The reality is

[jimbobram]

I thought I'd start this thread with a common phrase used by Mr Rowett and please note this isn't based solely on yesterdays embarrassment, this could have been posted months ago. 

The reality is that the transfers in and out have been awful. Other than Curtis Davies and Ledley, the transfers in have been a complete waste of money. Letting Bryson leave, who is the only central midfielder at the club who can run forward, tackle and link defense to attack, is absolutely criminal. Not playing and then loaning out a proven goal scorer AGAIN (bearing in mind that he had just been given a lucrative new deal by GR) and then replacing him with Cameron Jerome is a complete joke. GR knew what he needed to improve on in the Jan window, and improve is the key word. Mitrovic, Afobe, Grabban...all available for loans, all better than what we have, but we go for Jerome, a player who couldn't get into a mid table Norwich team. Awful. 

The reality is the tactics are all wrong. For those who were not fans of Mac, part of your complaints were that we never had a plan B. Rowett has not changed formation all season. No matter who we play, the same formation is used, and this leads to us being dominated by whoever we play. Playing with 2 defensive midfielders is fine, but, if they cannot tackle or close teams down...what is the point ? The middle of the park has been so open this season for this exact reason. I am a big fan of Tom Huddelstone but he is only effective when we are in possession of the ball and he can do what he is known for, passing. When we dont have the ball, which is most of the time, there is no point in him being on the field. This isn't Hudds fault, this is down to the way we are set up. We bring in, in my opinion, one of the most creative, young, attack minded midfielders in Palmer. Bench him week in week out. When he does comes on, GR puts him in next to Hudds instead of changing formation! Baring in mind we are 2-1 down to bottom of the league Burton.

The reality is that I could name maybe 3 or 4 performances this season where we have been brilliant. And by brilliant I mean put effort into. Hull, Forest, Ipswich, Boro. Even throughout the unbeaten spell before Christmas the performances weren't great. 

The reality is that we don't want a manger who can try and banter Forest and Cardiff, when we in a situation like we are because at the end of the season Neil Warnock and Cardiff will most likely be celebrating promotion and Forest will be laughing at yet another failed Derby County season. 

The reality is that even if we do make the play offs and somehow sh*thouse our way through and win at Wembley, I think we should genuinely be very worried about results in the Premier league. The quality in that league would not let us off the way we have been let off in many games this season.  

The reality is we haven't played 'the Derby way' since Mel Morris invented that term. I don't enjoy match day anymore. The atmosphere, the spectacle and the fun of match days have gone. I support Derby through and through and I will continue to go to PP, but we need to get our identity back.  

The reality is sacking a manager every season isn't the best route to take, but as you can probably tell from this post, I don't believe Rowett is the man for us in the long term. 

I understand there are other factors to this such as player mentality, but you need leadership from the top, and when things are clearly not working, you need your manager to work his magic. 

[Duracell]

Not a fan of Rowett then?

[RadioactiveWaste]

I want to know if the reality is in the building <blinks>

[jimbobram]

Just now, Duracell said:

Not a fan of Rowett then?

I've tried to be. I'll admit, I did want him in, and I did want to stick by him, even though I was watching dire football. But I'm thinking long term and with his philosophy, I can't see it being successful 

[WhiteHorseRam]

The reality is ... with them teams we have left to play we won't make the play-offs.

The reality is .... might be a blessing in disguise, as would we have any chance in the play-offs? 

 

The reality is ..... we have had ten years of this.

The reality is .... when does it change?

[Ramarena]

15 minutes ago, jimbobram said:

I thought I'd start this thread with a common phrase used by Mr Rowett and please note this isn't based solely on yesterdays embarrassment, this could have been posted months ago. 

The reality is that the transfers in and out have been awful. Other than Curtis Davies and Ledley, the transfers in have been a complete waste of money. Letting Bryson leave, who is the only central midfielder at the club who can run forward, tackle and link defense to attack, is absolutely criminal. Not playing and then loaning out a proven goal scorer AGAIN (bearing in mind that he had just been given a lucrative new deal by GR) and then replacing him with Cameron Jerome is a complete joke. GR knew what he needed to improve on in the Jan window, and improve is the key word. Mitrovic, Afobe, Grabban...all available for loans, all better than what we have, but we go for Jerome, a player who couldn't get into a mid table Norwich team. Awful. 

