Taking stock

[Guest]

Thoughts on first few weeks of this season, looking back I think most people would of had 4 points from first three games. We have played three tough teams so far, yes Blackburn haven't won yet, but probably only matter of time they will finally get there act together.

From what I've witnessed the positives is that we are trying to keep ball on floor, passing fairly well. Other positives include Kieran Freeman and Chris Martin.

The negative aspect for me is the central defence, especially as there doesn't seem to be a natural leader out there. We just seem to panic at every set piece or cross into the box. I think we definitely need to bolster up in there.

Also we still seem naive, as we seem to be looking for a foul on us a lot, think we need to toughen and man up a bit. Not sure whether this is the manager wanting them to be like this but it does concern me that we get pushed off the ball a bit too easily.

Anyways 4 points from first 3 games was what I thought we would get and apart from a last minute equaliser first game we would be looking at a good start instead of a average one.

Feel free to rip my opinions apart or agree! Always up for a decent debate!

Regards.

[SillyBilly]

The only thing worthy of debate is whether we are top 6 material and 3 games isn't going to prove or disprove that. I don't think we're good enough personally.

[Ambitious]

The only thing worthy of debate is whether we are top 6 material and 3 games isn't going to prove or disprove that. I don't think we're good enough personally.

 

You can see what type of team we are, you could 3 games into the season last year and you can 3 games into the season this year.

 

We're going to struggle no-end with long balls, and teams will play on that - whereas we're going to be stronger going through the middle and on the floor than most of the teams we come up against, when brighton went for the direct approach we struggled, on the floor we were simply better. 

 

I think when we're on our game we will be okay and will be the better team on the pitch, but when forced into a game of tennis football we're going to be weak, bypass our midfield and you are effectively nulling our main strength - a centre back who can deal with the long balls will go a long way for me. 

[G STAR RAM]

Can't comment on Brighton match but from the two home games, from an individual perspective the positives have been Freeman and Martin (although he spends a bit too much time on the floor), the negatives Forsyth, Keogh and Russell (hopefully he is just taking time to settle).

From a team perspective the positive is we are trying to play football, the negatives being our weak defending and inability to create chances.

[Ambitious]

Russell at least has ability, and because of that I am in very little doubt he will do well.

 

Good touch, awareness but at the minute seems to get the balls in all the wrong areas, I would like to see Martin, Ward and Russell play at home. 

[B4ev6is]

Well for me we played some goid football at times yesterday the ref did not help. Our player got pushed to the ground and he did **** all. And it should have been ruled out. We have had goals for less ruled out.

[Mafiabob]

Well for me we played some goid football at times yesterday the ref did not help. Our player got pushed to the ground and he did **** all. And it should have been ruled out. We have had goals for less ruled out.

sorry whatever you think we play to the whistle ( I thought foul too by the way ) it was our inability to deal with a cross into the box again that cost us, decisions are swings and roundabouts, some you get some you don't, I'm pretty sure we will be on a positive end of a dodgy decision during the season.

[RamAbroad]

I agree it's too early to call at the moment, but the results of the first three games suggest that inconsistency is still going to be a problem, something Derby under Clough have had in abundance.

 

What worries me is for all the pretty possession football we have, we actually struggle to create a lot of clear cut chances, we play a lot of stuff across the midfield, sideways and backwards in front of teams, but rarely really see real penetration, or getting in behind opposition defences on a regular basis.

 

We are obviously in desperate need of a quality CB, the fact that Clough is prepared to muddle through with 2 fit CB's baffles me. We've struggled to defend crosses well for quite some time now, and I don't understand why this hasn't been addressed, we still look really vulnerable at the back in my opinion, we've conceded all three goals so far this season from crosses, and there have been plenty of near misses.

 

I want to be optimistic, but I can't help feeling that we'll just get more of the same mid-table ordinary fodder this season. I hope I'm wrong, but still think Clough needs to make a couple more acquisitions and be clearer on what he thinks is our most effective line up. Accommodating the three central midfielders generally doesn't work, and it's about time he changed it.

 

I really hope we have a fantastic season, but I just don't think Clough's tactics are positive enough.

[Gritstone Ram]

sorry whatever you think we play to the whistle ( I thought foul too by the way ) it was our inability to deal with a cross into the box again that cost us, decisions are swings and roundabouts, some you get some you don't, I'm pretty sure we will be on a positive end of a dodgy decision during the season.

playing to the whistle had nothing to do with the goal. It was a bad decision the ref didn't give. No player stopped or owt. Just feel a foul should have been given rather than a corner.

[Deirdre_Barlow]

Peter's got some good odds on for a Derby top 6.

[Angry Ram]

We play good keep ball but Clough needs to work on the forwards movement. Hughes is looking of the killer ball but when it is not on he will go square or backwards to keep possession. This is the correct thing to do, no point in forcing a pass and giving the ball away.

We need to move the ball quicker in the final third.. We give the opposition too much time to set themselves.

Season so far... In hindsight, we should have done better. Giving two points away to Blackburn was poor.. A great win at Brighton. Fingers crossed, we might be more OS a force away this season..

Leicester at home... Frustrating, they were there to beat but we created nothing. The diamond was not working and again Clough is slow to react..

