Derby vs Wigan - matchday thread.

[Van der MoodHoover]

We were clearly saving ourselves to apply the coup de grace to Alex Neils managerial career.

Schteve can work on the shooting - 17 shots but only 4 or so on target according the match stats?

We've had these days befgore and will do so again from time to time - its why managers refer to it as a "long hard season".

Another home clean sheet - i'm keeping my chins up

[PistoldPete2]

To be fair to bent , he was a lone forward playing against three centre backs. What disappointed me Was that we only brought vydra on with 15 minutes to go and even then to replace instead of reinforcing bent.

also why was weimann an unused sub? What was the point of bringing on camara who did nothing? Some poor substitutions today from Mac I thought. 

[RoyMac5]

2 minutes ago, PistoldPete2 said:

also why was weimann an unused sub? What was the point of bringing on camara who did nothing? Some poor substitutions today from Mac I thought. 

Seriously?

[PistoldPete2]

10 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Seriously?

Eh?

[toddy]

16 minutes ago, PistoldPete2 said:

To be fair to bent , he was a lone forward playing against three centre backs. What disappointed me Was that we only brought vydra on with 15 minutes to go and even then to replace instead of reinforcing bent.

also why was weimann an unused sub? What was the point of bringing on camara who did nothing? Some poor substitutions today from Mac I thought. 

A bit like 13/14, lack of plan B.

[toddy]

1 hour ago, Andrew James said:

SM stated we lack quality in the last 3rd, JR's blast over the bar from 9 yards means he is right. Well connected so we could see 1 or 2 quality players coming in. 

Mac is spot on, but we have lacked quality for a while now, if we want to get promoted we need another midfielder that can make things happen, if Will is off his game or not playing we generally are poor too. He is missing at Norwich now and will be a big miss.

[jono]

Need to stop being self destructive .. It was a tough game against well organised opponents. Chris Martin looks like he's coming back and may help, but that isn't the answer. 

The answer is tempo and adventure. Will and Butterfield were off plan today. JR has benn missing his touch for a while. 

We have a squad full of skilled options ... If first choice isn't producing then we need to use them.

[G-Ram]

Its a disappointing result but i honestly think Wigan are a better side than their league position

anyone can beat anyone in this division, its a solid point & a clean sheet. The festive period always throws up some funny results and a draw isnt the end of the world  

[angieram]

5 minutes ago, jono said:

Need to stop being self destructive .. It was a tough game against well organised opponents. Chris Martin looks like he's coming back and may help, but that isn't the answer. 

The answer is tempo and adventure. Will and Butterfield were off plan today. JR has benn missing his touch for a while. 

We have a squad full of skilled options ... If first choice isn't producing then we need to use them.

I agree but the subs we have been using aren't exactly staking a claim for a regular spot recently. Will be interesting to see whether Blackman puts in more of a challenge when he's fit. Would also be tempted to bring Elsnik into the eighteen.  

Of course that all depends on who arrives, leaves or even returns  in January. 

[Tony Le Mesmer]

49 minutes ago, PistoldPete2 said:

To be fair to bent , he was a lone forward playing against three centre backs. What disappointed me Was that we only brought vydra on with 15 minutes to go and even then to replace instead of reinforcing bent.

also why was weimann an unused sub? What was the point of bringing on camara who did nothing? Some poor substitutions today from Mac I thought. 

Fair points PP especially about Vydra and the timing of the sub. It was pretty clear even 15 minutes into the second half that nothing too much had changed and we were still labouring. A decisive change should have been made earlier.

I do also agree to a certain extent about the cover on Bent. It is difficult when up against a tight defence however he has been ok in quite a few games this season in similar circumstances. We play the same formation every week as seemingly do most of the opposition that visit. Today he just wasn't interested and I was surprised when he wasn't the first player dragged off.

Weimann needs game time I agree but have to totally disagree about Camara. I thought he did well and at least gave us some impetus. Some of the things he tried didn't come off but he tried them and that's the main thing.

