Derby County F.C. v Fulham FC

[Sexydadbod]

1 minute ago, David said:

So he hasn't then, just your opinion which is fine, just don't see the need to back yourself up saying Rowett agrees with you having never said anything of the kind.

Why hasn’t he started the top scorer in the championship recently then? You don’t have to be a genius to work out why.

[DesertRam]

6 minutes ago, McLovin said:

I’d be interested to see how many of Vydra’s goals have resulted in us getting points. Many of his goals appear to come in games that are already over and his stats are heavily inflated by penalties. Is Vydra having a brilliant season individually? Absolutely but as a team we haven’t really benefited greatly. Similar to Ince of last season. 

I do agree to some extent with that, but does sound a bit harsh, perhaps it's tough luv, and

he will still improve in other departments.

[DesertRam]

If we can get a 2 goal lead at our place, I think we will have a chance of making the Final.

[Carl Sagan]

Glad we now have the later home kickoff. Much better atmosphere at 7.45. It's a special time when footballers were once superhumans with four shadows. Walking to the ground and seeing the floodlights standing tall in the distance always made it my favourite night.

Last home playoff game was an embarrassment, the tie over. It was also a horrible 12.30 Saturday lunchtime kickoff.

Under the Pride Park lights, players and fans must not let that happen again. Both teams will be fragile mentality. Fulham's defeat today came on what was apparently their worst performance of the season. They came close to promotion and bottled it big time. If we score early, we can take advantage. As their heads drop, we turn the screw.

But if it goes the other way and it's a tense even game, or if we concede first, the fans have got to stay strong and stay behind the team. Roar them on for the equalizer. Encourage every player who's close to the touchline. You will be nervous, but don't let it show - don't transmit it to the team.

We are three games away from the Premier League. Stick together. Win, draw win, or even draw, win, win, and promotion is guaranteed. Four of our forwards go into this next game having scored in the last match, the confidence coursing through their veins. Fulham had a good season, but we have been competing at the top of this division for several years now, and are battle-hardened.

This is our time. Come on you Rams!

[Millenniumram]

7 minutes ago, McLovin said:

I’d be interested to see how many of Vydra’s goals have resulted in us getting points. Many of his goals appear to come in games that are already over and his stats are heavily inflated by penalties. Is Vydra having a brilliant season individually? Absolutely but as a team we haven’t really benefited greatly. Similar to Ince of last season. 

If we take the definition of points win to be the goal that defined the game eg. First goal in a clean sheet win, goal to retake the lead/equalise, only goal etc then Vydra has won us 21 points. 21. And that’s not even counting assists.

So that’s the difference between us reaching the playoffs and finishing near the relegation zone. And we haven’t benefited greatly? I know you can argue some games someone else would’ve scored but how can you be so sure? He was our only striker to hit double figures! I’m sorry but if having the championships top goalscorer in our team hasn’t benefited us then snow on me and call me Colin, cause that’s absolute ********!

[Sexydadbod]

6 minutes ago, DesertRam said:

I do agree to some extent with that, but does sound a bit harsh, perhaps it's tough luv, and

he will still improve in other departments.

He is a great goal scorer but he isn’t a number 10 for me. A number 10 should be able to do a whole lot more than score goals. They should be be able to drop into midfield and control the game when needed. Hughes should have been tried more there in my opinion. If he scored more goals then he would have been perfect and the type of player I’m referring to.

[Day]

11 minutes ago, McLovin said:

I’d be interested to see how many of Vydra’s goals have resulted in us getting points. Many of his goals appear to come in games that are already over and his stats are heavily inflated by penalties. Is Vydra having a brilliant season individually? Absolutely but as a team we haven’t really benefited greatly. Similar to Ince of last season. 

Scored the only goal in 1-0 win v Preston
First 2 goals in 5-0 win v Hull
First goal in 2-0 win v Forest
First goal in 2-0 win v Sheff Wed
Equaliser v Fulham 1-1
First goal in 2-0 win v QPR
Hat trick v Boro 0-3
Only goal v Sheff Utd 1-1
Only goal v Norwich 1-1

21 Points

[Sexydadbod]

Just now, Millenniumram said:

If we take the definition of points win to be the goal that defined the game eg. First goal in a clean sheet win, goal to retake the lead/equalise, only goal etc then Vydra has won us 21 points. 21. And that’s not even counting assists.

So that’s the difference between us reaching the playoffs and finishing near the relegation zone. And we haven’t benefited greatly? I know you can argue some games someone else would’ve scored but how can you be so sure? He was our only striker to hit double figures! I’m sorry but if having the championships top goalscorer in our team hasn’t benefited us then snow on me and call me Colin, cause that’s absolute ********!

But is the fact that he has scored many and others have not contributed as much due to the fact that the whole team is built around him? It’s similar to Ince of last season for me, except Ince did the donkey work that Vydra doesn’t. 

[Sexydadbod]

Just now, David said:

Scored the only goal in 1-0 win v Preston
First 2 goals in 5-0 win v Hull
First goal in 2-0 win v Forest
First goal in 2-0 win v Sheff Wed
Equaliser v Fulham 1-1
First goal in 2-0 win v QPR
Hat trick v Boro 0-3
Only goal v Sheff Utd 1-1
Only goal v Norwich 1-1

21 Points

Thanks for the statistics

[Millenniumram]

2 minutes ago, David said:

Scored the only goal in 1-0 win v Preston
First 2 goals in 5-0 win v Hull
First goal in 2-0 win v Forest
First goal in 2-0 win v Sheff Wed
Equaliser v Fulham 1-1
First goal in 2-0 win v QPR
Hat trick v Boro 0-3
Only goal v Sheff Utd 1-1
Only goal v Norwich 1-1

21 Points

Did exactly the same but I think we’ve both missed the Cardiff game! He scored the second in that to take the lead, that’s surely two points as well, so 23

[Sexydadbod]

Maybe I’m doing his disservice but the point I’m getting at is that he wouldn’t be a big loss if we got the right money for him and we spent it in the right areas to improve the team as a whole but that’s for another thread. Many thought that we would fail to score a lot after Ince left.

