Your thoughts on the upcoming season

[DesertRam]

I am sticking with my original   4th with Boro and Villa as 1 and 2,

 Fulham, Wednesday and most likely  Reading.

Sunderland 8th/9th

Still excited by the 2/3 to come in yet.

[RamNut]

Huddlestone has looked good, nice to see CM back on duty,  but otherwise we are treading water.

The transfer strategy seems a bit unimaginative to me; buying physical, long-in-the-tooth, known quantities so far.

oh for the days when we signed the likes of archie gemmill and no-one had heard of him.

chopping and changing to give everyone games has made it hard to judge where we are going in terms of formation, personnel, style.

Do we know? 4231? 433? 

surely today will be the dress rehearsal?

please no more sitting on the fence. Make your mind up time Gary.

In terms of style I'd like to see us more controlled instead of all the hoofing, hacking and scrapping for bits.

COYR!

 

[Ellafella]

Less optimistic than I was when GR first took over. I am a strong GR advocate and his depth of knowledge of management and his psychology are all first rate. However, the sale of Will Hughes was a big blow for me. I realise that GR is a great big pragmatist and will do whatever it takes to win a game...{there's a lot of overlap with Nigel Clough in his thinking} whereas I am much more of a football purist. For me, a big issue will now be the use of Craig Bryson. If GR gets that right {and plays Bryson in his proper position} things will click and we stand a decent chance of a good start. However, if Bryson becomes a bench-warmer, the midfield will not be good enough and we will only get an average start. I suspect we will see a lot of very tight games, which will be 1-0. 0-1, 1-1 etc and at the moment we just do not have the guile or the craft to really open up teams (like we used to do with Bryson and Hughes un-zipping defences with pure classy- passy football). At the mo we have swapped Mercedes (Ince, Hughes) for Vauxhall Corsas (Bennett, Weimann) and unless we find a signing with real football pedigree who can weave magic in midfield, we will be pretty average and float about at position 8-10 in the championship. I do hope I am wrong...I was once. 

So GR, I'm right behind you; you are a very talented and thoughtful manager but if you ever need the benefit of my expertise, just say mate. 

[The Arch Deacon]

23 hours ago, Saul Pimpson said:

Replace Leicester with Hull (Leicester had Knockaert / Mahrez)

Although Hull had Snodgrass!

[Kennington Ram]

I think a good but not quite 5th, losing in play off semis. A lot of teams to me are building imbalanced and expensive sides like we used to, I think we will be solid if unspectacular throughout the year.

By the end of the season the side will look quite different - two or three to go in January.

[jagerbob]

IM not overly convinced Boro or Villa will finish top 2. Too many changes too soon. Id probably put a bet on that theres no way both will go straight up. If Fulham could sort their defence out, id probably fancy them for a top 2.

[Gone]

I'm more worried now we have a week to go than I was previous. I thought we'd have replaced our creativity that has left the club by now. I'm not panicking at the lack of quality signings in the midfield area but worried we'll have our pants down again on deadline day. Come on Gary one before Friday would do nicely   

[ram1964]

Would expect a top six finish this season,dependant upon quality of new arrivals and  any injuries throughout the year  I would hope to be pushing top 3.

Lot of excitement on here about Lawrence, but not overly convinced because of 1 decent loan spell. Probably worth a punt under £5 mill.

Hopefully we will hit the ground running unlike last season and a couple of quality signings will be hitting the team sheet.

[cj9a408]

I think the sum total of this so far is "who knows"

 

One thing that i believe does help is nobody thinks we will storm it - which will certainly relieve pressure.  We can hope!

 

A little more creativity and we have the backbone of a solid squad.  If not a very exciting one!

