Derby County v Birmingham City

[TroyDyer]

Getting a lead and sitting deep is always going to invite problems. 

We did it a lot last season and I always assumed it was a hangover from the Clough methods. Still doing it and still paying the price. 

If as people say, Macca was shouting to push up, and they weren't, then what the **** does that say about the players? Why aren't they listening? Why isn't the captain ushering them out, bollocking anyone that defies?

[kingsy1884]

I'm not going to let the last five minutes affect my judgement on what I saw. I've never been so disillusioned by a referee performance, but lets not pretend he isn't human. As soon as he get the reception he did in the first-half, he had it in for us and he'll leave that stadium a happy, happy man over the result. 

The defence was excellent. I don't know how often teams are restricted to just one shot on target in this division, but we showed absolute class at keeping them out. The set-pieces Birmingham scored upon have nothing to do with the defence. 

Anyway, the player ratings.

Grant - 5 - Not really had anything to do, but he's flapped at the ball a few times. Not his best game.

Christie - 8 - He kept the ball well, defended very well, and did everything asked of him. 
Keogh - 7 - Solid. I thought this distribution was questionable, but defensively he was good.
Albentosa - 7 - Same as Keogh, really.
Forsyth - 7 - Distribution a problem, as always, but defensively he was very good. I haven't seen the second goal again, but when you're 10 on 10 in the box then anything is possible. 

Mascarell - 8 MOTM - defended very well, passed the ball very well and protected his back four... very well. 

Hughes - 6 - I think he gave the ball away too much, but put his foot in defensively. He was a target for the referee so was called up too many times. 
Hendrick - 7 - He showed class on the ball, similar to his performance against Brighton. Just needs to show a bit more, for me. 

Ince - 8 - I'm not going to blame him for the penalty. It was a perfectly good tackle. He scored a great goal and offered a threat. 

Ward - 8 - One if his better performances this season. never stopped. deserved goal.

Russell - 6 - I don't think he could do much as, like Hughes, he was a target for the referee. He did okay, though, in all areas. 

Dawkins, Lingard, Bryson - 6 - all looked tidy when they came on. Dawkins possibly the pick out of the three.

Overall:

It was a very good performance, defensively very good, but you can't account for a referee giving the opposition such a helping hand. I'm annoyed by the result. but pleased by the performance and the application of everyone on the pitch. 

[Duracell]

We should have gone for 4-0, 5-0 rather than sit on a 2-0.

[Chris Mills]

Ince has cost us the 2 points there I'm afraid to say. If he puts the ball into the stand there and then they get a throw in with 1 minute left. Never been so angry after a game - We really need to step it up, however, at the minute I feel like we may throw away this opportunity.

[Guest]

​On this form how do you expect Derby to beat Norwich away? We can't even beat Fulham away and Bournemouth put 5 past them last night! It's alright Mclaren saying there is no swearing in the dressing room. It is about time someone stood up and swore at some of the players.

[Sexydadbod]

Can't see Bournemouth or norwich slipping up now

[YouRams]

Our defence get a lot of slack but our midfield invites so much unnecessary pressure on them. Don't know what game people were watching slating Albentosa looked solid putting into account he's playing on his wrong side which was very evident with him taking the ball on his right all game. As for the ref any other profession someone so incompetent would be sacked, I'd expect a complaint is put in about him. Just hope those 2 points lost don't prove pivotal.

[RamNut]

The commentator for Brighton v Derby made the point that v Brighton we took off - in his opinion - our 3 best players, and this let them back into the game.

the same happened today - ward, hughes and russell withdrawn.

we seemed to lose it after that and could no longer hold the ball.

 

[Guest]

Didn't look a penalty for me, but I am biased.

anyone else think it was or wasn't?

[RicME85]

Anyone see Keogh screaming at the West stand?

Early in the first half he was in front of me, in the usual position he takes up when Grant is about to take a goal kick and Keogh made a mistake, iirc it was poor first touch and then didnt do anything with the ball.

