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Embarrassing and predictable

rammieib

By rammieib
in Derby County Forum

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rammieib

rammieib

Posted
Posted

Today was an absolute embarrassment to be a Derby fan. We've played some diabolical football recently and I only see our season getting worse. We won't go down, we won't go up, we won't be close to the play-offs, we don't have the prospect of an exciting cup draw. I see attendances falling, and simply, I question what do we want to even achieve.

Today was so frustrating and made me angry for so many reasons. We are quite possibly the most predictable club in the Championship.

1) if we go 4-5-1, we know Sammon cannot hold a ball up, wins very few flick ons, is unlikely to make surging runs for through balls and is unlikely to be in the middle of the box for potential crosses, instead coming short to try fancy 1-2's. Sammon hasn't had a shot in the last two home games. What kind of £1.2 million striker doesn't even have shots!

2) if Ward is in the wing, he will hide out there. Wait for the Ball to come to him, normally around the half way line. He will try and beat the inevitable doubling up, and sometimes lose possession, sometimes, win a throw in. He won't cross it, because Sammon has come short so no-one to aim a ball for anyway. He doesn't like Roberts going beyond him, so no overlapping full back.

3) if Ward is upfront, again, he doesn't like to make runs through the middle, doesn't believe Sammon will win a flick on, so is static. Inevitably, he drops deeper and deeper because he likes to think he is this creative spark and players are told give him the ball. However, he is too deep, and it doesn't ever lead to anything. He is only a danger when he stays upfront, works on the last defender and does try to progress forward. I.e Forest goal but that was out of nowhere

4) Coutts and Brayford will try and be a good combination and will do lots of little short passes. However, they will progress up the pitch with this but then more than likely lose the ball because Coutts thinks he is Ronaldo and can take everyone on. If they don't lose the possession, it ends up being played across the middle of the park because our ten centre midfielders are all lined up across there like a rugby team. The other way of looking a this is there is no one waiting in the middle of the box for them to cross to.

5) If Hughes, Bryson and Hendrick are fit, they will all play for sure, as Clough doesn't have the balls to leave one of them out. They don't get forward enough and are constantly lined up across the park. In the 4-5-1 formation this guarantees we can play horizontal balls all day but no real progressive threat until Hendrick will try an aggressive run forward. (which recently he has been good at to be fair)

6) Roberts will not win a single header, will get beaten a few times by his man, but otherwise will be steady without adding much.

7) Keogh will feel too much pressure to lead as O'Brien is still too inexperienced at this level with little footballing abilities. (not his fault) This has led to errors creeping into his game recently. We simply won't keep clean sheets at the moment so we need to score multiple times to win.

8) Clough will leave it way too late to make changes, will not change from this horizontal passing game and will certainly not go on the offensive.

9) Coutts will take the majority of set pieces and the crosses will be too loopy and easy to defend. Ward will take all shots now and you know he will be going for power. No creativity, nothing unique, no real quality deliveries etc (ward took some corners today which were good and Hughes took only his second free kick for the club)

10) Sam Rush will remind us once again that £50 million plus has been invested but at the same time remind us there is no money for decent signings or experience.

11) Clough will say we did ok but we have a 17 and 20 year old in centre midfield. His after match press conferences are so blatant and obvious.

Just frustrating, embarrassing and makes me question what we are trying to achieve.

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weston-super

weston-super

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Today was an absolute embarrassment to be a Derby fan. We've played some diabolical football recently and I only see our season getting worse. We won't go down, we won't go up, we won't be close to the play-offs, we don't have the prospect of an exciting cup draw. I see attendances falling, and simply, I question what do we want to even achieve.

Today was so frustrating and made me angry for so many reasons. We are quite possibly the most predictable club in the Championship.

1) if we go 4-5-1, we know Sammon cannot hold a ball up, wins very few flick ons, is unlikely to make surging runs for through balls and is unlikely to be in the middle of the box for potential crosses, instead coming short to try fancy 1-2's. Sammon hasn't had a shot in the last two home games. What kind of £1.2 million striker doesn't even have shots!

Sadly,this is a very accurate description of what we do,where we are at,and the likelihood that we won't see much change.

I think when the transfer window shuts this week a few more people will be wondering what next ?.

2) if Ward is in the wing, he will hide out there. Wait for the Ball to come to him, normally around the half way line. He will try and beat the inevitable doubling up, and sometimes lose possession, sometimes, win a throw in. He won't cross it, because Sammon has come short so no-one to aim a ball for anyway. He doesn't like Roberts going beyond him, so no overlapping full back.

3) if Ward is upfront, again, he doesn't like to make runs through the middle, doesn't believe Sammon will win a flick on, so is static. Inevitably, he drops deeper and deeper because he likes to think he is this creative spark and players are told give him the ball. However, he is too deep, and it doesn't ever lead to anything. He is only a danger when he stays upfront, works on the last defender and does try to progress forward. I.e Forest goal but that was out of nowhere

4) Coutts and Brayford will try and be a good combination and will do lots of little short passes. However, they will progress up the pitch with this but then more than likely lose the ball because Coutts thinks he is Ronaldo and can take everyone on. If they don't lose the possession, it ends up being played across the middle of the park because our ten centre midfielders are all lined up across there like a rugby team. The other way of looking a this is there is no one waiting in the middle of the box for them to cross to.

