Eustace why.

[Animal is a Ram]

I really don't understand the cries for Shotton at DM. I just don't. He's a right back, or centre back. Just as bad as suggesting Keogh there, imo.

[peakram]

I still maintain that was Eustaces best display of the season so not sure why some others didn't see that, his tackling in the first half was a big reason we had so much possession and some of his passes were surprisingly top drawer, like the one which almost had Forsyth clear in on goal but for a last gasp challenge by their keeper.

 

Cant see how Mascarell could have played any better on this particular occasion on what I have seen from him, but lets see how he goes tonight.

[Guest]

Am I missing something after watching the Rams for 50 odd years.

He didn't protect the back 4 as we conceded 2 goals before he was subbed and we went 4-4-2

.

 

You have missed the calmness and support Eustace brought to the team from last October to this March, when he lost his place due to suspension.

 

Yes, he is undoubtedly not as fit as the others, and possibly not as good as last season ( but can hardly compare after he has played 5 games )

The goals conceded vs Cardiff where hardly his fault.  ( Corner, and ball headed in from close to goal line + a clearance that should have gone way down the touchline in the air, or better even into touch )

Possibly at fault for Blackburn's second - I have not seen it on TV, just saw he was in front of man who scored

 

I would hope Mascarell wishes to play like Eustace, who is a master of positioning, and simple play. Omar has given the ball away a number of times when simple passes were not executed .He should improve with game time, and I am 99% certain he will start tonight

 

I am more than happy for Omar to start tonight. I look forward to seeing him play a full game, and hopefully complete at least 80 minutes

 

Regarding Bolton away ...I am sure Steve will make the correct decision regarding Omar vs Eustace.  And I doubt a change in formation will occur unless we continue to draw too many

[Anon]

I agree with you Peakram. Eustace was very good on Saturday. We completely bossed the game and particularly possession which, as a DM, is his primary concern. Yes, Cardiff scored and changed the game from a set piece, but I defy anyone to tell me that Eustace is somehow at fault for Whitbread getting out-jumped at the back post. Once we had to chase the game, it was absolutely the right move to pull him out, but up until then he played very well.

 

DMs being undervalued is hardly anything new. It's difficult to quantify their effect and there's plenty of debate over what the role actually entails. Even the big clubs get it wrong in regards to this position. Flamini and Xabi Alonso were undervalued by Arsenal and Liverpool respectively and both clubs suffered greatly once they left.

[Curtains]

Mascarell was brilliant against Reading fact.

Eustace came on and his first touch or tackle was a foul.

Enough said.

[Daz_The_Ram]

I give up.

Some of these threads make me want to leave this forum altogether.

If you can't see the value that Eustace has to our squad, and side, as a leader, organiser, and a reliable, calm, and steady defensive midfield player who keeps it simple, keeps the ball ticking over, brings others into play, holds his position, gives plenty in a physical battle, and works his socks off for the good of team, you have obviously never been out there on the pitch.

After the Charlton game, it was obvious to anyone who had a brain cell, that the side was CRYING out for Eustace, because Mascarell and Hughes are too ineffectual in the position, too lightweight, and too erratic with their decision making. 

Yes, the Spaniard played well yesterday - when we were on TOP of a side that we are far superior to. One swallow does not make a summer. Mascarell is a luxury ... Eustace is a necessity.

Eustace is the man for the job until Thorne recovers as far as i am concerned. He has done absolutely nothing wrong - other than not being ever so fashionable to the Sky Sports News brigade.

[Curtains]

Some of these threads make me want to give up on this forum altogether.

If you can't see the value that Eustace has to our squad, and side, as a leader, organiser, and a reliable, calm, and steady defensive midfield player who keeps it simple, keeps the ball ticking over, brings others into play, holds his position, and works his socks off for the good of team, you have obviously never been out there on the pitch.

I give up.

Funny how when NC was here nobody advocated a DM and when Eustace was brought in I was backing it to groans of disapproval.

Archive the forum if you like.

Get your facts right hes too old now that's why Thorne and Mascarell were signed.

If you want to leave after a few posts leave.

I will be proved right Eustace is on borrowed time as DM requires a younger fitter player.

PS Eustace turned down Derby and NC the seasons before to stay at Watford did you know that fact.

Loyalty Whats loyalty.

Cloughie was chasing Eustace for a long time before he decided he would come to Derby from Watford.

[Daz_The_Ram]

Funny how when NC was here nobody advocated a DM and when Eustace was brought in I was backing it to groans of disapproval.

Archive the forum if you like.

Get your facts right hes too old now that's why Thorne and Mascarell were signed.

