Is Steve Mac positioning himself for the Newcastle job?

[Woodypecker]

Mac said:

"The thing to work on is conceding goals."

I sure he meant: "The thing to work on is not conceding goals." 

We can be a match for anyone, but the disarray and neglect we've seen in conceding the softest goals has been bordering on suicidal, it has undone our campaign.

We can all name half-a dozen games where the defending (as a back four + goalie) has been diabolical, not to mention the cretinous referees, in games like Wolves (away) and Brum (home) that cost us many points.

At Huddersfield, the shocking marking for Terriers' 2nd goal, and Grant's awful gaffe for the direct corner, were symptomatic of poor leadership (on the pitch), and a pathetic indiscipline in positioning and awareness.

I think Mac also meant he'd 'found out' about his players, as there's no doubt some have reached their level and need shipping out. At the moment, though, we must support them to the hilt - they are what we have, full stop - and they need that extra percent or two that fans can give them.

It would be amazing to win the play-offs (assuming we will squeak into them). Whatever happens - and whoever is boss! - a good sort-out is bound to occur.

 

 

[LesterRam]

do you think the sudden departure to Spain for the team has anything to do with the stick being shown to the players, what happened to Raul ? is he injured or being left out due to the flack ?

[LesterRam]

sounds like they are having fun in spain anyway....

I wanted to go for a dip in the pool but some comedian has peeled the S off of my Speedo's. My money is on @johnnyrussell27 #EustInSpain [??]

[Woodypecker]

'Sudden departure?'

I'd be sure it was a planned break - the team have had few chances to catch breath recently and regroup together as a whole squad, due to midweek fixtures and then the disruption of the international break.

People attach too much importance to web-whinings and moanings on forums; players have the mentality to disregard this, and focus (if not - get stronger players). 

The realities of Cold Blow Lane on Saturday with the scrapping, desperate efforts of Millwall on the brink of relegation will tell us if the break did The Rams good - and if we're still made of the right stuff to face the play-offs.

Let's get those points, and send The Lions down to the bear-pit of League One!

 

 

 

[Kernow]

Mac said:

"The thing to work on is conceding goals."

I sure he meant: "The thing to work on is not conceding goals." 

We can be a match for anyone, but the disarray and neglect we've seen in conceding the softest goals has been bordering on suicidal, it has undone our campaign.

We can all name half-a dozen games where the defending (as a back four + goalie) has been diabolical, not to mention the cretinous referees, in games like Wolves (away) and Brum (home) that cost us many points.

At Huddersfield, the shocking marking for Terriers' 2nd goal, and Grant's awful gaffe for the direct corner, were symptomatic of poor leadership (on the pitch), and a pathetic indiscipline in positioning and awareness.

I think Mac also meant he'd 'found out' about his players, as there's no doubt some have reached their level and need shipping out. At the moment, though, we must support them to the hilt - they are what we have, full stop - and they need that extra percent or two that fans can give them.

It would be amazing to win the play-offs (assuming we will squeak into them). Whatever happens - and whoever is boss! - a good sort-out is bound to occur.

​Going on this point. Can anybody actually name many goals we've conceded that are screamers from outside the box or just downright unlucky? I seem to only remember us conceding goals on the back of individual errors.

[May Contain Nuts]

Who needs media hacks making up stories when you can just make up your own? Angry rants at McClaren because of something someone's made up in their own head? What the Fazakerley is wrong with people?

Maybe Newcastle will approach, maybe he'll end up going - it doesn't mean he's already set on it. The power of persuasion and the influence of media can create situations that don't exist simply by mentioning them with such regularity - a lie stated 50 times becomes taken as the truth - but a lie is still a lie even if it does come true.

Remember all the Scottish newspaper reports when we were trying to sign Russell?  Saying that Celtic were ready to make their move, number one target, all that? They were desperate to make it happen, but it didn't - but if Celtic at some point had said "you know what, we might as well make a bid" would that mean that all of those reports were based on the truth?

 

Some people want an update after every story, a new statement just to reassure them - even after they've totally ignored any previous reassurance they still want more, and more, and start reading things into every other statement, making threads like this one!

You can of course choose to believe or disbelieve whatever you like, does constantly worrying about things that haven't been said, propagating the BS, and and ignoring those that have really help anyone?

 

January:

...the club's chief executive Sam Rush has gone on the record to reassure Rams fans.
"Steve is totally focused on the future at Derby and there's no question whatsoever of him leaving," Rush told the Derby Telegraph. "I'm aware there's a lot of speculation about Steve at the moment. He regards it as speculation and completely dismissed it." Rams chief operating officer John Vicars also took to Twitter to say: "Steve is 100% committed to the club and going nowhere."

