Why do you think its gone so wrong?

[ariotofmyown]

​We're going to need more than 24 Hours to turn this bad run around. Maybe we need to take each game in Isolation?

[ariotofmyown]

Selling Shackell for Keogh has probably cost us more than we'd realized at the time.

[uttoxram75]

Every manager nowadays gets crucified for every tactical decision and player selection due to tinternet so its inevitable Mac will take some criticism. Its just the way it is now, nothing to be done about it, same at every club.

So here goes.....

Wish we'd stop the punt from Granty to the touch line on half way for Fozzy to head into midfield. Its not a good tactic and i'm not sure why Mac thinks its effective. Fozzy wins all of them but note ever comes from it.

Against Middlesbrough i was also annoyed at the amount of high balls aimed at Ince on the corner of the box.....why? He's not renowned for his heading ability is he? He never won one yet we kept doing it.

 

 

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

​Without them we are pretty good actually. 

Only when Mascarell and Bent are fit though.

[-JW-]

Since Barker started training, it's all gone tits up.

[Daaave]

The recent poor quality of matchday thread starter is the real root cause of the problem.

[YorkshireRam]

​I understand the magnitude of Friday's game, I just don't expect a win, but would be pleasantly surprised if we did. All our recent games have been absolutely crucial and we've not delivered in any of them, barring a stroke of luck against Norwich.

[ChaddesdenRam]

Have to disagree, never have we looked more flimsy when OM is our holding midfielder. 

JE brings the old head and leadership we so desperately lack which has also become more apparent as the season has developed. 

He is the most underrated player in our squad plus he is one to take a booking for the team when it is required also. 

[RamNut]

Too much chopping and changing.

buxton doesn't have that air of confidence this season.

christie's confidence is fragile.

shotton can't hold onto a place at centre back or full back.

bryson can hardly get in the team.

dawkins can't hold onto a place.

there are five players who are not really enjoying all this rotation.

players are in and out and as a result we don't gel.

 

 

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

You said we are bang average without Eustace. I reject that point entirely.

He has only played 14 times this season! Mascarell has played 30 games. We have been a quality side this season in the main and Mascarell has contributed more to that league position than Eustace. 

Whether we look 'flimsy' or not is Irrelevant. 

To say we have been "bang average" without Eustace is absolutely ridiculous. What exactly constitutes bang average? For me it would be mid table. 

After Eustace got injured vs Ipswich we maintained 3rd position right up until the recent weeks. We even reached 1st in the league under Mascarell's flimsy play. I would say maintaining 3rd in the league is a bit better than 'bang average'

Chris Martin I 100% agree but saying that's without Eustace we are bang average is very harsh on Mascarell. 

[RedSox]

Are people questioning Mac's decisions or Mac being our manager?

If anyone is calling for his head you want to think back over the last decade. You want to look at where we are as a club. Pep Guardiola hasn't heard of us. That's why McClaren came here from being a coach at QPR. Before him came Nigel from Burton. Basically if you're thinking of pulling in Hollywood A list or even B list I think you're more likely to end up with the guy who played Curly in Corrie.

If not for Mac we'd be 5pts behind Blackburn not top

[Alph]

Decisions. I know how well he's done, and that's why I'm very reluctant to question him. There's a few team selections recently that I just can't fathom though.  

[VulcanRam]

Fair enough. Just seen bellends on tw@tter and Facebook talking about how he's reached the end with us and was worried that might have spread among people who have brains. 

Got a few little moans about us myself but I just don't want to be part of anything that leads towards making Mac some sort of problem. He's a Godsend in my eyes still. Mistakes and all. 

I don't know if I can go back to P46 W15 D14 L17 GD4 sort of seasons. Celebrating a point at Midtable Champ sides and losing heavily to teams like the current Derby. 

Not ready to face that yet. Not until we've had just a bit longer winning and actually competing for more than the BC Trophy. 

 

[Supermac]

Before I go on I DO NOT want Steve Maclaren to leave, he has brought a breath of fresh air to this club - as well as professionalism and respect. We are very fortunate to have him. However I am sick of all The doin and gloom from Derby fans when a PL job comes up, that's it he's off or well he's gone at the end of the season.