If you want to leave after a few posts leave.

I will be proved right Eustace is on borrowed time as DM requires a younger fitter player.

PS Eustace turned down Derby and NC the seasons before to stay at Watford did you know that fact.

Loyalty Whats loyalty.

'Loyalty, what's loyalty?' 

Jesus wept. Are we STILL talking about Nigel Clough? Change the bloody record.

You are bleating mate, and clearly have not got the foggiest idea what you are talking about.

You obviously have it in for Eustace now for some reason. I'll get my 'facts straight' if you go and learn about the game a little bit and stop acting like an empty vessel. 

Mascarell was signed as cover, he is seen as a player with potential, and never one to build the side around week in, week out, get used to it. Thorne only broke into the side because Eustace was suspended in the first place, get used to it.

We are just very lucky that Thorne turned into the sensation that he did ... he is on a different level altogether.

Eustace has done absolutely nothing wrong at all, we are on an unbeaten run since he was reintroduced to the side ... wake up.

[Guest]

Funny how when NC was here nobody advocated a DM and when Eustace was brought in I was backing it to groans of disapproval.

Archive the forum if you like.

Get your facts right hes too old now that's why Thorne and Mascarell were signed.

If you want to leave after a few posts leave.

I will be proved right Eustace is on borrowed time as DM requires a younger fitter player.

PS Eustace turned down Derby and NC the seasons before to stay at Watford did you know that fact.

Loyalty Whats loyalty.

 

Has he really aged and slowed that much in 12months to state other players should play ahead of him ?

he played up until march this year ahead of George Thorne, in a winning team.

It is too simplistic to say he is now too old ..... come February and lots of games yes he may be struggling fitness and energy wise

 

Mascarell is still learning what our team needs from the DM role.  He played very well and energetically last night. But his enthusiasm takes him away from the core area, and his enthusiasm had him receiving the ball from a goal ick in the first half on edge of our box, and then passing it under pressure to Forsyth by the corner flag.  That was inexperience, it was never on t take the ball from the keeper, and he will be told as such after the game 

 

I really liked Mascarell's improvement last night. He rarely gave the ball away. He did remind me of Will first game of season running around too much and not knowing when to step forward to try and win a tackle.

I would not mind seeing him given a try at Bolton now he had found some form. 

 

However, how we played at Blackburn needs repeating ideally ...and Eustace was key to that performance

 

We have a great squad now, likely Dawkins and Mascarell will be subs for Ward and Eustace during game this Saturday shows the strength

 

I agree, you will be proved right in that when George Thorn is back fit he will replace Eustace. 

Mascarell may replace Eustace, but I doubt it - they will both have games until Thorne is back

[Curtains]

'Loyalty, what's loyalty?'

Jesus wept. Are we STILL talking about Nigel Clough? Change the bloody record.

You are bleating mate, and clearly have not got the foggiest idea what you are talking about.

You obviously have it in for Eustace now for some reason. I'll get my 'facts straight' if you go and learn about the game a little bit and stop acting like an empty vessel.

Mascarell was signed as cover, he is seen as a player with potential, and never one to build the side around week in, week out, get used to it. Thorne only broke into the side because Eustace was suspended in the first place, get used to it.

We are just very lucky that Thorne turned into the sensation that he did ... he is on a different level altogether.

Eustace has done absolutely nothing wrong at all, we are on an unbeaten run since he was reintroduced to the side ... wake up.

You are so wrong.

First of all I have played a lot of local football and have you been on this forum long .

Eustace is too old you will see.

I'll post again and only when he's dropped thanks and good day to you sir.

PS If Eustace plays against Bolton its a travesty.

Adios.

The CURTAIN is drawn it over im out

[Guest]

You are so wrong.

First of all I have played a lot of local football and have you been on this forum long .

Eustace is too old you will see.

I'll post again and only when he's dropped thanks and good day to you sir.

PS If Eustace plays against Bolton its a travesty.

Adios.

The CURTAIN is drawn it over im out

 

Good debate ...but one who has most experience in football over ourselves is McClaren .....and I for one THINK he will play Eustace

If he does play Eustace, it will not be a travesty ...it will be a well judged decision by our Manager ......

 

I expect you back posting here next Tuesday, when Mascarell will be picked if we do not win at Bolton, and may be picked even if we win ..... :-)

 

 

Local football, as in Non League football ?  Answer next Tuesday I suppose.

Non League football contains many many old heads, with no legs, but great awareness and ability to intimidate young players

 

I enjoy watching Andy Dales for Mickleover Sports since his release from our U21 Team.

