archram

Wigan away…

B4 , we are after them son , we are after them ,
hope referring to B4 in the present is not upsetting ( if it is I will not do it again) but to my mind his energy is still with us and all around this forum , derby county and us derby fans lucky enough to have been touched by him 

The rams are doing B4 proud. I received a pleasant surprise yesterday at my family’s get  together, my great aunt knew the family and was at the funeral I had no idea B4 was so connected. I feel more optimistic every time all things Rams are mentioned and realised I was becoming a little cynical so in B4 spirit! Let’s keep up this form and shadow step past the rocky infamous February and go full steam ahead. We’re coming for you Pompy 🐏❤️

I'm not shore what you're on about. 😉

That is the 
Derby County we knew was in there, and have been waiting for!!! A tremendous away performance!
I can't fault anything about today's performance. Yes we should have added to the score, but the rub of the green did play it's part. So Collins didn't miss a sitter in the first half - the ball rebounded to him as he was already falling, and already on the goal line heading over it, yet he managed to get the ball onto the post, and redirect the rebound back into the area. Hourihane's miss in the second half was b because the ball fell for him to prod it home with his left foot just as he was using it to take the next step. Unlucky, not poor finishing, just fine margins!
Someone said that they wanted the substitutions earlier in the match because two or three players were "blown", and if it was to freshen those legs up I would agree. But they were typical Paul Warne late substitutions, and as such I wouldn't want them making any sooner than they were, simply because defending a 1 - 0 lead isn't our strong suite. However, Paul Warne demonstrated his mastery of tactics, because he was obviously sure that Wigan wouldn't threaten our goal, no matter how much territory we game them, Did they actually manage a shot on target all match?
The second half wasn't quite such a dominating performance, but Wigan were never likely to play the second half like the did in the first half, and they duly obliged. At least their manager dragged them up to being a really poor second best, but at least he got them on the same planet as Derby County! Unlike the ref, who made a balls up in the opening minute, and had clearly got a job on, one which he wasn't up to. Was he trying to outdo Rebecca Welch? If so, he missed a trick because Wigan should have had 6 or 7 yellow cards, instead of the 4 which they did have by half time. But we kept a lid on it - I feared for James Collins because he had a blow at the ref when he was fouled and the free kick went to Wigan, but he too kept his cool in the second half, so well done him!
I couldn't be happier - apart from a flirt with insisting on "channels and crosses" last Saturday, he has got the team playing football on the floor, and involving the midfield players in the middle of the pitch, and it works. Some of our player was good on the eye, and our pressing and physicality in the tackle was also good, so Wigan could never get their "play it out from the back" going for most of the match. 6 poinTs of first place with a game in hand? Brilliant! I know its not February yet, but the way Paul has got us playing, February doesn't matter, we'll take it in our stride!
COME ON YOU RAMS!

Daniel is Derby's Guardian Angel. Guiding us with Steve Bloomer 

Should have been easier. First half we were about as good as I've seen this season. Nyambe brilliant. Hourihane decent. Cashin outstanding.

B4’s Sisters matchday record. Played 7, Won 6, Drawn 1, Goals For 14, Goals Against 3 …………….……think someone somewhere is now definitely pulling a few strings. 👍🐑

The White Chritmas film had a running time of 120 minutes which is exactly what Paul Warne looks for in all his signings 😄

Two of the writers were named Norman, so both Franny and Archie chinned the tw*t?

Neil Warnock used 2 songs from "White Christmas" for his unfinished operatic version of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", which is based on his attempts to reach Derby during a terrible blizzard.

The lead actor was Bing Crosby who later became Nigel Clough's Asst Manager

Derby fans sometimes sing White Christmas when winning away in late October. That song was then used in the film of the same name, becoming universally well known soon after.

