Should we lower our expectations

[ram1964]

The club have continually given every reason for us to expect improvement in perfornances and results, owners ,managers and players set the expectations and during the last 3 seasons i cant recall any of them suggesting that we weren't going to improve, win games,compete and challenge for promotion.

So ,No I have expectations of us being amongst the best in this division and i wont be lowering my expectations ,however unless some quality arrives this window the players and owner may have to be a little more realistic about how good we actually are and how little we have progressed during the last 3 seasons.

 

[Cisse]

I think there are a dozen teams that can reach play offs. We are one of them. So much can still happen in this window and the next is quite hard to say which teams are in top six. We can't expect to go up but we can hope and keep supporting the club through thick and thin.

[unclej]

Looking round the Championship it is clear what a big ask promotion will be this year for Derby.  There are some excellent teams already forming up into very well organised back fours and offering width and pace.  Nothing less than excellence will see us progress into the Prem.

[Uptherams]

I personally think we have a back four that is comfortable enough for us to push on in later stages of the game and get that match winning goal and Sunderland was a great sign to me that is what Rowett will look to do. 

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

I'm a fickle so & so! Just watched the whole game again. I was far too critical originally in real time. (In future I must learn to ignore myself). It was quite a good battling performance. Sunderland were playing just the type of football that usually causes us problems. I'm much more optimistic again. If you have the time I recommend watching again.

[ramesses]

55 minutes ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

I'm a fickle so & so! Just watched the whole game again. I was far too critical originally in real time. (In future I must learn to ignore myself). It was quite a good battling performance. Sunderland were playing just the type of football that usually causes us problems. I'm much more optimistic again. If you have the time I recommend watching again.

Probably not a game I’d want to watch again (maybe second half if forced) but I agree with your revised opinion.

Some complain about GR and what might be called his 'hoofball' approach to the game based on what they might have seen or heard during his time at Burton and Birmingham. Now I know it’s early days but what I saw Friday was a team with some new faces still getting to know each other but taking a fairly positive approach to an away fixture. Last season watching our players endlessly tap the ball about ineffectually in our own half before losing it and having to restart the same mind-numbingly tedious process again was driving me nuts.

So far, so good.

[BucksRam]

My expectations were set when I started following this team with the likes of George, Gemmil, Hector & Co. They've remained high ever since..... which is probably why I end up frustrated. 

Great facilities and great support don't a Premier League team make, but we certainly wouldn't look out of place up there. Will we get there? I really hope so but we remain short of that "edge" and with the Championship as competitive as it's ever been, without that little "something" it's going to be a struggle. 

As ever though I remain blindly optimistic ?

[1of4]

You should never lower your expectations, but accept they may not always be achieve immediately.

[EssendonRam]

On 05/08/2017 at 20:26, Mafiabob said:

Whose the right person then? 

We have wasted 2 seasons now with many managerial changes..... really have wasted so much time..... 

The man needs time, we need (and certainly Mel) bottle to let him make the changes necessary.

We can't being rash anymore. It's killed momentum being like this. Continuity needed. 

I am genuinely stunned that anyone is arguing with you on this Bob.

Rowett could prove to be an axe murderer and we have to give him two whole seasons AT LEAST.

As you say, we've had no continuity in the last few years and the people charged with finding "the right man" will have failed to do so three times (if Rowett fails) in succession.

Fourth time lucky? Really?

Then there's the question of whether anyone has actually failed, or whether we have just overreacted before they had sufficient time for any changes to take seed?

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

It's not in our nature as "Football Fans" to be submissive, but this season I fear we may have to accept mid table as being the realistic end of season position. 

We are building from the ground up and it's going to take time to dismantle the car crash last 2 years and rebuild a strong side to take us onwards and upwards. 

So Yes, we are going to have to lower our expectations IMHO. 

[nogbad van 50]

28 minutes ago, Ted McMinn Football Genius said:

It's not in our nature as "Football Fans" to be submissive, but this season I fear we may have to accept mid table as being the realistic end of season position. 

We are building from the ground up and it's going to take time to dismantle the car crash last 2 years and rebuild a strong side to take us onwards and upwards. 

So Yes, we are going to have to lower our expectations IMHO. 

9th last season and 5th the season before! Hardly "car crashes!"?

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

5 hours ago, rcarso1 said:

9th last season and 5th the season before! Hardly "car crashes!"?

In relation to monies spent and positions we found ourselves in (particularly in the Clement season) to then bomb out to Hull in the playoffs and then to completely miss out on any likely hood of promotion the following season. 

