Grantona Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Only 8 games lost all season, but 4 (50%) have been against Leicester and Burnley? Is this just a coincidence or are they bogey teams? The League Cup exit was also against a fairly weak Foxes line-up. If it's to be the play-offs for the Rams, an inferiority complex would be a real handicap. After the Burnley defeat, wins against Forest and Reading are crucial for confidence. None of this will matter if second place is achieved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 No such thing as a bogey team. Only 'better' teams. P.s. I don't really fancy us when it comes to the crunch. Of course i'd be delighted to be proved wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 If we finished in the play-offs, I wouldn't be too confident at all. I fancy Wigan or Reading to snatch it. We need to make these last few games count and hope it's enough for second IMO. Starting Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 If we finished in the play-offs, I wouldn't be too confident at all. I fancy Wigan or Reading to snatch it. We need to make these last few games count and hope it's enough for second IMO. Starting Saturday. Totally agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerTedd Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 If we finished in the play-offs, I wouldn't be too confident at all. I fancy Wigan or Reading to snatch it. We need to make these last few games count and hope it's enough for second IMO. Starting Saturday. But if you're not confident about our chances in the play offs, then what are our chances in the Premier League if we do get promoted in second. If we're not confident in our abilities, then could we end up with a season like last time. In which case, what's the point in going up in second. So 50% of our losses are doubles against Burnley and Leicester. If it all goes horribly wrong against Forest and Reading, then they'll also have done the double against us. As of now, the only teams in the top 6 we've played two games against and not lost them both is QPR. So I totally agree we need good showings against Reading and Forest, because: a) we need to win as many as we can to keep on the heals of Burnley. b) if it's Burnley that goes up with Leicester, we can forget about those losses. And we'll know that of all the possible teams in the play offs, we can beat, as well as get beaten, by every other team in the play offs, so we have as much chance as any of them. I reckon if we beat Reading and Forest, our confidence to reach second, and if don't quite make it, to win the play offs, will be much higher. I suppose the only real wildcard in all of that is Wigan. We beat them when they were on a real downward spiral. Then we got beaten by them when they had their new manager. So, who knows how that might go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B4ev6is Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 We know how wigin play dirty and do not like when you stand up to them.they might be playing well at the moment but i do not rate them but i think we shall get that 2nd place plus burnly are not playing this weekend eathier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaffsRam Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 If we ended up in the playoffs then you'd want that confirmed sooner rather than later. Teams fighting automatic, who lose out and slip into the playoffs on the last day of the season only get a couple of days to try and get that crushing disappointment out of their system before the SF first legs take place. That's why 3rd vs 6th is so tricky - you could have one team which has to get over the fact that they haven't gone up automatically against a team still euphoric at squeezing into the playoffs at the last possible second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G STAR RAM Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 We know how wigin play dirty and do not like when you stand up to them.they might be playing well at the moment but i do not rate them but i think we shall get that 2nd place plus burnly are not playing this weekend eathier. They play Blackburn on Sunday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry Ram Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Don't Blackburn have a really good record against Burnley? Got 1-1 written all over it for me. COYR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannable Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Only 8 games lost all season, but 4 (50%) have been against Leicester and Burnley? Is this just a coincidence or are they bogey teams? The League Cup exit was also against a fairly weak Foxes line-up. If it's to be the play-offs for the Rams, an inferiority complex would be a real handicap. After the Burnley defeat, wins against Forest and Reading are crucial for confidence. None of this will matter if second place is achieved. To be fair, for three of those four losses a decent excuse can be made. For the Leicester games they always want to prove themselves, they treat us as rivals so they're always up for it (a bit like us and Leeds). Then in the first Leicester game a huge slice of luck went their way. In the second Leicester game too many players had off days and Steve misused Hendrick. I don't need to say the excuse for Burnley away, but at him we deserved a hammering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grantona Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Burnley would not fancy playing Wigan in the play-offs either, so basically the Rams and the Clarets are fighting for one place. The way they are playing just now, Wigan could even grab auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerTedd Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 If we ended up in the playoffs then you'd want that confirmed sooner rather than later. Teams fighting automatic, who lose out and slip into the playoffs on the last day of the season only get a couple of days to try and get that crushing disappointment out of their system before the SF first legs take place. That's why 3rd vs 6th is so tricky - you could have one team which has to get over the fact that they haven't gone up automatically against a team still euphoric at squeezing into the playoffs at the last possible second. But as long we keep winning, then we keep up our momentum. At the moment, it's not in our hands, and we're relying on a Burnley slip up. Yes, if we're in second come the last day of the season, and get overtaken by Burnley due to us loosing at Elland Road, then that would be crushing and I would worry about us int he play