Derby County v Birmingham City.

[Ram a lamb a ding dong]

Reasons to be concerned:

Christies confidence appears low. Dejavue circa 2015?

Thornes lack of pace. Could be the last injury has rid him of his zip.

Russell runs a lot with no end product. He now appears to be incapable of the basics and now is just a passenger.

Lack of support to the lone striker showed today that although Martin has been struggling it was no better with Blackman playing.

Johnson looked a man playing on empty. Did none of the basics well. Appears the SS ****** have found a new boo boy.

Sideways tippy tappy between Keogh and Shackell slows play down and enables the opposition to slot back in to place.

Squad is top heavy. Need to offload to get it down to a core of 18 players max even if only out on loan. Hanson should be in the 18 as he is a real talent but now he doesnt get a sniff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rampage]

Pointless game of the season is:- Derby County v Man Utd

Total waste of time.

[top 6 finish]

1 hour ago, Mr Tibbs said:

Mate, you're talking about the next bunch of games like we've got Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barca and PSG. It was only a few weeks ago when, whilst we weren't playing amazing, we were picking up results. I fully expect that to return, whether thats at Burnley, Home to PNE or away at Fulham; I have confidence in PC and this team to get back on track.

So it comes down to hope,faith,have confidence,it will turn out ok in the end. I hope you

are right (even I am using the word hope,now) but being a happy clapper isn't enough

remember the NC days? I want to see evidence,mate,convince us. For now I will repeat what

I said earlier,right now If offered I would take 6th.

[Alph]

Nobody is offering us 6th now though.

So its either give up or carry on

[Comrade 86]

A pretty demoralising day for the fans. After Reading when it seems the owner called out the team as well as the manager, I think most lads expected a reaction. Perhaps folk who expected a comfortable win (I was one of them) underestimated Birmingham who seem to be improving by the week under the astute tutelage of Gary Rowett. Allowing Demarai Gray to leave did not seem a great statement of ambition or intent by the club, but the wheels keep turning and Derby, despite their business in the transfer market, are the team who now appear to be floundering.

So what do we make of the team, tactics and current personnel and how do we get our season back on track. These are my a few of thoughts from the back of a fag packet; 

1) Team roster: PC must play his BEST team for the next few games at very least. The demands of keeping a large and relatively high profile squad involved and happy are completely undermining both morale and performances. Fringe players should go out on loan with a 24 hour recall clause if needs be or sold with a chance being taken on youth. 

2) Formation: PC has gone to great lengths to build a team that can play in more than one formation and style. Fair enough. Right now though, it ain't working. We know the best formation, so should he. 

3) Squad selections: PC should not be afraid to drop ANYONE. I'm also really starting to wonder what the policy is for bringing players in. Did PC insist on bringing in BJ and is that why he refuses to drop him? Even team leaders experience drops in form and can let their standards drop. PC should be prepared to bench anyone whose application, attitude and performance is not in keeping with expectations.

4) Will Hughes: I'm praying we can get him back fit and keep him that way. Nobody, even George, has his range of passing and that instinctive ability to find gaps in even the tightest defences. Our season may well stand or fall on Will. Equally, Butterfield along with Thorne, Carson MUST start the next 3 to 4 games at least, fitness allowing. Razza, Bryson, Keogh and Shackell seem a sensible way forward too with the balance of the team picked as should be the case, on their form. 

5) Team captaincy: this may seem a little left-field but Baird, Martin?!?! What the actual @@@@! Shackell, Carson or Thorne with no massive preference. Any of them would be a far better pick than those afforded the privilege to date. A leader must lead and with Baird unable to make the side and Martin apparently struggling with form and attitude, there is no one galvanising a team that is currently in disarray. 

I could go on all day but this is a stupidly long post already so apologies for the long-winded rant. Let's get behind the boys as traditionally we always have and hope that management are brave enough to make some obvious, if tough calls. COYR

[Ramshackled]

13 hours ago, valleyram said:

Blackman will never be good enough to play with the Rams , pointless signing 

I think that's a bit harsh, he didn't get any decent service all afternoon.  If we can sort out our play in the final third (which was abysmal yesterday), he will start banging them in. 

[Ninos]

The most baffling thing to me has been PCs choice of captains. First he picks a bang average utility player like Baird, then he picks Martin who doesn't inspire anyone then he picks arguably the weakest player on the team who's only in there because our starting left back is out through injury. The obvious choice at the beginning was Shackell who now even he doesn't seem to want to lead anymore when he was leading in the first half regardless of who had the band, and the team was inspired to play. 

Yesterday the clear leader out there was George Thorne - a premier league player in a swarm of mediocrity. He was begging his teammates to pick up the tempo, then he was calling for calm when we made errors, and he led by his play. Winning the ball time and again, and spraying the ball around and not losing it. We have 2 captains out there - and neither is Baird warnock or Martin . 

[Van der MoodHoover]

13 hours ago, Squid said:

I've just checked, we're still in the top 6. And to be honest it was always going to be tough to finish above 'Boro, Hull & Burnley. They've stuck with their respective managers for a few years now & it shows. We've just got to cling on to the top 6, which was the target for me, regardless of the money spent.

