FlyBritishMidland

After reflecting over night I thought we played well for the first 15-20 mins. That said, we didn’t make the most of that by troubling their goalkeeper enough. We have to capitalise on those spells in games. They got back in but I thought we edged it at half-time and just about deserved the lead. But the 2nd half, what happened? It’s normal for the team behind to come out fired up and have a good 10-15 mins. It happens in most games, everywhere. But we couldn’t get a grip and lacked someone to calm things down a bit. I’ve no idea what Wildsmith was doing for the pen. I don’t think he needs to come out that far, it’s at the far corner of the area, others are getting back and the striker has a lot to do to score. The substitutions and tactical changes worried me. They just seemed a bit chaotic. When he brought Barkhuizen and Sibley on, I expected Sibley on the left as a LWB and Barkhuizen up front but it was the other way round. Then constant moving players around. Sibley was continually moved to different positions. It reminded me of Stevenage away when we had something like 4 RWBs in the 2nd half.

It’s a very loose argument about the Brennan Johnson sale, and I mean very loose. They knew the accounting period and should have got the best deal they could by end of June. And they sold him on deadline day. It’s not even as if they sold him in the 1st week of July and could have argued it took some time finalise, do a medical, etc. And even that would be tenuous at best!! Surely the panel will see through that!!

Barnsley 1 Derby 1 FRGS Barkhuizen

I’m sure you can beat that Dave 😂.

That’s right 👍. Completely forgot about that.

I remember Ian Hall saying in one game the Graham Poll thinks he’s the best referee in England when he isn’t even the best referee in Tring!!

I still say “I’ve taped it” or “I’m taping it”!!

You’re right there. We were in a mess and took a different approach compliant with accounting rules. The problem is that that approach isn’t custom and practice in the football world, hence the EFL updating their processes. A strong regulator should have done 1 of 2 things. They should either have told us we can’t do that, it gives us an advantage and we must do what the other 71 clubs do and changed their processes straight away. Or, they should have that that’s OK but not for that first year we did it. That way they could have made it clear that that is an option to other clubs from the following year. Either way makes it transparent with a level playing field. They did neither and let rumble on, to our cost.

I think you’ll find a certain Mr Clough had something to say about it. Along the lines of you can win a cup with luck, but the league goes to the best over the season. Are you seriously trying to say that only 1 team finished where they deserved last season??

Who says there is one? Anyway, I reckon the DCFC admin are watching the weather forecast to seen when they can unveil him with the headline “The forecast is for Gayle’s in Derby”.

The restrictions of the BP are in place for the rest of this season. I think he wasn’t anticipating we would need to make any further signings this season but now that we do we need to comply with the BP. He did say they had to agree the Nyambe deal with the EFL, which was a similar situation. Otherwise, when it comes to the next window we can operate the same as any other club. That’s my take on it anyway.

He’d do a job in the last 1/3 of the season. He could come in, play 10-12 games and maybe get around 5 goals, give or take. Couple of things I picked up on Warne’s interview. He said we’d been working with the EFL on the deal ahead of submitting it on Friday. Given our new improved relationship with them, I’d like to think we’ve put something together that meets their criteria and this gets done early next week. He also said Waggy’s fit enough to play 20mins, another week of training and he could be on the bench next week 🤞.

I think this was a win and type of performance you need to get out of this division. I’ve enjoyed the last 2 games, both professional performances. 13 points out of 15 since Reading, opened a gap on 3rd and applied a bit of pressure. What’s not to be happy about?

So we are 2nd on luck after about 2/3 of the season? Luck wins cups where you have be good on a one off. Luck doesn’t get teams at the top end of the table.

That’s pretty much how I saw it. Bradley had his best game in a Rams shirt, I wonder if being captain gave him more confidence? I think Warne picked the best starting 11 he could given he’d lost Collins on Wednesday and being a bit careful with others coming back. I also thought his subs were spot on. Smith allowed Bird more freedom and a bit more positivity on the right with moving Wilson there. I think if we want Sibley to play in a more attacking role, he’s best as an impact sub and it worked today. Full credit to Warne, I’ve been critical of his use of subs in the past, but not today. I’m sorry but I really don’t get this place sometimes. We’ve taken 6 points this week and opened a gap on 3rd and 4th. They have games in hand but they’re under pressure to win them and it this stage of the season I’d rather have the points. We win 3-0 on Tuesday and we didn’t deserve as we only had 30% possession. We win today and we only had 2 shots on target. They were organised at the back and did OK at nullifying us and we lost our focal point up front in the week. I despair!!

He looks someone arrives at East Mids airport dressed like that for 2 weeks in Tenerife. In February. Then you’re sat next to him on the plane. You get there to find he’s in the same hotel. And hunts you out at every opportunity. And, in his opinion, your families got on so well he insists on swapping phone numbers and meeting up when you’re back home.

And maybe BT’s sources has said he’s fine but go and put it out there that he’s done for the season. All mind games 🤞.

Derby 3 Stevenage 1 FRGS Barkhuizen

My point was, we weren’t just looking at Sheffield and we did think we had a striker over the line until the last hour or so.

You need to listen to the interview with SP. He said there were 3 targets, 2 in the PL and 1 in the Championship. The players in the PL started getting games. A deal was done for the 1 in the Championship and all the paperwork was sorted. Then his club changed their mind at something like 9:30.

They did indeed. There’s also been Alan Curbishley and Steve Gritt at Charlton and Coventry won the cup with John Sillett and George Curtis as joint managers. Even our own Roy McFarland any Colin Todd had a spell together at Bolton as joint managers.

And yet we did win. And then you say xG adds nothing. I’m with @Caerphilly Ram, why are people looking for reasons as to why we shouldn’t have won? Totally baffled!!

Professional performance last night away to a team in form. 3 excellent goals, all well taken. I agree with Bird being MoM but it could easily been a few others. I think Adam’s has been key to an improved Bird. He’s been that reliable rock in front of the back 3/4 allowing Bird to focus on being further forward in the role Warne wants him to play. Fornah was signed for the same role but it hasn’t quite worked. Hopefully he’s watching and learning from Adam’s.

Well I suspect they’ve had a discussion about how they want to work together. And it wouldn’t be unreasonable for SP to say he doesn’t like being micro-manage and wants freedom to do his job. Within specified limits, obviously.

Get where you’re coming from. With DC’s comment about him being allowed to do his job it may infer that MM didn’t allow him to and interfered. And he’d really like to say what it was like, but can’t. Which is a shame cos that might be interesting!!