archram

Yet another failed attempt to beat the offside trap 🤪 

Hi Rams, I commented on the reverse fixture when you battered us earlier in the season so thought I would do the same just to give some context from the other side.
A very different game to the one at Pride Park earlier in the season. The San Sixfields pitch is much smaller which definitely helps us, particularly against the big boys in the division. We have taken a pasting of pretty much all of the teams at the top of the table away from home this season, whilst at home managed mostly narrow defeats instead.
No doubt that you should have scored at least one of the two chances in the first half, or at the very least worked the keeper, one of them goes in and you dont lose the game without a shadow of a doubt. The game earlier in the season you were picking holes in between our midfield and defense with ease, also NML pace was a constant threat. However in this game were clearly more compact and outside of those opportunities it didn't feel like you created a huge amount of clear cut chances. It was noticeable that you were much more direct this game for whatever reason, which I am far more confident of us deadling with. I know you have a number of bodies out, but we have 10 out (mostly in defence) so the injury list was similar on both sides.
I thought the goal was a really well taken finish, definite foul in the build up but the defending after that would be pretty poor. Your full back (Wilson I think) also definitely handled it in the second half with no one around him. 
I sit in the end where Bradley got his red, he definitely put his head in. Don't get me wrong i dont think Monthe is going to require a trip to the hospital but unfortunately you have to go down to almost bring it to attention. Thought it was poor from a guy who is that experienced and was seemingly always looking for physicality in the game. Yes we tried to slow down the game, no doubt about it. If i was an away fan I would be furious and hope the ref would stop it. But to add some context our season has been petering out to a degree with mid table safety and clearly our manager has given them a rocket pointing out there are still points to play for, there was not a lack of effort on our point despite little to play for seemingly. To be honest we are doing about as well as a club our size could be expected to do, as we were on of the favorites for the drop.
I hope you go up, clearly a huge club that should not be at this level (plus dont want Peterborough to go up). I am guessing there is a big split in the fanbase over the manager, that was evident by the booing of one of the substitutions which you don't expect from a team that are fighting for the title. As a completely neutral observer Warne to me sits in the Gareth Ainsworth esque category of managers. Likeable character and personable, but with limitations at a higher level and in developing a more free flowing style, it dosnt seem like the best fit. Playing Pompey and Peterborough recently (both away so different challenges I guess) but they seemed much more composed in their style of play and just seemed to have more ways to hurt us.
Hopefully your injury woes ease up a little and all the best for the rest of the season.

It’s absolutely fair to criticise an experienced head for getting an avoidable suspension, in the middle of a crucial promotion run-in with minimal cover.
I suppose where the line is drawn between what’s fair criticism and what’s a sanctimonious pile on is subjective. 

Agreed, I'd just like referees to be as hard on clear play-acting as they are on 'provocation'.
The Northants player beating the ground in 'anguish' from a nothing challenge summed their approach up. I can't recall the last time one of our players so extravagantly over-reacted like that and I'd hate it if it became a regular tactic of ours.

Pride Park: Friday March 29th - 15.00 Kick Off
Friday night we get a chance to eradicate the bad dream that was Northampton away, but I think we've ridden our luck a little longer than just the last game and we simply must deliver a performance, or we risk succumbing to the lottery that is the play-offs. It's a sobering prospect by any measure. As it stands, we remain masters of our own fate, but potentially only by a single point and GD. Suffice to say, we can ill afford any further slip ups, or the chasers will be on us. 
On paper, this is a tougher game than the last one, with Blackpool having notched wins against Bolton, Peterborough and Shrewsbury as well as a draw against league leaders Pompey in their last 10 league games. Chief goal threat would be Jordan Rhodes who has notched 15 this season, with Jake Beesley and Karamoko Dembélé chipping in with 8 amd 7 respectively. Dembélé also has a very respectable 11 assists, with CJ Hamilton next best with 7 for the season to date. Keeping those two quiet might be key.
Squad News: Injury report might perhaps be a better heading! With Nate now joining an ever-growing list of crocked players, it's safe to say that having had a pretty healthy squad a mere few weeks back, we're bang in trouble again on that front and we'll need to marshal resources in a clever and effective manner if we are to get anything from this game. We are told that the one good piece of news on this front currently is that Collo may play a part, but whilst the man's a Spartan, he'll surely not be sharp enough to start. 
A last thought, until we have more news on who is actually fit enough to play, would be that while I want us to beat Blackpool, I do recall their kindness and solidarity during our troubled recent past. They're a proper club with a proper set of fans and I hope we make them as welcome at our place as they always seem to make us at theirs. 
May the best team win, but may that team be Derby, please! 
COYR
BEMOREB4

This is fine if we’re talking about an inexperienced defender learning a lesson the hard way. We’re talking about an experienced pro who was part of a promotion to the premier league last season. He should be thoroughly embarrassed that he couldn’t control himself and in doing so has left the team with 2 centre backs for the next 3 matches. I’d pay him off at the end of this season and cut our losses - dread to think what championship strikers would do to him. 
 