[shonkz]

Hey it's going to be a long hard season, but in the end the Super Rams will be in the Premier League where they belong. The football played will be exciting and  there will be loads of goals scored and very little goals conceded. Two short cup runs played with mostly the younger players to give the big boys a rest. Watch out championship the Rams are on the move.... If you haven't yet realised, my glass is more than  half FULL all the time.... COYR 

[Angry Ram]

40 minutes ago, shonkz said:

Hey it's going to be a long hard season, but in the end the Super Rams will be in the Premier League where they belong. The football played will be exciting and  there will be loads of goals scored and very little goals conceded. Two short cup runs played with mostly the younger players to give the big boys a rest. Watch out championship the Rams are on the move.... If you haven't yet realised, my glass is more than  half FULL all the time.... COYR 

Jeeez...

I will be pissed if he's another manager who rests everyone for cup games.

[shonkz]

Its good you agree with the rest of my ideal season then Angry Ram ? I just thought it might be a little too much to win both cups as well, but I'll settle for two cup finals and a top league spot ! 

[Carl Sagan]

Some good posts here with the thread a little derailed in the middle.

Gary Rowett has demonstrably got the best out of his previous teams, but they've not been great teams to begin with. He must be one of the best managers in the division and has been touted as someone Premier League teams were after. And he is passionate about Derby. So far, so good. I was hoping he would rise to the challenge of taking our most skillful players and moulding them into an exciting eleven, but instead our two most technically gifted players have gone, and Cyrus had an awful lot of ability too. The hope, then, is that the season will prove all about team ethos rather than individual ability. Getting the overall chemistry right just might make all the difference, but the fear is that we have rid ourselves of the magic needed to unlock opposition defences.

Out: Hughes, Ince, Christie, Camara

In: Davies, Wisdom, Huddlestone

The good news is that all three new boys have started agaunst Hoffenheim which suggests Rowett believes they improve the team. I have always rated Davies and Huddlestone is maybe still the best passer in the country and I think playing for Derby again will motivate him. Wisdom is a bit meh for me (as strong and quick as Christie but not as skillful), but adequate as a fullback. Any new signing should be for the first team and not the (still bloated) squad. I hope we still see players leave (for money) to free up a route for more of the youngsters to believe there's a route into the first team.

Talking of youngsters, it's great to see Mason Bennett with a new lease of life and he's been told he'll be with the first team all season. I expected Rawson to be given a chance but Hanson has taken the youth centreback berth. Lowe has everything except fitness. Guy and Vernam are also injured. Zanzala is coming back from injury, but could be the pacey powerful striker to cover Bent's absence (though it was Emil Riis Jacobsen whose goals kept the U23s in the top flight in his absence).  Elsnik always looks confortable and capable but doesn't appear to be in Gary's plans at the moment (one of my big hopes for the season is that changes and the young Slovenian gets a run of games). Mitchell is the choice of the club for number 2 keeper. Macdonald may get a look in if we have a fullback crisis. I like some of the others but there's no way I can see them breaking through.

I am so excited to see Chrissy Martin in a Derby shirt again. He fills me with hope. In Hughes' absence Butterfield has a huge opportunity that I hope he can seize. I've always liked Vydra and do think he could be lethal with Martin and since he came in Nugent has been far more effective than I'd have expected. I don't see Russell or Weimann as wingers or central strikers. They are the wide forwards of the modern game, but don't seem to have the finesse I'd hope for. It says a lot that I would prefer Jamie Ward to any of our widemen, but I am hopeful Bennett, Blackman or Anya might step up. Also, the evidence of preseason is we will play a high-pressing game (hallelujah!) and that this will bring chances.

We will be organized and solid and press high and that may be enough. Someone needs to come through and become a real star. Martin, Vydra or Huddlestone are capable. Butterfield, Bryson and Johnson have all had seasons full of goals in the past. So, I have hope and anticipation but not yet the expectation. But Rowett had an awful Birmingham team on the fringes of the playoffs so I think with more quality but more pressure, we will manage the same.

Prediction: 7th

 

 

 

[uttoxram75]

Going by the bookies, the top 6 will be

Villa

Boro

Fulham

Sheffy Wendy

Norwich

Wolves

with us, Leeds, Hull, Sunderland, Brentford, Birmingham, Reading and Cardiff not far behind. The gumps could also surprise one or two as well.

