Derby County v Brighton

[CWC1983]

My tuppence worth.

The first 10 mins we looked like we were going to overrun Brighton and had we scored it might of been different 

After that everything was too narrow, and it got even narrower after the subs. We were screaming out for a wide player, but for some reason Russell stayed on the bench.

Blackman and Johnson and not suited to playing wide, if we are going to play them, give them a break and play them where they are best suited.

Hendrick and Bryson cant play together in centre midfield. Unfortunately both their best positions are further forward and one will have to miss out most weeks. 

Time after time Ince found a pocket of space but no one was quick enough to spot him and play him in. 

It was really pedestrian. Oh for the days when we used to drive at teams and create chance after chance. 

Early days and Pearson will learn about the players as the season progresses. Ive no doubt he will install a bit of grit in the team, and lets see some flair and passion at the same time. That will get the crowd going. 

Onwards and upwards, theres going to be points dropped by every team this season.

I thought Brighton were a decent side, and Chris Hughton is a good manager. 

 

 

[England Ram]

Knowing that fozzy & Wieman were due to start fills me with a bit of optimism.

The challenge was those brought in didn't help. 

The replacement of Baird was expected with Olson out and Lowe not having played before. The biggest problem was his lack of forward threat.  Reminded me very clearly of the problem we had with Warnock, especially when played next to Shackell. Shackell can't pass long very well and with a full back offering himself for a pass then not being progressive with it led Shackell to play too many long balls that didn't find a man. Yes he was our best defender, but his distribution is shocking and needs to be challenged or stopped. 

This also made it more difficult for our whole left side. Johnson can't control a ball or pass and add to that no overlapping full back and you end up with a very unbalanced team. Thought Johnson was terrible and it is such a shame as his confidence must be shot with the reception he got as well. Really disappointed by our fans there. Yes, he needed subbing, but we'll need him to come good. 

Even Huges struggled when he came on breaking their right side down as in two occasions he breaked forward and was crying out for an overlap or movement upfront but the forward players were stationary and there was no overlap help.  

Fozzy & Wieman would have added balance and more of a real threat. 

We lost the midfield battle badly. Out muscled and out played there. No forward momentum or passing threat. Bent and Ince seemed a million miles away from the centre mids and their midfield played the passing lanes very well. We seemed to be chasing shadows all match. 

Bent however was my motm got attempts at goal, worked tirelessly.  

Christie didn't get any help from Blackman, and Blackman after the first 20 mins seemed to turn back into last years player of being out of position in defence and wanting to run into their players when attacking. 

Pearson's assessment was interesting. Mentioned not getting into the team on reputation and it was easy to pick that 11 on why he'd seen pre season. 

I did hear from someone at the club today that Pearson's supposedly not keen on Will and his work rate. This may have been a way to challenge him, and he worked well with and without the ball. 

One game, lots to work on. A good point against a good team. 

[jono]

Still working through everyone's posts but it's bedtime and there might be a revolt from Mrs jono.

mixed performance against a good Brighton side that ran and worked for 90 odd minutes.

wanted a win at home and in a sense I think we have a right to the that expectation at least. Having said that .. New manager, new system lots to learn so not slitting wrists and not wanting to hang anyone out to dry. Tough day at work, honours even.

Johnson .. Poor so and so. Played out of position and had a poor game. Shame on the those with the ironic applause. He is a ram .. Give the lad a lift 

Baird .. Did ok in defence but seriously feeble coming forward.

Shacks .. Well played that man

Keogh .. Couple of wobbles aside .. Well played

Christie .. Good performance but needs to be less clumsy in the tackle ..

Hendrick .. Of all the midfield showed the most drive and intent but needed to be higher up the pitch 

Bryson .. Craig are you ok ? Did someone switch of the turbo. Looked unfit and off his game to me 

Blackman .. Started well, thought we had a new man .. But that lasted about 15 minutes plus the occasional flash of effort. Lacked urgency and commitment 

Bent .. Worked hard on scraps. Effing nearly stole it at the end ..and would that have been amazing 

Ince .. Hardly touched the ball but like Bent didn't get much service as mids were sitting too deep 

Carson .. Great snap save and reassuring on crosses .. But get the ball out quicker please Scott !

