Rotherham United v Derby County

[Jourdan]

Honestly I think some people are overreacting. Of course this was a game we expected to win, but we should have learned by now that you can't take anything for granted in football, least of all in the Championship. Given that we were 3-1 down and salvaged a draw, it's a point gained for me.

 

This is no time to panic as there will be many twists and turns yet. Even if Middlesbrough win tomorrow night, they will know that nothing is won and lost in February and there is still work to be done.

 

There are 15 games to go and 45 points up for grabs. Even if Middlesbrough open up any sort of lead at the top tomorrow, we shouldn't feel daunted, especially given there are two automatic promotion places on offer. Three points, it's hardly insurmountable at this stage, is it?

 

More than anything I think this will be a wake up call to everyone - players, fans and the management. We have to respect the opposition a little more. With the quality we have, it's easy to become complacent. After tonight, I hope we realise we can't just turn up and expect to win. We need to bring the same focus, the same discipline and the same level of performance to each and every game, otherwise like tonight, we will get caught cold. It's all very well being able to raise your game for the likes of Bournemouth, Watford and Ipswich away, but you need to effectively manage games like tonight too.

 

In Bent (6 goals in 7 appearances) and Ince (5 goals in 3 appearances) we have two players who are undoubtedly too good for this division and I'm sure they will continue to prove their worth. But equally the unit and the sum of the parts needs to be just as effective. We have some quality individuals - Ince, Bent, Martin, Hughes and Grant - but a team is eleven men and everyone has to contribute.

 

There is no use playing the blame game as it's a collective effort. We have weaknesses and we are by no means perfect - the defence has been a bone of contention long before McClaren even arrived. But at the same time, we can't expect faultless performances from 1-11 for 90 minutes as many as three times in a week.

 

In our last ten league games, we have won six, drawn three and lost just once. So this shows we are getting it right more than we are getting it wrong.

 

Let's hope that we dust ourselves down and on Saturday, there's a response.

[ariotofmyown]

Yeah but what the resurrection from 3-1 down. I still adore them.

Tom Ince, we don't need another love

Tom Ince, one hear and one soul

We can have it all

Incey Wincey

[TopRam]

I wouldn't be surprised if ward and Christie don't play another game this season after tonight, both awful Christie looks to beat bus man can't then turns around and losses it.

In the end it was a good come back but we should beat teams like Rotherham

[North_Stand_Ram]

@ShaneMalpass: Ryan Shotton - played 20 - conceded 13

Cyrus Christie - played 34 - conceded 32

#DCFC

[Wolfie20]

We're not nailed on certainties but being where we are and being as tight as it is, you'd put Rotherham as a fixture where you would expect to win. It may be big headed or whatever but being successful brings more expectation. It's more of a case of where could we be now if we didn't slip up.

Bournemouth, Boro and Ipswich could all say the same. We're not running away with the league which many feel we should be doing, probably based on how we finished last season (Wembley apart) but ultimately, as far as this season is concerned, it counts for nowt.

[Howard Canitbé]

McClaren won't change Buxton and Keogh, I don't think. Perhaps people need to spread their anger to McClaren? 

 

You can blame players all they want, but it's the manager that keeps picking them. If, as some are saying, Buxton and Keogh are ***** then McClaren is a really poor manager for playing them, surely? They can only play to their ability. 

 Who would you play instead? Shotton has been tried there and has been no better. Whitbread is injured, Albentosa isn't fit, Barker is nowhere even close.

Blimey, give the man a break, he made a make or break triple sub today and it paid off. Credit where credit's due. He sounded unhappy himself, do people think McClaren is blind to these things?

Think the only defensive change come Saturday will be Shotton in for Christie. Because that's pretty much all he can do.

[peakram]

Had a low down view which wasnt the best but my marks:

 

Grant 6 - great save to prevent 4-1 though flapped a bit at free kick for 2nd it seemed

Christie 5 - still not crossing quickly enough like he did early season, seems to panic a bit under pressure

Forsyth 7 - got forward but was hampered by a really bobbly area on the left wing second half

Keogh 6 - both central defenders were all out at times against the aerial ball

Buxton 5 - probably not his greatest ever game

Mascarell 4 - not his sort of game, very weak challenge for 3rd goal for them after losing ball

Hendrick 5 - never really in it after getting a knock

Hughes 8 - brilliant in the last 25 minutes, didn't get into the game before that though

Bent 6 - did little but found the net again!

