Miggins

There’s nothing to be fearful about in the Championship and I can’t believe this narrative is already being pushed.
The jump in quality really isn’t that significant, outside of the usual teams we see every year that are leaning on parachute payments to keep their squads together. Even then these teams are nothing close to infallible, especially in one off games.
A third of promoted teams from League 1 in the past five years have not only gone up and consolidated their position but they have competed at the right end of the Championship table, in some cases getting promoted or mightily close.
The teams that usually go up and find their way back to League 1 are the ones without the resources or infrastructure to hold their own.
We are only going to end up like Rotherham, Wycombe, Barnsley, Blackpool, Peterborough and others if we show a serious lack of ambition financially or there is a lack of synergy and effective strategy behind the scenes.
If Clowes, Pearce, Thomas, Hale and Warne are all working well and pulling in the same direction, why is it beyond us to build a competitive squad for the Championship, one that could finish 15-18th in year one, for instance?
No-one stands still and neither will we. Everyone resets. Teams get better. Teams get worse. Managers change. Managers improve. Managers decline.
There are so many variables at play, why would we be fearful now when we can work towards a stronger position over the summer? Such needless negativity when nothing is set in stone.
 

Nice observation Eddie. Sibs didn’t produce a champagne moment (cut in, left foot bullet top corner ) but he was aggressive, alert, positive and all in all played his heart out for the team. MOTM ? Dunno, but he he was up there and played with skill and commitment. … in playground picks based on today, we’d all want Sibs. Take a bow Louis 

I am happy to report that the Sister-in-law’s boyfriend was allowed in the house and a very agreeable post-match curry was enjoyed by all! COYR!

I like reading most of your posts, but your first paragraph today is really poor.
2 games to go and promotion in our hands and it still feels like so many of our 'supporters' have personal axes to grind.
Very sad times and I'm not sure some of our fans actually deserve the promotion that we may achieve. 

To say Adams didn't cut it at Cardiff is a bit harsh seeing as he only managed 11 games and was out for a year with some debilitating injuries.
I have no doubt the player we have seen this season could cut it in the Champo- even with a top half team.

The thing that Warne has really achieved is a colossal improvement in both our attacking and defending set pieces. 
Obviously the stats show the effectiveness off the attacking corners and free kicks - I believe we've scored more than any other of the 92 clubs.
However, I reckon the improvement in the defending from corners has been even better. For so many years, I've sat in the West Stand watching us defend set pieces with my hands over my eyes in terror. They had the same effect as Doctor Who had on six year old me. Now I'm relaxed enough to carry on a conversation. I expect us not to concede. 
I actually think that improvement is a significant reason why automatic promotion is in our hands with two games to go.

It’s in our hands, can’t ask for more 😊

full time Bolton 1-1 Portsmouth 

ATG
1Wildsmith 6.5…..had almost nothing to do so impossible to get a great score
35Nelson 7……untroubled defensively. Troubled their defence at set pieces 
5Bradley 7.5……good goals and solid in defence 
6Cashin 7……hands full with their 17 at times. Did very well 
2Wilson 7…..so much more of a threat from wingback. I’d have stuck with a back 4 and I’d have been wrong!
12Smith 7……hardly touched the ball and quite a few over hit passes but managed to have a very good game….how does that work?
23Fornah 6….very little time
32Adams 8…..destroyed as per….plus carried the ball with great energy today
10Waghorn 6…. Very little time
17Sibley 8…..my MOTM…..really good going forward and defensively. Better as a wing back but has done admirably in a 4
16 Tommo 7…..wouldn’t have picked him and I’d have been wrong. Team really benefitted from his high pressing 
4Hourihane 6….no time….but world’s best sub. Always cajoling and encouraging as he warms up.
9Collins 6.5…..great work rate and some good hold up play. Got very little off the ref
14Washington 6….just on long enough to miss a couple of decent chances! To be fair he worked very hard to get in position to miss them
11Méndez-Laing 7…..much better than of late. Great pressing and work rate
7Barkhuisen 7……with another CF, he’d have had 2 fantastic assists in no time on the pitch. Just the man for counter attacking 
PW got a lot right today. completely dominated Orient who were pretty toothless.
Thought the ref and linesmen were inept. No game changing mistakes but so many errors on throw-ins and corners, free kicks to Orient for next to no contact and then let their defenders pretty much assault Collins on occasions.
Completely failed to deal with our time-wasting and then only added on 4 mins. 😉

ATG 🐏
1Wildsmith - 6- Steady, had very little to do  
35Nelson -8- Can’t remember the last time Nelson scored less than a 7. Our Mr Dependable.   
5Bradley -8- Owed us a performance and a goal. Delivered today. MOTM. 
6Cashin -7- Steady and dependable. None of the back 3 looked troubled today. 
2Wilson -7- Always wants to rampage forward and gets the crowd going. Much more effective in a back 5. 
12Smith -7.5- Busy AF. Coming into form at just the right time for us. 
23Fornah -6- Blink and you missed his cameo. 
32Adams -8.5- The engine we’ve needed for the longest time. Blood and guts performance again. SIGN.HIM.UP.
10Waghorn -6- Got in amongst it. Nothing much else.
17Sibley -8- Loving him at wing back. Like Wilson, loves to get forward and becoming much better defensively. Didn’t even pick up his standard yellow card today. 
16 Tommo -8- Great performance and can run for days. Hustled all over the pitch.
4Hourihane -6- Calming and helped slow the game to see it out. 
9Collins -7- Runs about a lot but rarely looks a threat. 
14Washington -6- Couple of decent chances wasted. Had to be there to miss them I suppose. 
11Méndez-Laing -7- Not a striker, looks tired. Our go to guy this season. Two more W’s and NML can take a well deserved holiday.
7Barkhuisen -6- Not much time out there but great to see him back. 