A lot of strong well organised teams there plus at least one of the promoted sides will have a good season no doubt.

We've got our work cut out to make the top 6 unless Gary can utilise his players to get the best out of Chrissy Martin. Unfortunately i don't believe Bradley and Jacob are capable of doing that. While we may be strong defensively, if we can't get quick passing moves and midfield players running beyond Martin we just wont create enough and end up trying route one more often than not.

[Derby blood]

5 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

Some good posts here with the thread a little derailed in the middle.

Gary Rowett has demonstrably got the best out of his previous teams, but they've not been great teams to begin with. He must be one of the best managers in the division and has been touted as someone Premier League teams were after. And he is passionate about Derby. So far, so good. I was hoping he would rise to the challenge of taking our most skillful players and moulding them into an exciting eleven, but instead our two most technically gifted players have gone, and Cyrus had an awful lot of ability too. The hope, then, is that the season will prove all about team ethos rather than individual ability. Getting the overall chemistry right just might make all the difference, but the fear is that we have rid ourselves of the magic needed to unlock opposition defences.

Out: Hughes, Ince, Christie, Camara

In: Davies, Wisdom, Huddlestone

The good news is that all three new boys have started agaunst Hoffenheim which suggests Rowett believes they improve the team. I have always rated Davies and Huddlestone is maybe still the best passer in the country and I think playing for Derby again will motivate him. Wisdom is a bit meh for me (as strong and quick as Christie but not as skillful), but adequate as a fullback. Any new signing should be for the first team and not the (still bloated) squad. I hope we still see players leave (for money) to free up a route for more of the youngsters to believe there's a route into the first team.

Talking of youngsters, it's great to see Mason Bennett with a new lease of life and he's been told he'll be with the first team all season. I expected Rawson to be given a chance but Hanson has taken the youth centreback berth. Lowe has everything except fitness. Guy and Vernam are also injured. Zanzala is coming back from injury, but could be the pacey powerful striker to cover Bent's absence (though it was Emil Riis Jacobsen whose goals kept the U23s in the top flight in his absence).  Elsnik always looks confortable and capable but doesn't appear to be in Gary's plans at the moment (one of my big hopes for the season is that changes and the young Slovenian gets a run of games). Mitchell is the choice of the club for number 2 keeper. Macdonald may get a look in if we have a fullback crisis. I like some of the others but there's no way I can see them breaking through.

I am so excited to see Chrissy Martin in a Derby shirt again. He fills me with hope. In Hughes' absence Butterfield has a huge opportunity that I hope he can seize. I've always liked Vydra and do think he could be lethal with Martin and since he came in Nugent has been far more effective than I'd have expected. I don't see Russell or Weimann as wingers or central strikers. They are the wide forwards of the modern game, but don't seem to have the finesse I'd hope for. It says a lot that I would prefer Jamie Ward to any of our widemen, but I am hopeful Bennett, Blackman or Anya might step up. Also, the evidence of preseason is we will play a high-pressing game (hallelujah!) and that this will bring chances.

We will be organized and solid and press high and that may be enough. Someone needs to come through and become a real star. Martin, Vydra or Huddlestone are capable. Butterfield, Bryson and Johnson have all had seasons full of goals in the past. So, I have hope and anticipation but not yet the expectation. But Rowett had an awful Birmingham team on the fringes of the playoffs so I think with more quality but more pressure, we will manage the same.

Prediction: 7th

 

 

 

Football is all about opinions , and you make some good points, but for me Wisdom is a far, far better right back than Christee will ever be, Wisdom is a beast of a player, is quick, defends first, and is very hard to knock off the ball, when he is attacking, and can also deliver a good ball in the box which Christee on very few occasions did, I think Derby will finish top 4, get a quality wide player in and another midfielder then top 2 is a good possibility, in Mr Rowett I trust.

