Hypothetically: What would be your response if we were to miss out on the play-offs?

[Dale The Ram]

Will be hurt but weve seen worse!

Look forward to another season in one of the best leagues in the world.

We have great Under 21 players who I believe may be knocking on the door next season.

[Van der MoodHoover]

I will be scouring the ipro hoping to find b4 to shake his hand.

the most consistently upbeat member of us all (as long as he leaves off the sour grapes about others' success).

then I will be driving back to south hants, avoiding Warwick services in case its overrun with disgruntled 'wall fans following their drubbing at wolves and consequent relegation.

and then I will renew my away membership and look forward to it all starting again in August.

[Bris Vegas]

I've been resigned to not going up for a few weeks now and, to be honest, think we're deluding ourselves if we think we have a good chance of winning the playoffs.

Yes, if we get to the final there is always the freak result - QPR last year and us beating West Brom but I just can't see us winning the semis over 2 legs.

​Why are we deluding ourselves thinking we can go up? We're not set to face either Manchester United or Chelsea in the playoffs, we'll be playing either Boro or Norwich - two teams Reading got the better of over the two games this season.

Form means very little going in to the playoffs. Palace won one of their last 10 matches heading in to the playoffs, conceding 17 in 10 including a 0-4 home defeat to Birmingham (who finished 12th that season).

As for the person who said we'd need to buy about 10 players - hardly? Hull City were rubbish when they got promoted, and stayed up the season after.

Swnasea City who everybody creams about on here got promoted on 80 points witha GD of 27. Win on Saturday and we've  matched their total and beaten their GD for the season.

I wish people wouldn't make such exaggerated comments. We're hardly **** are we? We've got 77 points with a GD of 32 and have taken four points off 1st, 2nd and 5th this season. Jeeze...

 

[VulcanRam]

Shrug my shoulders, think you get what you deserve, and forget about it.

Look forward to a few leaving, a few coming, and remember where over-optimism gets you.

Go home.

[VulcanRam]

​Why are we deluding ourselves thinking we can go up? We're not set to face either Manchester United or Chelsea in the playoffs, we'll be playing either Boro or Norwich - two teams Reading got the better of over the two games this season.

Form means very little going in to the playoffs. Palace won one of their last 10 matches heading in to the playoffs, conceding 17 in 10 including a 0-4 home defeat to Birmingham (who finished 12th that season).

As for the person who said we'd need to buy about 10 players - hardly? Hull City were rubbish when they got promoted, and stayed up the season after.

Swnasea City who everybody creams about on here got promoted on 80 points witha GD of 27. Win on Saturday and we've  matched their total and beaten their GD for the season.

I wish people wouldn't make such exaggerated comments. We're hardly **** are we? We've got 77 points with a GD of 32 and have taken four points off 1st, 2nd and 5th this season. Jeeze...

 

​I agree, the thought to cling on to is however bad we've been of late, or however good anyone else has been who finished 3rd or 4th, the playoffs start from scratch, you only need to win two games and bingo, you're at the same place you were always aiming for. Doesn't matter how you get there.

To be top and feel like we're storming to the title, to clinging on desperately trying to get into the play offs, to then winning them and being promoted after all. Football, eh?

[Mostyn6]

​Why are we deluding ourselves thinking we can go up? We're not set to face either Manchester United or Chelsea in the playoffs, we'll be playing either Boro or Norwich - two teams Reading got the better of over the two games this season.

Form means very little going in to the playoffs. Palace won one of their last 10 matches heading in to the playoffs, conceding 17 in 10 including a 0-4 home defeat to Birmingham (who finished 12th that season).

As for the person who said we'd need to buy about 10 players - hardly? Hull City were rubbish when they got promoted, and stayed up the season after.

Swnasea City who everybody creams about on here got promoted on 80 points witha GD of 27. Win on Saturday and we've  matched their total and beaten their GD for the season.

I wish people wouldn't make such exaggerated comments. We're hardly **** are we? We've got 77 points with a GD of 32 and have taken four points off 1st, 2nd and 5th this season. Jeeze...

 

​that be me.

 

Hull basically signed half the Spurs squad and loaned the rest. Spent £15m on strikers.. do some research!

[Bris Vegas]

​that be me.

 

Hull basically signed half the Spurs squad and loaned the rest. Spent £15m on strikers.. do some research!

​Did they sign 10 players and put them in the first team? Did Crystal Palace?

After the final game of the season, I'll mark up a league table of playoff teams - How many points they finished on and who got promoted.