The reality is the tactics are all wrong. For those who were not fans of Mac, part of your complaints were that we never had a plan B. Rowett has not changed formation all season. No matter who we play, the same formation is used, and this leads to us being dominated by whoever we play. Playing with 2 defensive midfielders is fine, but, if they cannot tackle or close teams down...what is the point ? The middle of the park has been so open this season for this exact reason. I am a big fan of Tom Huddelstone but he is only effective when we are in possession of the ball and he can do what he is known for, passing. When we dont have the ball, which is most of the time, there is no point in him being on the field. This isn't Hudds fault, this is down to the way we are set up. We bring in, in my opinion, one of the most creative, young, attack minded midfielders in Palmer. Bench him week in week out. When he does comes on, GR puts him in next to Hudds instead of changing formation! Baring in mind we are 2-1 down to bottom of the league Burton.

The reality is that I could name maybe 3 or 4 performances this season where we have been brilliant. And by brilliant I mean put effort into. Hull, Forest, Ipswich, Boro. Even throughout the unbeaten spell before Christmas the performances weren't great. 

The reality is that we don't want a manger who can try and banter Forest and Cardiff, when we in a situation like we are because at the end of the season Neil Warnock and Cardiff will most likely be celebrating promotion and Forest will be laughing at yet another failed Derby County season. 

The reality is that even if we do make the play offs and somehow sh*thouse our way through and win at Wembley, I think we should genuinely be very worried about results in the Premier league. The quality in that league would not let us off the way we have been let off in many games this season.  

The reality is we haven't played 'the Derby way' since Mel Morris invented that term. I don't enjoy match day anymore. The atmosphere, the spectacle and the fun of match days have gone. I support Derby through and through and I will continue to go to PP, but we need to get our identity back.  

The reality is sacking a manager every season isn't the best route to take, but as you can probably tell from this post, I don't believe Rowett is the man for us in the long term. 

I understand there are other factors to this such as player mentality, but you need leadership from the top, and when things are clearly not working, you need your manager to work his magic. 

Hudds a waste of money? One of the better performers for me

[GadFly]

The reality is that no one gave a **** about his tactics or his transfers when we were winning loads and riding high. Now it looks like we won't easily get promoted suddenly everyone is more bothered about playing this Barcelona style we, for some bizarre reason, think we should be playing. 

[derbydaz22]

10 minutes ago, Ramarena said:

Hudds a waste of money? One of the better performers for me

I agree but he needs legs around him that’s been obvious all season how can the manager not see it?

[jimbobram]

4 minutes ago, GadFly said:

The reality is that no one gave a **** about his tactics or his transfers when we were winning loads and riding high. Now it looks like we won't easily get promoted suddenly everyone is more bothered about playing this Barcelona style we, for some bizarre reason, think we should be playing. 

The thing is we were. The amount of times I've came out of PP and said to my friends, 'we've got lucky here'. It hasn't been great. QPR at home for example, one of the worst displays i've seen for a while...but we sh*thoused a win from it. Genuine question, do you go to games ? Are you happy with what you're watching or the atmosphere around the ground?

[Millenniumram]

Agree with most of that post, other than Bryson is finished and will not be the solution (tho a younger version is needed), and Huddlestone has certainly not been a waste of money. Rowett has proven himself just as stubborn as previous managers but with an awful style of play and lack of long term consideration. We accepted it while we were getting results, but when they go there’s little positive to look at. We’ve not really brought in any young talent to give energy to our aging team, and there’s still a lack of desire within the squad. Can’t see any reason not to sack him today myself, aside from the obvious that we can’t afford it, which is why, sadly, he’ll keep his job. Fear for us this summer with our current strategy.

[ck-]

2 minutes ago, GadFly said:

The reality is that no one gave a **** about his tactics or his transfers when we were winning loads and riding high. Now it looks like we won't easily get promoted suddenly everyone is more bothered about playing this Barcelona style we, for some bizarre reason, think we should be playing. 

Not really. Either we set up to be hard running, fast, direct and physical, or we set up to be a side who hold possession, slick pass and move, short sharp interchange.

We've managed to combine those in the last effective manner to pass it sideways and sideways and sideways again, watch the front player make a move, then come back onside and try again, let the opposition defence organise themselves and only then launch a long pass.

Occasionally it comes off and I won't deny there have been some good passages of play. But there seems to be no ability to do the "simple" pass and move in attack, allied with a constant pressing game when we don't have the ball.

That I think is what frustrates people - the apparent lack of effort to win the ball back and then keep it, while moving forward.

