Derby County v Millwall

[Srg]

Heard the last 15 mins as the missus's old man is a ram. Who is that bloke co-commentating? He makes Kenny Burns sound like the chairman of MENSA.

Sounded quiet despite the crowd size too.

You'd be quiet when you play ***** against a team you should beat. Or you are just always quiet anyway.

[Daz_The_Ram]

Games of football 

 

They are 16th in the league, kudos if they they've improved but so have we haven't we (?).

If they are that good of a side like you've stated, why aren't they top half? Who on the Millwall side would you take at DCFC in a heartbeat? Likely answer...sod all.

But yes, I must be clueless expecting to beat big old Millwall on home soil

Every match has to be played on it's merits out there on the pitch, and not on a piece of paper my friend. Credit to Millwall for keeping us out, they stuck to the task.

If you honestly thought today was going to be an easy game, against a side of tough nuts, led by Ian Holloway, you don't know what you are talking about.

The honours aren't handed out in October. We all need to keep our feet on the ground, focus, and stick to the job.

We will go up ... no arguments whatsoever. One defeat all season thus far. Why the tears?

I repeat ... there were TWO teams on the football pitch today.

[I am Ram]

10 Championship games played today , 7 were drawn . This league is tough ,have we forgot .

[RamNut]

Poor. But millwall made it difficult.

Should have won it in the first 5 minutes.

Grant 7

Christie 6

Forsyth 5

Keogh 6

Whitbread 5

Eustace 6

Bryson 5

Hughes 6

Ward 6

Martin 5

Ibe 6

[McMuffin]

On a positive note we finally have a good defence!

4 clean sheets in a row!

Woohoo

[Daz_The_Ram]

One defeat all season, nicely nestled in the pack. Nobody in the top six won today ... proving the idea that no-one, not even Derby County, has a divine right. 

As I say, the honours aren't handed out in October. I don't give a toss if we aren't top until the last day of the season, because that is the day that matters.

Do you honestly think, for example, that Southampton will be real Premier League title contenders?

Fact is, overall, we have seen an improvement in our displays and have registered some excellent results. Millwall are not a joke, let's remember that ... they will go and dig out more points in this fashion...they are historically a tough proposition, and it seems nothing has changed. Holloway fits into their mould perfectly.

At the end of the day - we are up there, and we are to be shot at.

We've just got to stick to the job, and not start crying because we don't slaughter every team in our wake. That is football. We will go up ... absolutely no question about it.

Stay consistent throughout, and the business end of the season will always sort the wheat from the chaff.

[Ovis aries]

May I remind people that last season we lost 5 home games, and still got 85 points , don't panic .

[peakram]

Grant 6 - distribution was poor at times, kicking to nobody or out of touch

Christie 6 - not quite so effective with his crosses today, seemed to miss Ward when he went off as had 3 men on him

Forsyth 6 - defending fine but passing and crossing very poor again, miscued clear chance in front of goal first half

Keogh 8 - drove team from the back

Whitbread 6 - solid but too many back passes to Grant, seems to be a sign team are struggling (a la Ipswich)

Bryson 7 - kept running but always had someone on his shoulder

Hughes 6 - less effective than in recent games

Eustace 7 - played solidly while he was on, good tackles and some good passes

Martin 6 - no joy from the ref today

Ibe 6 - flattered to deceive a bit, claim for penalty turned down, tried to beat someone when having an open goal 2nd half

Ward 7 - early chances and some good runs but nothing quite came off

Subs

Russell 6 - looked better when switching to right after coming on

Hendrick 6 - didn't really get into it much as sub

Best 5 - cant remember him touching the ball

 

Felt if anything we looked even less likely to score once the subs came on, first time we had played with only one winger for a long long time and it showed

[Papahet]

I'm not disputing Millwall are tough to break down and Holloway is a (half) decent manager.

 

But the fact is we cannot break sides down who play to a certain style like last season; Wigan (3pts), Milwall (3pts), Bolton (1pt), Birmingham (1pt) and ofcourse the Wembley game.

 

All those sides sat back and soaked up the pressure, we had no plan B to turn the game around bar bring Sammon on - who did very little and we we're left frustrated in games we really should have won.

 

I'm not saying we should win every home game, but we should certainly have more goal scoring options if things aren't going to plan other than bring Best into the fray. So if Martin gets injured, you'll be happy with Leon Best leading the line? 

 

RE ; Leon Best, what's he offer? He had a game against Reading and was arguably the worst player on the pitch, he comes off and funnily enough we score. For a player who should be in the peak of his career, he's far from impressed since joining.

[r4derby]

As I say, the honours aren't handed out in October. I don't give a toss if we aren't top until the last day of the season, because that is the day that matters.

Do you honestly think, for example, that Southampton will be real Premier League title contenders?

Agree with this, and get your point regarding Southampton. However, it is worth noting that in the BPL you can list 4-5 teams that will win the league, and one of those teams WILL win the league. So Soton wouldn't have a chance anyway, regardless of where they sit in October.