5) If Hughes, Bryson and Hendrick are fit, they will all play for sure, as Clough doesn't have the balls to leave one of them out. They don't get forward enough and are constantly lined up across the park. In the 4-5-1 formation this guarantees we can play horizontal balls all day but no real progressive threat until Hendrick will try an aggressive run forward. (which recently he has been good at to be fair)

6) Roberts will not win a single header, will get beaten a few times by his man, but otherwise will be steady without adding much.

7) Keogh will feel too much pressure to lead as O'Brien is still too inexperienced at this level with little footballing abilities. (not his fault) This has led to errors creeping into his game recently. We simply won't keep clean sheets at the moment so we need to score multiple times to win.

8) Clough will leave it way too late to make changes, will not change from this horizontal passing game and will certainly not go on the offensive.

9) Coutts will take the majority of set pieces and the crosses will be too loopy and easy to defend. Ward will take all shots now and you know he will be going for power. No creativity, nothing unique, no real quality deliveries etc (ward took some corners today which were good and Hughes took only his second free kick for the club)

10) Sam Rush will remind us once again that £50 million plus has been invested but at the same time remind us there is no money for decent signings or experience.

11) Clough will say we did ok but we have a 17 and 20 year old in centre midfield. His after match press conferences are so blatant and obvious.

Just frustrating, embarrassing and makes me question what we are trying to achieve.

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dcfc88888

dcfc88888

Posted
Posted

these aren't the droids you're looking for.

Nigel: Mr Glick, I've found some pretty decent players in the championship that I really think if we buy we could compete in the division really well.

Tom Gick: These aren't the players you're looking for.

(Does weird force thing with his hand)

Nigel: these aren't the players we're looking for.

Buys entire Burton team,

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Alph

Alph

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Posted

Can't believe I'm the one going to try and be positive. I'm miserable as fook. I hate football and Derby County!! I'm just too much of a sucker to ignore the bloody lot.

I do think however we have proved this season we can play decent football and that we can score goals at home. This is a lot more promising than the last 5/6 years of scrappy, survivalist percentage football.

The first few of your points are linked and I can't emphasise how hard you've hit the nail on the head rammieib.

Our midfield "lined up like a rugby team" is a brilliant way to describe it. The predictable patterns (or rather lack of pattern because its a flat line) is precisely why we don't create much. They tend to hold flatter and deeper away from home so as to keep things 'tight'.

Brayford and Coutts do well imo to advance forward like a two man team. Hughes (what an inspiration!) , Bryson and Hendrick are decent+ ball players. Ward can be magical on occasion. Now you explain to me why these ingredients fail so often to serve a delicious performance? Nigel has assembled these players. He's given them a big fella to work off (not that Sammon couldn't do better either). So why do we have so few bodies within 30 yards of goal? I can't understand it!

It would honestly solve so much to have some sort of pattern. It's why with designated playmakers and defensive midfielders I think you can't go wrong. Say 4231 formation. Players are forced to take up attacking positions. They wouldn't be left to make their own minds up which clearly they can't do with much success.

What I'm saying is the positives are;

The players are decent

The distances they try to keep between each other points to controlled football.

Those are great news for us. We know how we want to play (although we've looked lost lately I blame Hughes form. His influence is massive). And we have the players to play.

What drives me mad is how long it takes to put the jigsaw together when you've got most the pieces. We aren't far from a good side you know fellas? None of us know how to make it work, but we all expect a football manager to figure out the 'how'.

It's frustrating. Away from home we are lucky to get 4 decent shots in 90 mins. That is more than frustrating. We don't have as many negatives as you'd think. There are big positives if you look for them. Bryson, Hughes, Coutts, Brayford and ward. Perhaps Keogh too would get in a couple of top 6 aspiring sides.

We've actually come a long way in the first half of the season. Think back to Hendrick and Bryson chasing shadows and Derby struggling to get 50% possession every week. Or Savage blindly hitting it into channels with his fingers crossed.

Question is, how long before it clicks? Before Will Hughes decides to seek out a better challenge? Before our best players are picked off? Before we get fed up and become a Coventry/Barnsley?

Patience is virtue they say

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rammieib

rammieib

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Alpha

Good post back. The key thing for me there is the point that we don't have poor players but the inability of our manager to bring them together to just equal the sum of their parts, let alone exceed.

Hughes should be rested at the moment, any other player would be.

Just a minor note, see the quality of the Brighton second goal today, superb early delivery, two players attacking in the six yard box, why can't we at least try and be like this.

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Alph

Alph

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Alpha

Good post back. The key thing for me there is the point that we don't have poor players but the inability of our manager to bring them together to just equal the sum of their parts, let alone exceed.

Hughes should be rested at the moment, any other player would be.

Just a minor note, see the quality of the Brighton second goal today, superb early delivery, two players attacking in the six yard box, why can't we at least try and be like this.

Two players in the box in open play? Well, I never thought it possible!

He's always favoured the 'safer' approach. If I was him I couldn't bare the thought of losing my job without trying all avenues. Let them loose a bit Nige! Or drag 'em forward by their ears.

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