This Derby team is better than a fair few who have won promotion via the playoffs and stayed up the following season.

Yes, it needs improving. But fortunately, we have a style/identity which makes it easy to spot exactly what we need and the requirements for each position.

 

[Mostyn6]

​Did they sign 10 players and put them in the first team? Did Crystal Palace?

After the final game of the season, I'll mark up a league table of playoff teams - How many points they finished on and who got promoted.

This Derby team is better than a fair few who have won promotion via the playoffs and stayed up the following season.

Yes, it needs improving. But fortunately, we have a style/identity which makes it easy to spot exactly what we need and the requirements for each position.

 

​totally disagree. 

This current Derby team isn't even as good a "TEAM" as the Billy Davies promotion team.

[Bris Vegas]

​totally disagree. 

This current Derby team isn't even as good a "TEAM" as the Billy Davies promotion team.

​Are you mad? Our full strength team is far better than so many that have won promotion in recent years. Better than that Swansea team which won promotion.

Injuries have seriously hindered us and now we're not even as good as Billy Davies's team?

To say our best defender, midfielder and striker have missed over a quarter of the season, we've still lost five games less than Hull City did when they won automatic promotion.

Our full strength plus sensibe signings in key areas in the PL and we'd be fine.

You're acting like a Drama Queen.

[MrsRam]

I can't really explain how I'll feel, perhaps like someone who has just been turned down for a fantastically paid job but knowing they'd have hated it anyway?

Funny how you can keep adjusting your expectations, as positively as you can muster. One point, last match of the season, for sixth place - god.  

Funny old game. 

 

[jagerbob]

For me, it wouldnt make a lot of difference.

If we dont make them, or we make them, as I expect us to loose over 2 legs to Norwich or Boro.

The disappointment at imploding and not making the top 2, is by a long way the overriding factor now.

As a fan, I want season upon season improvement, and the only possible improvement on last year we could expect would be to finish top 2.

McClaren got it wrong when it mattered, and he has to take responsibility.

I know we had rotton luck, bad referees and injuries and when you add these up you stop winning games, and team confidence levels drop. But in hindsight if he had known Thornes injury prone past, plus the sheer age of Eustace, he shouldnt have pinned all hopes on a young spaniard who couldnt play the physical and disciplined game we needed.

McClaren also got it wrong with not having adequate cover for Martin.

Now despite the big squad playing dividends with Ibe, Ince and Linguard providing worthy contributions, there is no denying that derbys defensive wobbles started when McClaren tried to rotate. The minute Chrisite was dropped, he was never the same player again, and Shotton has been woefully inconsistant at CB and RB.  Neither him, Albentosa, or Forsyth have been good enough on the left side of central defence with or without the ball.

 

One big difference from last seasons team to this, is the settled team.

its no wonder you cant look past Hughes and Martin for POY. Only Forsyth, Grant, and Keogh have played enough games. The rest of the squad including loans have all made contributions but have been chopped and changed while mcclaren tries in veign to find a forumula.

 

[Mostyn6]

​Are you mad? Our full strength team is far better than so many that have won promotion in recent years. Better than that Swansea team which won promotion.

Injuries have seriously hindered us and now we're not even as good as Billy Davies's team?

To say our best defender, midfielder and striker have missed over a quarter of the season, we've still lost five games less than Hull City did when they won automatic promotion.

Our full strength plus sensibe signings in key areas in the PL and we'd be fine.

You're acting like a Drama Queen.

​if the team cannot cope with injuries then it's not as good a team as you think it is.

[RamNut]

For me, it wouldnt make a lot of difference.

If we dont make them, or we make them, as I expect us to loose over 2 legs to Norwich or Boro.

The disappointment at imploding and not making the top 2, is by a long way the overriding factor now.

As a fan, I want season upon season improvement, and the only possible improvement on last year we could expect would be to finish top 2.

McClaren got it wrong when it mattered, and he has to take responsibility.

I know we had rotton luck, bad referees and injuries and when you add these up you stop winning games, and team confidence levels drop. But in hindsight if he had known Thornes injury prone past, plus the sheer age of Eustace, he shouldnt have pinned all hopes on a young spaniard who couldnt play the physical and disciplined game we needed.

McClaren also got it wrong with not having adequate cover for Martin.

Now despite the big squad playing dividends with Ibe, Ince and Linguard providing worthy contributions, there is no denying that derbys defensive wobbles started when McClaren tried to rotate. The minute Chrisite was dropped, he was never the same player again, and Shotton has been woefully inconsistant at CB and RB.  Neither him, Albentosa, or Forsyth have been good enough on the left side of central defence with or without the ball.