Start of April:

Reports this week have been more specific by suggesting a deal could be done in the summer and said Newcastle would have to pay £2m in compensation to land McClaren.
Asked if he was frustrated by the ongoing speculation, McClaren said: "I don't read the newspapers, I only hear it occasionally from people who tell me, but not many people do.
"It is football, it's newspapers and it is that time of the season.
"Our focus is on Watford on Friday, and then Wigan on Monday, and the big April we have got ahead."
Does he have any idea where the information in the reports is coming from?
"Absolutely not," said McClaren.
"We are focusing on doing a job here, we know where we want to go, and that is the main aim.
"We said from day one we have got a job to do here, we are focused totally on that.
"Everything else is irrelevant and speculation."

 

[Alph]

Depends, all these pundits with their 100 different camera angles and super slow replays have everyone analysing everything. How many goals have we scored that we're good? Aren't they all stoppable 

It's like last night I watched Barca v PSG. Now Dixon and Co have got to say something to keep their jobs. So they were laying into David Luiz for Neymar's headed goal.

Now I'm sure Blanc will be saying to Luiz that he needs to make sure that he deals with what he can effect. All he can effect is where the ball is going. He can't get near it. In the end he does neither.

What Dixon and Co were saying was right.  But the way they layed into him is what causes such anal criticism that goes on. 

Luiz had a good game. For 89 minutes he was fine. He took one step in the wrong direction in a match. Pique did it. Mascherano did it. Messi did it. Iniesta did it. Ronaldo will do it tonight. It's not a robotic game. It's fast, emotional. But he was hammered for it.

That's why we now have 5 pundits per show. 100 replays. They're creating work for themselves and murdering players for stuff that they've done themselves. 

Any goal can be stopped. Any goal at some point. I guess there are no good goals in football. 

We all do it now. A goal goes in and I want to see it again to look who was stood where. Forget that in that precise moment a player has less than a second to be in the right place. Forget that he's actually got it right for most the game. I'm going to murder him for that one moment. 

Before all these pundits came about trying to outsmart each other and we had freeze frames with diagrams all over the screen you just had to look at the bigger picture. The performance as a whole

And again using last night as an example you'd say Luiz played very well. Yet itv had him down at fault for both goals. Let Blanc worry about being anal. Because when everyone starts being critical it leads to players, particularly defenders being slaughtered for isolated mistakes 

[Alph]

Good post coconut. 

It doesn't matter what McClaren says about the situation.  Until the bookies and the daily mirror say it then you just can't be sure. 

Why would the mirror make stuff up. Why would they want everyone hanging on their word? Talking about their articles? I can't possibly think of a reason....

And bookies are never wrong? Of course if newspapers are reporting Mac is going and people then bet on it obviously bookies will shorten the odds. Never wrong? No, they don't like to lose. Shortening odds protects them. They aren't itk. The reason Mac is favourite is because people are betting on him. The reason they're betting on him is because he's favourite. 

The newspapers are convinced we're signing Ince for near on £6m. Stick some odds out. Take the money. Shorten the odds.

People think bookies predict football. They don't. They predict people. They react to bets. Nor create them

[Stive Pesley]

Depends, all these pundits with their 100 different camera angles and super slow replays have everyone analysing everything. How many goals have we scored that we're good? Aren't they all stoppable 

It's like last night I watched Barca v PSG. Now Dixon and Co have got to say something to keep their jobs. So they were laying into David Luiz for Neymar's headed goal.

Now I'm sure Blanc will be saying to Luiz that he needs to make sure that he deals with what he can effect. All he can effect is where the ball is going. He can't get near it. In the end he does neither.

What Dixon and Co were saying was right.  But the way they layed into him is what causes such anal criticism that goes on. 

Luiz had a good game. For 89 minutes he was fine. He took one step in the wrong direction in a match. Pique did it. Mascherano did it. Messi did it. Iniesta did it. Ronaldo will do it tonight. It's not a robotic game. It's fast, emotional. But he was hammered for it.

That's why we now have 5 pundits per show. 100 replays. They're creating work for themselves and murdering players for stuff that they've done themselves. 

Any goal can be stopped. Any goal at some point. I guess there are no good goals in football. 

We all do it now. A goal goes in and I want to see it again to look who was stood where. Forget that in that precise moment a player has less than a second to be in the right place. Forget that he's actually got it right for most the game. I'm going to murder him for that one moment. 

Before all these pundits came about trying to outsmart each other and we had freeze frames with diagrams all over the screen you just had to look at the bigger picture. The performance as a whole

And again using last night as an example you'd say Luiz played very well. Yet itv had him down at fault for both goals. Let Blanc worry about being anal. Because when everyone starts being critical it leads to players, particularly defenders being slaughtered for isolated mistakes 

​You are Richard keogh and I claim my £5

[Alph]

​You are Richard keogh and I claim my £5

Yeah, no. Like you say, I've seen his car and missus like you say, so yeah, no, obviously like you say I wish I was. 

Like you say

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Many years ago Brian Clough had a go at John Motson in an interview (Sure most have seen it) where he basically said MOTD, the media and the like were ruining football because they were moving from commenting on matches to lecturing on matches. He said it was disrespectful to referees and would be to the detriment of football.

Basically he was right. All the punditry forced down our throat has turned the average supporter into a flippin pundit. Fans and supporters have sadly been replaced by critics.