Jury still out as still too early.

[RamAbroad]

Definitely agree that Clough is far too slow to change things when they aren't working, subs come on far too late, he doesn't give players enough time to make impact.

 

Also agree that the Blackburn result was very disappointing, we were far too negative, and that ended up costing us the three points. 

 

The jury is most definitely out, but I just don't see Clough changing his style, and that's why I think we'll get more of the same this season, will stand corrected if we improve.

[May Contain Nuts]

 I'm pretty sure we will be on a positive end of a dodgy decision during the season.

 

Already have - Brighton should have had a penalty for handball, no question about it. it was a terrible miss by the referee and we got lucky.

 

playing to the whistle had nothing to do with the goal. It was a bad decision the ref didn't give. No player stopped or owt. Just feel a foul should have been given rather than a corner.

 

 

About 30 seconds before that I still can't figure out how we didn't get a corner ourselves, when the ball was pulled back for Bryson (I think) who's shot hit their defenders feet and went behind - instead the ref give them a free kick for absolutely nothing.

 

Peter's got some good odds on for a Derby top 6.

Keep up Deirdre, Peter lost the bookies.

[Alph]

You know the thing about Martin hitting the deck so much...

Does nobody remember he was booed when he came here with Norwich. That was for diving.

Then he came here with Palace and he moaned at the ref all game.

I'll never forget him coming here with Norwich. He was always on the deck.

When it works its brilliant.

[networker1884]

A lot of people have been looking at, and blaming the defence for our recent failures, but I think that rather than blaming the defence we need to look at the goals scored. In the league, Martin is the only player who has so far scored in outfield play. Russell hasn't so far offered us what we expected and has gotten lost a lot of the time. Obviously I'm not counting him out, just saying that he's a guy we really needed to hit the ground running and he just hasn't done that. But moving on, the midfield hasn't threatened enough with 0 goals. Martins chances are few and far between. Ward isn't a goal scorer when played on the wing, and our set pieces are as poor as ever with nobody capable of getting on the end of them. We need to change something up front, and imo, that would be dropping Russell for Ward. Or even giving Sammon more of a chance.

[Alph]

Seen our busy December fixtures? That's a season maker right there. Take some momentum into the new year and we can start getting excited.

I expect us to keep playing on the deck and be with a decent range of the top sides by the time December comes. Then as we go through December into January I think we'll have some answers. Nigel will have some answers too and some money to strengthen (if he uses it that way and not now).

If we're sat in February and we are kidding ourselves if we think we can make top 6

If we've lost as much as we've won and conceded as many as we've scored then I think I'd like to see someone else have a go.

3 games in though. 2 of which I expected to be very tough it's hard to say.

The way Forest have started is promising for them. First off they have a tight defence. That's something we don't have. Corners cause chaos ffs! We deal with them a lot by throwing bodies at them. It's messy.

The early signs reveal the obvious answer. We seem likely to let in soft goals again. Needs to stop. Yesterday should have been a draw. There's going to be a few points given away rather than taken from us

[Angry Ram]

Russell has not impressed at all so far.. Makes some good runs but his first touch is shocking..

Still early days though.

[gcdcfc28]

We should have won against Blackburn, they are absolutely dire and I wouldn't be surprised to see another sacking there soon.

Winning at Brighton was no biggie, they are nothing special.

Leicester, we beat them last season and they haven't really strengthen in the window thus far, whilst we supposedly have...

Atleast seven points up for grabs there, happy with four points against two average sides and one we have beaten previously? Not particularly.

[Alph]

A lot of people have been looking at, and blaming the defence for our recent failures, but I think that rather than blaming the defence we need to look at the goals scored. In the league, Martin is the only player who has so far scored in outfield play. Russell hasn't so far offered us what we expected and has gotten lost a lot of the time. Obviously I'm not counting him out, just saying that he's a guy we really needed to hit the ground running and he just hasn't done that. But moving on, the midfield hasn't threatened enough with 0 goals. Martins chances are few and far between. Ward isn't a goal scorer when played on the wing, and our set pieces are as poor as ever with nobody capable of getting on the end of them. We need to change something up front, and imo, that would be dropping Russell for Ward. Or even giving Sammon more of a chance.

Good point.

I think the ingredients are there though don't you?

Just down to Nigel to make them all fit. He barely uses Jacobs. Ward has talent but plays with a lack of discipline.

[rammieib]

Trying to squeeze Hughes, Bryson and Hendrick into the same team is never going to succeed. Our problems (we have strengths but I'm not posting them)

1. Chopping ang changing formation without changing personnel. 4 central midfielders playing together.

2. Inexperienced full backs

3. Two central defenders prone to mistakes with no competition for them.

4. Two centre backs who are not composed on the ball. For what it's worth Bucko is slightly better at passing although it's always off the ground and Keogh is happy to hold it longer.

5. Supply to strikers is poor. We pass the ball around pretty in the midfield but we are short of that killer ball.

6. Our best crosser of the ball (Forsyth) isn't allowed to take any set pieces. Instead loopy Coutts takes them.

7. IMO a tactically naive manger scared to make substitutions and change things early enough.