This isn’t just about the sending off either. Constantly passing it behind the player he was playing it to. Constant poor touches including needing Wildsmith to rush out and spare his blushes to stop a repeat of match day 1. 
 
These mistakes shouldn’t be happening from a player at this stage in his career who has dropped down a level. 

Depending on how busy he is in life, one forum member who may have felt a tiny guilty hint of relief we lost is @Rampant
Thanks for your wonderful opening of match threads over the last few weeks - hope you enjoyed doing them as much as we enjoyed reading them 🐏🐏

My favourite Carole King album….

It's all hindsight though, isn't it. Without injuries, we'd have enough in my opinion. We have Collins, Gayle, TJJ, Washington and Waghorn. It's just typical that we haven't had more than 2 fit at once nearly all season.

My overriding memory of the day is leaving the ground disappointed at our expected goals (xg) level because as we all know, that’s what really matters. 

My youngest was 2 days old, I missed the match because of that. But, he was sat with me in his Derby County onesie (for at least some of it) watching it on TV. The first game he "saw" was that one. Will forever remember it for so many reasons, that, and the fact that it signified the implosion of Notts and the coming of Derby. Sigh. Good times.

Not quite old enough! 🙂 I was a Rams fan then but I don't think my parents would haved let me travel all the way down from West Yorkshire on my own at 11 years of age! 🙂 First time I tried to get down was the Forest game which we won 4-1 but I only made it as far as Leeds, Our cash wouldn't stretch any further than that and my first actual game was I believe Man City at the Baseball Ground when we signed Swindlehurst on the pitch! I've seen quite a few downs and not seen too many ups since then, let's hope this season is an up as it's been too long! 🙂

"Bride Jilted for Northampton Away! Exclusive inside story on the Derby fan who spoke now to say I'm Derby til I die (which is probably about 5 minutes after he gets home)

B4 would have switched the wedding venue to Northampton.
Service at 12. Reception over by 2.00, standing in front of seats in stadium by 2.30.
Come on the Jourdans.....no half-fan measures...👍

Well, you could try the classic "I forgot the rings" maneuver and make a clean escape to watch the game.
#bemoreb4
 

I always stay to the final whistle and to clap the players but edging towards the exit because the East Stand isn’t easy to escape from 😊
I have a train to catch and if there’s lots of extra time this can get a bit tricky. Fine if I’m in good shape because I can jog but I could well imagine many need more time.

I’d been to my mums funeral in the morning and came back to watch the game.
She was a rams fan as well and would have been going loopy watching us demolish the gumps. 

What can go wrong? She gets murdered by a far right extremist inspired by continual racist memes?

I don’t think it was an attitude problem at all. Think he basically said he wasn’t up to our standard of training because of the low standard he’d be partaking in at Charlton. That added with a few niggles and he’s never really got going. 

I wish people would stop this snide picking on Diane Abbott. She made a gaff when she was suffering a diabetic blood-sugar problem which does mess with your thinking processes - one ,mistake - and the world has had its teeth into her ever since, going on for how many years? Think of the colossal number of gaffes from Bonzo Dog Johnson, let alone his blatant lies, yet no-one keeps taking him to task for much more serious "gaffes". The same is true for most of his many cabinet members who kept making mistakes, who continue to get away scot-free. Abbott may dress a bit oddly, but there is no excuse for continuing to do her down for one incident caused by by a health problem.

At least I'm one of the few attendees without a bald patch! 

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...

To be where we are now from where we were in this timescale , given restrictions, given we don’t have a money no object owner ,,,, it’s actually extremely good and testament to the owner ( clowes ) and the management team , the progress , spirit and culture that’s been built is fantastic 

…………….…..and they said romance was dead! 👍😁

Are you in charge? 😂
I'm going to this after all. My hubby thought it would be a nice surprise for our wedding anniversary!