It's based on the music of Irving Berlins who owned his eponymous nightclub in Derby

Present from my husband 💗

Nice Article
It has gone past 10pm, Derby County have just lost to Crewe in the FA Cup and their head coach Paul Warne is in the background trying to explain to the media what happened.
Some of the players are starting to leave and nobody could have blamed Kane Wilson for wanting to slip out of the side door with them rather than face the prospect of an interview. But once he finally emerges to talk to DerbyshireLive, any fears that he is in a hurry are quickly extinguished. For the next 15 minutes, he is engaging company - as fun to talk to as it is to watch him play.
It is perhaps the reason why so many Derby fans have quickly taken to the wing-back whose brilliant cameo against Barnsley led the club's media team to post a video of his 'filthy' dribbling qualities.
"I saw that," he laughs. "But that's how it's always been for me. I like to entertain the fans, and being here and playing in front of 28 to 30,000 of them every week is a dream. There weren't that many on Tuesday night for the cup game, but you know what I mean don't you? My favourite thing to do is to try to entertain the fans. I love doing that and I kind of see that as my job.
"Obviously, you want to win games first and foremost, and the manager will always want me to do that as well. But hopefully, the way I play does help us. Playing football is what I love and I hope the fans can see that by how I play whether we win, lose or draw. I think every person in the stands as a kid would want to play for fun and that is what I do.
"But I am not oblivious to all the love from the fans. My family looks all the time and if I can build a relationship with them and take them where they want to go, then that would be beautiful."
It is certainly hard to disagree with Wilson's assessment of what he has brought to this Derby team since his move from Bristol City in the summer. Whether he has played as a wing-back, winger or a traditional full-back, the energy and drive to take players on is a natural instinct. That should come as no surprise given he played as a striker at an early age, but when he moved to West Brom they recognised his ball-carrying ability lent itself to playing in a wider role that brought with it defensive responsibilities.
He made such an impression that he was taken to Austria with the senior squad at just 16. The manager at the time, Tony Pulis, wanted him to learn the position of full-back, and at that stage it seemed that he was on course to being considered a long-term first-team prospect. But while he was on loan at Exeter City to help with his education, Pulis was sacked. Alan Pardew came in and, as is so often the case when there is a change in manager, there were ramifications to deal with.
"West Brom wanted me to be a centre-back at first because I was kind of big and I was good on the ball," he says. "But equally I was also really good at running with the ball too. They then put me into midfield until I was about 12 or 13 and then my mum and dad got pulled into the academy head office. They were told that they wanted to fast-track me into the first team at 16.
"At the time West Brom had players like Darren Fletcher, Claudio Yacob and some big midfielders but they didn't have a right back. They were like he's obviously good at dribbling, he can defend, can we put him there? I was fine with that if I could get to the first team, and a year-and-a-half later, I was on the plane to Austria at 16. Pulis told me that he wanted me to learn the position. so I was loaned out to Exeter at 17. While I was there he then got the sack.
"When I came back, everything had changed. It is pot-luck sometimes. Alan Pardew came in and I don't think he knew my name because I was out on loan. I came back in January and trained for a week but he was never going to call on me because he was fighting for his job in the Premier League. I then went back out on loan again because I don't like coasting. If I hadn't, I would have been in the stands."
Spells at Walsall and Tranmere followed before Wilson eventually left on a permanent move to Forest Green Rovers. There he would become an integral figure under Rob Edwards, now managing Luton in the Premier League, as they won promotion playing what WIlson describes as "total football".
He was voted League Two player of the year and made the team of the year too. It was enough to tempt Bristol City to move for him last summer when he signed a three-year deal. But he never made one start in the league at Ashton Gate, not helped by a knee problem that kept him out for several months. Wilson has no problems about his departure from City and instead feels that Derby may be the team to reap the benefits of his exit.
"Bristol City was a good club," says Wilson. "I had no problems with them. I basically joined with the intention of playing and being a right back in the Championship. But I got unlucky with a cartilage injury, which kept me on the sidelines for like three or four months. When I came back from injury and to be fair to the other lads, they had taken their chance. I fell down the pecking order and didn't even start a league game. I never had a chance and I just think it was just timing really.
"I was unlucky with the injury and for one reason or another Nigel Pearson just didn't take a fancy but that's football. Managers have to make a decision. They can't have three or four right-backs at one club. My face didn't really fit the picture and then they told me I could leave. When I joined them I was going there to be the number one right-back. I had just won player of the season in League Two and I just thought everything was rosy. In my head, I was looking at taking Bristol City to the Premier League.
"But I never want to sit around and not play so I really tried to push for Derby where they can hopefully be the beneficiaries. For me it's beautiful. I am back at home and the goal is to be with Derby in the Championship and then the Premier League. I know we are a long way off from that at the moment, but everything for me here is perfect.
"There is competition. It's a big club, it's a big squad and I really believe we can go up and the idea of being with Derby in the Championship was something I couldn't turn down. When I look around, it would be nice to be a Craig Forsyth kind of thing. He's had an unbelievable career. For me, he is the epitome. He's been here at Derby, a massive club, for 10 years. He's had his testimonial and everything. That's beautiful. He's seen the good times, the bad times. It's been a real journey. But come on, I am miles away from being the new Craig Forsyth but you have to aim for something. If I could have a career like him I would be happy."
Derby's head coach Paul Warne has lavished Wilson with praise for some of his performances this season, but he is yet to establish himself as a bona fide first-team player. You sense, however, it will not be long before he is one of the first names on the team sheet. He is a popular member of the squad and is part of a car school with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing when their music tastes can range from hip-hop to indie to house music. He accepts, however, that there are elements of his game that he needs to improve.
"The manager has been good with me," continues Wilson. "When I first joined, he was honest with me and just said you've come in later than everyone else but if you work hard, you'll get your chance. I got my head down and obviously, I'd had a year of not playing, so I wasn't match fit at all. For a few pre-season games I was blowing a little bit. He says that he sometimes falls out of love with me because sometimes I can be a bit sulky if I'm not playing.
"But he's good and always honest. And you have to bear in mind the competition here is really good. You've got Ryan Nyambe at full-back, you've got Joe Ward. If I'm playing winger, you've got Tom Barkhuizen and you've got Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. There are good players out wide and I'm probably the youngest out of all of them. I've got to kind of work double hard because I've got the experience ahead of me. I keep working hard and hopefully, I can break in there one day and be like a Derby player full-on.
"I know I need to improve the dirty side of the game, like heading, positioning and winning big tackles. But being here is honestly everything I could have dreamed of."

