Collo_DCFC11

Number 6 is a very mis-informed point. His Rotherham sides that have been previously promoted have frequently pumped teams 3,4 and 5 and been the highest scoring teams in the league.

There is a bit of a myth in football nowadays that pretty and exciting football is passing around the back and having a million touches before the ball goes into the net. I would much rather watch my side get the ball forward quickly, be more direct and play more aggressive football. I would enjoy my Saturday evening pints after watching us score lots of goals in that manner whether people find this 'attractive' or not.

I think a lot of fans are mis-diagnosing last season as Warneball when we quite frankly, didn't have the tools to do it and he said on a number on occasions that he wasn't happy with how we were playing and it isn't what we wants to see from his side.

Judge him from this season and quote me if you want. We will get promoted this year and we will score lots of goals.

Genuinely baffles me some of the stuff I read on here and on Twitter. For what it's worth, to answer the question, I think we have obviously got a bigger budget than last season and so far I believe Warne has spent it very, very well. We are not be spending huge fees on players or making glamour signings but we are building a seriously formidable TEAM and squad at this level with the right characters, some quality and players that will fit our system.

Bradley and Nelson are incredible signings at this level. Big, strong, mobile (Nelson, not Bradley as much) a threat from set pieces and the physical, ugly men that Warne alluded to in the off season. Ward and Elder are arguably the two best full backs/wing backs in the league and add quality and a real attacking intent to our back line. I predict the pair of them will provide a hatful of assists.

Wilson I haven't seen as much of but everything I have read and seen, I believe it is somewhat of a coup and could turn out to be a very shrewd signing under the radar. Washington I feel is our most underrated signing of the window and one I can't believe our fans are baulking at signing. Stats can be so deceiving sometimes and just because he doesn't score 30 a season, he is 'underwhelming'. I have seen him play on a large number of occasions and always liked what I have seen. As Warne has alluded to, he runs in behind and stretches play (can't remember the last striker we've had that does this), presses tirelessly and will bring more goals out of the rest of the team; I feel he will really complement what we've got and end up as an unexpected fan's favourite.

Digressing slightly but it also makes me laugh how people think we should be signing May, Nombe and Smith etc. because someone on Twitter says they have had a good season, despite 90% of our fanbase probably having only seen them play once or twice. Has it ever occured to us that Warne doesn't want them? Also keep seeing Clarke-Harris linked; although I think our budget is bigger, I do not think we are going to shell out the 2-3 million pounds that it would take to land him; plus, in my opinion, he isn't all that anyway. Scores a lot of goals granted but feel he is a very limited flat track bully and we could do better for less money (I for one would like us to get Godden, if it is realistic - would be a very good signing).

A very long winded way of saying I think we do have a decent budget, are currently spending it very well and Warne is building a very, very good squad with a few more to come, whilst also not spunking money on rubbish and thinking about the club's long term future.

2 hours ago, DavesaRam said:

Here’s a curved ball - what do you think of Dan Butterworth, who was with Port Vale last season, and is apparently without a club at the moment? I remember him buzzing around causing us a lot of trouble when we played at theirs.

My Mum's fella is a Vale fan and I go to games with him when I can and I can assure you that spell against us (which I agree he looked busy and dangerous) was very much a one-off. Nowhere near good enough from what I have seen of him and heard from other Vale fans and actually struggled to get in their team for the majority of the season. Busy and willing but no real goal threat or quality.

44 minutes ago, Srg said:

How on earth do you know?

Warne knows these players, he works with them almost daily. More than you or I ever will. Maybe, just maybe, and hear me out here... he might have an idea of the type of things to say which could motivate a player that he knows.

Obviously, you maybe completely right, but 20 odd goals says the complete opposite.

Spot on. I happened to have interviewed Warne a few times when I worked in the Apprenticeship sector, when he was still Rotherham manager and he was doing various higher level courses on Leadership & Management and Psychology etc. He is big in to his psychology, motivation and leadership techniques and is a very intelligent man and I am 100% confident that everything he says to his players and to the media etc. is said for a reason and because he understands his players as people and knows how to make them tick. I know most managers should have this skillset but I know for a fact that he is particularly interested in it and it is a major strength of his. I don't think anything is said carelessly or by chance.

Good defender but as with Knight, I think our fanbase hugely overrates him. I think he will be a mid-top end Championship defender and have a very decent career but that is his ceiling for me.

Pros - comfortable on the ball & great passing range, good character, tackling and last-ditch defending (although this is often caused by his cons!) and decent enough in the air.

Cons - positioning, pace, mobility, height, concentration and decision making

To answer the initial question, I think he is a decent defender, slightly out of form, as per the majority of the team but when/if we get over the blip, he will be a key player in the run-in at this level.

I have got a bit of a theory about this; his change has come since Rooney rightfully pointed out his lack of end product a few weeks back. Since then, you can tell he is almost too conscious about slowing down and thinking about what he is doing and almost not sprinting as he is over conscious about running it out of play and taking Rooney's advice - it's a weird conundrum.

