Alty_Ram

23 minutes ago, ap04 said:

Since when is 'on target' a good measure of how close the attempt is to a goal? The bulk of these are comfortable saves and not a threat at all, whereas more than half of near moments are narrow misses not covered by the keeper. In fact yesterday all of the big chances for either side other than the goal were off target ones.

If it's not on target then it's not going in? A miserably hit off-target shot isn't going in and a well hit off-target shot isn't going in. An on-target shot might go in. So the difference between us an them was that they had a shot on target and it went in.

10 minutes ago, ap04 said:

What on earth were people expecting?

Maybe the odd shot on target over 90 minutes for a start? Quote whatever metrics you like but no shots on target is piss poor in any game and fans actually notice that sort of metric.

It was decent ? Really ? Most people are of the opinion that it was a poor performance with a poor result, giving the ball away cheaply and most players having a collective off day. Warne was correct on with his assessment IMHO. "We weren't aggressive enough, didn't win enough second balls and sometimes you lose matches because the simple basics aren't good enough." . A bad day at the office then. I'd agree with that.

I don't however believe that we have suddenly become a bad side and we need to (and can) get back on track. We are challenged by injuries at the moment but we are better than we showed and I want and expect us to raise our levels for the next one. That was poor though and I see no need to pretend otherwise. I'll be there Saturday as usual and they'll have my full backing as usual and being critical of a particular performance doesn't change that.

It's obviously pretty much impossible to put the perfect performance in week after week but by any reckoning, that was an utterly dismal showing for which there can be no excuses. We didn't look average, we looked worse than that.

18 games left and this is not the time to stutter or we'll leave ourselves too much to do chasing teams that win most weeks (assuming that we are hoping for automatics). We need a big response on Saturday and go on another run. These are winnable games and we absolutely have to be better than that pathetic effort. We are fast closing in on the business end of the season and a bad run now can quickly pull the rug from under you.

Deep breath, we go again, but 3 points is probably a must on Saturday. Lose or draw that and this starts to look like a traditional Derby stumble so dust yourselves down and get back on track lads.

6 hours ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

Surprising to see the form of Reading. I expected to see defeat after defeat. They actually have somd decent results, including a 5-1 against Carlisle and 2-2 draw with Peterborough.

This won't be easy by any stretch

I agree. This isn't time for anything less than our best. This lot have actually only scored 9 less than League leaders Portsmouth so we need to be right on it. Hopefully we can score early and general discontent amongst the home fans will do the rest.

Does anyone know the Charlton songs that he refers to in his goodbye message ?

7 minutes ago, Scott129 said:

Don't agree with the comments that Burton deserved a point. They had two chances in the entire game (both of which were gifts from us)....

Agree with this. "Could have got a draw" and "Deserved a draw" are two very different things. Stats don't always tell the full story but Burton really offered absolutely nothing for 45 mins and the balance of chances and possession was pretty emphatic.

We certainly lost the plot for a bit but it wasn't a reflection of the match as a whole which should have been much more comfortable. I'm not bigging up the performance as a whole because it was very flawed but we did more than enough to have had a comfortable night. The main lesson was that we have to be better at managing the game and not invite teams back into a game.

27 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

Forest will still stay up even with a 10-point deduction as they have a decent PL manager now.

And the bottom three are crap.

I agree unfortunately, I think that they look to have a bit more resilience about them with the new manager so I don't think 10 points would be enough to send them down. I still think it'll be between the current bottom 3 and possibly Brentford who are on a shocking run. Not sure what the Everton situation will be.

Noticeable that Warne made a point of mentioning the pitch in his post match interview - didn't seem particularly impressed with it. He said something like "we have to go again on Monday on that pitch/surface" and I'm pretty sure he didn't just mean at home.

1 hour ago, Stive Pesley said:

This is certainly a good point to reflect on

Of those people who clearly have a problem with female pundits based on their gender - how many of you have had actual death threats for simply doing your job? 

