Forum Award Nominations

[Ewe Ram]

Does anyone keep a record of the posts with the most likes? I'd be really interested in that award, but would it be open to bribes and coercion? 

[Pearl Ram]

Oi ewe,  we used to have a most liked content facility, we could click on it and it would show both the posts and how many likes it got, and, thinking about it, who did the liking. 

I think there were a couple in the high 60's if I remember rightly, don't know what happened to it though. 

[Boycie]

10 hours ago, Mafiabob said:

Think there should be some sort of lifetime achievement award... You know, for the veterans on here. 

Cheers.

certainly feels like a life sentence without chance of parole.

[sage]

19 hours ago, SaintRam said:

This forum has been a **** show of content all year so far.  Unless we do an award for most pointless whine. 

Consider yourself nominated.

[sage]

Cannable has made a couple of early claims for post of the year already.IMO 

 

 

I truly believe Morris' Own The Region project is potentially the best thing that'll happen to the club in many-a-year. It reminds me very much of West Brom's youth recruitment system - in which they fund youth teams around the West Midlands in return for first dibs on any promising young player. This - along with the plans to build a supposed academy fit to rival Europe's elite - could see us producing highly talented starlets on a regular basis. 

As for 'The Derby Way', people need to stop using it as a stick to beat Morris with. Read the theory behind it. In wanting to instill a club philosophy it should make everything so much easier. If all of the youth teams play the same way the transition up into the first team seamless. This is something many clubs do, Barcelona are famous for it. But this doesn't have to be something just clubs in the upper echelons implement. Think of how Swansea City play and then watch this goal from their Under-18s:  

This is something Southampton also do;

"Southampton focus on themselves, they play the same way whether they are playing Manchester United away or Hull City at home. They train that way, from the academy through to the first team. Formations are not discussed. Numbers are not used. It is about shape, structure not 4-3-3 or 4-5-1. Under Cortese, this is a slick operation where no detail is overlooked."

He's also spoken of wanting a club philosophy that managers and players can come in and transition seamlessly. Who fit the style of football that the club has implemented. This to me is where he's gotten things massively wrong. Did Clement fully understand the philosophy when he signed? When Weimann's joined us he said;

“Once I spoke to [Paul Clement] and heard what he wants to do with this club, it made the decision to join Derby even easier.”

Within a few months Clement was telling the Derby Telegraph (I can't find the exact quote) something along the lines of - Andi's struggled because he isn't really a wide-man. This to me suggests that upon arrival Clement had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do with the side.

Then comes the signing of Johnson. Again I can't find the exact quote but Morris stated something along the lines of - The day before deadline day we heard Bradley might be available, so we took the opportunity. Took the opportunity? To me this screams that we signed him for the sake of signing him, not because he fitted our system. Johnson himself stated that;

"I'd heard about Derby's interest the night before but had to report in for training at Norwich in the morning of deadline day. I had a word with the Norwich manager and said I would like to talk to Derby. Then me and my dad left at 9.30am and only got to Derby's training ground at 2.30pm, the traffic was really bad. I was worried we wouldn't make it."

So if Johnson had only heard of interest the night before and only made it into Derby three-and-a-half hours before the transfer deadline when would he and Clement have had time to discuss his role in the team, how we want to play football etcetera? I know Morris has a 'no-excuses' policy but he shouldn't have sanctioned deals for players when it was quite obvious we were signing players that just don't fit.

It seems to me that Morris has formed his idea of 'The Derby Way' by plucking ideas from other clubs that work and are proven to work. He's trying to implement them. He has a very clear vision of what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. Sadly, the one bit he's gotten wrong is the bit that's in the public eye, namely the first team. I really like what he's trying to do with us, I said years ago that I envy Southampton and Swansea and just wish we had a club philosophy. I think our recruitments been shocking, we've ruined the balance of the squad and wasted money. I said after our first three arrivals that I had a bad feeling about this season, it was clear we were spunking money and players that didn't fit. But because of what he wants to do with us long term I still feel as though Mel Morris could be one of the best things that ever happens to us but I too realise that if he doesn't learn lessons from this season things could go tits up big time. 