Ward 5 - not much impression though tried hard

Ince 7 - scoring goals for fun

Subs:

Lingard 7 - some impressive runs

Dawkins 6 - linked up play well at times though also got outmuscled once or twice

Bryson 7 - played very well when he came on, involved in a lot of moves

[Guest]

Obviously do not consider myself to be more knowledgable than Steve, but we have problems at the back ,you don't win anything by conceding three goals espescially against teams at the opposite end of the table .They are there for a reason and I cant remember them scoring 3 against any one else this season. My point is we shouldn't be leaking goals against teams of this calibre, the squad appears to be moving in the right direction but players of Ward and Keogh are week links. Am not intrested in what bornmouth or middlesborough do ,its all about how we play and perform. No matter how well are forwards have performed tonight they wont be getting us out of the crap if we concede 3 against premiership teams .You say we wont have the same players next season .Well on that assumption we will be okay if we go up then ,on your assumption most of the squad will have gone and I assume Sam and the board have a few 100 million to spare,if indeed we can entice players of such a quality to grace our presence.

Fair comments. But really need to accept if grant fcuks up it is not a chance to blame Keogh, who is key to how we play.

Also, I think we will have some of this team next season in the Prem. Keogh would be retained by McClaren is my gut feel if we went up.

[Srg]

Don't think the pitch was great tonight. Seemed to be dry and bounced awkwardly quite a few times. Not that that is any excuse.

As for more in-depth thoughts...

Mascarell was closed out the game first half, which made it impossible to play through midfield despite Hughes' best efforts. This was mainly because Hendrick wasn't coming short to find space often enough - not really his game, so can't criticise too much.

This forced us to play down the full backs and wingers. Christie looks shot on confidence right now and if Buxton stares at Forsyth for any longer before giving him the ball I think he'd stare a hole in him - in other words, telegraphs it so badly the defence are on top of him when he gets it.

Once it got past the full back, you hit Jamie Ward. Ward either lays it off at roughly chest height, runs into the nearest man before losing out to pace or tries a 40 yard shot or cross to nothing. He needs a spell on the bench, before being moved on in the summer. Not good enough for where we are now.

The game changes with Bryson coming on, who came short along with Hughes. This allowed us to finally play out from the back and through the middle. This in turn allowed us to get Forsyth higher, where he could affect the game.

Dawkins simply must play while Bent is starting. Logically, he received it short and recycles possession. He draws defenders before laying it off. In other words, he's a non-wardrobe version of Martin. He allows us to start our attacks high up the pitch, just as Martin does. Frankly, Dawkins has been brilliant the last two games and that deserves pointing out.

Lingard was a constant threat. Really quick feet. Only minor point was sometimes deferring rather than committing a defender once he got in the box, when he clearly could having already done it outside the box.

Moving on to Saturday... Where's Albentosa? Anyway, I'd drop Buxton and Ward, and play Dawkins and Shotton, presuming the same squad. Although Bryson and Lingard have staked a strong claim.

Final word on the night... Yes disappointed we didn't win, but you take what you can get from how poor we were first half and then being 3-1 down. Also, it was a thoroughly enjoying game to watch and be there for. So can't complain there.

[Stripperg-ram]

Anyone else think it's refreshing to have a manager who, when reflecting on the game, normally says it how it is and admits to his failings and the failings of his team?

Thought Steves RD interview was really honest.

'Not good enough'

'His fault he shouldve made the changes earlier'

(I'm paraphrasing btw)

Often you see managers gloss over performances like that, but not SM.

[Guest]

Anyone else think it's refreshing to have a manager who, when reflecting on the game, normally says it how it is and admits to his failings and the failings of his team?

Thought Steves RD interview was really honest.

'Not good enough'

'His fault he shouldve made the changes earlier'

(I'm paraphrasing btw)

Often you see managers gloss over performances like that, but not SM.

 

YES! Very refreshing. McClaren did a fantastic job today in adjusting,  but for starters, he needs to drop Ward. He has Lingard and Dawkins, so either put one of them in, or better still put Russell in for the Saturday game. He saw what happened today, and hopefully he will put our BEST players out there, rather than going with a bang average/ineffective player like wardy. 

[Gritstone Ram]

I wondered why he didn't change it at half time. Ward may as well have stood next to me all game. Christie was gash. Hughes ran the last 25mins. Bryson did ok when he came on too. Must start lingard on saturday he looks dangerous. I didn't think ince did much apart from score 2. 