 

*Caveat - this is in no way aimed at folk on here who are just not keen on certain female presenters/pundits*

I think what is slightly disturbing is the sheer intensity of the reaction that you get from a very small minority of men. If I hear a male pundit whose assessment I strongly disagree with, I just roll my eyes and say "Nah, b***ocks" and if its so annoying that I really can't listen to any more then I might switch over until they've gone away and think "What a c***womble". What I don't do is stalk and repeatedly harass them on social media with the most disgusting and distressing threats. These guys seem to reserve that sort of fanatical vitriolic abuse for women and frankly it must be terrifying to be on the receiving end of because you are never completely sure whether it is just some saddo shooting their mouth off from behind the anonymity of their PC, or some absolute fruitloop who is going to turn up at your workplace with a shovel in the boot of their car 😞... all because you are a woman and you thought a goal should have stood.

Well that was all rather underwhelming. It'd have been nice to win the competition and while I'm really not really overly bothered at getting knocked out of this tournament and avoiding the extra games in what could be a big season for us, given the reasonably respectable side that we sent out you'd have expected it to give a better account of itself than that. Several fringe players totally failed to make any case for themselves and several first teamers below par.

Shrug. 'Concentrating on the league' time... again. As long as we are back on track next league game then I suppose that's all that really matters.

1 hour ago, YorkshireRam said:

Genuine question then: do you think stature as an ex-professional player is a more important qualification for the role of pundit, than being able to speak eloquently about football? 

Just wondering why the people providing commentary and analysis need to be ''relevant''? I'd much rather hear a complete nobody provide tactical insight where I learn something, than I would watch someone clumsily stumble through cliches, who's only there because they used to be a pro...

I think this is an interesting point. There are many top ex pros (including ex Derby Managers) who have all the relevant experience on paper but their contributions as a pundit are just a string of "ehhhmm's", "Like I says", "at the end of the days" and other assorted cliches and little or nothing that a fan at the game couldn't have told you. There are others (in my opinion) like Martin Keown who always seem to speak eloquently and knowledgeably - whether you agree with his analysis is another issue of course.

Just my personal take on things but here goes..

IMHO, TV shows of this nature need an engaging host who can hold the whole programme together and draw useful info and insight from whatever experts are there. Whether you think MoTD has that host is a whole other question, but the presenters ability to hold the show together and head off rambling answers or bizarre rantings is the reason why you have a presenter who needn't be a former professional male footballer. Their maleness is neither going to get me to watch it nor to avoid it, I'd just ask are they any good in the presenter role and if they are then I'll watch it. It's like the chat show host role in many ways.

Likewise, commentators largely just describe what they are seeing and provide stats and discuss what options there may be from the bench, much as we do as fans when we discuss key phases of a game. We don't need to be former pros to see when a team has gone on the defensive and is inviting pressure or run out of steam, or whether a team has switched formation due to the latest substitutions. That just needs good knowledge of the teams so you can see that a forward has been withdrawn and an extra defender has come on or whatever. Once again, I'm not overly bothered whether that is a male or female voice but on a very minor and very specific point I have very occasionally observed that at really noisy games where the commentators are embedded with the crowd, that I can sometime hear male commentators more clearly than their female counterparts but that is as likely to be my hearing range as anything else.

The only real role where ex or current pro footballers seem to be relevant to me is as a pundit. Their insight into what might be happening psychologically or tactically or some insight into the nature of the half time team talk might be useful. Based on Sky Sports shows, they are however just as likely to talk out their backsides and pointlessly squabble and contradict each other as offer much useful insight.

In terms of male vs female pundits I'd just want to hear from someone with some relevant insight. If their experience was in the male game from 30 years ago when it was OK for a manager to hurl coffee cups at people then that perhaps may not always have quite the relevant insight that you'd hope for. Likewise, if a female ex pro pundit has never played in front of more than a few thousand fans at most then their take on big game pressures might be less relevant. The women's game is growing though, their top pros are playing in front of bigger crowds, particularly in international tournaments and that is relevant experience in my book.

Whether the balance is right yet, I couldn't really say, but the basic principle is not one that I have an issue with.

Ouch 😞 That could be a long one. Presumably lots of ligament damage.

