Planning for the playoffs

[RiddingsRam]

10 minutes ago, Saul Pimpson said:

Are you saying that Wassall should be the next Prime Minister?

That's exactly what I'm saying!  

[Carl Sagan]

3 wins from the final 6 now for a guaranteed playoff spot. The top 3 have broken away, only for one to be disappointed, and then there are another 4 in the mix. Ipswich look out of it. Tonight was what I'd call a great 4 points, because the extra goal probably means Cardiff will have to overtake our points tally if they're to overhaul us.

Listening tonight, I wonder if Paul Clement got the sack in the opening half of the opening game of the season. Losing Bryson and Hughes was probably 2 of the 3 or 4 players (along with Martin and maybe Thorne) who make the Derby Way possible. Just having Bryson back and firing, helping Martin fire, shows what might have been. Clement always seemed very keen to get Bryson on the pitch as soon as he could.

Roll on Bolton on Saturday. I'll be back at the iPride for that.

[Comrade 86]

8 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

3 wins from the final 6 now for a guaranteed playoff spot. The top 3 have broken away, only for one to be disappointed, and then there are another 4 in the mix. Ipswich look out of it. Tonight was what I'd call a great 4 points, because the extra goal probably means Cardiff will have to overtake our points tally if they're to overhaul us.

Listening tonight, I wonder if Paul Clement got the sack in the opening half of the opening game of the season. Losing Bryson and Hughes was probably 2 of the 3 or 4 players (along with Martin and maybe Thorne) who make the Derby Way possible. Just having Bryson back and firing, helping Martin fire, shows what might have been. Clement always seemed very keen to get Bryson on the pitch as soon as he could.

Roll on Bolton on Saturday. I'll be back at the iPride for that.

Yes, yes and yes Mr Sagan. Astute and on-point as ever.  I remember at the time saying to my lad that those injuries could derail us.  Hopefully I'll be proved wrong.

[Carl Sagan]

Another great performance today and we're left with 2 wins from 5 for a guaranteed playoff place. That's a much healthier position than after Cardiff.

Effectively 8 points ahead of Cardiff with only 5 matches to go, playoffs are looking reasonably secure. It's so disappointing to recall this season of might-have-beens, when autos should have been in our grasp.

My doubts over Wassall are a lot about his (lack of) subs. It's a 14-man game but I thing he was scarred by the public criticism of his subs after the Rotherham debacle, and is now so terrified he won't bring anyone on at all. Thorne and Shackell both hobbled and limped along through today's match and should have been replaced after Russell's second.

With Hendrick and Johnson now out, we need to be a little more careful as we try to nurse the rest of the squad through to what we hope is a glorious end.

 

 

 

 

 

[Nishfan]

I have finally started planning for play offs and, dare I say, Wembley.

After the hideous time last time, IF we make it,  will watch from home listening to radio derby surrounded by posh food, anything will be cheaper than the £300 I wasted last time. Am dreaming of pasties from Cornwall even.

Sorry if this 'the most boring post of the season' award.

On a different note my 4 1 bet finally paid off

Final point , heard Take That 'Never' on radio the other day, they could be singing about Derby! Listen out

[Carl Sagan]

It's down to one win from the last four games to be sure and probably not even that. With Cardiff and the Wendies both dropping points, the season's going into overtime.

The top three are long gone over the horizon, and one of those teams is going to be very disappointed and have to pick themselves up and dust themselves down. Increasingly, it appears we'll be in the 4th vs 5th match playing Hull. I take confidence from Brighton last time around; two wins in the regular season and two in the playoffs would set us up very nicely for Wembley.

With three wins in a row we need to keep our foot on the gas and try to get our noses ahead of Hull, hoping to play the second, decisive semifinal at the iPride. My take is we've been poor most of the season, yet we're going to be involved at the death. And we're looking our most dangerous and potent now. That suggests to me that if we continue to play ourselves into form, we will be the team to fear.

In the next few matches we need to add ruthlessness in front of goal. It's wonderful to be creating more chances, but we need to start taking more of them too, or it may yet come back to haunt us.

Well done to the team today. Come on you Rams!

[Dimmu]

Even I can now relax, we will make to playoffs

There is Sheff Wed-Cardiff yet to come which makes it certain.