Who knows. If Bent had tried to stretch the defenders like Camara did instead of lolling around in the same patch of turf all afternoon then perhaps I may have been a bit more less scathing in my criticisms.

I don't accept all this 'he's not the type of player who does X or Y'. He's got the starting shirt. He's part of the team and he's on bloody good money. Making the effort wholeheartedly for the duration of time on the field of play is a bare minimum. Given that then I can accept a player had a bad game, it happens and I can have sympathy. Bent contributed nothing today. We had 10 men effectively.

So, Macs subs. Agree with them although it would benefit us I believe making changes earlier when clearly a game is petering out and everyone can see it.

 

[jono]

14 minutes ago, angieram said:

I agree but the subs we have been using aren't exactly staking a claim for a regular spot recently. Will be interesting to see whether Blackman puts in more of a challenge when he's fit. Would also be tempted to bring Elsnik into the eighteen.  

Of course that all depends on who arrives, leaves or even returns  in January. 

Completely agree about Elsnik. I also think Vydra needs longer on the pitch .. But for the other weeks penalty he has as many goals as Bent. It was a shame he and Will got in each others way with about 10 to go. 

[angieram]

Wasn't one of Bent's better games. I thought he had a really positive surge in form when McClaren first arrived back. How does he get that consistently?  If I knew I'd be a wiser man than most on here. I don't think Bent likes being constantly physically held though. It's not enough to call out as fouls but just bloody annoying.

 

[Tony Le Mesmer]

1 minute ago, angieram said:

Wasn't one of Bent's better games. I thought he had a really positive surge in form when McClaren first arrived back. How does he get that consistently?  If I knew I'd be a wiser man than most on here. I don't think Bent likes being constantly physically held though. It's not enough to call out as fouls but just bloody annoying.

 

Loving your case for the defence Angieram.

He's a big unit though himself so should be able to handle this stuff although granted he must be frustrated. I'm not a Bent hater, he's done really well since Mac came back and I have little to moan about with him, just today I noticed just how little he moved. It just stuck in my mind as the game went on. It was just my sense of injustice I guess with t he autism traits I have. I don't like to see a team of triers and one getting away with not doing anything. Rightly or wrongly that's how I saw Bent's showing today. He's been integral to our success under mAc this season and so he still has lots of credit in the bank for that.

[angieram]

Not a pretty sight but he felt he was working: 

 

[Tony Le Mesmer]

5 minutes ago, angieram said:

Not a pretty sight but he felt he was working: 

 

I take it you are referring to those hideous socks?

[ck-]

1 hour ago, toddy said:

A bit like 13/14, lack of plan B.

Please let's not start this crap again. Started to see mutterings of "No plan B" and yet when we try different things, get the same people saying "Doesn't seem to know his best team"

Not saying this is you particularly, but it's frustrating to see people starting up the negativity at the first signs of difficulty.

[LazloW]

9 minutes ago, ck- said:

Please let's not start this crap again. Started to see mutterings of "No plan B" and yet when we try different things, get the same people saying "Doesn't seem to know his best team"

Not saying this is you particularly, but it's frustrating to see people starting up the negativity at the first signs of difficulty.

Was about to say the same thing myself. We drew a game and didn't play particularly well, but there is really no need for the over the top analysis and introspection. Over the course of the season we will lose and draw games and we don't need a whole post mortem after every game we don't win. Knew it would get like this once we got better. As expectations increase, so does the nonsense.

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

9 minutes ago, ck- said:

Please let's not start this crap again. Started to see mutterings of "No plan B" and yet when we try different things, get the same people saying "Doesn't seem to know his best team"

Not saying this is you particularly, but it's frustrating to see people starting up the negativity at the first signs of difficulty.

Don't forget,some feed on misery for their only source of pleasure,I swear some on here would actually prefer us to be failing,it makes them feel important......

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

No matter what and no matter what our differences though,we are all dcfc....Happy New year everyone????

[PistoldPete2]

1 hour ago, angieram said:

Not a pretty sight but he felt he was working: 

 

What is that stuff? Looks like a slender tone kit.