offs. But I think we have the advantage of being the chasing team. As long as we keep doing everything we can (and I think we won't see too many slip ups between now and the end of the season) then I think we'll have good momentum and our heads held high whether we go up automatically or have to face the play offs. But, yes, either way, we could do without any last day drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Clough Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Wigan are WAY too far behind to get second Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 But if you're not confident about our chances in the play offs, then what are our chances in the Premier League if we do get promoted in second. If we're not confident in our abilities, then could we end up with a season like last time. In which case, what's the point in going up in second. So 50% of our losses are doubles against Burnley and Leicester. If it all goes horribly wrong against Forest and Reading, then they'll also have done the double against us. As of now, the only teams in the top 6 we've played two games against and not lost them both is QPR. So I totally agree we need good showings against Reading and Forest, because: a) we need to win as many as we can to keep on the heals of Burnley. b) if it's Burnley that goes up with Leicester, we can forget about those losses. And we'll know that of all the possible teams in the play offs, we can beat, as well as get beaten, by every other team in the play offs, so we have as much chance as any of them. I reckon if we beat Reading and Forest, our confidence to reach second, and if don't quite make it, to win the play offs, will be much higher. I suppose the only real wildcard in all of that is Wigan. We beat them when they were on a real downward spiral. Then we got beaten by them when they had their new manager. So, who knows how that might go. It's not about our abilities what so ever, I think we're a very good side - better than the other sides in the play-offs to add. However, we've shown somewhat of a weak underbelly when it's come to the top sides that know how to grind us down and that's our issue. I thought Thorne would go a long way to solving that, due to his characteristics but Mac hasn't tried him yet, so it remains to be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grantona Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Not starting Thorne and not starting Bamford last week will not have gone down well with their parent clubs. I see Michael Keane has joined Blackburn on loan today just in time to make his debut against Burnley on Sunday. He'll be up against Vokes who just pipped Craig Forstyth to the Feb "Championship Player of the Month" award. Rosler won the manager award. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Not starting Thorne and not starting Bamford last week will not have gone down well with their parent clubs. I see Michael Keane has joined Blackburn on loan today just in time to make his debut against Burnley on Sunday. He'll be up against Vokes who just pipped Craig Forstyth to the Feb "Championship Player of the Month" award. Rosler won the manager award. Can't see there being an issue with WBA & Chelsea? Chelsea have got about 76 players out on loan and Bamford will probably never realistically kick a ball for Chelsea. Thorne's chance will come. Eustace put in a blinder at the right time vs QPR when I and a lot of other people were calling for Thorne to start. But would be nice to be 3-0 up after an hour tomorrow and give Thorne a run out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerTedd Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 It's not about our abilities what so ever, I think we're a very good side - better than the other sides in the play-offs to add. However, we've shown somewhat of a weak underbelly when it's come to the top sides that know how to grind us down and that's our issue. I thought Thorne would go a long way to solving that, due to his characteristics but Mac hasn't tried him yet, so it remains to be seen. I'd like to see Thorne have a run out too, I thought he'd be the answer to a few issues. But since getting him Mac seems to be preferring the idea of moving to 4-2-4 and sacrificing the defensive mid altogether (not sure why we don't just start with that formation as it seems to be more effective). Anyway, yes, fair enough, we have shown a soft underbelly against the top sides. But would that underbelly still not be exposed to premier league clubs. It's yet to be seen though, should we beat Forest and Reading, then if the top six includes and four out of QPR, Forest, Reading or Wigan, we can happily say we've beaten them all. We've also lost to them all. So I think we can look forward to the play offs knowing we've got a fair shot. If we loose to Forest, and/or Reading, then it's a different kettle of fish. Those games are really important now. Even if we slipped up to a lower league side, we'd know that was a blip, and can be ignored in the grand scheme of things. But if we loose to Forest or Reading, we'll know that their are real questions about whether or not we can compete against the other play off teams, or at a higher level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Not starting Thorne and not starting Bamford last week will not have gone down well with their parent clubs. I see Michael Keane has joined Blackburn on loan today just in time to make his debut against Burnley on Sunday. He'll be up against Vokes who just pipped Craig Forstyth to the Feb "Championship Player of the Month" award. Rosler won the manager award. I don't think that the Premier League teams are just lending Derby their players in order to specifically get games - they can get that anywhere. Some of it must be to do with the quality of the coaching, being part of a successful match-day squad, having the opportunity to be close to Sir Jake etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grantona Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Top Six v Top Six 1 Burnley........P 8 W 4 D 4 L 0 Pts 16 2 Leicester......P 7 W 4 D 2 L 1 Pts 14 3 Forest.......... P 8 W 3 D 2 L 3 Pts 11 4 Wigan...........P 7 W 3 D 2 L 2 Pts 11 5 Derby............P 9 W 2 D 0 L 7 Pts 06 6 QPR..............P 7 W 1 D 2 L 4 Pts 05 Worrying for play-off or next season if finish 2nd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 You know Grantona, for someone who has made just 21 posts, every single one of them negative, you're a bit too depressing for me. Are you the anti-Kevin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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