 

One big difference from last seasons team to this, is the settled team.

its no wonder you cant look past Hughes and Martin for POY. Only Forsyth, Grant, and Keogh have played enough games. The rest of the squad including loans have all made contributions but have been chopped and changed while mcclaren tries in veign to find a forumula.

 

Spot on.

[CumbrianRam]

Been an enjoyable season, with a disapointing end, my memories will be of the brilliant run for Sept-February 

[Alph]

​if the team cannot cope with injuries then it's not as good a team as you think it is.

What Championship squad could take 3 injuries to one specific position? Imagine Bournemouth losing 3 right sided midfielders. Imagine Boro losing 3 left backs. Areas where these teams have a top player.

Then imagine both losing their two scorers like we did when we lost Bent and Martin. 

Everyone likes to say "injuries aren't an excuse". There's only so much cover you can have. And when cover for your cover is wiped out then I think it does become a fairly good excuse for being a bit weaker. Not a complete excuse. But you can't just dismiss it. 

The Billy Davies team was not better than this imo. I've really enjoyed this team. From August everyone has moaned about it. Not good enough for the PL,  not convincing enough, not this and not that. They've been booed, jeered and written off the whole way. 

Except by rival fans and managers and a fair few pundits. They recognise a good team that has had a bit of bad luck and slipped up at a crucial time. It's not great but we haven't turned into a rubbish also ran.

It goes back to the England national team. Write them off, put them down, say they'll never win anything. Sound. So what's with the outrage when they lose? Surely it was expected. 

Everything is so extreme. There's no big underlying problem. Just a good team that's had injuries and taken their eye off the ball a bit. 

I actually laugh at a lot of fans now. They moaned all season long while I was celebrating. Now they're jumping off cliffs while I'm thinking "ah well, the future still seems brighter than I imagined 2 years ago"

Supporting Derby doesn't get much better. When was the last competitive European game to be played by Derby? The last Cup final? The last title of ANY division? 

The best Derby have been in my memory is 8th in the PL. 

So this ranks pretty good. While the majority are putting downers on it I've been enjoying it. Because I know it won't get much better in all probability. In a year, maybe 5, maybe 10,  folks will either look at the last 2 seasons as either a rare high or a turning point. And they spent the whole time moaning. 

54% win ratio. 10 defeats in 45 games (joint second fewest) . 85 goals scored (third highest), +32 GD (4th highest). 17 clean sheets is it? You may yet get to add Play Off winners to that too

I'd watch this over Billy Davies team all day. 

Dunno why some folk follow our games if it makes them so fed up. I'm dissapointed with how we've failed to handle the set backs because I think we could have managed them better. But it doesn't undo all the good. And the setbacks have included injuries. It's a fact. No complaints. That's the game. But it's worth bearing in mind how hammered we've been in two areas when forming a que to buy pitchforks. 

[Alph]

Don't really know why I quoted you Mostyn. Guess just because ive enjoyed McClaren's Derby more than Billy's Derby. I loved Billy's Derby. But not as much as this team or the Burley team. Only Play Off results make it special. Just 3 big games to define a season. Just 1 result separating Mac and Davies. 

But most the post was aimed at the moaning knobs at the ipro who seem to have short memories or they're new to the world of Derby County and need a recent history lesson. 

Hand over your season ticket money to watch Jay Mceveley, Paul Connolly, Gary Teale, Stephen Pearson and Andy Todd. Then come and call the current lot down. Simon Dawkins is Pele compared to those lot.

[TroyDyer]

I found Billys team boring, but I would swap that defence for this one in a heartbeat. 

[RamNut]

I found Billys team boring, but I would swap that defence for this one in a heartbeat. 

Mears......moore.....leacock.......mceverley

no chance.

[TroyDyer]

Mears......moore.....leacock.......mceverley

no chance.

​Yet they managed to concede seven goals less than we have now, with a game left. 

Just goes to show how bad our current lot are. 

[RamNut]

​Yet they managed to concede seven goals less than we have now, with a game left. 

Just goes to show how bad our current lot are. 

Not necessarily.

billy got the midfielders fit and players like Pearson ran their nuts off. The midfield pressed and harried the opposition protecting the back four.

Individually the back four were poor. Moore was a unit but couldn't run, especially backwards. leacock omg.....i still have nightmares about that goal at Leicester where he went trotting forward leaving a hole the size of the Grand Canyon in the heart of the defence.