A few groans went out from behind me and Keogh, instead of getting back into position and concentrating on his game took a minute out to stand and scream and shout at the West stand. It was a casual f-off, it was full blown screaming with his face getting redder and redder.

Thought it was poor form from the captain.   

[TroyDyer]

Anyone see Keogh screaming at the West stand?

Early in the first half he was in front of me, in the usual position he takes up when Grant is about to take a goal kick and Keogh made a mistake, iirc it was poor first touch and then didnt do anything with the ball.

A few groans went out from behind me and Keogh, instead of getting back into position and concentrating on his game took a minute out to stand and scream and shout at the West stand. It was a casual f-off, it was full blown screaming with his face getting redder and redder.

Thought it was poor form from the captain.   

[Harrowram]

Because I'm a fan, and know that we won't win every game, but given we are the 2nd best team in the league over a season why can't they beat Norwich ?

Bournemouth couldn't beat Huddersfield, yet they bounced back, on our day we can beat anyone in this league.

ill still be there next week at Norwich, confident we can get a result, maybe I'll be disappointed but that's what football is all about, I'd support Chelsea if I was just interested in watching a team win every week.

[-JW-]

I don't know what to think. I left after 91 mins so missed both their goals. I thought the overall performance was right up there with some of our best stuff this season. Couldn't fault anyone. We should have killed the game off though, that is for sure. At the end of the day, we were one point behind the leaders at the start of the weekend and now we are level. Point gained. 

[RamNut]

Overall we played quite well. However the crowd are shiitting themselves and this nervousness seems to start affecting the match.

the referee became the focus for all this nervous outpouring of pent up anger. Admittedly he made numerous errors.

eventually this provoked a situation where johnny russell refused to return the ball at a free kick and instead blasted it into the corner. Quite right too. Would charlie george have returned the ball? No chance.

nevertheless this then sparked the gary rowett incident and no doubt this helped him to stoke up their players for the second half. Unlike charlton this lot weren't going quietly.

the bloke next to me said, if this was nigel clough he'd be bringing on bucko with ten minutes to go.

maybe not such a bad idea in hindsight? 

Grant 5

christie 6

forsyth 7

keogh 6

albentosa 5

mascarell 5

hendrick 6

hughes 7

ince 7

russell 8

ward 7

 

 

[RicME85]

Dont forget @RamNut, Brum had kicked the ball away twice in the first half without reprecussion and over a much bigger distance too, thats the sort of thing that wound the crowd up

[Guest]

​In my view Derby have thrown away automatic promotion this week. They haven't the backbone to take it on and accept the challenge.

[TopRam]

Really can't come to terms with this result, we dominate play superb for 90 minutes then somehow don't win after being 2-0 up, this really hurts because I thought we had stopped the rot today, the players fans everyone will be hurt and I'm worried now about the next week or so, we need Atleast 7 points from the next 3 games otherwise autos might just be gone, but for now no need to worry or be down there's loads of twist and turns to happen. Let's go beat norwich and show what we are made off

[ossieram]

Can't see Bournemouth or norwich slipping up now

[rsmini]

We invited pressure on to ouselves in the last 10 minutes. I was saying all along we needed a third goal. Teams can always come back from 2 down, but to do it in 93+ minutes is taking the piss.

Ince should have just hoofed it out for a throw in, but hindsight is a good thing.

Felt for Johnny Russell in the first half, flattened 3 times in the first half in the space of a few minutes, even by the goalkeepers knee!! and then gives nothing. Then he kicks ball out to corner flag for a throw in instead of passing to there keeper and gets some right **** from the players at half time.

Why McClaren took of 3 players I will never know, we were cruising at that point.We really need to see out games.

We really are dropping to many points and should be walking this league

Grants interview after the game was very positive so...

Come On You Rams!!

[Guest]

Regardless of whether you love, are neutral or hate Keogh's guts (Troy), the fact remains is that its too demoralising to the team to drop your captain.  I am sort of in the neutral camp at this point, but I would be afraind to drop him: expect him to play every single remaining game.