Derby County v Hull City

[Mr. P]

How I felt watching that game unfold...

[Chilwellram]

That was absolutely awful , ive seen some crap this season but that was a disgrace and embarrassing to watch !

Poor show Derby County. 

[needles]

We owned it for 30 minutes, didn't create a clearcut chance then folded at 1-0.

**** it. Don't want to think about football till the Euros.

I'd be on the phone to Nigel Pearson myself, but which ever way MM decides to go we need a fresh start. We've signed nowt any better than we had in 12 months apart from Carson and Shackell, and they're marginal improvements.

A new manager, a clear out and go again.

[Warren Hobhead]

That was absolutely toilet, wasn't it? As you might have noticed, I'm a big fan of Butterfield. I believe he's been our standout midfielder over the season despite poor treatment. He's always the one to make way. And for inferior players. The people in this thread suggesting he start today were few and far between. The majority of you wanted Johnson in. Yes, Johnson. The same player who's been largely poor since arriving. Yet you wanted him in, ignoring Butterfield. A few weeks ago, this team were winning regularly, and Butterfield was a key part of that. I enjoyed the Sheff Wed game where he, Bryson and Hughes played together. We created so many chances that day. It's the midfield I wanted today. But no. An unfit, just back from a months layoff, Bradley Johnson waltzes back in and gives the exact performance I expected, the same he's given for 75% of his games in a Derby shirt. Offering zilch going forward, nothing defensively, practically stood on Hughes in the first half, got in Shackell's way once or twice, just clumsy as anything and eventually handed Hull the break they scarcely deserved at that point. 

 

I won't criticise Will. He wasn't great again. In his four starts now, that's two defeats and two draws. And he played a blinder at Brighton. I do think his return is fantastic, I think he's our best player. But I am not sure his return has helped others. Again, going back to Butterfield, imagine how he must be feeling. He's our top scoring midfielder, always a threat from all over the park with his shooting. He's neat and tidy, he works hard. I think it's fair, even if you're not his biggest fan as I am, to say he's had a good season and been a worthwhile recruit. Yet he's dropped for no other reason than to find room for Hughes/Thorne/Bryson. And then falls behind Johnson too in the pecking order. An unfit Johnson at that. I bet the kid's all over the shop. 

 

For what it's worth, I don't believe starting him over Johnson would have been the difference. But I doubt he'd have played as bad as Bradley did. Or Bryson for that matter. I like Craig too. But other than battling (should be a given for each player) he did nothing. Sideways and back throughout. He though improved once Butters came on. We created half chances. We even had a shot or three. 

Ince, Martin and Christie weren't any better than Johnson. They looked disinterested to me. Carson questionable for the first goal. Where were the players for the breakaway third goal? Only Butterfield and Keogh chasing back and neither managed to prevent it. Just capped off a horrid day. Reminded me of Burnley away, where everything went right for the opposition and we were 'having one'. 

 

 

I've now heard Wassall's interview. Oh my God. Take some responsibility man. Blameless as well as clueless. He's right though. We do have a mountain to climb. And we're climbing it with two broken legs and a punctured lung. And it's Everest. 

 

Mass clearout for me this summer. Some of these lads have been here too long now, and keep failing. But the key point needed, something so blatantly missing - pace and power. Everything is too slow, laboured. Too many quality technicians who are also lightweight, and the physical lads are naive or clueless as to how to use their strengths. Even the brilliant of late, Johnny Russell, after a bright start he disappeared and stopped running at them. Hughes, Bryson and Butters are capable playmakers, lock pickers. They keep the ball and it allows us to get up the field, but someone out wide often fudges it, or Martin falls down, or (and this is my biggest foible) the players ahead of that central trio are like statues. No runners. 

 

I think we've some great players here. They've shown it in spells. They've starred for other clubs. But here, they look like they've just signed that morning. Just met each other. I'd like to see big changes this summer. It starts with appointing the right man. And letting HIM sign HIS players to build HIS team, and give him space/time to work within. 

 

I'm still going to Hull. I still believe we can do it. Because I love the Rams. But I make no apologies for that long rant after witnessing that abomination. 

[dcfcfan1]

I agree

I still see hope in ince, hughes, butterfield- its about getting the right combination. A natural DM is a must. We need to assume thorne will never be fit ever again, and get a natural DM for 4 mill or so. If he does of course, its a bonus, but to rely on thorne is madness

[GenBr]

54 minutes ago, Posh Ram said:

Why do we keep crossing the ball as well? We have nobody who is dominant in the air. Need to focus on our strengths which is getting it into Martin's feet for him to release some runners, passing the ball short and creating chances for Bryson, Hughes or Butterfield. Also might have been a case to start Baird, at least he'd have done the job required and sat in front of the defence. We gave Hull too much space in midfield today.