I reckon is consistent with a car crash season. 

[nogbad van 50]

1 hour ago, Ted McMinn Football Genius said:

In relation to monies spent and positions we found ourselves in (particularly in the Clement season) to then bomb out to Hull in the playoffs  then to completely miss out on any likely hood of promotion the following season. 

I reckon is consistent with a car crash season. 

I'd hardly call a 3-2 aggregate defeat a "bomb out!" -I dread to think what you'd call a 4-0 defeat!! There's no doubt we've underperformed,we're all aware of that,just found your choice of words a bit dramatic!

[RoyMac5]

38 minutes ago, rcarso1 said:

I'd hardly call a 3-2 aggregate defeat a "bomb out!" -I dread to think what you'd call a 4-0 defeat!! There's no doubt we've underperformed,we're all aware of that,just found your choice of words a bit dramatic!

The car wasn't a total write-off but we now have 7 wheels, 3 wing mirrors, 2 windscreens and no engine!

[RamNut]

......five drivers seats. 

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

2 hours ago, rcarso1 said:

I'd hardly call a 3-2 aggregate defeat a "bomb out!" -I dread to think what you'd call a 4-0 defeat!! There's no doubt we've underperformed,we're all aware of that,just found your choice of words a bit dramatic!

To be fair we smashed them all season long so the first leg still qualifies as a bomb out. 

But I hear ya ??

[ossieram]

I don't have any expectations. I go to watch and support Derby and just hope we manage to have a good season and win more games than we lose and also to enjoy a drink and have a laugh with some mates along the way. I couldn't enjoy football if everything depended on winning and after nearly 50 years of going to watch them, I still enjoy it and couldn't give a toss about promotion and going up to the over hyped premier league, the money for the club would be nice though.

[Mafiabob]

13 hours ago, EssendonRam said:

I am genuinely stunned that anyone is arguing with you on this Bob.

Rowett could prove to be an axe murderer and we have to give him two whole seasons AT LEAST.

As you say, we've had no continuity in the last few years and the people charged with finding "the right man" will have failed to do so three times (if Rowett fails) in succession.

Fourth time lucky? Really?

Then there's the question of whether anyone has actually failed, or whether we have just overreacted before they had sufficient time for any changes to take seed?

Just can't believe we give a time limit to managers now before they've even been given time to mould and shape a side, we've been lacking direction or stability at least since the sacking of Clement. We are desperate for a stable period. Problem is the "I want I want it now" culture nowadays. It gets us absolutely nowhere fast. Chopping and changing have killed momentum. It's caught us up. Time to get that oil tanker out of a 3 point turn and back round on the motorway. 

[Comrade 86]

On 8/4/2017 at 23:15, Mick Brolly said:

I was thinking this could be the season we made the prem, but I think that at the start of every season, I wasn't a massive fan of Ince but how we could have done with him tonight, i can't be alone in thinking how dissapointing that display was but I'm happy with a point and I'm sure we'll improve but we lacked any quality service to the front men. Should i lower my expectations and just hope we challenge for the playoffs this season and build for next season, will that be good enough for Mel? I don't think it will. 

We're currently a mid-table side based on last year's finishing position but like you I hope for better every season - that's what being a footy fan is all about 

On 8/4/2017 at 23:16, curtains said:

Yes playoffs would be amazing 

Indeed

On 8/4/2017 at 23:17, Simsy said:

Wait until the window shuts..

selling our best player was never going to help us though

That depends on whom we bring in as a replacement.

On 8/4/2017 at 23:19, europia said:

Yes we have sold our two best players, so it makes absolute sense to lower your expectations. 

See above

On 8/4/2017 at 23:26, TommyPowel said:

so how come our best two players didnt get us near the play offs? lets wait until the window closes before we pass judgement

 

This! Who are you and what have you done with @TommyPowel?

On 8/4/2017 at 23:45, Tim Bucktoo said:

Breathe....

Derby fans be like....

[Highgate]

On 8/4/2017 at 23:26, TommyPowel said:

so how come our best two players didnt get us near the play offs? lets wait until the window closes before we pass judgement

 

Every team in the league last year had 'two best players'. Even those that got relegated. Where we finished in the league isn't going to change that. Hardly controversial pointing out that Hughes and Ince were key players in the Derby side.

But you are right, it's best to wait until the window has closed before we can really make an assessment on whether we should expect to be stronger or weaker than last year.