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Season over


Sexydadbod

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7 minutes ago, Andicis said:

Agree, that it would be brilliant, but then for every Southampton, there is a QPR. I'm of the opinion that realistically I couldn't see that happening, obviously in some cases it has done, and don't get me wrong I'd love it if it was to happen. However, given the other scenario of for example 'doing a Wigan' or 'doing a Sunderland' where each season we would just survive on the last day kind of thing, or be relegated, would you prefer that, or to be how we are in the Championship? For me, I'd prefer the Championship for entertainment over just surviving, but say we were to reach between 7th and 11th I'd be delighted with that!

I'd certainly like a season of trying to be the Southampton..... but would definitely take top 10 championship each season compared with an annual PL survival struggle....luck runs out eventually. So I think we're on the same page :thumbsup:

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With 15 games to go, you can never say the season is over. Although it's fair to say that it would take something remarkable from here to finish in the top six - something like 12 wins from 15 games.

Usually it takes 76-77 points to guarantee a top six place, but the top six have been freakishly consistent - all collecting a minimum of 1.75 points per game - to the extent that Leeds or Sheffield Wednesday could finish on 80 points quite realistically now. Given that McClaren's points per game is higher than just two of the top six and includes seven consecutive wins, again it all goes back to giving teams a 10-game head start and we'll look back and perhaps rue that.

As for the here and now, the games are there to be won. We play a lot of struggling sides. But the problem is that we are also struggling too at the moment - for a consistent eleven, for consistent results, fluent performances, for a sense of balance and identity, and most importantly, momentum. We have picked up just 12 points in our last 10 league games, in comparison to 25 points from the previous 10 before that. It shows that the results were perhaps not a true reflection of performances, but more so of how McClaren was quick to galvanise and mobilise this group of players into something resembling a competitive and functioning football team. It caught everyone by surprise.

It is not time to panic. At the end of the day, we are a work in progress. McClaren has had less than half a season to work with these players. It was always going to be a free hit and to see us in 11th is probably in line with initial expectations when he arrived in October. It's only because we went on that fantastic 10-game unbeaten run that expectations started to morph into something boundless, where our fans are concerned. 

To me, the club have only ever been thinking about another season in the Championship - the signing of Nugent and the celebrated contract extension of Martin the greatest indicators of that. So let's have a respectable finish, look to next season and judge McClaren on what unfolds during a pivotal summer.

While we would have been expecting to be comfortably in the top six like Reading and Huddersfield are now, you can't play well for 10 games in a 46-game season and expect to be in the promotion picture. Simple as that, really.

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On 20/02/2017 at 19:28, Andicis said:

I've tried to avoid this thread for as long as I could to try stay away from the wrist slashing, over the top comments, but now I'm going to ask the question that has been asked many times on this forum, yet never given a satisfactory answer to. Why is the premier league so important? I'd rather see Derby play nice football in the championship, than watch us get thrashed every game in the premier league. So how exactly is the 'season over' when we've got many games left to play? As fans, we should just sit back and enjoy the games, why worry about it? If we're good enough to make the playoffs, we will.

Why is prem so important? Well it's the pinacle of English football and surely we want to be there ? Why is it that people think the only two options to choose from is play good championship football or get thrashed every week in the prem? There is also the other possibility/ambition to build a decent club that has a wealthy owner ,large fan base ( top ten to 15 in the country?) that competes towards the top end of prem and takes a decent run at cups every year? Just saying

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2 minutes ago, archied said:

Why is prem so important? Well it's the pinacle of English football and surely we want to be there ? Why is it that people think the only two options to choose from is play good championship football or get thrashed every week in the prem? There is also the other possibility/ambition to build a decent club that has a wealthy owner ,large fan base ( top ten to 15 in the country?) that competes towards the top end of prem and takes a decent run at cups every year? Just saying

Yes, I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to be promoted. However, it's not the be all and end all. Statistically, it'd be more likely we would be relegation fodder is we were promoted (even more so on tonight's evidence). I was just asking the question if people would prefer the situation of playing nice attacking football in the Championship (can't even do that tonight!) or relegation fodder in the Championship. 

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1 minute ago, archied said:

Why is prem so important? Well it's the pinacle of English football and surely we want to be there ? Why is it that people think the only two options to choose from is play good championship football or get thrashed every week in the prem?

I might settle for good championship football. I should add however, that 2 points from 9 against 3 of the poorest teams in the league, does not constitute good football. 

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1 minute ago, Andicis said:

Yes, I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to be promoted. However, it's not the be all and end all. Statistically, it'd be more likely we would be relegation fodder is we were promoted (even more so on tonight's evidence). I was just asking the question if people would prefer the situation of playing nice attacking football in the Championship (can't even do that tonight!) or relegation fodder in the Championship. 

Nice attractive football in the prem for me every time ,, the minute I start accepting second best and do not feel it's vital for us to strive for the best we can be then its time for me to stop following Derby and football , given the fact that I've been following Derby since I was five and am now 56 then that day will be a real sad one 

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3 minutes ago, archied said:

Nice attractive football in the prem for me every time ,, the minute I start accepting second best and do not feel it's vital for us to strive for the best we can be then its time for me to stop following Derby and football , given the fact that I've been following Derby since I was five and am now 56 then that day will be a real sad one 

Absolutely, Derby should strive for the best. However, my point was, as a fan, why is it so important? We're more likely to watch Derby win in the Championship with more possession, more goals, more games etc. You're misinterpreting what I'm saying if you believe I don't want Derby to succeed in the Premier League, I do. I'm just trying to provide perspective, that it isn't everything.

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Renewed last week and it was a real head vs heart battle. The heart won, but it needed a replay. I fear I am already regretting that decision. The side lacks heart and that as a fan, is the hardest thing to take. Players making mistakes is annoying, but players just going through the motions is unforgivable. 

Really don't enjoy watching them anymore. 

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39 minutes ago, Andicis said:

Absolutely, Derby should strive for the best. However, my point was, as a fan, why is it so important? We're more likely to watch Derby win in the Championship with more possession, more goals, more games etc. You're misinterpreting what I'm saying if you believe I don't want Derby to succeed in the Premier League, I do. I'm just trying to provide perspective, that it isn't everything.

Honestly I'm not having a pop but to be fair if I look at it from the perspective your putting across wouldn't it be better if we went down a division more then tonked  everybody every week?

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Complete lack of desire from the team again tonight, they play as if they have just been put together and met each other for the first time, they appear clueless of each other's strengths !

They haven't got what it takes to be winners !

Time we all stopped fooling ourselves 

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