On 07/01/2024 at 08:13, G STAR RAM said:

The guy is a knob, always has been, but I think there will be an awful lot of fans out there who agree with his point.

If anyone can seriously tell me that all of these women are there for their knowledge of the mens game then I'm afraid you're just kidding yourselves.

Football has become one massive box ticking exercise over the last 5/10 years whether you like to admit it or not.

My chief issue with his rantings are that apparently, being a man makes you understand the men's game better than being a woman. Based on the widely accepted MCHI (Mean Chest Hair Index) a barely professional non-league player who has never played in front of a crowd bigger than the queue at the chippy is (according to Barton) better qualified to talk about top flight men's football football and pressures that come with situations than a woman who has played in front of 80,000 crowds in major tournament finals and all the additional pressure and psychology that goes with that situation. Actually, by Barton's logic, some bloke called Dave who works on the burger van outside the ground knows better than said highly decorated women's international.

The thing is also that his original comment was "Any man who listens to Women commentary or co-comms needs their heads testing…". So he's not even just talking about the supposedly 'expert' technical punditry with detailed analysis of the key events, no, he is seemingly objecting to the idea that women in media are anywhere near the men's game at all in any capacity. In light of this revelation by Mr Barton, perhaps someone could write to DCFC and ask for a discount for our female fans as bless them, they are clearly not properly appreciating what they are watching as their MCHI count is too low and they are probably just thinking about makeup tutorials and what to make for tea for the man in their life and trying to remember where they put his slippers because they are such a silly little scatter brain.

As for his comment about keeping women out of roles in football in case there is some inappropriate interaction. Why does that apply to footballers and not men and women in other workplaces then Joey ? Oh that's right, footballers are special and aren't responsible for their own actions and can't help themselves. Perhaps I should have a word with my bosses and demand that they keep women out of my department in case any of them are overwhelmed with desire on account of me being so attractive and all ? I'm a line manager don't you know !

Just have a bad feeling about this one for some reason - New manager, soggy ground, tight stadium, some players looking like they need a rest

1-0 no RFGS

I don't have an issue with wealthy owners being able to invest in a club's future (how that is administered is a whole other issue of course..) but I think what has always bugged me about this whole mechanism is the 'whiter-than-white', 'holier-than-thou', 'butter wouldn't melt' attitude of quite a lot of the fans of these clubs (it's not just this lot) who were quick to call us cheats because of the money that was being chucked around under Morris, but that somehow these teams are the good guys, some saintly protectors of the game who are always 'playing by the rules' and 'just want a level playing field' or whatever other justification they want kid themselves with. The idea that they are living within their means as clubs is just utter nonsense. They are totally gaming the system but are just better at it and better resourced than Morris was.

The only real difference between these teams and us under Morris is that their owners haven't run out patience or money yet. They are one chairman's hissy fit away from being left high and dry though. Maybe, just maybe they'll walk away and leave these clubs with draw-down funds to shield them against the worst... or maybe they'll wind the window of their Bentley down and stick a middle finger in the air and drive into the sunset. These teams are literally doing the same thing as us but their chairmen haven't found something more interesting to do yet. You are all of you potentially 'Nasty Cheaty Derby 2.0' but the planets haven't quite aligned yet.

"But the owners are local and the care about the club so it's all fine.." maybe.. The Oystons were local business folk when they bought Blackpool..

I have to admit that I'm really not a fan of the song and I don't sing it as it always feels a bit cringey. To my ears it's always sounded a bit 'Wannabe Cockney' and honestly, I'd be more than happy if we ditched it. Not sure you'll get any kind of consensus on what to change it to though but that's the nature of people eh !

11 hours ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

It's a bit dull.....company that doesn't do anything now is disolved.

I expected a bit more from our beloved friend, how does this send the chilling message to the football world that the sinister tentacles of Derby County are still active in spreading their dastardly influence upon the pure and virtuous world of football finances?

Meanwhile, in other breaking news, some small insignificant meteorites that are not in our solar system, didn't hit the earth.

