Expectations?

[Jourdan]

This is a confusing sentence as by very definition, top drawer players are 'individuals and guarantee nothing. We've had individuals, what we actually need are good team players. One thing Clough is creating to his credit (if it's by design) is there will NEVER be a reliance on one or two players.

 

Under Burley, we relied on Raziak and Idiakez, if either of those two were injured or off form, Derby struggled. As it stands now, we are as good with injured players missing as when a full XI.

 

You're quite correct that individuals on their own don't guarantee success. But generally it's without dispute that we need some extra quality in key positions. How else can we improve? No disrespect intended but we are not going to get into the top six with Buxton, Bryson and Sammon as first-team regulars.

 

I would argue that we have our fill of 'team players'. What we need now is the cherry on top of the cake, so to speak. That doesn't necessarily have to come at the expense of the team's dynamic. That's where Clough earns his corn by identifying the right players to give us something extra while maintaining the harmony of the squad. At the end of the day, even in a team with that 'sum is greater than the parts' mentality, there are going to be players that stand out, for better, for worse.

 

But it's very subjective isn't it. If you asked 100 Rams fans 'what do you think we need?', you'd probably get a hundred different answers. Everyone looks at it differently.

 

Regarding your point about Rasiak and Idiakez under Burley. I think you do the likes of Ian Taylor, Tom Huddlestone and Tommy Smith in particular a great disservice. In truth, the reason Idiakez and Rasiak were so effective is that Burley had got the right mix of players alongside them. Players like Tudgay, Bisgaard, Reich and Smith who could create opportunities for Rasiak. Players like Ian Taylor who marshalled the midfield with his experience and discipline, allowing Idiakez more freedom. Players like Adam Bolder who would run the hard yards so Idiakez could just dictate.

 

There was more to that team than just two players and we certainly didn't rely on them. Well certainly no less than we rely on the likes of Barker, Bryson and Ward under Clough, as evidenced by the times each of those have been rushed back from injury in the past.

 

And on your final point, I don't think that is necessarily a good thing as you would expect by definition, a depleted side to perform worse than at full strength. What that says really is that the quality of the squad is fairly average throughout and thus not quite where we would like it to be.

[Ambitious]

If you look at the games won and goals scored/conceded its fair to say we had the 2nd or 3rd worst away record in the league this season and it's been largely the same story ever since Clough took over.

Lets say the home form stays decent next year (possible but not guaranteed) we still need a massive improvement away from home. In my opinion a few new faces wont be enough to change that.

 

 

It's clearly the players mentality, which is what I eluded to in the first post.

 

I can't understand anyones logic that thought Clough played differently away from home than he did at home - he didn't, the players didn't have the composure or confidence to carry the game through, that was the difference. 

 

I think confidence comes with results, and results come with confidence - at home we have that in abundance, away from home we don't or at least didn't! I think we will see a huge swing in results away from home this season.

[Joel]

If you look at the games won and goals scored/conceded its fair to say we had the 2nd or 3rd worst away record in the league this season and it's been largely the same story ever since Clough took over.

Lets say the home form stays decent next year (possible but not guaranteed) we still need a massive improvement away from home. In my opinion a few new faces wont be enough to change that.

 

 

Third worst away record, fifth best home record. They're almost exact opposites of one another as well.

 

We don't need a huge improvement away from home. Six games were lost by a single goal, don't concede that goal or score another and there's six extra points which would have put us a point outside of the Play-Off's.

 

We're not actually that far off being in them, we need more depth to the squad and to be more solid on the road. It's fairly realistic to say we'll be there or there abouts next season.

[Joel]

It's clearly the players mentality, which is what I eluded to in the first post.

 

I can't understand anyones logic that thought Clough played differently away from home than he did at home - he didn't, the players didn't have the composure or confidence to carry the game through, that was the difference. 

 

I think confidence comes with results, and results come with confidence - at home we have that in abundance, away from home we don't or at least didn't! I think we will see a huge swing in results away from home this season.

 

I don't agree that it's all mentality, a fair amount can be put on the player's fitness.

 

A bit of tactical naivety away from home too. He should play with a midfield three / five next season.

[Stive Pesley]

One thing that you can guarantee with the Championship is that you either destroy all-comers with sheer quality and go up with 100+ points or you grind out your 1-0 wins and lucky points and go up with considerably less points.

 

My expectations are that if we add a quality spine to the team (ie centre-back, midfielder and striker to match the signing of Lee Grant) then we could easily do the former

[DCFCfranco]

I hope that we finish in or around the top 6 and we finish the season with more wins than losses. also Away form needs improving dramatically if we can even think of finishing there.

 

transfer wise i think we've done alright so far, Grant i think is a rather shrewd signing and martin is OK he needs to perform better than how he was towards the end of his loan. i hope that we sign another striker as well as a CB and a midfielder. 

 

I also hope that there is more rotation in the squad so the likes of Jacobs Bennett etc. get more games and grow as players.

 

 

however i expect us to finish around 9th-12th, miss out on our main target but still sign decent players. i think our away form will pick up but it still wont be enough to get us to top 6, clough will then either get the sack or resign. obviously i hope this doesn't happen.

 

 

 

hopefully my expectations are wrong.