I get up early!!! But I meant that I'll read the thread when I'm in bed just now!! Sleep well, fellow Rams and sweet dreams.

Brilliant result. Congratulations on a great result to all the players, staff and fans. Well done, especially to Sonny Bradley. He's had some stick on here but he did us proud today. Hopefully this result and his performance will give him lots of confidence. I'm looking forward to reading through this thread tonight as I'm tucked up in bed with happy, sleepy thoughts and a mug of cocoa. Only positive comments I'm sure !!! 🥰 Sleep well tonight, fellow fans and recharge your emotional batteries for the matches ahead.

Before others go off on tonight's matchthread tangent, I just wanted to say what an enjoyable afternoon at Pride Park. A cracking atmosphere, good football and a deserved win. 
I  had assumed Warne would revert to a back three, simply because it allows Sibley and Wilson to get forward more. I thought both were excellent,  but it was the inclusion of Thommo that made all the difference.  It gave us a midfield three with tenacity and bite. As a result, all the other parts of the team played better than midweek. Collins, especially,  looked so much better in the role today, and although Mendez-Laing's traditional wing play is sacrificed in this formation, he managed to get out wide at times, delivered good set pieces and could have had a couple of goals on the break.
Although I loved the set-piece goals, I do wish we could finish some of our chances created in open play, as it would do our confidence the world of good. 
Still, the defence was excellent,  snuffing out the few chances that Orient created, and providing the goals, too. 
It was difficult to choose a MOTM today as there are so many contenders. 
And as Warne said afterwards, no further injuries. 
Results went our way so automatic promotion is back in our hands. Play like this for the last two games and we are there! 
 

Pompey fan here, back for a brief visit.. Well done today, a convincing win for you. 
Hopefully our draw at Bolton did you a massive favour. 
Good luck lads, see you all at fratton next season 

Very relaxing afternoon all things considered !
I can’t decide whether we were very good or Orient we’re just poor. They just didn’t threaten beyond the odd corner.
We on the other hand were much quicker with the ball at our feet, fewer multiple touches and a lot more instinctive play. Wilson and Sibs looked like they were having a ball. Both of them fearless in taking their men on .. such a contrast to other matches. Sibs looked like Sibs Mark 1  from 2 years ago and hungry as anything. And he CAN tackle !
Adams and Smith ran the middle, Smith played some hugely intelligent passes when under pressure in the middle, finding an out ball to a white shirt time and again. I think Tommo’s the drive and distraction that Tommo brings was a huge help. Cracking performance. The whole team played as one. 
I wonder if this match should be called the resurrection of Sonny Bradly. ? Man mountain today, that was a ronseal “Big CB’s “ performance. It must have been me seeing Roy Mac in the pub .. I said it was a sign 😎🐏💪🏼
 
Very happy 

Thank you for the draw, the automatics are now back in our own hands.
Good luck for the rest of the season 

Well done on your win and putting things back in your own hands.  I thought we were fortunate at times today, for some reason our early goal seemed to send us in to our shell; Bolton have some decent footballers, who exploited that for the rest of the first half and we were lucky not to go in behind.  Second half a bit more even.
All the best for the run in - as I've said elsewhere I'm hoping we'll both end up in the automatic slots now; but I do think you're probably at the stage where you can't afford any slip ups in the last couple of games.
I've just poured a large glass of red. Enjoy your evenings, Rams.

Great result and warne gets to keep his job for another week 😜
thought we were faster quicker and more aggressive in our play than them.
tommo and adams were excellent… sibley and wilson who looked so bad as make shift full backs against wycombe (yep i said it roy 😉) looked much more at home with license to push on knowing they had a 3 behind them. 
 
glad we got the goals we did as despite all our very encouraging situations there was still a bit of lack of quality from open play in the final thrid, but hey.. clean sheet, 3 goals and weve got it all to lose again (lord help us 😂😂) 

Phone switched on 1640 hours…… tentatively searching the scores…. There it was 2-0. Not 1-0 total squeeky bum time but two so a little leeway then BOOOOOMMM BRADLEY!!!! It’s three and all eyes on the Toughsheet (still makes me smile) stadium. Take that there. Two twins = PROMOTION. When did we last say that! Work for another couple of hours then by golly some ale tonight when I eventually get out! 
And great fun from Page 3 - 17 catching up. Hindsight eh. Enjoy tonight Rams safely please 

Blimey.  I ain't had me tea yet!

Glad they had a Subbuteo goalkeeper 😁
Super day, erasing the memory of Wednesday.…..
and relax.

Attendance 30,247
5th highest today in all leagues and a larger crowd than at Forest.
………………………………….well done to one and all.👍🐏

Brilliant result. Congratulations on a great result to all the players, staff and fans. Well done, especially to Sonny Bradley. He's had some stick on here but he did us proud today. Hopefully this result and his performance will give him lots of confidence. I'm looking forward to reading through this thread tonight as I'm tucked up in bed with happy, sleepy thoughts and a mug of cocoa. Only positive comments I'm sure !!! 🥰 Sleep well tonight, fellow fans and recharge your emotional batteries for the matches ahead.