The E word

[Day]

1 hour ago, SkeggyRam said:

wasnt they winning the champions league 20 years ago?

Before Sky Sports how would you watch all their games?

[Ashz09]

3 hours ago, cannable said:

On what evidence?

Prime examples would be nearly every club we faces if your a season ticket holder. You can see teams camped in there half and neutralizing any space we may create. They wait for us to get in there half then cleverly close us down when needed. Hense the reason you see us with more possession half the time. 

Teams a few seasons back would play there own game and we'd tear them apart with all the space we'd have. We don't get that any more the likes of Hughes and Bryson are not getting all the time in the world. We've struggled to adapt.

[cannable]

1 hour ago, Ashz09 said:

Prime examples would be nearly every club we faces if your a season ticket holder. You can see teams camped in there half and neutralizing any space we may create. They wait for us to get in there half then cleverly close us down when needed. Hense the reason you see us with more possession half the time. 

Teams a few seasons back would play there own game and we'd tear them apart with all the space we'd have. We don't get that any more the likes of Hughes and Bryson are not getting all the time in the world. We've struggled to adapt.

This will happen to any half decent team. Most of the time they didn't stop us.

[Ashz09]

33 minutes ago, cannable said:

This will happen to any half decent team. Most of the time they didn't stop us.

That's because it only started happening after the Wigan game. Not straight after though. Took about half a season and I think Wigan beat us again, then more teams started employing these tactics. If teams let us play don't you think we'd be a lot higher in the table. 

Teams know our strengths now and not letting us attack in numbers and pack there defense so they are hard to break down. Honestly it's been happening since the 2014-2015 season. 

[PodgeyRam]

1 hour ago, Ashz09 said:

That's because it only started happening after the Wigan game. Not straight after though. Took about half a season and I think Wigan beat us again, then more teams started employing these tactics. If teams let us play don't you think we'd be a lot higher in the table. 

Teams know our strengths now and not letting us attack in numbers and pack there defense so they are hard to break down. Honestly it's been happening since the 2014-2015 season. 

I think it's pretty impressive then that this team of underperforming overated players reached the playoffs last season given everybody knows there strengths. The fact that teams knew this about us and we still finished in the play offs last season is pretty impressive - Darren Wassall must be the greatest manager in the league!

Every team in the league knows the strengths and weaknesses of every other team in the league - that's simply how football is these days. Derby County are not the only team this happens to.

[VulcanRam]

I don't really enjoy it, other than the pre-match point. I've been bored going for quite a while, and vowed a week before Nigel Clough was sacked that would be my last as a season ticket holder.

Then McClaren came and it was awesome for a season, the last two season I haven't been that excited.

What I am excited about is the fact that the 433 old guard team needed ripping up which means we have something dfferent awaiting us when Pearson gets the team/players he wants. I think it falls under the cliche "a change is as good as a rest".

[cannable]

11 minutes ago, VulcanRam said:

I don't really enjoy it, other than the pre-match point. I've been bored going for quite a while, and vowed a week before Nigel Clough was sacked that would be my last as a season ticket holder.

Then McClaren came and it was awesome for a season, the last two season I haven't been that excited.

What I am excited about is the fact that the 433 old guard team needed ripping up which means we have something dfferent awaiting us when Pearson gets the team/players he wants. I think it falls under the cliche "a change is as good as a rest".

You didn't get excited by 14/15 but are excited by this?!

Sado-masochistic or what.

[King Kevin]

In the good old days of BC two wrong words about Derby and you would have got a slap ,I was that passionate about the Rams .When we lost at Hilllsboro  it knocked me back for weeks .

I even tried to give my mate a slap for criticising Kevin Hector after a game ,I was driving at the time and he was in the back seat .

Sadly I have now matured and the Rams have never been the same force as they were then .In them days a club the size of Derby could win the First Division [Prem ] but not now [ I know I know Leicester]

What's the point of being in a league you can't win? So is it being old ,is it because footballs changed or because we are not very good ?For me it's a bit of everything but I will be there Saturday.

[CumbrianRam]

9 hours ago, David said:

Before Sky Sports how would you watch all their games?

Can't watch a single Dortmund game on sky

[Day]

6 minutes ago, CumbrianRam said:

Can't watch a single Dortmund game on sky

Before BT Sport then!

[Angry Ram]

2 hours ago, King Kevin said:

In the good old days of BC two wrong words about Derby and you would have got a slap ,I was that passionate about the Rams .When we lost at Hilllsboro  it knocked me back for weeks .

I even tried to give my mate a slap for criticising Kevin Hector after a game ,I was driving at the time and he was in the back seat .

Sadly I have now matured and the Rams have never been the same force as they were then .In them days a club the size of Derby could win the First Division [Prem ] but not now [ I know I know Leicester]

What's the point of being in a league you can't win? So is it being old ,is it because footballs changed or because we are not very good ?For me it's a bit of everything but I will be there Saturday.

I'm still not over Hillsboro..  Still got bruises. Poxy Mancs everywhere that day.. The cup meant something then.

I would have stopped the car in the fast lane to issue said slap.

Start of our decline.