[DarkFruitsRam7]

I am eligible for the U18s captaincy with the view to becoming U18s poster of the year

[sage]

The other one

 

I think the fact people are discussing a formation change goes to show just how badly we go the summer and January. We should have signed the players to accommodate the system, not vice versa. 

For me, our starting XI should compromise of;

A goalkeeper 

Athletic attacking full-backs who're always looking to overlap their winger

Centre-halves who are comfortable on the ball and have a decent range of passing in their locker

A holding midfielder who has the tactical nous to know when to sit in, when to backup play and can cut out danger

A midfield passer who has great awareness and lots of energy, somebody who drifts into the channels and links up with the winger, full-back and centre forward and when necessary can drop deep and help dictate the game

A midfield runner who has boundless energy and can make third man runs, creating space for the winger and full-back, as well a possessing an understanding with the centre-forward and having a nac for goal

An intelligent centre-forward who can drop deep and link up play for others and who also has a predatory instinct in front of goal 

And finally, a variety of wingers who can either; link up play, drift into space and create something from nothing or who can graft and produce through sheer determination. We also tried to have two right footers and two left footers at any time.

Instead we've signed; a midfield brute, a poacher, a utility man, an energetic centre-forward to play out wide, two centre halves who aren't particularly great on the ball and a spent big money on two left footed right-wingers and now one has to play left wing. 

To be honest, as people have said, our recruitment's been shocking since last season as well. Take Mascarell as an example, he could read the game and intercept passes and he also possessed a great passing range but he never had the tactical nous to play as a lone-defensive midfielder. No doubt an excellent player but just not suited to OUR holding midfield role. 

I can see why Morris wants managers to buy into a club philosophy. Many managers will want to do things their way, but if they buy into what we want to do and do it our way then we don't need upheaval.  Clement didn't and now we've spent about £25,000,000 and all we've done is ruined the balance of the side. 

[DEL]

Cool. I take it you're doing 'monthly awards' then @sage?

[Carl Sagan]

Loving B4's "Who is going to Qpr" thread, with all the drugs stories going back and forth. Genuinely laugh out loud funny:

Call the cops!

 

[sage]

On 3/2/2016 at 15:55, Derby_EnglandLoyal said:

Cool. I take it you're doing 'monthly awards' then @sage?

No. Just collating stuff over the year. Last December it was hard to remember everything 

[DEL]

6 minutes ago, sage said:

No. Just collating stuff over the year. Last December it was hard to remember everything 

Ah fair enough. 

[Rev]

13 minutes ago, uttoxram75 said:

Where did this anger and bitterness toward Darren Wassall come from?

I've tried to think about it, read all the vitriolic, nasty, personal, abusive comments, looked at what the root cause of the venom might be......and i'm stuck. I just don't get it. Its as if some fans were waiting for some one to hate, someone to blame for not being in the top two.

I understand the frustration of some of the signings, I'm totally perplexed by one or two of them and feel we have wasted some serious cash and bloated the squad unnecessarily destroying what was a brilliant team spirit - but none of that is Wassall's fault.

I believe that the reason for the hate (because that's how it comes over from those that are criticising him) is because he 's not "cool". He reminds people of Nigel Clough maybe, fairly ordinary sounding bloke, the sort that lives in your street or works with you.

Clement was never turned on by most fans because he was different, looked the part, had worked at Real Madrid, PSG and Chelsea - he must be good, he has kudos...he's worked with Cristiano Ronaldo ffs....

I've come to the conclusion that some of us want a big name, want to be able to brag to non-DCFC mates that our manager is cool, its as if being from a glamorous background is more important than actual ability.

Some of the personal stuff that Clough got was pathetic and now its Wassall's turn.

