48 hours

The comeback is on...
 
 

Losing 4-2..

Bart and Sonny both playing - better than expected! 

Tonight's Team 
Harry Evans
Kwaku Oduroh
Harrison Solomon
Daniel Cox
Will Grewal-Pollard
Daniel Robinson
Ola Ibrahim
Kido Taylor-Hart
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Billy Vigar 
Bartosz Cybulski

It was good to see a female referee at tonight’s game. About time. 

Probably the best ref at pride park this season I reckon. Not an expert but just saying. 

Compare that to some of the other ref's we've had this season who have struggled to get 2 right decisions. Port Vale at home probably top of the pile. I agree she was good. She's off to the women's WC so must be doing the right thing.

Ref had a good game. Always up with play, used her cards and imposed authority. 

The sexist pigs would say she’ll have big decisions later on, ironing or washing the pots.  I think that’s a disgusting attitude myself, and will be keeping an eye out for any derogatory comments.

Lady refs are the way forward. So much toxicity with men. Not once have they acted like idiots this evening, ganging up or haranguing the official.  I approve.  Amazingly.  Groundbreaking stuff.  

To quote Vulcan Ram, it was “job done”. The difference between the two teams was clear as day. For the first half Cheltenham were kids being kept indoors by their mum and dad, and occasionally being allowed a few minutes out in the yard to play! We had good control of the game, and their occasional runs out into our half produced nothing, and it took them 52 minutes to have an attempt at an attempt in goal. But it was a load of yards high and wide!
In reality we should have taken Cheltenham to the cleaners, but we got the win, which is the important thing. In part we were probably still smarting from the Barnsley result, but for me the reason we made hard work of the job is because we have reverted to Paul Warne’s preference for a more direct style of play - not hoofball, but definitely more plain and direct. And it has coincided with our drop in form. Funny, that! A further fact is something my son spotted - we benefit when Cashin brings the ball out of defence towards the halfway line and then picks his pass. But teams have started putting two or three players in front of him, forcing him to go long straight away, so perhaps we need to address that one.
the goals last night came when we played football instead of bootball, with great play in the build up to both of them.  McGoldrick’s superb touch to set Dobbin up was a beauty, and he hit his shot for his goal so powerfully that the defender trying to block it on the line ended up in the net. He’ll have a big red welt on his thigh this morning! When Sibley and Springett cane on we started to get the ball down and play proper football and we looked hugely better for it.
The ref did well, but let a lot of really aggressive challenges go, and may have forgotten to bring her red card for that foul on Dobbin, and maybe for an earlier foul as well. Which makes the yellow card for Sibley very harsh. He has cleaned his game up considerably, and has also improved his ability to hold on to the ball. She was also a bit out on her stopping the play for injuries, but on the whole her “no messing” approach was good.
So, on to the next one. And it’s “more football please, Paul” from me.

I wasn't there last night because of this, My bus service has cut out 12 bus stops and a 1.5 mile hike to the nearest bus stop, All those going to work and sundries in Derby are fighting to even get a taxi even if they take up the challenge of trying to get over Goodsmoor bridge which is a 1 lane traffic Railway bridge with traffic lights.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/major-road-disruption-after-sinfin-8191530
So it could be a loooooong walk come Saturday to PP ?
 

Spot  on. There’s too many league one teams in this division

Decent crowd in the end, despite the ground looking very empty half an hour before kick off. Second biggest crowd of the night (25k Bristol City v City the best) and better than Leicester and Stoke (12k for a fifth round FAC tie against premiership opposition!). I drive back through Stoke, so was pleased to have a quiet run home.

Springett and Sibley were fine too. 
I like Springett's cameos - he's lively, harries the opposition, wants to take people on. 

Love that ballboy - he's Wildsmith's little helper. Their antics in achieving the slowest possible ball retrieval when we're winning often earn a round of applause at our end of the ground. 
So, doubly delightful to see him geeing up the Cheltenham goalie. You can't kid a kidder! 

Nice chat, seems humble and likeable, recognises he has areas to improve and is keen to do well. Like what he had to say about McGoldrick’s influence too. Feel he should keep his place on Saturday. 

How did Bolton get on?

Tonight now, of course. Not sure how many players we have left to make up a team? Will Rooney get a run out? That young man seriously needs some competitive game time.

Have to agree with that,I love watching the team as a whole bit you just know when McG or Mendez get the ball in the box,you will get to see some special football occur.
Mcgoldricks insight and awareness of those around him,which allows him to create a pass or shot that mere mortals wouldn't have seen coming is one of the reasons I love football.
Incidentally,David's reply helps me understand his viewpoint on a few topics,especially those regarding our current and previous strikers.

Honestly? None.
Hear me out, I love this team that we managed to scrape together and somehow make it work without too many teething problems.
I just don't get that, "looking forward to seeing" feeling for any individual though, I mean no disrespect as they are all likeable players, I never have that thank god they are not in the team feeling for any individual either.
For me, I look forward to seeing them all play as a team, remembering where we were last summer and how all these lads have come together to gel, giving us a real chance of bouncing straight back up.

Pretty fond of most of the current side, which has not been the case for a decade now. Young Cashin bossing things at the back, ably assisted by old man Fozzy who is as Derby as it's humanly possible to be; the Rolls Royce that is Max Bird and the seemingly boundless energy of Jason Knight; the way NML and Dobbin absolutely skin their FBs, it's all pretty good to watch. But Didzy, well he's just different gravy. Not sure what his contract status looks like, but we need to be locking him in for at least another 12 months as soon as we possibly can. 

Cashin. 
I think we’ve all become a bit expectant of him but he’s rated as the leagues best defender, even best player on some statistical sites. 
21 years old. First full season. Black football boots. He’s going to be some player if he continues improving. 

Enjoying Thompson’s cameo, lovely bit of tracking back and tackling then. Shortly after coming on he played a great cross field pass to Springett and recovered/protected the ball with some tidy footwork 

Just read Bolton are losing