In the Championship, you could make a case for 20 of the teams winning it, and so league position in October is fairly important seeing as it sets you up for the season. Which, although top would be nice this eve, I'm happy to be top only for one game as long as it's the last game of the season!

[Uptherams]

Today was frustrating. But seriously why boo. What was the point. We drew 0-0. We did not get thrashed and torn apart. 

[Daz_The_Ram]

I'm not disputing Millwall are tough to break down and Holloway is a (half) decent manager.

 

But the fact is we cannot break sides down who play to a certain style like last season; Wigan (3pts), Milwall (3pts), Bolton 1(1pt), Birmingham (1pt) and ofcourse the Wembley game.

 

All those sides sat back and soaked up the pressure, we had no plan B to turn the game around bar bring Sammon on who did very little and we we're left frustrated in games we really should have won.

 

I'm not saying we should win every home game, but we should certainly have more goal scoring options if things aren't going to plan other than bring Best on. So if Martin gets injured, you'll be happy with Leon Best leading the line? 

 

Now onto Best, what's he offer? He had a game against Reading and was arguably the worst player on the pitch, he comes off and funnily enough we scored.

Oh well ... now you put it that way ... we may as well all give up. Give the title to Norwich.

I have gone on record as to say that we need another striking option ... it is of course precarious that Martin is our only 'in form' centre forward ... so Best had one bad match, and looks a tad inconsistent given 15-20 minutes here and there ... OK send him back...he is crap, recall Sammon and lets see how that goes. 

I think you'll find if you know your football that Best has plenty of ability. Strength, a good touch, is direct, and looks lively given game time. One full 90 minutes is not enough to judge a player as condemned.

There were eleven players out there for us today - all responsible for helping the side win. Millwall did well and kept us out...yes that is right, they played this afternoon too.

As I say ... one defeat all season and a fourth clean sheet in a row is a f*cking disgrace. I'm off to get thoroughly drunk to drown my sorrows now that we are sitting a point off the league leadership without having gotten out of second gear.

[Daz_The_Ram]

Today was frustrating. But seriously why boo. What was the point. We drew 0-0. We did not get thrashed and torn apart. 

Was there really booing at the game today? Straight up? 

Whoever was involved in that ought to be ashamed. You don't deserve a good football team in the town if that is your attitude. 

Get a grip...or stay off the drink and learn about the game of football...either will do. 

[Daz_The_Ram]

In the Championship, you could make a case for 20 of the teams winning it, a

My point EXACTLY. So then, it stands to scrutiny that no-one has a divine right...you just have to keep plugging away, picking up more good results than bad.

If people can't see that this side is a top class side based on the evidence seen consistently on the pitch..they haven't got the foggiest idea.

Spot on ... when you are top of the league on the last day of the season ... that means you are champions.

As Ovis Aries said earlier...we LOST five home games last season and still amassed 85 points. Where on earth is the panic after one mediocre result? Fact is - we have sustained one narrow defeat all bloody season.

We'd have conceded some silly bloody goal or other under Clough's regime today. At least we know how to knuckle down and take the bare minimum out of a game.

DCFC fans are so fickle and volatile...it is really infuriating. Unbearable.

[-JW-]

The Millwall sausages did a bloody good job on us today. We had 2 great chances in the first 5 mins then we had absolutely naff all after that. It's frustrating knowing we could have gone top if we'd won but at the end of the day we've not lost any ground.

[Alph]

Was expecting more wrist slashing.

Ibe needs to spend less time dancing. It got a bit Zaha in the end. There's a simple pass Jordon, we don't need some ballet. But he was decent. No more, no less Just when people criticise Dawkins for no end product it's worth looking at the other wingers with the same critical eye.

Whitbread did have opportunities to get us going more quickly and was a bit hesitant at times. Killed some promising situations.

Didn't happen for Christie going forward. He was dealt with really well.

Got to give a lot of credit to Millwall. They executed their game plan perfectly

Just a nothing game unfortunately.

[CornwallRam]

I thought that the booing was for the ref. I'd be amazed if anyone booed or players. OK, we weren't brilliant, but we've been so much worse in the recent past, and at no stage could you have accussed the team of a lack of effort.

[Alph]

Also I'm not sure there is a "plan b" for teams that have little to no interest in coming out to play.

Millwall to their credit for an hour or more were looking to come out a bit and we weren't at our best to hurt them.

But in general there is not much you can do when teams are organised like they're playing Barcelona.

People want to see long ball and crosses? That's an alternative plan I suppose but it's still crosses etc going into crowded defences.

[Alph]

Double post

[Srg]

Also I'm not sure there is a "plan b" for teams that have little to no interest in coming out to play.

Millwall to their credit for an hour or more were looking to come out a bit and we weren't at our best to hurt them.

But in general there is not much you can do when teams are organised like they're playing Barcelona.

People want to see long ball and crosses? That's an alternative plan I suppose but it's still crosses etc going into crowded defences.

Crosses to what though? Can't remember the last headed goal we scored.