The last 10minutes apart, Rotherham was the best we've looked for a long time. If DW recreates that performance against the gumps we'll destroy them and look forward to going into the play offs in good form.

I don't know what today's revelations about Redknapp mean. I hope its not Mel pandering to this need for a so called big name, someone to appease the ones who seem on the brink of complete meltdown every time we don't win unless the manager is cool/famous....

All I hope is that somehow, people who turn up on Saturday can be uncool enough to actually get behind the team rather than wait for the first mistake to unleash their vitriol.

 

 

 

 

 

Post of the year so far.

[sage]

No argument Shackell is the better defender, but if we are planning to play high-tempo, pass-and-move football, we cannot have Shackell in the team. The same with Bradley Johnson.  We need to make a decision (probably over the summer) as to what we want out style to be, and either move on Shackell and Johnson (and get better suited replacements in, if possible). Or we move on Martin, Hughes, Bryson, Thorne, Keogh etc and build a Burnley style play-the-percentages team around Shackell and Johnson.  And I certainly know which I'd choose.

 

Great post from Duncanwithjam

[i-Ram]

4 hours ago, sage said:

No argument Shackell is the better defender, but if we are planning to play high-tempo, pass-and-move football, we cannot have Shackell in the team. The same with Bradley Johnson.  We need to make a decision (probably over the summer) as to what we want out style to be, and either move on Shackell and Johnson (and get better suited replacements in, if possible). Or we move on Martin, Hughes, Bryson, Thorne, Keogh etc and build a Burnley style play-the-percentages team around Shackell and Johnson.  And I certainly know which I'd choose.

 

Great post from Duncanwithjam

I think you will find it was posted by Duncanjwitham. You should conserve your praise for Duncanwithjam.

[sage]

Just now, i-Ram said:

I think you will find it was posted by Duncanjwitham. You should conserve your praise for Duncanwithjam.

You old fruit. I'm glad you got the plum job of correcting my post. 

[i-Ram]

4 minutes ago, sage said:

You old fruit. I'm glad you got the plum job of correcting my post. 

Less of the old. To be ageist is the preserve of the young.

[sage]

Just now, i-Ram said:

Less of the old. To be ageist is the preserve of the young.

Sorry. I hope my tart comments didn't jar with you too much. I shall try to sugar my words in future, 

[Boycie]

It's Hartley's a big problem is it? 

[sage]

Keep your nominations coming in

[Carl Sagan]

On 03/04/2016 at 14:37, B4ev6is said:

Well yesterday i saw what were trying to do but nrothing was working for us. We were trying to hit them on the break but now we have lost that speed we once had and now it seems the lads have lost there fighting spirt. 

Wassall if your reading this look some times keep things nice and simple is best plan. Look let George Thorne spray the ball around

The pitch instead of tiping and taping about. We need stop messing around at the back and let the go fowards with the ball instead of back and sideways with the ball all the time. 

If the lads can not run at high speed for long periods of time. Then they have to do it in short peroied of time. And if this means being a bit closer togather to do hit and move football going into spaces were we can move on the ball on pitch home or away so be it.

I throught craig bryson gave everthing he had never stoped running or trying. Same thing for chris martin he scored a really nice goal but unfortenley it was not enough to bring rest of the lads to same wave lengh as martin. 

I think it was seen by everyone yesterday shackall was struggling and needed jake buxton to come on when it was 1-1 with only a few mins to go. To grab the game by scrave of the neck. And maybe give rest of the lads a good telling off. By giving them a good kick up the backside.

Look for the game against you must find the lads fighting spirt they had against red scum. When your team has fight we also have a chance of coming back and winning the game. 

If you want my help i would  be more than happy to do this.

 

On 03/04/2016 at 14:40, sage said:

Sadly I genuinely feel you couldn't do any worse.

I absolutely loved this threadstarter from B4, offering to help out with the club's tactical analysis, followed by the response from @sagehimself.