You can't come on here parading your reason and balance mate.

Someone will be accusing you of booing or fighting under East stand before long....☺

[Van der MoodHoover]

13 hours ago, MACKWORTHRAM said:

I said before the game on here. It doesnt matter who plays upfront because if they get as little service and are as isolated as Martin is. Then it will be the same outcome. 

Blackman got absolutely nothing to go off. 

Russell needs dropping. Hes awful. I was amazed he started. As soon as Camara came on he got at his full back, got to the byline, got crosses in and we created chances. He has to start the next game for me. I was surprised he didnt start this one. 

Why is Johnson undroppable? He was pathetic today. Looks like he doesnt want to know. How he got picked over Butterfield I have no idea. 

Carson back on the bench today. Almost nailed on that he starts next game. I know Grant made a very good save today. But its not just shot stopping that makes a good keeper. He is average at best at every other aspect. He should never in a million years have been beaten like that for the 2nd goal. 

The subs today were so so strange. I thought Thorne was our best player. One of the few out there that looked like they wanted to be. 

Today was simply not good enough and those players need to look at themselves and ask if they want it or not. 

The manager needs to be held accountable a bit today as well. Dropping Buttefield was stupid and how Russell and Johnson started today I have no idea. 

Clement needs to find his best side and play it every week unless theres an injury. At the minute he doesnt and I dont think any of us do either. 

Im worried about Christie as well. He slowly looks like his confidence is ebbing away. 

Carson, Baird, Keogh, Shackell, Warnock, Thorne, Hendrick, Butterfield, Ince, Camara, Martin. 

That would be the side I would go with at Burnley. 

Agree with 99% of that.

Only point is Christie. Will it help his fragile confidence to be dropped or might it not be better for Clement to throw the proverbial arm round the shoulder? 

[MACKWORTHRAM]

Just had a look this morning.

Goals conceded when Grant plays. 12 goals in 10 games (Including Portsmouth away) or 10 goals in 9 league games if your picky

Goals conceded when Carson plays. 11 goals in 18 games. 

Carson has played 8 MORE games than Grant this season and has conceded 1 less goal. 

I like Grant. He is a very very good shot stopper and yes he has kept us in games. 

Where I sit at the ground you can hear the keepers shouting out orders. 

You hear Carson all the time. You don't hear Grant. 

Theres so much more to being a keeper than making good saves. Its no good making a top drawer save only to be beaten by a cross. 

I bet the defenders prefer playing infront of Carson. 

[RamNut]

Birmingham are a team of donkeys. Rowett's 'tutelage' inspires a thuggish pub team where defenders consistantly take it in turns to go through the back of the opposing forwards. They compete. They kick. Thats about it. The result flattered them. If granty could defend corners, and manage to get his hand to arrive in space at the same time as the ball we could have taken another 0-0. 

[Spooney1963]

Like everyone else I am concerned about our dip in performance but let's be honest there's a long way to go yet. Derby is a big club with a big fan base but I have to say there's a percentage of fans that really need to shut up, stop moaning and start supporting the team.

Confidence is a fickle thing and can come back as quickly as it is lost but one thing is for sure that by constantly getting on their backs will not bring it back. I for one whilst disappointed at times never boo or berate the players, always stay to the end  and am 100% behind whoever plays. Perhaps if we all did that regardless it might help in taking a bit of pressure off. There is undoubted pressure on this team with the money spent and Derby fans and chairman expecting promotion. We should know better by now that this league cannot be predicted!!

I also think the game against Utd could work in our favour as for once we have no pressure on us to win. Any kind of result will be a huge confidence builder. It certainly isn't a waste of game as commented elsewhere.

If we want to see improvement and the promotion it is now that we all have to stick together. Get behind the team for the full 90 mins regardless of performance and result and hopefully the fear factor will be removed and both will improve.

Come on Rams fans prove our worth and let's do our bit

 

 

[Anag Ram]

Clement is facing a real test of his managerial ability.

Just like last year we have disrupted a winning team by making questionable signings. It's like we are shoe-horning players into the team to justify their purchase. It's not just a case of playing your 11 best players. It's about selecting 11 who are happy in their role and who play for the shirt. When Martin was in the team we may have been predictable but at least their was a plan as to how we would score. 

It is hugely frustrating when we play with no pace or zip. We are so hard to play against when we do. However, I don't see the runs being made which encourage that. We have a player in Butterfield who wants to run and shoot at every opportunity. He actually looks like he knows what he wants to do with the ball. Compare and contrast with Johnson and Russell.

I still think we need four in midfield and keep Ince, Camara and co on the bench. Play Martin with Blackman and let Chris challenge one defender rather than the usual two. 

At present Messi could play upfront for us and he wouldn't get a sniff of the ball.

