Milton Keynes Dons v Derby County

[bcnram]

Well he has certainly been better than Shackell so far this season !!

I think together they have done OK.

[DesertRam]

I now know why MK are down in the relegation Zone, they are the unluckiest team in the Division.

We were all saying we need points on the board and don't care how we get them, well this was one

of those days. Even the other results went our way.

Hopefully we are more organised for Brentford's visit.

[Anag Ram]

can't criticise martin... We just weren't getting players close enough to him. The midfield still isn't right for all the money spent, but Johnson is a beast and that extra power for the goal was enough to beat the keeper. 

I'm sorry but Martin's first touch today was appalling. He was bossed by their centre half and spent most of his time giving away free kicks and falling over.

Our midfield has no chance of playing off him when he can't keep possession. It was no surprise he was substituted.

[Rev]

Stats here from WhoScored are interesting. 

 

http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/958896/LiveStatistics/England-Championship-2015-2016-Milton-Keynes-Dons-Derby

 

Pass accuracy percentage from Butterfield is again unreal. Compared to Hendrick, even more so. Yet both laid great passes through that led to a goal. But check out the defensive stats for both. 

 

Is this why JB is favoured by Clement? He has more to his game than Jeff? I think they've similarities in style, in the final third, but Jeff's useless behind halfway. The stats even back that up. 

 

Johnson meanwhile has stats to die for today. All round, dare I say it, complete midfield performance. However, he looked just as bad as the next man for large parts, in my opinion. 

 

The more I think of it, the more convinced I am that when they all click, get settled etc.... wow. 

 

Said it earlier, but I'd like to see Jeff, JB and BJ (ooo err) together next weekend. 

Wierd isn't it, like you say on the evidence of your own eyes looked no better than anyone else, yet the stats say otherwise. 

Hard to compare him to Hendrick though, seeing as Jeff played a smaller portion of the game,  but Jacob seems to be doing OK so far, still in the settling in period tbf, hopefully we'll soon see why we paid so much for him.

[StaffsRam]

I'll qualify this by saying that I only saw the second half, so my observations only cover that.

We didn't seem to have a great deal of urgency about our play until the last 15. Even when Johnson scored it came out of the blue. Almost like our tactic is to keep things tight until the last 15 and then get the likes of Weimann and Bent on to run at tired defences.

First goal was very well crafted. Thought Warnock did well generally, apart from the fookup that let Church in. Good pull pack for Johnson and an excellent finish.

Equaliser was a very poor goal to concede - no protection from the midfield as they easily manoeuvred the ball into our back line, but then, we had more than enough numbers back there still to stop them practically walking the ball in. 

Bent goal - great play between Jeffro and Ince, Bent couldn't miss.

Disallowed goal - was this for offside or a foul? Clearly onside but I think one of the match reports cites it as being disallowed for a foul?!

Ince goal - good work rate from Ince in pressuring the defender high up the pitch, and a composed finish.

I didn't even realise that Baird was playing until he went off. Weimann played well when he came on and was obviously instrumental in saving Carson's blushes. 

Thought the referee was very frustrating, didn't seem to be much consistency there in a lot of his decisions. They seemed to get away with niggling little things that we were being pulled up for. Luckily, he didn't buy some of their theatrics in and around the area though.

Generally thought we edged the last 20 minutes. A few defensive wobbles but much more clinical with our chances than they were. Before that, they had the better of it, but we scored against the run of play. Thought we looked devoid of ideas, but then the first and second WERE well crafted. 

Still, just outside the playoffs when we haven't even been firing on all cylinders (yet?) - if we could just get the home form sorted...

[Kernow]

Baird should not be a regular starter. He's a good squad player and should be used in that way. He's not been a regular first-teamer at a club for a long time. If we're gonna stick with the CDM + two CMs then if Thorne is fit, play Thorne; Butterfield, Johnson. If he's not I would play Johnson; Hendrick, Butterfield.

Baird should be played at RB or not at all IMO. And currently Christie deserves the shirt more than him.

 

[PodgeyRam]

Well that was... interesting.  MK Dons surprised me, they played exactly like we did in our first seaso under McClaren, including the missed chances and the soft underbelly. My thoughts are below if anyone fancies a read:

http://viewfromtheweststand.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/mk-dons-1-derby-3.html

But hey, like StaffsRam says, we aren't even playing that well and we're just outside the playoffs. This bodes well for when we do click - or should that be IF we click.

[maydrakin]

I thought we'd win it towards the end, as they looked like a spent force.  They looked visibly tired and it was just a case of pouncing on any defensive error.