It was a pretty good time to play Newcastle as they seem to be in a bit of ropey form but even so, that's a really good result and honestly I sadly, I think they'll be fine, but then again, I felt that with the new manager or old. I just think there are worse teams. For me its still Sheff Utd, Burnley and one other. Everton will probably climb clear despite deduction so probably between Luton, Forest, Palace and Brentford and even Fulham. Forest just haver to be better than one of that lot and I think they'll do that reasonably comfortably.

For all that he was a massive figure and someone to rally round in our darkest hours, as soon as he goes to Birmingham and their gloating tossers for fans, that's it for me, I hope his managerial career is an unmitigated disaster. Some may think that's unfair and 'just football' but I'm not fussed.. screw him and screw them.

1 hour ago, Old Spalding Ram said:

Pinched from the Lincoln forum……..Barney Imp.

 “Not the result that we might have perhaps hoped for but one that was perhaps expected, especially against a club that is spending fantasy money as if they were still in the top flight.”

…………………….(insert your own expletive here) 👍🐏

Absolutely priceless ! Sheesh, I'll have what he's been smoking! Where do they get this b******* from ?! Spending fantasy money as if we were still in the top flight ?! Ahahaha haha hahhahaaah hhahahahaha..

There are some spectacularly ill-informed opposition fans who like to pretend to speak with authority about our past and present financial situation and they are often so far wide of the mark it's embarrassing. Same as those Wycombe clowns last week channelling the brummie morons with their "Were all having a party when Derby County dies" nonsense. I don't think someone has been keeping up with current events. Since the takeover we haven't exactly been able to spend much but we literally could not be in safer hands thanks to DC. They'll be having a long wait for their party.

1 hour ago, Red_Dawn said:

Feel like pure shyte just want Cooper back

Seems like a bit of odd one to me. It's not like he's got some marquee manager signing lined up - it's a bit 'meh'. Who knows, might work. It's amazing how players suddenly, mysteriously become competent when there's a new boss in place.

As I said, your current form is very poor but surely you have enough to see off the bottom 3 and Palace look to be in trouble and others like Wolves and Brentford could be in the mix. Everton always looked likely to pull away.

Makes you wonder what the greek fellas plans are in Jan. Chuck a load of money around or does he just believe that someone (anyone) will do a better job than Cooper with what he's got ?

Forest fans seem to think this is all done and good sources back that up. Well, there you go then. They are on a bad run but the teams below are absolute gash. Surely they could stay ahead of that lot. Owner might want the new guy in place before the transfer window in order to hang him with his own team come the summer though.

31 minutes ago, Crewton said:

The goal came from the exact scenario that you're decrying . We won the ball back from a desperate clearance after a spell of pressure, a few yards outside their area. JJ shaped to shoot but instead fed NML on the right. He took on the FB, crossed hard and low, keeper pushed the ball out and Barkhuizen picked up the rebound.

I didn't count the shots we had blocked yesterday, but there was a few. I think when teams crowd the penalty area, going wide is a natural alternative. As another poster has pointed out, our problem yesterday was that although some dangerous crosses went in, on too many occasions no-one was gambling because we lack players with that talent/instinct.

Eventually you will inevitably create a chance or two however predictable your are as players tire or whatever. It was hardly creating anything in the way of chances. It just felt very predictable to me and I thought they looked comfortable against it.

As an entertainment spectacle it was a bit of a shocker. The official stats quote two shots on target for us and one for them in 90 minutes - a thrill a minute half hour between attempts on target. If we'd held on for all 3 points then probably recollections of that non event of a game would probably be a little less harsh but the background murmur factor was very high for long periods and reflected the lack of skill and entertainment on show.

I'm still baffled at the amount of times that we get the ball at the edge of the area and go out wide with it. We almost never seem to just have a dip. With a team defending deep the keeper can be unsighted or there may be a deflection and at the very least, stinging the keepers hands lifts the crowd but every time we went wide and knocked a cross in it was dealt with pretty comfortably by their fairly large defence.

The goal was out of nothing really and seemed to surprise everyone but the rest was utterly forgettable.