We are bloody awful at all crossing and set pieces (other than the odd free kick now and again) and we have been all season - anything that requires a pass of more than 5 yards is a waste of time for us since we can never get is past the first man. Maybe we should go and ask Burley if we can borrow his transfer network so we can finally get some good quality players in - maybe even see if Idiakez wants to make a comeback from retirement.

5 minutes ago, SouthernRam said:

Absolutely *****. Completely agree with the commentary team as well - we don't lack technical ability (well most players don't), but we are seriously mentally fragile lacking any real desire. Need a bit of a clear out:

Sell Johnson, Blackman, Buxton, Roos, Baird, Warnock, Albentosa, Weimann, Grant - potentially even Hendrick.

Then we buy in players with the right attitude - the desire shown by teams like Bournemouth and Wednesday. Players who have fight and technical ability - hard to come by, admittedly. What we shouldn't do is waste money on square pegs for round holes.

We need a new back-up GK, although Carson has been our best player all season in my opinion. Possibly a young centre back to fill in on the bench. Then we desperately need a ball winning holding midfielder, and a good one, not a back up. A new striker to compete with Martin, of the same quality if not better. Martin is too complacent and lazy, but shouldn't be sold as he fits the sides style. We need some new out and out wingers. O'Dowda looks a good prospect and another quality winger might not be a bad idea.

Most importantly, we need a new manager who has the ability to manage this side in our style and who can pick the players up and keep them on side.

If you want players with the right attitude Bucco is the last person you would get rid of. I would still play him in the first 11 - you can take your pick over which of Keogh or Shackell you want to drop to replace him. And we have a good young centre back already in the form of Rawson - we don't need to buy one.

The rest of your comment I do however agree with - I would replace the entire front three (Martin included) and a good deal more of the team. I think the only people in that starting 11 I would keep today are Hughes, Bryson, Carson and maybe Keogh. I would also keep Bucco and Buterfield and maybe Weimann at a push as well. We also need to stop buying lots of crappy players for not very much money - one quality player is better than 10 terrible ones.

 

 

[Rampage]

I wonder what instructions were given to the team before the game because our players looked like they had no energy from the kick off. They seemed to be trying to avoid letting in an early goal and hoping to build pressure up slowly. This did not work.

[Warren Hobhead]

3 minutes ago, dcfcfan1 said:

I agree

I still see hope in ince, hughes, butterfield- its about getting the right combination. A natural DM is a must. We need to assume thorne will never be fit ever again, and get a natural DM for 4 mill or so. If he does of course, its a bonus, but to rely on thorne is madness

Leicester signed Kante for how much and from which huge side? 

 

The players are out there. We just aren't looking in the right places. And we're stung on prices. Considering the wealth of talent and experience behind the scenes, I think that's laughable. 

[Warren Hobhead]

5 minutes ago, GenBr said:

We are bloody awful at all crossing and set pieces (other than the odd free kick now and again) and we have been all season - anything that requires a pass of more than 5 yards is a waste of time for us since we can never get is past the first man. Maybe we should go and ask Burley if we can borrow his transfer network so we can finally get some good quality players in - maybe even see if Idiakez wants to make a comeback from retirement.

If you want players with the right attitude Bucco is the last person you would get rid of. I would still play him in the first 11 - you can take your pick over which of Keogh or Shackell you want to drop to replace him. And we have a good young centre back already in the form of Rawson - we don't need to buy one.

The rest of your comment I do however agree with - I would replace the entire front three (Martin included) and a good deal more of the team. I think the only people in that starting 11 I would keep today are Hughes, Bryson, Carson and maybe Keogh. I would also keep Bucco and Buterfield and maybe Weimann at a push as well. We also need to stop buying lots of crappy players for not very much money - one quality player is better than 10 terrible ones.

 

 

Weimann is another player we've not used appropriately. He'd have been ideal today up front, just off Martin. Pace is key and it hurts a side like Hull who aren't the quickest defensively. 

 

But Martin plays no matter what. There's a few of his ilk. It's why we stagnate. Too many are seen as undroppable.

[TheDeadlySaul]

All our problems stem back to the sale of Dawkins

[philc130]

The worse part about today was sat being sat in Jokers bar in Magaluf being abused on how **** we where by Rotherham fans 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

Deep breath.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

Not good enough.