Hughes turned us into an attacking team. Head and shoulders above the other mids. What a player. 

only one real complaint (2 points apart ) .. Brighton just looked hungrier than we did. We just seemed half a yard/half a second slower than them. We didn't win our share of 50/50 balls. The sort of thing that an on song Bryson can do. Or the harrying that JR can do. 

Anyway .. They stuck at it and we will get better .. COYR

[RadioactiveWaste]

@Jono id agree with all that except id have reversed the Bryson and Hendrick comments myself, no, neither of them were at their best but I remember bryson making lots of interceptions and moving forward but thought hendrick was having one of those "how much did we turn down?!" Days, all about opinions though. 

I was glad Blackman had an ok first half. After the first twenty the whole team were off it, so its easier for wide men to drop out of the game than influence it. 

[Tony Le Mesmer]

The moaning about club / players etc happens at every club but i can certainly understand the frustrations. I'm used to watching footballers who are on about circa 500 quid a week in league 2 / conference and today (whatever the reasons) players who were being paid thousands upon thousands of pounds a week wouldn't have looked out of place playing against Hartlepool in a basement league fixture.

This happens in football and we have to accept it but the crux is, which someone mentioned previously, is that Derby fans are paying upwards of 30-40 quid to view this stuff. Booing and moaning and hurling abuse won't suddenly make these underperforming players play like Barcelona but such acts give the fans some sense of control over their environment. They cannot control or even influence what happens out there on the pitch so they feel compelled to vent their emotions negatively as if somehow it is justified just because player X is playing badly AND getting handsomely paid for it.

I do understand it and if someone wants to moan and jeer then it's a free country. So long as it's not racist / homophobic or overtly offensive then it's their choice but ultimately it serves no positive purpose. Players will come to play for Derby, be rubbish and leave. This will continue to happen whether that player is booed or not so there isn't any point IMO. Just do whatever IS in your control and that's supporting the lads when they are playing terribly because if a player IS swinging the lead then by giving your unbiased support regardless then it's YOU that knows you are helping make a difference to DCFC whether that player does or doesn't do.

Apologies for probably boring everybody but i did a psychological research paper for Uni about this sort of thing combined with my love of lower league football. I went with a mate who is a huge Torquay United fan to most of their away games for a couple of seasons and we were often small in number but loud in voice and i found that by literally shouting and encouraging the Torquay players nearly all game every game, praising failed passes and praising poor play and offering encouragement as well as drumming and singing, over the course of the study and with various statistical packages i found that there was absolutely zero correlation between consistent positive support and player performance and results for those particular groups of players which surprised me. Torquay were relegated. What i do know though through speaking with their players was that they always felt valued, supported and backed even during results like a 4-1 away drubbing at Fleetwood and often i don't believe many players when they leave clubs and say "the fans of X club were brilliant to me" but it was obvious to me they meant every word.

The only statistical certainty i found about supporting a team over a period of time is that if positive support maintains the status quo at the very worst - negative output from fans reduces performance, productivity, confidence and ultimately reduces the probability of positive results.

Basically I've taken about 500 words to say, "moan all you want but it ain't helping".

But you pays your money i guess so each to their own.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

By the way. My kid wants to know what the 'girl' Ram mascot with the dress on is called. She had her photo taken with her today and was obsessed.

I only thought there was Rammie and can't find any info so haven't got a 4 by 2. Cheers all.

[AmericanRam]

1 minute ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

By the way. My kid wants to know what the 'girl' Ram mascot with the dress on is called. She had her photo taken with her today and was obsessed.

I only thought there was Rammie and can't find any info so haven't got a 4 by 2. Cheers all.

Ewie

[Tony Le Mesmer]

1 minute ago, AmericanRam said:

Ewie

 

Cheers for that AM.

[Jimbo Ram]

3 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

Calling out @Jimbo Ram in case he doesn't realize the heavy responsibility for the Grimsby match thread lies squarely on his shoulders.

Would be a lovely thing if he can retain these duties for the entirety of the campaign!

I am off to Madeira for a week in the sun tomoz, sorry.....

