Derby County v Brighton

[Luke]

This is the featured game this week on the Football League show or whatever it is called now 

[North_Stand_Ram]

3 minutes ago, Luke said:

This is the featured game this week on the Football League show or whatever it is called now 

Great, even more time for Adam Virgo to spout his Brighton bias 

[Animal is a Ram]

Back in the day, featured game meant streams.

Not that I care, as we're at home.

[Boycie]

1 hour ago, Daveo said:

Are you yolking?......of course not 

Maybe Easter?

[Day]

13 minutes ago, Boycie said:

Maybe Easter?

If we're promoted yeah, just so I can say I was there when we were **** 

[SimonBHA]

23 hours ago, plymouthram said:

I still feel that Brighton have rode their luck this season. Winning all their league games by the odd goal, they have conceded more goals than the favoured Promotion trio in Boro, Hull and Derby. Their fixtures also have only seen them play 2 decent sides so far, Hull who they beat 1-0 very early in the season. The other team they played was Burnley who over the 90 minutes were the better side but it ended in a draw. We need to win, we are at home, we have a better defence, Martin is due a goal, Brighton's centre backs are slow. Ok Brighton have not gone unbeaten by sheer luck alone. They have a coach who as got them organised, taught them to be resilient ( game against Charlton as example). But we need to take them show the other teams the way (after us Brighton have tricky away games against QPR and Brentford, also Boro at home).  Their 1st defeat could see them lose their confidence and see them go on a bad run.  

We've only played 2 decent sides? We've played Hull (4th), Burnley (5th), Cardiff (6th), Sheff Wed (7th), Birmingham (8th), Ipswich (9th).. We've also played the two sides who beat you, Forest and Leeds and beaten both of them. We can't play ourselves, that leaves just you and Boro and you could easily turn that around as saying you haven't had to play us yet!

Winning by one goal is worth just as much as winning by 3 goals. Besides, we've scored one more goal than you have so far this season. Most of the games we should have won by more than one, but we won regardless. We've also bolstered our attacking options by signing James Wilson on loan and January is fast approaching, so even if it was 'luck' before you could argue we've made steps to address that.

Got my ticket this afternoon, looking forward to the game. I'm expecting you to win, you've got a fantastic group of players and home advantage but hoping we can grind out a draw or better. You're playing us at a good time from your perspective as we've got lots of injuries at the moment. Baldock, LuaLua, Crofts, Bong, Rosenior etc and even Calderon, who is third choice right back, filling in at left back, seemed to take a knock on Saturday and had ice on his ankle so hopefully he is okay! I don't think one loss would see us lose our confidence. A lot of character and leaders in our side. That said it is a tough December, just hoping we go into the new year still in the mix as with so called easier fixtures and new reinforcements in January hopefully we can maintain our push. 

[Woodley Ram]

Fancy us for this one, respect to Brighton they are a decent side who have done well, but I feel we will win, don't care by how many just want the win which we will get me feels 

[Bris Vegas]

4 minutes ago, SimonBHA said:

We've only played 2 decent sides? We've played Hull (4th), Burnley (5th), Cardiff (6th), Sheff Wed (7th), Birmingham (8th), Ipswich (9th).. We've also played the two sides who beat you, Forest and Leeds and beaten both of them. We can't play ourselves, that leaves just you and Boro and you could easily turn that around as saying you haven't had to play us yet!

Winning by one goal is worth just as much as winning by 3 goals. Besides, we've scored one more goal than you have so far this season. Most of the games we should have won by more than one, but we won regardless. We've also bolstered our attacking options by signing James Wilson on loan and January is fast approaching, so even if it was 'luck' before you could argue we've made steps to address that.

Got my ticket this afternoon, looking forward to the game. I'm expecting you to win, you've got a fantastic group of players and home advantage but hoping we can grind out a draw or better. You're playing us at a good time from your perspective as we've got lots of injuries at the moment. Baldock, LuaLua, Crofts, Bong, Rosenior etc and even Calderon, who is third choice right back, filling in at left back, seemed to take a knock on Saturday and had ice on his ankle so hopefully he is okay! I don't think one loss would see us lose our confidence. A lot of character and leaders in our side. That said it is a tough December, just hoping we go into the new year still in the mix as with so called easier fixtures and new reinforcements in January hopefully we can maintain our push. 

I'm as surprised as any by Brighton's form and unbeaten run this season. I think partly the reason why you're not taken seriously is due to the close score-lines and on past experiences.

I mean, last season Watford and Bournemouth in particular absolutely hammered teams and even though the latter seemingly played against ten men every third match, they still had style.

I've watched Brighon a couple of times and it seems like a grind. Wins at Fulham and Leeds were last-minute jobs while Reading had enough chances to put three or four past you a few weeks back.

But that's not to say you haven't completely dominated other matches. I mean, if you saw Derby's matches against Leeds, MK Dons and Wednesday (all were on TV) you'd probbaly wonder how they're 3rd.

One advanatge Brighton has (and it was the same with Bournemouth) is that nobody is giving you respect. When nobody respects you, it's easier to win games as your strengths aren't countered by the opposition.