[RedSox]

. Martin is lazy and his touch has gone. He needs time on the sidelines to wind him up.

 

Give him a break.  Still our top scorer.  Remember Preston?  He, more than most, deserves a bit of slack given he was pretty isolated for most of his time on the pitch yesterday.

[davenportram]

I was reasonably impressed that their fans sung quite a bit. Thought they were gonna be silent.

Those seats were comfy, we should have all sat down for the last 10 mins or so of 1st half.

Warnock is a funny player. Had a nightmare couple of mins in the first half in front of our fans and took a lot of stick. I think it was his poor backpass attempt in 2nd  that led to their 3 vs Carson attack which they somehow screwed up. Then he did brilliantly for first goal, picked out Johnson with such a composed cross and also repeated it soon after. Why does he keep trying to use a cricket 'long barrier' when trying to tackle though?

And for all the fans who think Baird is the devil incarnate, I'd imagine he'd say he is primarily a right back.

4-4-2 looked good again though in terms of attacking. Likewise vs Brum. Maybe we should try it at home when teams will sit deep.

Shackell blocked the backpass from Warnock when there was no need for him to be any where near Warnock.

[Anag Ram]

Give him a break.  Still our top scorer.  Remember Preston?  He, more than most, deserves a bit of slack given he was pretty isolated for most of his time on the pitch yesterday.

Hey - I appreciate he is our most consistent goal threat, but his great strength over the past two seasons has been to play as the lone striker, holding the ball up and slipping passes off to runners. At his best, he is brilliant at doing this.

However, since he came back from injury, he doesn't seem to have recaptured his touch. The ball bounces off him and as our players run forward, we lose possession and are placed under pressure.

I still think we need a fourth midfield player if we are going to make best use of two players we paid more than £10m for. At the moment they sit in no man's land, reluctant to press forward in case they leave us exposed. I'd play Hanson and Hendrick.  

[ck-]

Just watched the highlights on Sky. Am I alone in thinking Bent was offside? Ince played the ball forward and, using the edge of the 6 yard box as a guide, Bent was ahead of the last defender.

 

 

[Inglorius]

I just watched the match highlights on that show that masquerades as a football programme on Channel 5. I hope Clement bought some lottery tickets last night as he must be the luckiest man alive after winning that game yesterday 

[alexxxxx]

how did bent play apart from scoring? I was begging for him to come on against burnley

[davenportram]

Just watched the highlights on Sky. Am I alone in thinking Bent was offside? Ince played the ball forward and, using the edge of the 6 yard box as a guide, Bent was ahead of the last defender.

 

 

check again he was in front of the defender as the ball was played to Ince but had checked and was behind by the time the ball was passed. At full speed I thought he was off side but the replay showed he wasnt

[davenportram]

just to clear up the offside

[eddie]

I just watched the match highlights on that show that masquerades as a football programme on Channel 5. I hope Clement bought some lottery tickets last night as he must be the luckiest man alive after winning that game yesterday 

Relevant information highlighted

[Van der MoodHoover]

I've been saying Bent gives us nothing and I would like to say I know little about football. 

A goal hangers goal but they all count. 

Now "goal hanger" was an official tactical position in Derbyshire scouts football. 

Just in front of our centre forward when attacking and left up in the opposition 6 yard box when defending. 

Goodto see traditional values maintained ☺

[cloughandtaylor]

I have just watched the game in full on sky and we were awful in the 1st half and it didn't improve after HT until 70mins 

Clement a tactician? Give me a break, once we got the first goal, we were still awful, so disjointed, midfield all over the place, Martin isolated  - tactically inept is the expression........... 

Hendricks coming on we improved, and when Bent got the 2nd goal, Sky showed Clement running and jumping in the air, the expression on his face looked like he'd just got out of jail.

Was it a master stroke bringing on Hendricks?

Nope, don't think so, I reckon Clement was running out of ideas, certainly any HT talk failed and it was a hopeful substitution!

We played well for the final 10 minutes of the 90 - we robbed the Dons yesterday, but that happens, I remember a season or two back Ipswich coming to us and nicking it 1-0 they were completely out played for 90 mins! 

We got the 3pts and we moved up a few places, but our performances are not improving -  Paul Clement the new Brian Kidd?

[sage]

Just watched the highlights on Sky. Am I alone in thinking Bent was offside? Ince played the ball forward and, using the edge of the 6 yard box as a guide, Bent was ahead of the last defender.

 

 

He was level with the ball.