I know I'm new around here, but nevertheless I'd like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! And to B4's family and friends, and anyone who is missing someone special this Christmas, I hope the precious memories of your loved ones will bring you some comfort.

See you at Wigan on Boxing Day. 

Merry christmas to you as well Dawnie. The forum is more fun with you around and I hope santa brings you something nice
<maybe even get yourself a bargain>
https://www.dcfcmegastore.co.uk

Consult the B4 manual.
A. Buy them tickets for Christmas and take them with you.
B. Don’t listen to the calls and go on your own.
C. Tell them you’re just nipping to the shop and then go.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas for Monday 🎄🎅🏻🎉 Hope you are all on Santa’s nice list. Here’s hoping for a Boxing Day win ⚽️🐏

xG has many uses. You can't see it with your eyes, or hold it in your hands, but like the wind it covers our land, strong enough to rule the heart of any man.
Powerful stuff.

It seems to me, we, the crowd, are kind of judging each game as we don't yet trust them to blow teams away. As a result the atmosphere is tense rather than arrogant. I'm not blaming us fans I'm just saying the players as yet haven't got the unquestioning belief of the fans. If that happens the whole mood will change, players will relax and the better times will role. 

Bloke is the top scorer for the third placed team and has scored double the number of goals that a striker our fans were creaming over has scored this season. 
Fornah is a good young player who’s willing to try things. He’ll lose the ball because he’s trying to move it forwards. Bird has more experience and is better at this currently but losing the ball trying to progress it isn’t the worst crime in the world. Can’t have 3 Hourihanes all holding hands with the centre backs. 

For someone who 'does not have the instinct of a goalscorer' he's not doing too badly with not far short of 200 in his career so far. Jordan Rhodes is often mentioned as a 'natural goalscorer' yet has only scored 30 more having played a similar number of career games.
You've recently suggested Michael Smith or Lukas Jutkiewicz as better alternatives to Collins yet their goals per game records are significantly poorer. It's obvious you have a downer on the guy yet the stats don't appear to confirm your opinion about his goalscoring ability.