To be honest, I never massively rated him at the start (it's a game of opinions) but I hugely respect his raw attributes and when playing in the raw manner he did at the start, there is definitely a place for him in the team as he terrifies defenders and drags the team up the pitch; we just have to accept that there will be no end product sometimes. On the other hand, currently, he isn't offering us anything as he has stopped doing the raw, dangerous things he did at the start and is consciously trying to make himself become something I don't think he's capable of being.

This may be the ramblings of a mad man but I know what I mean and it certainly isn't a dig - just an honest evaluation. I want to see the Festy when he first burst on to scene - frustrating but exhilerating -there is nothing stopping him trying to improve certain areas of his game, just not to the detriment of his current strengths.

Makes so much difference having a willing runner playing on the shoulder (Baldock/Stretton). We are limited in style when CKR plays whereas there is now an obvious out ball for the midfielders and it allows us to be more threatening and expansive, also creating more space for the attacking midfielders

12 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

That ball from 'sideways Bird' though ?

This is like the Bird that first came on to the scene ?? missed it!

Just seen this thread and nipped onto the website to have a look. It doesn't appear that any discount has been added - is this the same for other people? I thought the club would've sent a reminder e-mail/social media posts with further clarity/information today...

18 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

You perhaps need to pop to SpecSavers. He has lovely technique and control of the ball. He tries too much sometimes or makes the wrong decision, but he's still young in experience.

Very unnecessary. I like him and respect what he brings to the team. Just saying what I see. I agree his touch is fine. I mean more his technical ability when striking the ball and when he isn't travelling, along with his decision making in terms of passing and in the final third but I agree that will come with experience. 

Not sure why you are being overly defensive and focusing on the negative when I am just giving a balanced view and also stating positives! It's fine for people to see the game differently.

I think he is a very dangerous asset for our squad to utilise so obviously I am very happy!

26 minutes ago, duncanjwitham said:

We played much more to his strengths tonight and he looked loads better. He had people getting close to him, and players running off him, instead of passing the ball to him under pressure and then everyone hiding like we normally seem to.

This in a nutshell ? said similar for months.

5 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I can only assume you're referring to his passing range and end product? Try focusing on a players strengths and nor his weaknesses... his strength is is strength. 

Someone in another thread a month ago said he'd get bullied by lower league footballers, we certainly didn't see that tonight. 

I am not focused on anything, that's why I have given a balanced view of what I think he brings to the team - both strengths and weaknesses. Apologies if I didn't put the point across properly.

Just replied to @Andicissomething similar to clarify - ' Not trying to be overly critical as I respect what he brings to the team; just saying what I see. He looks extremely awkward when he has the ball and isn't running with it (if that makes sense) and his technique isn't that of a natural footballer.

But like I said, his pace is frightening and it is nice to see a Derby player that can beat a man for a change; I think he will be a good asset for us and be a very dangerous tool for Rooney to use. We have enough cultured footballers with lots of technical ability so will be a nice balance to have some raw. direct pace!'

8 minutes ago, Andicis said:

Not sure I agree it is awful, could certainly be improved but at youth levels it was always pretty good, and he has been pretty threatening for the first team with some good decision making. Slightly lax end product so far, but that is to be expected. 

Not trying to be overly critical as I respect what he brings to the team; just saying what I see. He looks extremely awkward when he has the ball and isn't running with it (if that makes sense) and his technique isn't that of a natural footballer.

But like I said, his pace is frightening and it is nice to see a Derby player that can beat a man for a change; I think he will be a good asset for us and be a very dangerous tool for Rooney to use. We have enough cultured footballers with lots of technical ability so will be a nice balance to have some raw. direct pace!

5 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Don't post a lot? Fantastic second post, mate. Very good summation.

Thanks mate. Follow the forum all the time and will start posting more rather than just nosing!

Don't post a lot but plenty of positives tonight for me.

Seen a few criticisms of Stretton, whereas I was really impressed (weird how we all see the game differently). I thought his movement was superb, also Michael Owen-esque off the shoulder and actually allowed Watson to play them superb passes.

Unpopular opinion but I am not CKR's biggest fan (although I admit he serves a purpose for us the way things stand) and I think Stretton is a genuine serious option for us as he allows us to play a different, more expansive way. For example, Watson wouldn't be making them passes with CKR up front as there would be no-one making the runs. That being said, I thought Stretton looked understandably rusty in terms of his touch and reactions but that will come with games and not something I am concerned about.

Thought Watson and Sibley were standout tonight. Watson got a lot of the plaudits but thought Sibley was excellent again tonight and in my opinion is the most dangerous player in our squad and simply has to play. Watson is a delightfully cultured footballer. Both very good in their own rights.

Festy is a bit of an anomaly and it showed tonight. Frightening pace and direct dribbling ability but his technical ability and decision making is awful. Will still be a very good option to have and will scare teams to death because of the former.

Yes it is Salford and I am not getting carried away with a penalty win over a League Two side but that is the most I have enjoyed watching Derby play for a long time. We actually showed creativity and intent so hats off to the young lads for that and the character they showed.