Whether that is down to tactics, skill, or more probably a combination of the two, I'm unsure.

[jimbobram]

1 minute ago, Millenniumram said:

Agree with most of that post, other than Bryson is finished and will not be the solution (tho a younger version is needed), and Huddlestone has certainly not been a waste of money. Rowett has proven himself just as stubborn as previous managers but with an awful style of play and lack of long term consideration. We accepted it while we were getting results, but when they go there’s little positive to look at. We’ve not really brought in any young talent to give energy to our aging team, and there’s still a lack of desire within the squad. Can’t see any reason not to sack him today myself, aside from the obvious that we can’t afford it, which is why, sadly, he’ll keep his job. Fear for us this summer with our current strategy.

The reason why I have not included him in with Ledley and Davies is because the way we play we don't suit Hudds. Like I said in the post i am a big fan of him. Technically brilliant. But use him with 2 mobile CM. He cant move, and with the way we play, we need CM who can run and tackle. That's why I would say he is a poor buy for GR because he doesnt fit the system. In the Mac formation with 2 runners he would be fine. 

[Ramarena]

12 minutes ago, derbydaz22 said:

I agree but he needs legs around him that’s been obvious all season how can the manager not see it?

Yup he'd also benefit from a different style and formation, but that probably goes for a number of our players 

[Stuniverse]

Steve McClaren extended Chris Martin's contract during the January transfer window when he was still at Fulham. It wasn't Gary Rowett.

[Millenniumram]

9 minutes ago, jimbobram said:

The reason why I have not included him in with Ledley and Davies is because the way we play we don't suit Hudds. Like I said in the post i am a big fan of him. Technically brilliant. But use him with 2 mobile CM. He cant move, and with the way we play, we need CM who can run and tackle. That's why I would say he is a poor buy for GR because he doesnt fit the system. In the Mac formation with 2 runners he would be fine. 

I do agree that a different system would get the best out of his ability, but he’s still been brilliant this year and I fear where we’d be without him. He’s been doing three men’s job most the year, such has been the poor passing ability of most our team.

[PodgeyRam]

You could argue that in isolation his signings have been alright (apart from Jerome). But Davies aside, the cumulative affect they've had on this team has been terrible.

The players he's brought in are not the kind of players that lend themselves to high paced attacking football. Their the kind of players Mick McCarthy would buy at Ipswich if he had that kind of money to spend. 

They've made us a team that can play only one way - deep. Our midfield two, doesn't have the energy to get around our own half of the pitch, let alone the whole pitch.  Our strikers can't hold up the ball, but you can be damn sure they'll chase it till the cows come home.  

It makes us predictable, and lends itself to a play style that is inherently prone to easily backfiring if the luck of the bounce doesn't go your way.

That's what makes them so disappointing. Not because they're poor players, because a lot of them aren't. But because they're pretty much the opposite of what we were told we would get in the summer.

[Philmycock]

The reality is there’s gonna be more empty seats if we keep playing this soulless style of football, have a word Mel

[wixman1884]

5 hours ago, jimbobram said:

Not playing and then loaning out a proven goal scorer AGAIN (bearing in mind that he had just been given a lucrative new deal by GR) and then replacing him with Cameron Jerome is a complete joke. GR knew what he needed to improve on in the Jan window, and improve is the key word. Mitrovic, Afobe, Grabban...all available for loans, all better than what we have, but we go for Jerome, a player who couldn't get into a mid table Norwich team. Awful. 

Not to be devil's advocate, but I'm not going to be overly harsh on Jerome. He'd probably have scored at least 10 under McClaren by now. A lot of ineffective forwards under Rowett (Martin, Bent, Ince) came into McLarens teams to immediately look like world beaters. Ronaldo would probably be a 1 goal defensive midfielder in our current setup.

[wixman1884]

5 hours ago, GadFly said:

The reality is that no one gave a **** about his tactics or his transfers when we were winning loads and riding high. Now it looks like we won't easily get promoted suddenly everyone is more bothered about playing this Barcelona style we, for some bizarre reason, think we should be playing. 

What forum have you been reading the last year?

[GadFly]

8 hours ago, wixman1884 said:

What forum have you been reading the last year?

The same one that was worried about Rowett getting poached by Stoke and was, on the whole, celebratory when he got his new deal. 

The same one that never expected promotion before a ball was kicked this season.

I appreciate the frustration and share some of it too... But the fickleness and the sense of entitlement embarrasses me.