DerbyPride Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 One thing that I've picked up on recently is a noticeable change in how McClaren picks the team as opposed to last season. Whereas last season if a player was dropped/injured/suspended they had to wait and bide their time before regaining their place. This meant that the players would keep the shirt until they were out-of-form/injured/suspended. Prime example being Craig Bryson being left out of the play-off final after being injured in the first leg of the semi. Will Hughes took the shirt and kept it, despite Bryson being fit again. Also George Thorne having to wait until Eustace was suspended before taking (and keeping) the shirt. It seems different for whatever reason this season, meaning more tinkering and a less settled team. Take Will Hughes immediately regaining his place against Huddersfield after suspension, despite the previous game being a 4-0 victory and Simon Dawkins being arguably the man of the match. It seems like the players can no longer be confident that good form means a good run in the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North_Stand_Ram Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Expectation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyDyer Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I think the tinkering has had a detrimental effect all season. Particularly with the defence. Would be interested to know how many games one particular back four has played in succession throughout the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymouthram Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 A lot of the change is down to injury and trying to get the right balance and formation on a game to game basis, sometimes changing because of who the opponents are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerbyPride Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 A lot of the change is down to injury and trying to get the right balance and formation on a game to game basis, sometimes changing because of who the opponents are.I agree that injuries have definitely had some part to play. However, that's not always been the case. Dawkins wasn't injured after the Blackpool game. Like him or loath him, most will agree he must've felt hard done by after putting in a good performance. Will Hughes may be the best thing since sliced bread but make him earn his place back - he only had himself to blame after picking up that stupid booking. We should not have to change the team depending on who we're playing against. We should enforce our style of play and make them change their teams to compensate. That's what happened last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyDyer Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I always hark back to Brighton at home. Keogh injured, so Shotton and Buxton at the back. Was balanced as Shotton played on the right side. Won 3-0, clean sheet, and both played well. Next game Buxton is dropped and we put in a horror defensive display at Middlesboro. Why change it if it works? Let people keep the shirt until someone else earns it off them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_dcfc Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I always hark back to Brighton at home. Keogh injured, so Shotton and Buxton at the back. Was balanced as Shotton played on the right side. Won 3-0, clean sheet, and both played well. Next game Buxton is dropped and we put in a horror defensive display at Middlesboro. Why change it if it works? Let people keep the shirt until someone else earns it off them. Because we were playing one of the worst sides in the league? Hendrick and Bryson played well in that game and kept the shirt ahead of Hughes. Definitely the wrong decision as we missed him massively against Middlesbrough.Dependent on the opposition in my opinion. In the second leg of the play offs, the team that played that night kept their places for the final because of the how well they played in such a massive game. If the weakened team that had played the last day of the season had played really well and thrashed Leeds, they wouldn't have kept their places for the playoffs because of the opposition and lack of importance of that game. Similarly, a good performance against already relegated Blackpool, correctly wasn't enough to stop the player of the season, Hughes, gaining his place back. Whether Dawkins should have been dropped instead of Bryson is a bigger question for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 the difference between last season and this.Last season the fans were appreciative of what was happening, the atmosphere was good and the fans were a reason to be proud. The season the fans expect too much, the atmosphere is rubbish and the fans are a source of embarrassment. If the fans just enjoyed what was happening instead of demanding something that will never happen, the place would be a better atmosphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbados Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Andre Wisdom + injuries + Newcastle speculation, that's pretty much it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G STAR RAM Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 We used to leave 2 players up on the halfway line for opposition corners, this season we only leave 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t'oldu Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 When push comes to shove not a deal.....................we are no better equipped to go up through the playoffs this year than last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Ram Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 When push comes to shove not a deal.....................we are no better equipped to go up through the playoffs this year than last.We might just fluke it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t'oldu Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 That's our only hope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Grant has got worse.No one has really stepped up to Wisdom's plate.The defence hasn't been settled.Forsyth has got worse - I think? We've had no defensive midfielder for a 1/4 of the season. Again, unsettled.Bryson, who was key last season, has got worse. We've had injuries to Martin, who was key. When Ward was in-form, he got injured. When Russell was in-form, he got injured. It all adds up to a disruptive season.Injuries at bad times throughout the season has been the biggest factor and a number of players have failed to step up to the bar they had previously set or been - in the case of Christie - just very inconsistent. We were very settled in our system and structure last season, in hindsight we were probably a touch lucky in that respect. However, this season we've just had it horribly. Injuries have come thick and fast, usually hitting our most in form players too, and despite the HUGE squad we have it's just not been able to cope.I mean, who on god's green earth could have predicted THREE defensive midfielders would all be injured at the same time. Nevertheless, if/when we make the play-offs, we have three games to substitute the whole season for and I hope we are in a good condition for it.If Buxton, Thorne and Martin return and get into good shape for the three games then I will be very confident that we will be a completely different beast. Ince and Bent give us something we were lacking last season and can be key in play-off situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-JW- Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Not enough pun infested threads this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YorkshireRam Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 ExpectationFirst word that came into my head too.Last season, we were the season underdogs. Everyone expected the good form to end sooner or later but it never did.This season everyone has expected us to walk the league and ease our way into the Premier League. Every time we have faltered, I get the feeling that player's confidence has been knocked and coupled with a dash of complacency and untimely injuries, the season has ended in a slightly disappointing way.However, as long as we get into the play-offs anything can happen. The deserving team doesn't always win, as we found out last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 We're more controlling, take less shotsFar more unsettled in regards to injuries and team selectionWe've had less luck, less last minute winners, less penalties/red cards for the oppositionFixture list has been worse. 8 back-to-back away games over the season (most in the league) is an absolute joke and hinders our ability to gain any momentum.Failure to go on winning streaks (three our best) although fixtures have a part to do with that.Our XI this season is weaker than last season when you take into account Wisdom's exit, Bryson, Hendrick, Forsyth and Grant being worse this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Ram Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 The new 'focus in the defence'Trying to sit back and control games when we're **** at it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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