[ramit]

First of all i didn't see the game and second of all i'm on my second bottle of bubbly, so take it for what it's worth, not much.
 i am a bit surprised by Pearson placing Hendrick and Bryson aside each other in midfield, as our previous managers have tried that combo and for the most part it has not worked.  That indicates to me that he has not done his homework properly.  It's all good and well to want to see things for yourself but to not learn from previous mistakes is misguided IMO.  Perhaps Hughes was not fully fit for this game and i know that Butterfield wasn't but if Hughes was fit, it was a mistake not to start him.
 In any case Pearson will have learned something from this match and i will be very much surprised if it will be the same starting eleven for the next match.  If it's true that he likes hard workers then i would like to mention a name, Johnny Russell.

Carry on

[MrsRam]

5 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

I am off to Madeira for a week in the sun tomoz, sorry.....

Do it now, piece of cake matey....

[MrsRam]

1 hour ago, CWC1983 said:

My tuppence worth.

The first 10 mins we looked like we were going to overrun Brighton and had we scored it might of been different 

After that everything was too narrow, and it got even narrower after the subs. We were screaming out for a wide player, but for some reason Russell stayed on the bench.

Blackman and Johnson and not suited to playing wide, if we are going to play them, give them a break and play them where they are best suited.

Hendrick and Bryson cant play together in centre midfield. Unfortunately both their best positions are further forward and one will have to miss out most weeks. 

Time after time Ince found a pocket of space but no one was quick enough to spot him and play him in. 

It was really pedestrian. Oh for the days when we used to drive at teams and create chance after chance. 

Early days and Pearson will learn about the players as the season progresses. Ive no doubt he will install a bit of grit in the team, and lets see some flair and passion at the same time. That will get the crowd going. 

Onwards and upwards, theres going to be points dropped by every team this season.

I thought Brighton were a decent side, and Chris Hughton is a good manager. 

 

 

This 

Also, my daughter turned round and said - "we're too slow." At times, it felt a bit Clementesque. The fast, pacy forward playing is happen not on the agenda any time soon. But as others have said, we've hardly set the world on fire with that. So....

[Ram a lamb a ding dong]

Is it me or did Brighton run us ragged and 2-0 wouldnt have been unjust??

[ramit]

14 minutes ago, Ram a lamb a ding dong said:

Is it me or did Brighton run us ragged and 2-0 wouldnt have been unjust??

We have Carson, so it's you

[SaintRam]

52 minutes ago, Tony Le Mesmer said:

By the way. My kid wants to know what the 'girl' Ram mascot with the dress on is called. She had her photo taken with her today and was obsessed.

I only thought there was Rammie and can't find any info so haven't got a 4 by 2. Cheers all.

Evidence that Ewie's a good thing to have!

Enough of sad old men complaining about her all the time. 

[LazloW]

23 minutes ago, Ram a lamb a ding dong said:

Is it me or did Brighton run us ragged and 2-0 wouldnt have been unjust??

It's you. We could have been 2 or 3 up in first 15 minutes, so if we're talking 'ifs, buts and maybes' then this has to be added to the mix too doesn't it? Not saying Brighton didn't play well but don't think it was that one sided.

[Gritstone Ram]

One thing I felt today was that I never really felt we would lose the game. I did think we could win it and may be a draw was the fair result but I never thought we would lose. I didn't feel like that when PC or DW were in charge.

[MrsRam]

2 minutes ago, Gritters said:

One thing I felt today was that I never really felt we would lose the game. I did think we could win it and may be a draw was the fair result but I never thought we would lose. I didn't feel like that when PC or DW were in charge.

I think that's what Pearson said to Owen after the match, that perhaps last season we could well have lost that match and well played to the players for working hard. 

[duncanjwitham]

6 minutes ago, MrsRam said:

I think that's what Pearson said to Owen after the match, that perhaps last season we could well have lost that match and well played to the players for working hard. 

Except those weren't the type of games we were losing. When teams have been open and tried to play against us, we've been fine.  And our recent record against Brighton shows that.  It's when teams sit in and try to stop us playing that we've struggled.

[MrsRam]

It's just how I heard it.

In his very guarded way, he praised the players which I thought was good.