He is awesome at that level, ( and was awesome for our FA Youth Cup run, but injury I guess did for him last season )  but takes some blatant kicks that go unpunished.

 

Still, his assists and a hat trick of long range shots in one game see him take revenge

[Daz_The_Ram]

Local football ... Chadd Park? Boulton Lane? Blue Peter Reserves by the sounds of it.

In that case, I won't get into a 'career off' with you, you might get upset with me and take your ball home ... like you just did.

Obviously I'm wrong. Eustace is too old at the age of 34, in a position on the park where experience is key.

Also -  the fact that you have made 6 million odd posts makes your poorly thought out argument far more valid than mine.

Congrats... you are on the next level.

[Daz_The_Ram]

Good debate ...but one who has most experience in football over ourselves is McClaren .....and I for one THINK he will play Eustace

If he does play Eustace, it will not be a travesty ...it will be a well judged decision by our Manager .....

Spot on.

[RLACML]

I like Eustace and I think he's played well this year, and still has a role to play. Saying that, the second goal at Blackburn was definitely his fault. He went for the header and missed it. Keogh perhaps should have covered but that's a big ask considering Eustace's mistake

[K-Ram]

Eustace, what a predicament. The man obviously knows how to play the position, but is short on fitness and the quickness of his feet has completely gone. I have rewatched a number of recent games, and though he does occupy the correct spaces, and his decisions tend to be correct, he picks up a yellow card a game. It is quite a wonder that he hasn't recently seen red. He also has twhe unwelcome knack of slowing down the play with overly safe passes or poorly sped short balls. I don't have anything against the guy, and he did well for us during our purple patch last season, only to be ousted by the phenomenal Thorne, however, if Mascarell can perform as he did last night in the Championship, then I would prefer him there due to his athleticism and his passing range.

 

In the formation we play that uses a lot of the ball you need someone who 'recycles', to use the modern parlance, the ball well and who can cover fullbacks. Eustace seems to me to have lost the ability to cover enough ground to do this and ends up making a lot of cynical fouls.

[Anon]

I'm not advocating using Eustace over Mascarell all season. I think Omar may be eased in as the season progresses. However, I don't think there's any need to change things right away and find that almost all the criticism of Eustace doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

 

I have absolutely no issue with a DM picking up bookings as long as they don't get sent off. I'd even go as far to suggest that a DM who never gets carded isn't doing his job correctly. Part of Eustace's experience is about knowing when to take a yellow to stop a potentially dangerous break by the opposition, or when to stick the boot in on an influential opponent.

 

Although my post count is low I have a number of winners medals from my Sheffield 5 a side league and was player of the season in my junior side in 1995-96, so I obviously know what I'm talking about.

[K-Ram]

But his yellow cards have not been intelligent, counter-attack-disrupting cautions, but instead ones given to him because he is late, or has his body in the right position. I dunno... I think I just like fancy-dans and it annoys me to see him clogging around the field when we could have an exotic spaniard getting caught out of position and spraying inaccurate hollywood passes, I think.

[ShaunTheRam]

For me, last night was the first time Mascarell has shown he can play at this level. From his previous appearances, I don't see how anyone can suggest he should be in the side. Regardless of where he comes from, he has looked weak, too casual, and simply not as effective in the holding midfielder role.

 

He had a fairly easy time in a "nice" game last night. Put him in a fight, and I just can't see it working. But at least now he is starting to look like competition. I would play Eustace away at Bolton. Your 11 best players don't always make your best team...

[Martyn]

But his yellow cards have not been intelligent, counter-attack-disrupting cautions, but instead ones given to him because he is late, or has his body in the right position. I dunno... I think I just like fancy-dans and it annoys me to see him clogging around the field when we could have an exotic spaniard getting caught out of position and spraying inaccurate hollywood passes, I think.

 

I think that's why the majority of the people who "don't get" Eustace feel that way.

 

At least you have the self-awareness to realise why you might be misjudging him, most are lacking that.

[Ramarena]

We need a CDM and Eustace and Mascarell are going to be sharing the role until Thorne returns. They offer us different qualities,

 

Mascarell (judging on last night) offers better ball retention, more mobility and gives the side more balance between defence and attack.

 

Eustace offers more experience, communication, organisation, better defensive work and positioning. 

 

I think it may be case of horses for courses where we see Mascarell in more home games, where teams sit back and we need to find a route through and Eustace in more away games where we need to dig in, defend and be a bit more savvy. 

 

Eustace certainly has a role to play this season like last season anyone who thinks we should just jettison him is narrow minded he still has a role to play. The only other option that may work for that position is Shotton, but that would be very experimental.