What does Rowett's Appointment mean for "The Derby Way"?

[Ambitious]

The Derby Way in my mind was the McClaren way circa 13/14. 

I know we can point out the changes between then and now, which are quite apparent. Fundamentally, we had two reliable defensive full-backs, both big and strong. We had Keogh and Buxton, both capable with the ball at their feet, Keogh able to drive the ball forward when needed. 

In midfield, forgetting the glorious George Thorne for one second, we started playing with a DM who could protect the back four - Eustace. Thorne took it to another level, but we've not replaced that for when he's been injured. Hughes & Hendrick weren't ever-present by any stretch, the former has more ability than the latter, but the latter went through spells where he would show his potential. Bryson did the job of two men, plus his partnership with Martin was possibly the main reason we were able to get into the play-offs. 

Out wide, I thought we still lacked at the time. Ward, Russell & Bamford all had spells, the latter capable of winning a match in a split second even when having a woeful game. We never had a player with Ince's ability though, which is arguably the largest reason we couldn't find a breakthrough when it mattered. 

Martin, technically exceptional and brings others into play. We simply don't have that at the moment. It seems like all our strikers, aside from Bent at times, don't like showing for the ball. The defenders aren't as reliable as a unit, which is why we've not played the same high line we used to, the midfield doesn't offer protection, movement, creativity or even goals anymore. 

I know it's easy to blame the lack of desire, but the team just doesn't fit right. It's like we've got pieces from four different jigsaws and we're trying to cram them together. I do think it's going to be a difficult job, but one that needs doing as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. 

No point in allowing Bent to leave, selling Vydra and signing someone for £4m who is going to play on the shoulder. If Rowett has a prefered formation, let him implement it now with the players he has and see who can fit in the puzzle and who doesn't. He's got a bountiful of players to choose from, most of which have proven under the right circumstances and in the right conditions can do very well at this level. 

I'll be interested to see how he lines up against Forest anyway, not so much the personnel but the shape considering our personnel. 

[cannable]

45 minutes ago, BobbyD said:

There's far too much emphasis on systems, fitting players to a method, 442/433/4231, its just nonsense. Its all far too complicated . Football is a simple game - you win the ball, you pass, you move, you shoot, you score.

Whats wrong with just buying/playing  good players with strong characters who want to win ? And investing enough time and effort on their recruitment to ensure that that is the case ? 

Surely the Derby Way is just about playing to win ? Nigel Clough wasn't up for that (particularly away from home, or even when 2 nil up at half time at home for that matter  ), Mac 2 didn't know what he wanted, Pearson frankly was'nt capable - thats why they rightly departed. Just play to win, all the time. 

Only disagreement I would have with Mel's vision is about the academy. Complete waste of money. Molly-coddled, over paid children brought up in a cocoon of entitlement. Much better to search elsewhere for proven winning attributes gained at the real coalface of life.

Why complicate it ? Please, just keep in simple. 

 

Football's moved on, I'm afraid. 

[Tombo]

Many of you saying the Derby Way was basically the McClaren way, which sort of explains his sudden sacking in a way. If it became obvious in between the time Mac rejoined and last week that these players need to go and we need an overhaul, then so does McClaren. After all, he was only brought back because he knows the style and knows the players. If those players aren't around anymore, Mac's a relic of a failed philosophy. 

Not to justify anything, just explanation. 

[DesertRam]

Oh for Champagne football again, to me its having a powerful DM  , ie Thorne alongside

Hughes, who both have the vision and forward thinking to allow pinpoint passing etc..

along with a Hendrick type bulldozer, aka,Johnson or similar to create space and movement

where Martin, Russell and Ince can thrive, although I always thought Russell's forte was

setting up the others. 

According to GR, his formations depend on the players available, so not necessarily  all

counter attacking with long balls!

Can't wait for Saturday, I have renewed enthusiasm, and reckon we will get a first win for GR.

[Bris Vegas]

5 hours ago, BobbyD said:

There's far too much emphasis on systems, fitting players to a method, 442/433/4231, its just nonsense. Its all far too complicated . Football is a simple game - you win the ball, you pass, you move, you shoot, you score.

Whats wrong with just buying/playing  good players with strong characters who want to win ? And investing enough time and effort on their recruitment to ensure that that is the case ? 

Surely the Derby Way is just about playing to win ? Nigel Clough wasn't up for that (particularly away from home, or even when 2 nil up at half time at home for that matter  ), Mac 2 didn't know what he wanted, Pearson frankly was'nt capable - thats why they rightly departed. Just play to win, all the time. 

Only disagreement I would have with Mel's vision is about the academy. Complete waste of money. Molly-coddled, over paid children brought up in a cocoon of entitlement. Much better to search elsewhere for proven winning attributes gained at the real coalface of life.

Why complicate it ? Please, just keep in simple. 

 

If it was as simple as buying the best players with a will to win then the likes of Leicester would never have won the PL.