But for now I will get behind him and the team regardless of what team he picks.

[Millenniumram]

3 minutes ago, McLovin said:

But is the fact that he has scored many and others have not contributed as much due to the fact that the whole team is built around him? It’s similar to Ince of last season for me, except Ince did the donkey work that Vydra doesn’t. 

No, they aren’t as good as him. Same with Ince last season, he was light years ahead of Russell and that’s why he scored more goals. Vydra is a Damn sight better than Lawrence and weimann, and that’s why he’s scored more goals than them.

[angieram]

3 minutes ago, David said:

Scored the only goal in 1-0 win v Preston
First 2 goals in 5-0 win v Hull
First goal in 2-0 win v Forest
First goal in 2-0 win v Sheff Wed
Equaliser v Fulham 1-1
First goal in 2-0 win v QPR
Hat trick v Boro 0-3
Only goal v Sheff Utd 1-1
Only goal v Norwich 1-1

21 Points

Think you can add today's goal to that list because it was a bit tense at 1-0 and getting that vital second made the rest of the game much easier - and more enjoyable. 

He also put in a really good all-round performance today.

[Day]

3 minutes ago, angieram said:

Think you can add today's goal to that list because it was a bit tense at 1-0 and getting that vital second made the rest of the game much easier - and more enjoyable. 

He also put in a really good all-round performance today.

That's the thing, a better memory could go back over the season and look at games where it was maybe his second goal which killed the game off. 

All goals matter, penalties, off their arse, the 5th of the game or first, they all add up.

Any club would miss the Leagues top scorer, they are not easy to replace. 

[Sexydadbod]

Just now, Millenniumram said:

No, they aren’t as good as him. Same with Ince last season, he was light years ahead of Russell and that’s why he scored more goals. Vydra is a Damn sight better than Lawrence and weimann, and that’s why he’s scored more goals than them.

But Russell got similarly impressive stats as Vydra if you combine is goal and assists when the team was built in a 4-3-3. Vydra has his benefits but his overall game does not suit as a number 10 as they are required to do a whole lot more than just score goals. If we built the team similar to how Watford built theirs to ensure that Vydra has as little defensive work to do as possible, then I’d be for it. For example in a diamond formation but unfortunately the number 10 in a 4-2-3-1 means that he does have to do defensive work and when he is in one of his stroppy moods, we suffer as a team.

[Sexydadbod]

6 minutes ago, David said:

That's the thing, a better memory could go back over the season and look at games where it was maybe his second goal which killed the game off. 

All goals matter, penalties, off their arse, the 5th of the game or first, they all add up.

Any club would miss the Leagues top scorer, they are not easy to replace. 

Perhaps but if we replaced him to ensure that the team as a whole improves, would we really miss him? I remember similar posts when Ince was going to leave. If Vydra leaves then Lawrence will be able to play in his more comfortable position. If buts and maybes. I don’t envy Rowett’s decisions for this game. Do we play Vydra but lose a lot in midfield against a team who are known for their midfield strengths or does he add another midfielder to restrict fulham’s strengths?

[Day]

4 minutes ago, McLovin said:

Perhaps but if we replaced him to ensure that the team as a whole improves, would we really miss him? I remember similar posts when Ince was going to leave. If Vydra leaves then Lawrence will be able to play in his more comfortable position. If buts and maybes. I don’t envy Rowett’s decisions for this game. Do we play Vydra but lose a lot in midfield against a team who are known for their midfield strengths or does he add another midfielder to restrict fulham’s strengths?

What about Derby's strengths and not giving Fulham too much respect? With Vydra in the team you're adding goals. Goals win games.

Rowett has been using him late on, when legs are tired and it's worked, I think he would go with that again much to Vyds disappointment. Didn't sound great for Olsson so I can see Pearce coming back into a 3 and Forsyth moving out on the left, the rest as you were.

Me, I'd play him from the start, this is the home leg, fresh off their automatics disappointment pile on the misery and not allow them to get their tails up, select gung ho and all that but you wouldn't want me in the dugout Friday.

[plymouthram]

1 hour ago, David said:

http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=b54cmgj49tqgsp4d4flklnv0d1&topic=65181.0

Forget about matching them, disrupt and rough em up, they don't like it. 

Quite a few "bottle" related threads on the Fulham forum tonight, including calls "We need a sports psychologist and quick !" Wouldn't think they have been on the insane run, clearly gutted after todays result. 

Ramage spoke about it pre match, we would have the edge if we came through today as Fulham/Cardiff would be battling with the disappointment of automatic failure. I agreed.

Take them on in a football game, we won't be heading to Wembley, turn it into a battle start booking your hotels.

WBA were the "better team", Derby went up.

Derby were the "better team", QPR went up.

Huddersfield went up with 3 play off draws, taking the win from the spot.

I might be wrong but was Huddersfield the first team to get promoted with a minus goal difference

[VulcanRam]

Has anyone seen @McLovin and @curtains in the same room?

[BucksRam]

It's a good draw for me. Plus we get a day extra to recover for when (not if) we make the final. I don't under estimate Fulham at all but we seem to be in the ascendancy and they're struggling. May count for nowt of course!  

In my best Keegan-esque voice, to meet Villa in the final.."I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it.".