When teams purposely change tactics or system to counter your threats, thats when it becomes more difficult as we have found out over the past 15 months. 

At the moment, I get the impression teams think 'it's only Brighton they're just being lucky' and completely ignore what you're good at. For Derby's sake, I hope teams switch on in the 2nd half of the season.

If not, you could beat us to promotion, regardless of whether we beat you this weekend. We took four points of Watford and Bournemouth last season, little help that did when they continued to stick five, six, seven goals past everyone else.

 

[SimonBHA]

7 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

I'm as surprised as any by Brighton's form and unbeaten run this season. I think partly the reason why you're not taken seriously is due to the close score-lines and on past experiences.

I mean, last season Watford and Bournemouth in particular absolutely hammered teams and even though the latter seemingly played against ten men every third match, they still had style.

I've watched Brighon a couple of times and it seems like a grind. Wins at Fulham and Leeds were last-minute jobs while Reading had enough chances to put three or four past you a few weeks back.

But that's not to say you haven't completely dominated other matches. I mean, if you saw Derby's matches against Leeds, MK Dons and Wednesday (all were on TV) you'd probbaly wonder how they're 3rd.

One advanatge Brighton has (and it was the same with Bournemouth) is that nobody is giving you respect. When nobody respects you, it's easier to win games as your strengths aren't countered by the opposition.

When teams purposely change tactics or system to counter your threats, thats when it becomes more difficult as we have found out over the past 15 months. 

At the moment, I get the impression teams think 'it's only Brighton they're just being lucky' and completely ignore what you're good at. For Derby's sake, I hope teams switch on in the 2nd half of the season.

If not, you could beat us to promotion, regardless of whether we beat you this weekend. We took four points of Watford and Bournemouth last season, little help that did when they continued to stick five, six, seven goals past everyone else.

 

I think you're right that it's an advantage to us to be unfancied as we've perhaps had less sides come and park the bus against us although I guess you'd expect that to change as the season progresses if we continue to be amongst the top sides in the league.

Bournemouth had 10 more goals than we currently do after 19 games, but we're 8 points better off than they were. We are long overdue hammering someone. We've had plenty of games where it has been one way traffic. We battered Cardiff at the Amex and they were very fortunate to come away with a point. Those last minute wins against Fulham and Leeds were both away from home, so I see that as a positive that we kept going, away from home and won games, rather than settling for a point.

I have to correct you on the Reading game though, we were 1-0 up and looking pretty comfortable. They were just having rubbish pot shots from distance until they eventually found a way to equalise. That said, every game this season is competitive, I don't really buy into the 'on paper' easier games. No one's gifted us points, every game has been a battle. I don't mind that, it's good not to get complacent and approach every game the same way. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Brighton are not to be taken lightly, you don't get this far without being genuinely good.

In a weird way, i think the Wednesday disappointment will work in our favour, think we kind of took it bit overconfident yesterday combined with Wednesday having both done their homework and performing to make it count.

On the back of that, I'm pretty sure we'll perform well against Brighton. That means we can win, don't mean we will though, Brighton will not be beaten easily. I don't think we'll lose, but Brighton are a side capable of doing it. If i were a betting man, I'd go for a score draw, but as I'm tumbling down the prediction league at the moment, don't take that to heart.

 

Also, why no an experimental 2-4-4?

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, SimonBHA said:

I have to correct you on the Reading game though, we were 1-0 up and looking pretty comfortable. They were just having rubbish pot shots from distance until they eventually found a way to equalise. That said, every game this season is competitive, I don't really buy into the 'on paper' easier games. No one's gifted us points, every game has been a battle. I don't mind that, it's good not to get complacent and approach every game the same way. 

Think we'll just have to disagree on this one then. I thought Reading had quite a few decent opportunities, including a one vs one which they somehow squandered while Blackman had a couple of efforts saved.

Been quite a turnaround since Brighton last game to the iPro almost exactly one year ago.

 

[eddie]

2 hours ago, SimonBHA said:

We've only played 2 decent sides? We've played Hull (4th), Burnley (5th), Cardiff (6th), Sheff Wed (7th), Birmingham (8th), Ipswich (9th).. We've also played the two sides who beat you, Forest and Leeds and beaten both of them. We can't play ourselves, that leaves just you and Boro and you could easily turn that around as saying you haven't had to play us yet!

Winning by one goal is worth just as much as winning by 3 goals. Besides, we've scored one more goal than you have so far this season. Most of the games we should have won by more than one, but we won regardless. We've also bolstered our attacking options by signing James Wilson on loan and January is fast approaching, so even if it was 'luck' before you could argue we've made steps to address that.

Got my ticket this afternoon, looking forward to the game. I'm expecting you to win, you've got a fantastic group of players and home advantage but hoping we can grind out a draw or better. You're playing us at a good time from your perspective as we've got lots of injuries at the moment. Baldock, LuaLua, Crofts, Bong, Rosenior etc and even Calderon, who is third choice right back, filling in at left back, seemed to take a knock on Saturday and had ice on his ankle so hopefully he is okay! I don't think one loss would see us lose our confidence. A lot of character and leaders in our side. That said it is a tough December, just hoping we go into the new year still in the mix as with so called easier fixtures and new reinforcements in January hopefully we can maintain our push. 