Leicester won the PL by using a style which best aided their core players such as Vardy.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic for instance is a much better all-round player than Vardy, but there is no way in hell he would have had the same impact, or better, had he been playing in a Leicester shirt last season. Leicester wouldnt have won the league with Ibra upfront, because they have such contrasting styles.

Football is a simple game. But you need 11 round pegs in round holes to make it simple.

[BobbyD]

15 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

If it was as simple as buying the best players with a will to win then the likes of Leicester would never have won the PL.

Leicester won the PL by using a style which best aided their core players such as Vardy.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic for instance is a much better all-round player than Vardy, but there is no way in hell he would have had the same impact, or better, had he been playing in a Leicester shirt last season. Leicester wouldnt have won the league with Ibra upfront, because they have such contrasting styles.

Football is a simple game. But you need 11 round pegs in round holes to make it simple.

Good players can play in any system. They don't need to be great . Like Leicester.

Its simple . 11 pegs in round holes doesn't sound simple to me - you could take years and years trying to find that . 

Leicester were successful because they kept it simple and played to their strengths. They didn't spend hours and hours worrying about their 'system' . They just got on with it. 

 

[cannable]

4 minutes ago, BobbyD said:

Good players can play in any system. They don't need to be great . Like Leicester.

Its simple . 11 pegs in round holes doesn't sound simple to me - you could take years and years trying to find that . 

Leicester were successful because they kept it simple and played to their strengths. They didn't spend hours and hours worrying about their 'system' . They just got on with it. 

 

I.e. they played a system that suited their strengths… 

[BobbyD]

6 minutes ago, cannable said:

I.e. they played a system that suited their strengths… 

Agreed , they kept it simple

[Rev]

The Derby Way is dead, if it was ever a tangible thing.

I swallowed it hook, line and sinker, and hoped it would be true, but in retrospect I see no real evidence it was ever the plan.

This isn't a dig at Rowett, and his seeming direction of travel, more a concern of what the future holds.

The big advantage of 'The Derby Way', as I saw it, was the ability to insure the club from becoming hostage to a successful manager, as much as it made removing an unsuccessful one easier.

The modern Southampton will always be the example of such a policy, with their ability to seemingly move smoothly forward regardless of the success, and moving on of both players and managers, finding decent replacements at reasonable prices, until eventually they've reached the situation they replace a manager for finishing 8th!

Can you imagine us finishing 8th, in the top flight, and getting shot of the manager?

I know there's more than one way to skin a cat, but say Gary really turns it on this year, and we get promoted with 100+ points.

A decent following year, with us challenging the top 6 for a long time follows, before slipping back to a upper mid table finish, he would become the most in demand manager in England.

He'd rightly have his head turned by a bigger job, up and leave and we'd have absolutely no system to fall back on to carry on the progress, seeing as it was all Gary's doing.

Another scenario may be we're struggling near the foot of the table come next Jan, and Mel pulls the trigger.

We end up with yet another manager, with another way of doing things, yet more turnover of players, an ever bloated melting pot of different players signed for one system, but asked to perform in another, a chairman who's despairing at seeing his ever increasing investment return nothing, and a club going nowhere fast. 

The Derby Way was the right plan, but without the chairman properly implementing it, we're in the realm of luck and hoping for the best, and our future is nowhere near as secure as it should be with a local billionaire fan in charge.

 

 

 

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, reveldevil said:

The Derby Way is dead, if it was ever a tangible thing.

I swallowed it hook, line and sinker, and hoped it would be true, but in retrospect I see no real evidence it was ever the plan.

This isn't a dig at Rowett, and his seeming direction of travel, more a concern of what the future holds.

The big advantage of 'The Derby Way', as I saw it, was the ability to insure the club from becoming hostage to a successful manager, as much as it made removing an unsuccessful one easier.

The modern Southampton will always be the example of such a policy, with their ability to seemingly move smoothly forward regardless of the success, and moving on of both players and managers, finding decent replacements at reasonable prices, until eventually they've reached the situation they replace a manager for finishing 8th!

Can you imagine us finishing 8th, in the top flight, and getting shot of the manager?

I know there's more than one way to skin a cat, but say Gary really turns it on this year, and we get promoted with 100+ points.

A decent following year, with us challenging the top 6 for a long time follows, before slipping back to a upper mid table finish, he would become the most in demand manager in England.

He'd rightly have his head turned by a bigger job, up and leave and we'd have absolutely no system to fall back on to carry on the progress, seeing as it was all Gary's doing.

Another scenario may be we're struggling near the foot of the table come next Jan, and Mel pulls the trigger.

We end up with yet another manager, with another way of doing things, yet more turnover of players, an ever bloated melting pot of different players signed for one system, but asked to perform in another, a chairman who's despairing at seeing his ever increasing investment return nothing, and a club going nowhere fast. 

The Derby Way was the right plan, but without the chairman properly implementing it, we're in the realm of luck and hoping for the best, and our future is nowhere near as secure as it should be with a local billionaire fan in charge.

 

 

 

There was a Derby Way, then Morris came along and blew that to shreds in the summer of 2015.