 

[Rev]

11 hours ago, RicME85 said:

Dont think Camara's crosses were poor at all...well except for one that went too deep and in to touch. He was banging the ball into areas of the box that defenders hate to have to deal with. We dont put enough balls into the corridor of uncertainty

Trouble is, our corridor of uncertainty runs from the dressing room to the pitch atm.

[dcfctheteamforme]

Not sure what's already been covered as I haven't read the entire thread but here are my thoughts having watched the highlights:

1) The first goal - Johnson allows Robinson to get away from him without even noticing. There is also another Birmingham player waiting to head into an empty net should Robinson miss it. Although not excusable it is understandable that a player got away from his marker to score. It is criminal, however, that a team that had every single player back to defend a corner can leave players unmarked in the box. There were 10 Derby players within 25 yards or less of their goal from that corner and assumedly 8-9 Birmingham players. How can you leave someone unmarked in that setup when you don't even have anyone on the posts? 

2) Grant - the 2nd goal speaks for itself. I've always been a big fan of Grant, I was part of the crowd who looked for other reasons for his drop in form at the end of last year - the whole team's performances/confidence, the changing back four, the rumours of injury. His past few performances, however, have rendered him indefensible in my opinion. One rush of blood to the head at Leeds is excusable (everyone makes mistakes) but what occurred to me yesterday having not seen the 2nd goal properly (I was looking in the box at where I was expecting the ball to go) was that in normal circumstances the assumption would be that it was a freak goal. With Grant in goal, my instant reaction was that it must have been a goalkeeping error. I have completely lost faith in his ability in goals, there is no doubt he is a decent shot stopper, but his command of his area and ability to deal with crosses is poor. To contradict my point about him being a decent shot stopper, what on earth was he doing with the free-kick near the end? At the time I thought it was a decent, powerful free-kick which bounced in front of him, but it looked to be a mere formality on the highlights. Just catch it. Or parry it. The icing on the cake would have been the rebound being put away by an on rushing Birmingham player.

[Ramarena]

Very, very disappointing. Lack of desire, intelligence and a total lack of urgency. We are far too slow to move the ball, always looking for the safe pass (probably a confidence thing). However this means we allow teams to settle into a defensive formation, which makes it much harder to breakdown.

Prime example the back four passing amongst themselves whilst our forwards/midfielders call for the ball, whilst remaining static and not looking for a space or making a run. The opposition watch this and drop into their defensive positions with glee, leaving one striker to chase the ball. 

We are far too predictable. It has to change, some will be down to confidence, but I think we apse need to look at the tactics too. 

Camara, Butterfield, Martin, Shack, Carson, Warnock and Thorne need to start against Burnley and the rest pick themselves on form. 

Also Bent's omission from the squad was interesting and I think it's yet another, albeit bigger sign that he's not in Clement's plans. 

[duncanjwitham]

2 hours ago, Ramarena said:

Also Bent's omission from the squad was interesting and I think it's yet another, albeit bigger sign that he's not in Clement's plans. 

Which of course begs the question as to why was he signed in the first place. And who actually made the decision to sign him...

[Rampage]

Part of the enthusiastic Derby County fan in me could not switch on even before the match commentary yesterday, such was the shock after the Reading match which I was at.

Three goals.

Goal one - three men waiting for a tap in or header at the far post unmarked with nobody on the line after Johnson let his man burst past him and head it in. Warnock miles out of position. We had eight in the penalty area at the time.

Goal two - probably a cross from a man with no pressure whatsoever on him. Carson would not have let that goal in. Looked casual by Grant but probably doing his best.

Goal three - there is always a opposing player on the edge of the area waiting for a ball to come to him to have a pot shot. Johnson needs to cover such a scenario. As it was it came to him directly from a not under any pressure whatsoever header out into the central position from Christie. Excellent shot but closing people down has been invented.

It was obvious long before half time that Brum were not under any real pressure and would press more in the second half. We needed to try substitutes at half time to see if we could get more penetration because they already had our measure.

Nine goal difference turn around with Hull, so essentially they took four points off us yesterday.

[BOB BIGGS]

I didn't enjoy yesterday afternoon at all and didn't  really understand the plan, if there was one. I only get to a few matches as I live 200 miles away. That said, I see a difference in approach in the last few games, which I find surprising. We start slowly and keep it like that.

Players look as though they are playing to pre determined rules and therefore we have no flair or a "surprise" element. I felt for Blackman having to play in a formation like that and feel even more for Martin who has had to struggle with it for several games.

Time to bring about a change that supports Martin more quickly, possibly with Blackman closer. They linked up a couple of times in the last  20 minutes.

PS where's Bryson? Injured?

[Rampage]

BOB BIGGS - Players look as though they are playing to pre determined rules and therefore we have no flair or a "surprise" element. I felt for Blackman having to play in a formation like that and feel even more for Martin who has had to struggle with it for several games.

Rampage - put better than I could have put it, BB. I was coming to the same conclusion. If you do not execute the pan, perhaps you do not play.

I always refer to Ronaldo who was asked why nobody knew what he would do next. He said that he did not think about it . He simply played instinctively which left the opposition wondering what to do. This is called top skill and top entertainment.