What is causing the problems

[Woodypecker]

'What is causing our problems?'

It's our defending, not our defence per se. Of course Mac knows all about the errors and lapses - he's been tearing the rest of his hair out for weeks!

Plenty of talent and choice in midfield and attack but we have become too deliberate, lack of confidence leading to trying to create the perfect chance - rather than stuffing the ball at the target as often as possible. 

Keogh had an heroic game (for once) against Watford... others let him down. We keep compounding innocuous mistakes that add up to a full-blown balls-ups, 2 or 3 times per game.

Christie elects not to thump the ball into Row Z and others don't react. The opposition do, though...and we concede after dominating. It can't go on, so there will be casualties; too late for much change or improvement this season.

I felt since before Wembley that Keogh wasn't a true leader or medal-winning captain - soft defensive lapses and needlessly-conceded goals) stem back to games we won easily. Brighton play-offs @ iPro for one example, set the worrying undertones IMHO. He also doesn't drive or push the team on enough sometimes - though God knows he really did try on Monday night.

I'm sure Keogh and others suspect that these will be their last half-dozen games for this club (well...there's the play-offs, for which I do think we will qualify). It's the end of a good thing for some of them as they've let it slip from their grasp....will they still bask in glory by the end of May, though?

Seen all of Derby's promotions and relegations since 1969 and can face seasons with equanimity. We're as good as the players we have. Talent, discipline, concentration, leadership, ruthlessness....just lacking the right mix now - but good enough to gain promotion, compared with others in the top 8. 

 

 

 

[Woodypecker]

'What is causing our problems?'

It's our defending, not our defence per se. Of course Mac knows all about the errors and lapses - he's been tearing the rest of his hair out for weeks!

Plenty of talent and choice in midfield and attack but we have become too deliberate, lack of confidence leading to trying to create the perfect chance - rather than stuffing the ball at the target as often as possible. 

Keogh had an heroic game (for once) against Watford... others let him down. We keep compounding innocuous mistakes that add up to a full-blown balls-ups, 2 or 3 times per game.

Christie elects not to thump the ball into Row Z and others don't react. The opposition do, though...and we concede after dominating. It can't go on, so there will be casualties; too late for much change or improvement this season.

I felt since before Wembley that Keogh wasn't a true leader or medal-winning captain - soft defensive lapses and needlessly-conceded goals) stem back to games we won easily. Brighton play-offs @ iPro for one example, set the worrying undertones IMHO. He also doesn't drive or push the team on enough sometimes - though God knows he really did try on Monday night.

I'm sure Keogh and others suspect that these will be their last half-dozen games for this club (well...there's the play-offs, for which I do think we will qualify). It's the end of a good thing for some of them as they've let it slip from their grasp....will they still bask in glory by the end of May, though?

Seen all of Derby's promotions and relegations since 1969 and can face seasons with equanimity. We're as good as the players we have. Talent, discipline, concentration, leadership, ruthlessness....just lacking the right mix now - but good enough to gain promotion, compared with others in the top 8. 

 

 

 

[SSC]

I went to the game last night for the first time in ages, and I saw a team and crowd devoid of any confidence.

If you compare the last night's game to the same one last season, when they went ahead last night there seemed to be no belief in the players or the crowd that we'd get back into the game. Last season we went 1-0 down and nobody really seemed that bothered. There seemed to be a real confidence that we'd score goals and win.

What we desperately need is a win, however awful, to try to get some confidence and belief back in the players and supporters.