[DCFCArmy]

Aye forgot Cardiff play Sheff Weds so it official then almost. Nice to make them because there always a laugh the playoffs, our record in them isn't great but I take confidence in the fact we've hammered Hull both times this season and either Sheff Weds or Cardiff would be good on current form...

it comes down to the fact do Burnley drop out the top 2 and we meet them at Wembley?? I think Boro are up, the gods have decided that what with all the late goals they keep scoring. 

So from now on I'm routing for Burnley, not out of a liking for them but a sheer F****** dislike for them 

[jono]

If we play as we have done in the last 2 home games then say it even in a whisper, a seat at the top table is ours to take.

i am trying to get my head round possible forum chats in 10 years time .. "Darren Wassalls promotion winning side"  

[Inglorius]

3 minutes ago, jono said:

If we play as we have done in the last 2 home games then say it even in a whisper, a seat at the top table is ours to take.

i am trying to get my head round possible forum chats in 10 years time .. "Darren Wassalls promotion winning side"  

There on lies the dilemma - with Wassalls extremely limited managerial experience is he the right candidate to lead us into a season in the Top Flight if that's what Mel has promised him

[Rev]

I don't think it's such a dilemma, if we'd bought in a manager post Clement who'd got us promoted, we wouldn't even think of getting shot. 

Therefore if we have grown our own man to achieve the same result, the same thinking should apply.

[G-Ram]

Can we not go up and still appoint a better candidate if there is one? 

After all Manchester City might win the champions league but they're still getting a new man

im impressed with recent results but how much is it down to Wassall & how much is 'arry ?

if mel sticks with Wassall on current form i wouldnt be bothered but id like 'Arry to stick around to help, or an experianced assistant to help out

If mel choses to appoint someone he feels is a better candidate then also i wouldnt be too bothered

its a massive gamble, go up, stick with wassall, go back down and all whinge & say in hindsight we should have got someone else in

or go up, appoint a new man, go back down and all whinge and say we should have stuck with wassall

Its a difficult decision for Mel... I just hope if we go up then whatever Mel does we stay up because if we dont he'll get the blame of a good chunk of fans... And i'll be the first one whinging 

 

[unclej]

There's no question in my mind that Redknapp has made the difference and the following from my paper this morning;

‘DERBY COUNTY’

“The last two games do make you wonder if football advisor Harry Redknapp has had an effect.  Higher pressing, more free movement, what else has changed?  Or is it the effect of Paul Clement’s negative tactics wearing off?  RiddingsRam (dcfcfans)”.

[LesterRam]

I'm still worried for Darren though, if he wins the remaining fixtures and another Manager has been singled out, can we send him back to the academy?

[Dimmu]

10 hours ago, LesterRam said:

I'm still worried for Darren though, if he wins the remaining fixtures and another Manager has been singled out, can we send him back to the academy?

IMO it's a wini-win situation. He is contracted to the club and was named as a caretaker. Whatever the outcome of the season is, he is getting such an experience which will have to make him better manager. And that will do no harm in long run.

Excellent staffing from Mel.

[Inglorius]

Until we are mathematically certain of reaching the playoffs I wont be cracking open the champagne yet and when we do I still won't - to scrape a play off spot given the amount of investment this year is a very, very poor return.

[BottrillRAM]

41 minutes ago, Inglorius said:

Until we are mathematically certain of reaching the playoffs I wont be cracking open the champagne yet and when we do I still won't - to scrape a play off spot given the amount of investment this year is a very, very poor return.

I don't think it's too bad, if you compare our spending to the 3 above us (excluding Brighton) I think we were roughly equal! Then we also had a few injuries to key players! 

[rynny]

12 hours ago, unclej said:

There's no question in my mind that Redknapp has made the difference and the following from my paper this morning;

‘DERBY COUNTY’

“The last two games do make you wonder if football advisor Harry Redknapp has had an effect.  Higher pressing, more free movement, what else has changed?  Or is it the effect of Paul Clement’s negative tactics wearing off?  RiddingsRam (dcfcfans)”.

Which paper is that in?

[davenportram]

1 minute ago, rynny said:

Which paper is that in?

must be one that prints any old rubbish

[LesterRam]

1 hour ago, Dimmu said:

IMO it's a wini-win situation. He is contracted to the club and was named as a caretaker. Whatever the outcome of the season is, he is getting such an experience which will have to make him better manager. And that will do no harm in long run.

Excellent staffing from Mel.

Yes exactly, if he performs well he will be poached by competitors, he does poorly he surely cannot return to the academy, he would lose the dressing room, this is my fear.