[VulcanRam]

Just got back. The thing that annoyed me the most was that when we finally started playing we scored two and could have had more, and there was a gulf in class, albeit by then Rotherham had decided to sit 11 men behind the ball and just try to defend.

 

However, by then, after a pathetic first hour, we were 3 - 1 down. That was undoubtedly two points dropped against one of the division's weaker teams but its the manner of the performance that worried me more. The players simply didn't look up for it for the first 60 off minutes, and I don't know why.

 

Even the management got it wrong in my opinion - I was astonished to see both Mascarell and Ward out for the second half when both had stinkers. Left it far too late to make the changes, by which time we were chasing and looking to rescue the game, rather than winning it.

 

My final rant goes to the Highways Agency. Are they EVER going to finish those ******* roadworks on the M1? Two hours to make a short journey. 

 

On the upside, Lingard looked very lively, and Dawkins seems to be hitting good form. Ince and Bent can't stop scoring.

[Howard Canitbé]

Anyone else think it's refreshing to have a manager who, when reflecting on the game, normally says it how it is and admits to his failings and the failings of his team?

Thought Steves RD interview was really honest.

'Not good enough'

'His fault he shouldve made the changes earlier'

(I'm paraphrasing btw)

Often you see managers gloss over performances like that, but not SM.

 

I thought he sounded absolutely seething. When Colin suggested we could have won it he virtually scoffed and said something along the lines of "we can't expect to win games if we concede three goals". 

Rarely heard him sound so angry. If that's what we heard I'd hate to hear the earful the players got in that dressing room, swearing or no swearing.

[North_Stand_Ram]

Been waiting for someone sensible to post, who actually saw the game. Seems to me like the pattern of our season again with 7 or 8 players doing well, but 2 or 3 poor performers, with poor individual mistakes thrown in tonight. Ward and Christie are off the boil, and therefore should feature less over the next few games, and we need Albentosa to claim his position at the heart of our defence. Still no point rushing Thorne into action.

1 point away from home is fine. No panic. Win your home games, draw your away ones. I think I will sleep ok. Never really expected us to win the league in Feb.

I didn't think we played that bad. We've played much worse this season, just individual errors costing us again...

[Howard Canitbé]

Just got back. The thing that annoyed me the most was that when we finally started playing we scored two and could have had more, and there was a gulf in class, albeit by then Rotherham had decided to sit 11 men behind the ball and just try to defend.

 

However, by then, after a pathetic first hour, we were 3 - 1 down. That was undoubtedly two points dropped against one of the division's weaker teams but its the manner of the performance that worried me more. The players simply didn't look up for it for the first 60 off minutes, and I don't know why.

 

Even the management got it wrong in my opinion - I was astonished to see both Mascarell and Ward out for the second half when both had stinkers. Left it far too late to make the changes, by which time we were chasing and looking to rescure the game, rather than winning it.

 

My final rant goes to the Highways Agency. Are they EVER going to finish those ******* roadworks on the M1? Two hours to make a short journey. 

 

On the upside, Lingard looked very lively, and Dawkins seems to be hitting good form. Ince and Bent can't stop scoring.

 

Hear hear. Pretty sure when my girlfriend started uni in York, they were there then.

She's now in her third year!

[Tombo]

Could have been so much worse. No need for everyone to be so miserable. Does us no good to have a black cloud hanging over us with this stuff. Stay positive- that's why managers always pull out that cliche "positive attitudes", because negative attitudes really achieve nothing. Focus on the good things and what we can still achieve in these final 15 games. Don't dwell on this

[ram1964]

Fair comments. But really need to accept if grant fcuks up it is not a chance to blame Keogh, who is key to how we play.

Also, I think we will have some of this team next season in the Prem. Keogh would be retained by McClaren is my gut feel if we went up.

Appreciate what your saying just think Keogh doesn't handle the pressure very well and dispite his commitment which cannot be questioned seems to struggle for us in high tempo /big games and I believe isnt't a good enough prospect for the premiership..Steves playing what he believes to be the best team available at present, although sum what surprised changes weren't made earlier. I just hope Albentosa comes in meets our high expectations and commands and organises the defense.

[sage]

What a load of knee jerk rubbish. Sometimes we play well. sometimes we don't. Equal top, with two home games against lower mid teams next. Get over it.

[Guest]

Pressure was two one down away at Bournemouth in first half injury time. Keogh (and defence ) handled that really well.

Christie played well, especially In Second half, at Bournemouth.