[Alph]

Many years ago Brian Clough had a go at John Motson in an interview (Sure most have seen it) where he basically said MOTD, the media and the like were ruining football because they were moving from commenting on matches to lecturing on matches. He said it was disrespectful to referees and would be to the detriment of football.

Basically he was right. All the punditry forced down our throat has turned the average supporter into a flippin pundit. Fans and supporters have sadly been replaced by critics.

Completely right. 

I'm a hypocrit really because I do it myself. Not to the extent of some and I only moan I'd it's constantly repeated. Like Christie dwelling too long or when Hendrick and Bryson kept charging off v Forest. 

But football is a better game when you look at the bigger picture. Don't judge a match based on 1 minute. Don't judge a season based on 1 match. Don't get bogged down in the nitty gritty.

It's all these pundits though. It's a competition between them and their channels. Who can give the most insight. Who offers the most coverage. 

They should (and probably do) know better considering they've been there themselves a lot of them. 

Take Kevin Kilbane laying into Vincent Kompany about not recognising the danger behind him When he steps up. Did you become a genius recently Kevin or did you always have eyes everywhere but just chose to close some of them?

[Day]

sounds like they are having fun in spain anyway....

I wanted to go for a dip in the pool but some comedian has peeled the S off of my Speedo's. My money is on @johnnyrussell27 #EustInSpain [??]

You know that's not Eustace right?

[LesterRam]

yes but the johnnyrussell27 is right isn't it ?

[eddie]

McClaren hates half fans too

[davenportram]

I dont think its a symptom being successful of last season that some fans moan.

 

If at any point a manager doesn't react to injuries by changing framtion and system to suit the players avaulable and we go from bring top of the league to relegation form then some fans of any club will start moaning. 

I wouldnt have minded losing as many if he had acknowledged that he was wrong to play JR upfront on his own, and tried something different. Who knows playing players in role they are comfortable and not asking them to do jobs theyahdnt done in their career before might have been more succesful

[RamNut]

None of his comments refer to the fans.

god knows what he's on about in these recycled comments.

the reporter should have asked him exactly what he meant instead of allowing him to get away with vague allusions to criticism of unnamed individuals. 

he doesn't seem to always handle the pressures particularly well.

 

[Tombo]

We are not the only club with ******** fans. We're not the only club that has come under pressure. We're not the only club to have had injuries. None of the excuses cut it, and I have been patient enough. Conceding 4 goals at Huddersfield really burned the last of my fuse.

Better than midtable under Clough? Yeah, of course. But we have a better team than midtable, and we have to be ambitious with our targets. If he doesn't get us up, that's two failures. In preseason the players said that the first word written on the board when they came back was "failure", put there by McClaren so that they could come to grips that we had failed as a club. Another failure is too much.

There's enough about us to win the playoffs though, we just need to show the grit in the last two games as we're going into it first. No room for excuses, nothing more than promotion will do.

"Oh but what about the pressure on the players?" It's football, that's the game for you. Players will be nervous. The job of the head coach is to calm those nerves and get the best out of the players. 

[Alph]

So what would you like to happen? What is your solution?

Injuries effect results. That's true of any club. 

I don't see how last season was failure. Was going from 5 years of bottom half to 3rd and Wembley and only knocked out the Cup to Chelsea really failure? 

Why is our team better than Midtable by nature? Grant, Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Hughes, Hendrick, Bryson, Russell, Ince, Ward, Dawkins, Thorne... what level have these players performed at? Most of them were playing midtable in the Champ when Mac got here. 2 of them have been relegated from the Champ.

I don't think it's ok to say "well everyone has **** fans". If that's how people think then fair enough. 

Personally I ever think like that. I'm not going to think "well, loads of girls are sleeping around on weekends so it's no problem if my daughters do it" or "Everyone was looting Tottenham so I might as well join in".

Maybe the Derby players think "well every club had ***** results..." 

Why is conceding 4 at Huddersfield a problem. Would 0-0 be better? 

[Ramarena]

Completely right. 

I'm a hypocrit really because I do it myself. Not to the extent of some and I only moan I'd it's constantly repeated. Like Christie dwelling too long or when Hendrick and Bryson kept charging off v Forest. 

But football is a better game when you look at the bigger picture. Don't judge a match based on 1 minute. Don't judge a season based on 1 match. Don't get bogged down in the nitty gritty.

It's all these pundits though. It's a competition between them and their channels. Who can give the most insight. Who offers the most coverage. 

They should (and probably do) know better considering they've been there themselves a lot of them. 

Take Kevin Kilbane laying into Vincent Kompany about not recognising the danger behind him When he steps up. Did you become a genius recently Kevin or did you always have eyes everywhere but just chose to close some of them?

​I distinctly remember Kevin Kilbane being pretty **** for us.

And that's what makes me laugh, you get pundits who were mediocre to poor players who are now criticising better players than they ever were. 

It's so upside down. Look at Robbie Savage ripping into Van Persie last season. Robbie Useless Savage for god sake!!!!!!