[notts_ram]

My expectations are we will be having the same debate next summer as to what we need to do to get into the play offs, whether Clough is the man for the job after 5 years in charge, what exciting players we will be signing in the summer etc. etc.

[Mostyn6]

It's clearly the players mentality, which is what I eluded to in the first post.

 

I can't understand anyones logic that thought Clough played differently away from home than he did at home - he didn't, the players didn't have the composure or confidence to carry the game through, that was the difference. 

 

I think confidence comes with results, and results come with confidence - at home we have that in abundance, away from home we don't or at least didn't! I think we will see a huge swing in results away from home this season.

 

 

Anyone who's eyes work can spot the difference in mentality and tactics away from home,

 

At home we play a 0-4-0-5-1-0 formation, away from home the defence and midfield are further back, and playing a 4-0-5-0-1-0 formation. With your coaching background, you'll understand my dividing the pitch into 6ths and not 3rds.

[Mostyn6]

What will be so different next season to this season. Why should our away form improve so much. Will we still lose to teams like Blackpool away ? I suspect yes. I see top half finish but not top 6 unless we spend

 

Didn't we beat Blackpool away last season?

[ramexpat]

im expecting promotion but i'll settle with surviving relegation 

[Mostyn6]

Mostyn we lost m8. I'm referring to the penultimate game of the season 2012/2013. I can't see what is going to be any different except the young lads being that bit more experienced I hope. Clough needs to hope for top 6 or his job will be on the line that's why he needs to get better players in. He needs to replace Buxton as 1st choice he needs a LB a Goalscorer a

nd another midfielder ie holding type for away games IMO. Cloughies choice and he will have to accept the consequences if he fails. I'm hoping for better please and I'm hoping Rush promises are not pie in the sky.

 

Yes, but we won the season before. I know cos I was there. They're hardly one of our bogey teams. There were about 100 teams to pick from and you pick one we've beaten! lol

[eddie]

If you look at the games won and goals scored/conceded its fair to say we had the 2nd or 3rd worst away record in the league this season and it's been largely the same story ever since Clough took over.

Lets say the home form stays decent next year (possible but not guaranteed) we still need a massive improvement away from home. In my opinion a few new faces wont be enough to change that.

 

A massive improvement?

 

Assuming the home form is the same and the breakdown of points to make the playoffs is also the same, we would need to have won 3 of the games we lost this season away from home to get into the playoffs. I appreciate that would require a 75% increase in our number of wins, but conversely it would 'only' mean a 23% reduction in our number of defeats.

 

If we want to be even more selective, if we had beaten Leicester and Bolton away this season (in both of which we were actually well beaten as far as the scoreline was concerned, but let's ignore that seeing as we are just speculating), that would have been enough - we would have been sixth overall, edging out the Florists on goal difference.

 

Two games over a 46 match season.

[notts_ram]

We need to start winning more games then we lose. Simples.

[Hinzy9]

Amen to that!

[Stedcfc]

I think ambitious has got it spot on, we should improve regardless of who we buy because of the age of the team and if we do make improvements even more so.

The difference between this season and others is that we aren't losing a key player and there aren't large holes in the team. In other seasons we've had to replace players without the funds to do so.

Last year Davies went and with his injury record we would never get the money to replace him. Equally we lost Shackell but arguably did get the money to replace him which we did.

We also lost our captain for the full season. All in all our 3 most important players from that season were gone.

Only brayford looks a possible to leave and we do have good back up in his position. If he does leave we should get good money for him too.

Seasons previous to last year we were still shipping out jewellers shower of ****.

I really do think we've finally turned a corner and were in a real position to build. The young team should improve and some quality additions will make us comfortable top 6. I bloody hope so anyway.

[BOB BIGGS]

Top 8 is my expectation. We're more than capable of it and, as others have said, I think something will just click next year. Don't necessarily think we'll get play-offs but, if we do finish 7th or 8th, I hope Nigel gets another season to go that one step better. Anything below 10th will be a massive disappointment for me considering the good position we're in right now.

 

Just about how I see things too. Nearly there but not quite [unless we sign better players than we expect].

[Hinzy9]

I have a very different take on where the squad is right now.

Defensively there are big questions marks over a number of positions. With Brayford likely to leave, Roberts gone, Buxton not up to it and barker injured it only really leaves Keogh (and probably Forsyth).

The imbalance issues remain and there is still no sign of a dominant defensive enforcer needed to grind out ugly wins. Is this sort of player even on cloughs wish list?

Our most creative attacking player is Ward, who is only ever likely to play about half the games. Up front we currently have sammon and Martin, certainly not a top 6 strike force. The rumours are he is trying to add another striker-do I have any confidence that he'll get the right man? Not really as he's yet to buy a decent striker despite numerous attempts.

[North_Stand_Ram]

Very unfair on Buxton and Freeman.

[Hinzy9]

Both decent back up but in my opinion definitely shouldn't be part of regular back 4 if we have any ambitions of making the top 6.

[North_Stand_Ram]

Oh I agree. If a top 6 push is wanted then Buxton can't be starting, but to say not up to it is unfair. I think, right now, Freeman maybe isn't good enough but from what I saw last season, I wouldn't be fussed if he started our first game!