distance, it's turning into a 4-horse race for second spot:
There will be twists and turns, but we can't afford too many. Ten games to go. Seven wins and we're in the mix, eight wins and we're probably over the line. Obviously the Bolton game has massive significance and is "must not lose". 

My “because it’s the Derby way” gland says we will finish 3rd having spurned more opportunities for top 2.
But I’m sure many Bolton and Barnsley fans think the same though.
Getting Colo and Fozzy back could make a difference.

My “because it’s the Derby way” gland says we will finish 3rd having spurned more opportunities for top 2.
But I’m sure many Bolton and Barnsley fans think the same though.
Getting Colo and Fozzy back could make a difference.

My “because it’s the Derby way” gland says we will finish 3rd having spurned more opportunities for top 2.
But I’m sure many Bolton and Barnsley fans think the same though.
Getting Colo and Fozzy back could make a difference.

More often than not, the team with the best GD over the season will be in the top two. Keeping that stat between now and season I think will have us very close).
(last season this wasn’t true as it was Sheff Wed).

I think the PGMOL in conjunction with the FA should politely write to Forest reminding them that Clattenburg is no longer a referee and is therefore no more important than any other member of staff at the chitty ground - and if they continue to publicly challenge the authority of referees, they will be charged collectively with bringing the game into disripute and may be docked points accordingly....
 Florist are an utterly tinpot outfit that get more ridiculous by the week....

Currently on Dead Zone by Stephen King.
Oldie, but quite enjoying it. Read most of his other stuff, I think his best are sometimes the shorter ones.
My SK top 3 are:
1) Duma Key
2) Mr Mercedes (and all  Bill Hodges Trilogy)
3) The Green Mile
 

Gayle’s header was brilliant. 

Must-win games are something of a cliché, I suppose, but you'd have to think that anything less than 3 points today would be a serious dent in any aspirations towards the auto slots. Not just from a points perspective, but perhaps more importantly for the morale of the entire club and its fanbase. It's hard to understand or accept the way we have capitulated from bright starts over the last few games and I think the players and the coaches have to be putting down a clear marker today. I also think we've been very lucky indeed in that those immediately around us have underperformed too and the pack who were way back even a few games ago, are now right on our heels and we need to show vastly more character today than has been the case of late. The gaffer must lead the way in terms of how he sets up and what message he conveys to the players, likewise the lads themselves, who simply must be braver. I can't accept that experienced pros who routinely fail to execute the even basics, do so solely because of the coach. 
As for the team selection, I'll admit I'm finding it hard with the injury list still substantial and some players looking short of match sharpness. It's very clear to see how much damage the absences of both starting FBs has done and still it goes on with Ryan now crocked again and Fozzy only just back in training. My finger in the air selection with suggested alternatives / subs would be...

The formation would be a not uncommon variation on a 4-3-3, but with a focus on deploying players where they typically play best and with the aim of providing some balance whereby we have our lefties deployed on the left where possible, likewise the righties on the right. This means I have the mildly controversial pick of Joe Ward at RB, but I don't believe we've seen anything like the best of him as yet and I'd be reasonably confident that he is the best cover for the absent Nyambe, with Korey Smith starting in MF.
For much the same reason, I'd have Elder at LB. He's the nearest to like for like with Fozzy and like Fozz, he can whip the ball in early and at pace and that may well play to Gayle's strengths more than floated balls delivered from out wide. Nelson and Cashin pick themselves and Wildsmith retains my slightly diminished confidence in the 1 spot. Bradley drops from the starting line up as he looks best in a back 3 and I'm hoping that's not our preferred route today. Bradley has become a hate-figure for some, but he's shown he's a decent player. Sadly, the system he seems to need to prosper seems to suit him far more than any other current personnel. I don't mind a back 5 as an attacking set up, I just don't like it for us when we're trying to keep things tight and if I had to play one formation, it wouldn't be a back 5.
Midfield is an even bigger quandary and while I'll doubtless get pulled up over it, I've plumped for Bird and Smith either side of Ebou. Hourihane seems to wander too deep to make use of his passing ability and I think Korey and Max could do some damage today with Ebou screening the back four to give them the required freedom.
Up top, Barks starts on the left with doubts in my mind as to CBT's fitness. Neither has looked great in recent games, though CBT has clearly had an issue of some sort. I'd look to give him 30 minutes to show what he can do against tired legs, assuming that's not beyond him.
Gayle to start at 9 and notch his first goal for the Rams today, with Nate restored to the flanks where he most often prospers. Wags and Wilson to provide energy when Gayle and Nate tire, with Sibs a wildcard depending on how things stand. Louie's been trying hard to improve his team-play of late and I'd hope he'd continue to get gametime. He must show more than last time out though, as he won't get many more chances if he doesn't.
As it is, I'm going with a 3-0 win and Gayle to net first today, but in truth we simply must secure the win today, however we play. Anything less, is nowhere near enough, now we've squandered our advantage with back-to-back losses. A huge step up is then the order of the day and a resounding win with a clean sheet the aim.
So that's my pointless attempt to pick a team, which will doubtless resemble PW's selection not one iota 😂 
COYR

Well, after back-to-back defeats we've fallen to fourth place in the table that properly reflects points over the season:
It's been a big dropoff by us and Bolton with the 95 point target for automatics now looking a significant overestimate. Barnsley will fancy their chances and if poor form continues then Peterborough can come back into the mix.
All is not lost, but we need to put a run of results together quickly. If my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle, but what a missed opportunity this has been. We could have been well clear with Portsmouth...

Brenda from Bristol,,,,,,, ANOTHER ONE 

Really hope Gayle opens his account. A confident Gayle could make all the difference to our season.

3-2-4-1 in front of Wildsmith. 
 
Nelson - Bradley - Cashin
Adams - Bird
Wilson - NML - Barkhuizen - Sibley
Gayle

Looks like a man made out of Lego Sir and zero presence up front.