There are people on here who are very quick to form a first impression - and then they stick to that opinion through hell or high water. The first televised game this season saw you beat Forest - and of course a few of our posters instantly determined that it was a 'poor game between two poor sides who will both struggle to avoid relegation'.

So you're stuck with it, I'm afraid - probably until you go up.

[ValeRam]

Be nice to see an attacking formation that looks like we are trying to win the game rather than settle for a point

Midfield at Sheff Wed was far too deep and in retrospect was an awful decision (on many levels)  to drop Jeff. Much more of this and he is fully entitled to get his agent on the phone in January. And If Bradley can't be persuaded to play far further up the pitch then only one of him and Thorne should play at any one time.

Ince is currently a passenger and Weimann looked as if he hadn't encountered a round ball on a football pitch in a fair few days. Shame is that Johhny is looking so off it at the moment.

Give Bent a full run out and give Johnny 90 minutes . Bradley back to the bench.

[DEL]

Noticed that Brighton got few injuries so how many is it now then SimonBHA? LuaLua Bong Rosenior and more????

[DEL]

Just watched quick highlight and how the hell Charlton not winning by 4 or 5 goals up in first half? Wow. 

[Derby blood]

 Looking forward to this game , hope we get the win, and we make the ipro a cauldron of noise , with all fans getting behind the team from start to finish, looking forward to seeing all the flags flying at the start of the game, and pushing the players on to victory , giving Brighton there first defeat of the season, Martin to score 2 , in a 2 0 victory to the Rams.

[SimonBHA]

1 hour ago, Derby_EnglandLoyal said:

Noticed that Brighton got few injuries so how many is it now then SimonBHA? LuaLua Bong Rosenior and more????

Yeah, Rosenior, Bong, LuaLua, Baldock & Crofts are all injured.

Bong would be first choice left back and LuaLua first choice left wing.

Rosenior tended to play right midfield for us, and then left back when Bong was injured. 

Baldock had been pretty much ever present up front with Hemed, they'd formed a good partnership, not the most prolific but both very hard working for the team and great movement. So Baldock's injury means Zamora has started a couple of games recently and Wilson has come in on loan.

Crofts wouldn't be a nailed on starter as Kayal and Stephens are our first choice centre mids in 4-4-2 but not having him means we've tended to stick to 4-4-2 rather than having the option to go 4-5-1/4-3-3 shape which we've done before and CH suggested we would have done at Burnley if he was available.

The major one is Bong though. We've got our third choice right back playing left back at the moment. March has come in at right mid and been superb recently. Jamie Murphy's been doing well left mid in place of LuaLua and Zamora/Wilson are both decent. So we've got decent strength in depth there. Certainly shown we can cope with injuries which is something we still to this day get told will be our downfall! 

[Ram a lamb a ding dong]

Dont see much change from Wednesday. Maybe Russell for Incey. Too big a match to go with something different. Bristol C us ideal match to tinker.

[Warren Hobhead]

3 hours ago, ValeRam said:

Be nice to see an attacking formation that looks like we are trying to win the game rather than settle for a point

Midfield at Sheff Wed was far too deep and in retrospect was an awful decision (on many levels)  to drop Jeff. Much more of this and he is fully entitled to get his agent on the phone in January. And If Bradley can't be persuaded to play far further up the pitch then only one of him and Thorne should play at any one time.

Ince is currently a passenger and Weimann looked as if he hadn't encountered a round ball on a football pitch in a fair few days. Shame is that Johhny is looking so off it at the moment.

Give Bent a full run out and give Johnny 90 minutes . Bradley back to the bench.

Fully agree on the Jeff stuff. 

 

I feel it's well harsh that either him or Butters have to keep dropping out when we don't get what we want. Butters was bang in form and was dropped for the Forest game. We were awful as a result. And them we finally see him and Jeff together against Hull, and yet Johnson swans back into the side regardless. I'm not knocking Bradley, but I don't see it as fair that he, Martin and Thorne are untouchable. The two centre halves? Fine. They've not put a foot wrong. But Johnson's last few games before suspension, he was poor. Jeff comes in, he and Butters dovetailed beautifully and we beat a solid Hull 2-0, with one of them scoring twice. Yet Johnson comes straight back in? 

 

Again, not knocking Johnson, I rate him a lot. But Butterfield and Hendrick seem to be the easily disposed. Even after Saturday where for my money Butterfield was one of the few bright spots, I see people naming teams without him, but containing Thorne and Johnson. And Martin. That doesn't sit right with me. 

[Alph]

Have to pass with more pace and purpose than that effort on Sunday.

I don't know much about Brighton but if they watched us on Sunday I could understand if they said that we'd fall away.

Wasn't even a hint of aggression in our possession. 

Think we'll win but mostly I hope we play properly. Then whatever happens at least we had a go.