[Yani P]

I was there as well and the pain never lessens..

 

I actually think in reality any team could become a major force - its all about the money - if some Chinese billionaire decided to buy one of the original founding members and was prepared to pour Man City style money in then anything would be possible - that is the way of the world now..lets be honest Man City were dire until fairly recently now one of the biggest clubs in the world - solely down to having owners that can afford anything without blinking

[LeedsCityRam]

Interesting question. Suppose 'expectations' can mean two things - what is the maximum Derby could achieve & what kind of club do we want to be?

Success wise, I really don't think there is a limit - seriously. Surely our experiences in the 1970's & Leicester's recent success tells us that anything is possible. Whilst winning the league is a bloody tough ask & arguably a once in a decade occurrence for a large-medium club like us, I don't see why top half Premiership finishes & Cup silverware would be beyond us - we managed the first bit during the late 80's & the late 90's. Our Cup record is bloody awful though - one day it has to change.

Being the size we are, we're never going to compete financially with the likes of Man Utd nor would I want us to. We're a small city club & promoting youth and recruiting from lower leagues/low profile foreigners should always be part of our club ethos. I can't stand the thought of being a temporary home for highly paid mercenary players & feel that too often we've gone down that route. Stylewise, I like the idea of us playing good football - we've rarely been associated with thuggish teams in the way that Leeds or Stoke have been but I'm pragmatic too - I want us to win & bloody often. A club that produces hard working, down to earth but exciting sides & is respected by other supporters for the way we do business - that'd do me.

[ram1964]

Excellent post and very intresting views,i myself especially this season have lost the buzz of match day,primarily due to performances lack, of goals and of course results.The NP factor.

When younger, now 52 any player wearing the shirt was an icon, some players ,the like of Hector,Rioch,Charlie George moulded my childhood and probably adulthood,firstly by attempting to become a professional footballer myself and secondly by having what i would consider my religion a faith and belief of Derby county Fc. which represented a sense  of pride as well as being entertained.

Unfortunately non of the present squad create any desire or excitement to see them on the team sheet.Yes Keogh committed,Hughes talented,Carson competent but in days gone by you would have paid to see the likes of Gemmil and Mcfarland alone not just becouse they were bloody good players but becouse they were comitted to the cause ,had Derby in their blood and it showed in their performances win or lose unlike the present squad who zre more intrested in representing themselves first rather than the club.

 

[Muskination]

1 hour ago, Yani P said:

I was there as well and the pain never lessens..

 

I actually think in reality any team could become a major force - its all about the money - if some Chinese billionaire decided to buy one of the original founding members and was prepared to pour Man City style money in then anything would be possible - that is the way of the world now..lets be honest Man City were dire until fairly recently now one of the biggest clubs in the world - solely down to having owners that can afford anything without blinking

So were Chelsea. People have short memories. Or they're young. Fair enough.

[Ashz09]

14 hours ago, PodgeyRam said:

I think it's pretty impressive then that this team of underperforming overated players reached the playoffs last season given everybody knows there strengths. The fact that teams knew this about us and we still finished in the play offs last season is pretty impressive - Darren Wassall must be the greatest manager in the league!

Every team in the league knows the strengths and weaknesses of every other team in the league - that's simply how football is these days. Derby County are not the only team this happens to.

That is a good point. The thing is when we was playing flowing football we was contending for the top 2 all the time even the championship. Now we just contend with the play-offs which isn't the end of the world.

Of course it doesn't look at Arsenal there a prime example of teams sitting back frustrating them. Happens to most good football playing sides. Unfortunately it happens to us now to. I'll be surprised if a team leaves gaps in defense against us they attack with purpose while remaining organized at the back so we're not given space. Hense the side ways passing or when a player on the wing gets the ball with room to move no ones free most of the time so he stops or passes it back.

Just what I've seen a lot of the time. Least teams will not play a high line all the time now Martins gone and we have pace time will tell though.

[TroyDyer]

We are extremely one dimensional to be honest. I don't think you have to be particularity bright to nullify our attack these days. 

[Gaspode]

35 minutes ago, TroyDyer said:

We are extremely one dimensional to be honest. I don't think you have to be particularity bright to nullify our attack these days. 

You watch the lack of movement in our team and it's clear we're pretty good at nullifying our own attacks without any help from the opposition....

I don't know is anyone else was watching the Liverpool warm-up before Tuesday's game? they spent a few minutes with 5 or 6 players working around the box - people making runs from all angles and other players picking them out - really was quite impressive...

[eddie]

12 hours ago, Angry Ram said:

I'm still not over Hillsboro..  Still got bruises. Poxy Mancs everywhere that day.. The cup meant something then.

I would have stopped the car in the fast lane to issue said slap.

Start of our decline.

Go back a few weeks - Derby v Stoke and Charlie dislocating his shoulder. That's when it started to crumble. Until that moment, I was convinced that we would win the double.

[Spanish]

22 minutes ago, eddie said:

Go back a few weeks - Derby v Stoke and Charlie dislocating his shoulder. That's when it started to crumble. Until that moment, I was convinced that we would win the double.

agreed, it was like suddenly we realised that we were mortal