[Carl Sagan]

2 hours ago, Derby blood said:

Football is all about opinions , and you make some good points, but for me Wisdom is a far, far better right back than Christee will ever be, Wisdom is a beast of a player, is quick, defends first, and is very hard to knock off the ball, when he is attacking, and can also deliver a good ball in the box which Christee on very few occasions did, I think Derby will finish top 4, get a quality wide player in and another midfielder then top 2 is a good possibility, in Mr Rowett I trust.

Hope you're right. On Wisdom/Christie I'd say Cyrus was quicker, equally hard to knock off the ball and had much more about him in the attacking third. That sometimes led to indecision, but that's partly bad coaching. Also, he had an unbelievable long throw that was frequently used as a weapon for the Republic and never once by Derby (madness). I'm still hoping for several outgoings before incomings.

[toddy]

Yes we have improved the defence, but was that the real area that needed improving? The midfield was missing a play maker last season, with Hughes gone its even worse for the coming season. We have also lost one of the best wingers/inside forwards we have had for years.The midfield and forward line really needed improving and a certain few should have gone, but we lost two of the best we had and have not replaced them.  So we now have i think a worse squad.  

We wont conceed many but do we have the quality to score many?  On paper no.

But you never know we might surprise a few.

COYR

[JoetheRam]

Without bringing in a new centre midfielder and at least one Ince-quality winger I predict 11th.

Sort those positions out before the end of this transfer window and I think we can make 6th.

It doesn't matter much to me, but I also think a lot of fans are going to end up getting frustrated with the style of play. Particularly if in the first quarter of the season results aren't great.

The keeper, back 4 and defensive midfield positions, starting and replacements, are probably in the top 3 or 4 in the division, as are the centre forwards, but the rest are mediocre.

[clarkeram7]

Bewildered why anyone would even suggest Christie is a better footballer than Wisdom. Easily one of the best defenders I've seen play for us in recent years, quick strong and reliable ? 

Huddlestone is exactly what we've been crying out for, early marker for signing if the season. Davies is an upgrade on any of our central defenders. 

Like everyone else I'm happy to see Mason Bennett back in the squad! Slightly torn whether I want to see a big name signing such as Lawrence or give him his opportunity. Rowett like a natural number 10 so I expect an arrival like Toral. 

We still need to shed a few; notably one of the centre halves, a left back and possibly Blackman or Bent wouldn't really get near the first 11 if fully fit. Jamie Hanson is a strange one, I think we might just have to accept he might not been good enough, especially with the emergence of Elsnik im not sure where he fits. 

Extremely optimistic, I'm happy with what I've seen in pre season and the transfer window. It's good to see Martin, Forsyth and Thorne back in the squad - I think all three will make an impact! Hopefully the early indications are that Weimann will have a good season and Vydra is used more through the middle. Maybe we lack a bit more flair? But I think Gary is aware that's where we need to strengthen. 

I have a gut feeling we'll start well, Sunderland look poor and I think we'll really rattle them. 

[WhiteHorseRam]

10 hours ago, uttoxram75 said:

Going by the bookies, the top 6 will be

Villa

Boro

Fulham

Sheffy Wendy

Norwich

Wolves

with us, Leeds, Hull, Sunderland, Brentford, Birmingham, Reading and Cardiff not far behind. The gumps could also surprise one or two as well.

A lot of strong well organised teams there plus at least one of the promoted sides will have a good season no doubt.

We've got our work cut out to make the top 6 unless Gary can utilise his players to get the best out of Chrissy Martin. Unfortunately i don't believe Bradley and Jacob are capable of doing that. While we may be strong defensively, if we can't get quick passing moves and midfield players running beyond Martin we just wont create enough and end up trying route one more often than not.

I agree with what you have said, and the bookies' prognosis. But that means 14 teams are in the running potentially, out of 24.

Shows what a bear pit the Championship really is. In the Prem out of 20 teams there are realistically only maybe four that could win the League (the two Mancs, Chelsea and Spurs just maybe).

I think for us it will be all about momentum. Its stating the ********* obvious but if the new defensive set up can just stop the opposition scoring and we can nick goals from all over the pitch - happy days.