Two points I want to make; 

1) Mac came here and spoke of a 3 year plan to get us up, well we're only in year 2. If he leaved IMO it will be after a job well done, he walked away from Boro having achieved succes; he walked away from FC Twente having achieved success. He owes DCFC and Sam Rush that cos they/we gave him a chance when others didn't fancy him - Wigan, Sunderland to name 2. So stop this moanin and be positive Msc will be here next year mark my words.

2) if we don't go up this year after having the best Squad ever ( Mac's words not mine) then IMO that will represent failure. So having "failed" ( I use the term loosely) why would a failing PL club (Newcastle or Sunderland) want someone whose failed. The board has backed Mac big time and yes things have improved since Clough - but Clough wasn't given the support Nac has.

so stop the inquests we've got 8 maybe 11 cup finals and we need to be Umited. and if we don't make IT then we dust ourselves down and go again. COYRAMS 

[Alph]

​Couldn't agree with this more.  I was fortunate enough to witness a presentation by Chris Evans on Tuesday evening before the kick off and it made me realise how far the club has come in the last 12+ months, although it isn't necessarily evident on the pitch at the moment.  Fascinating insight into how he, Steve and Sam Rush have convinced the owners that they needed to 'get real' about the investment process.  The detail this guy has gone into prior to arrival at PP is legend, but listening to him go into how he does it really gave me heart and hope for the future - as long as we all hold our nerve.  It's no good even thinking about getting on Steve's back.  This management team will deliver us to the promised land - so long as we get AND STAY behind them.  Ok, there's been some selection mistakes in the last few weeks and hopefully Steve will take them on board, but keep the faith.  Our future is in safe hands. 

[CBE]

A good season for me has always been play good football, win more than you lose, have a sniff of a cup run and likewise the play offs. So for me Macca has had two great seasons. For me the season has not gone wrong.

It went a little wrong in my opinion with the self indulgent two page spread in the DET applauding our fantastic Europe wide scouting network that had been put in place with likes of Chris Evans et al. Macca has signed two players who have influenced Clough’s side and then only potentially in Thorne and Ince, I could have scouted them two down the A38 and off Match of the Day.. If anybody can convince me that Albentosa, Mascarelli and Calero (sent back from loan at Burton), the endless fiddling with Shotton and Christie and numerous other loans have taken us forward then…………

For me it has been and still is a great season promotion or not.

[CornwallRam]

It started to go wrong when we fielded a weakened team in the cup against Reading - we annoyed the football gods and are currently being punished.

[t'oldu]

A rigid system produces well drilled inflexible players...........................They are stuck in a 'Chris Martin' mind set.

And that includes the management.        

[LittleEatonRam]

Good post. 

I just want people to enjoy it. The past years we've looked enviously at Cardiff and Swansea who seem to just go about winning most the time every season. Despite losing out a few times it looked a lot more fun than what we were having to do. 

You'd perhaps see a clubs fans wanting a manager out and we'd be saying "who do they think they are? They were losing to xxxx this time last year." and stuff like that. Baffled at how good managers would be under pressure because they were ONLY doing stuff we couldn't even reach. 

Swansea would come here and you'd be like looking at a quality side. If you heard their fans moaning that they're "not enough" and that "Rodgers is out of ideas" you'd think to yourself "get a grip. At least you have something to play for and don't lose 2-0 to Coventry and Bristol and go 10 games without a win or 6 without a goal. Have a go in our world you deluded idiots"

Finishing in and around the top few sides? Actually having something to play for. Reasonably expecting to win all your home matches and barely ever hoping for a draw away. Sign us up!! 

And here we are and nobody seems to be any happier. 

I get the frustration I really do. I didn't celebrate the equaliser v Sheffield Wednesday at all because my expectations and belief is so high that all that equaliser did was put us back at 0-0 where we started. It was about winning. 

Yet I still find time to enjoy the performances and the excitement of the promotion  battle. 

believe me I get stressed and angry. But I look like a happy clapper on here. So that leads me to believe that everyone else must be stressed and angry all the time. 

Enjoy it. It doesn't get much better than this I'm afraid. Maybe add a "tinpot" trophy and a match against Anderlecht. But really the best we will see is very likely Midtable PL getting battered by Chelsea and trying to lose less than Stoke. 

[eddie]

1. Some key players being injured

2. Other key players going missing

3. Other players not grabbing their opportunity.