Made it easy for hull.

Why pick Johnson? I blame him and shacks both for their first and he was clearly nowhere near fit.

truth is we were not good enough.

We've not been good enough all season, in truth. We've gone backwards since the middle of last season.

Grump grump grumpy grizzle.

Hope Wednesday go up.

[TimRam]

First 20 mins very hopeful...nice build up play although we need a striker who can run at a defence and actually beat a man. Not had
one for years.

After that...well where do we start? Johnson should not play for Derby again...£6 million, you are having a laugh!? The rest...it was similar to the Reading game of a year ago. Why bring Blackman on? Bring Bent on for the last 20 mins at least he knows where the goal is...unlike the rest. We are not...I repeat not a Premiership team on that showing.
Disgraceful.

 

[Sexydadbod]

32 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

"The result today had nothing to do with the selection". A pretty typical Darren Wassall statement, before going on to say it was right to keep Hughes as CDM throughout the game and not to bring Bent on until right at the very end in case we got injuries.

It's desperatey sad that Wassall's star has been so badly tarnished by his run with the first team. As soon as Morris thrust him into the limelight, I said it was ill-conceived and would almost certainly result in losing Wassall from the club at the end of the season, which would be a big loss from the Academy. Having had a taste of management I will be surprised if he's prepared to go back to the U21s, but I hope he does.

He's out of his depth at first team level. I'm sure he's a great football guy and must be gutted by the result. Of course he's made extremely costly mistakes in the run-up to today that hampered our chances, but today it was pretty obviously wrong to:

• pick an unfit Johnson and then play him in an advanced midfield position
• not swap Hughes and Johnson round in the first half after we conceded the opening goal
• bring Blackman on and leave Bent on the bench when we needed goals (remind me again how many Blackman's ever scored for us)

It was probably wrong to:

• pick Blackman on the bench ahead of Weimann who does actually score goals for us
• bring Butterfield on at that stage in the match, forcing Hughes to remain defensive, instead of either changing the shape or even bringing on Baird to get Hughes higher up the pitch

But all that said, the players on the field were dreadful too. Hughes and Christie started well, but everything fizzled out after they scored. Bryson was on a high when he first broke back into the team after the long inury, but I think the long time out has caught up with him. It's a footballing miracle that Hull always put 3 players on Ince and 2 on Russell when they had the ball, yet we never found any space elsewhere on the pitch. Men against boys.

Sadly watching the game with beer in hand has somehow sobered me up. I'm going out to drown my sorrows.

 

He really said that? Wow, should be the final nail in the coffin for him.

[CornwallRam]

Not much to really add about the game - we were rubbish and Hull deserved their victory. Hopefully, this'll be the reality check that has Mel bringing in  a proper manager, so this cloud might end up being lined with silver.

Two things from the game puzzled me though.

The crowd looked bigger than 29k to me. I couldn't see many empty seats and Hull filled their section. I was expecting to hear 32k announced.

And did anyone else notice the banks of electronic boxes hanging from the roof of the stadium? They were in groups of about ten and seemed to have three white strips on the front. I'd guess they were some sort of lights. I've never noticed them before. Have they been there for a while and I've only just clocked them, or are they a new feature? Maybe part of a planned celebration?

[PistoldPete2]

Tbf to wassall the starting xI was the best he could do with thorne and Hanson both out. They had 2 cdms and we had none. The team is just not physically strong  enough and the likes of Bryson, russell, martin, ince and hughes are not tall enough and or strong enough when the going is tough. We needed Johnson to show up today and he didn't. Whether he Was unfit or out of form I don't know.

i think Johnson is looking like a liability and we should cut our losses. Quite a few other candidates as well I think , fringe players and bench warmers. We really need another quality CDM.. If hull can get promoted playing two then so can we. Will put pressure on thorne too who hasn't been at his best this season even when fit. 

[TimRam]

Oh and I got flamed in match chat for stating Thorne should have been rested for the Ipswich game. Proves how much I know about football.

[PrivateDerby]

Can someone check on B4 please.

[TheDeadlySaul]

2 minutes ago, PrivateDerby said:

Can someone check on B4 please.

I think it's Steve Bruce you should be more worried about.

[Ramshankered]

I'm usually reasonably upbeat about DCFC, but that ruddy awful. 

Season's done. Need to be decisive and appoint a proper manager now - it'd help transform a massive negative into something vaguely positive.