Derby County F.C. v Fulham FC

[Comrade 86]

7 minutes ago, LittleEatonRam said:

Forgive me for raining on people's parade - that's not my intention - but it's just as incredibly wearing to me to see fans who claimed during our bad spell in March that "even when we were winning I still thought we were playing badly" now essentially saying "yeah, but who cares because we won".

I don't take delight in us losing, believe it or not. And there were a fair few positives last night - we defended superbly, Davies was frankly outstanding, and we kept them out.

I just find it disappointing that our standards have fallen so low that we're now ecstatic about  parking the bus at home to a side that only finished 3 places above us, when we used to play the kind of positive exciting football that ripped Brighton to pieces in 2014.

If we play that way at home against every team which is a better footballing side than us, it's going to be a long, difficult season in the Prem.

Fair enough mate - I appreciate you taking time to explain that and I'm sorry if I jumped down your throat. To be fair, I've not noticed you being (what I perceive as) particularly negative at any point until last night and I think much of my ire should have been directed elsewhere. I understand fully that for many fans, the style is as important as the result, sometimes more so, but I'm just the kind of impossible simpleton who can't help but be pleased to see the team do well, irrespective of the performance. This season has been tricky on the forum as it's been so divisive - I still can't really get my head around why, but the polarity of thinking has really been quite marked. This said, I do actually believe that recently we've seen signs of better football in the pipeline anyway and I hope next season will bring a quality of football as well as a level of results that all of us can be proud of. It'd be grand if that were evidenced on Monday night and then at Wembley but as usual, I fear I'm just dreaming too much.

[LittleEatonRam]

7 hours ago, Duracell said:

I see your point entirely and I think it’s a crying shame we didn’t go up in 2014 - we were on to something special.

That said, promotion changes everything, regardless of how we are currently playing. We can attract different kinds of players and different managers with the money we’d get and the stage we’d be playing on.

If we go up, playing the way we are playing currently, we would be favourites to finish bottom and rightly so. But it’s a long summer and a lot can change.

Football is about getting carried away and the playoffs does funny things to you. Enjoy the moment. 

Entirely fair points, all.

I think big changes would be needed for sure, but I think we could attract some decent players if we sold it to them well. (I know I'm biased but I think there is something about this place that many players come to love).

We would be favourites to finish bottom, but I bet you Cardiff won't be far off. Their football is atrocious.

[BobbyD]

Totally out of the picture only a month ago

Almost out on their feet - see Sunderland H and Burton A

Many players playing way below their capability

Little  sign of team spirit and collective desire

Many fans just wanting it to be over for the season

Premier league thoughts not existent, not even in jest

Last Night :

- every player performing at the top of their potential

- complete transformation in previously thought of 'lost souls' in the squad

- huge desire and team ethic

- fans now massively onside and 'part of' the journey

- leading going in to the playoff second leg

- no goal conceded against a team who had not failed to score in any game  in four months 

- only two matches from the Premier

Still unhappy , some Rams 'fans' ? Still searching for negatives and things to complain about ?

Shame on you

 

[Gritstone Ram]

For some reason I am whistling the great escape tune this morning.

[Sith Happens]

Apologies if already mentioned, but what was with Fulhams bench deciding to introduce multi ball when we got a throw in during added on time at the end of the game? And how did the officials allow it?

[Richard246]

Well Done Derby.

Davies, Huddlestone, Jerome, Lawrence, really excellent last night.

My only slight change on Monday I would bring in Anaya on the left to stop Fredricks.

Vydra Back on the bench very poor last night.

 

[PistoldPete2]

1 hour ago, archied said:

I’m bored to tears with the rowett and derby knockers , as someone already stated he has had a couple of mixed windows with jan being a bit of a disaster one but here we are in the play offs competing with and beating a Fulham team that the football world ( and some of our fans) are creaming their pants over ,,,, style of football?just imagine for one minute rowett having the money to have real decent quality with more consistent end product on the break ,, we would have battered them tonight on scoreline ,, where were all those players the football world are screaming are worth 20 / 30 mill if Fulham don’t go up ? In Davies pocket ,in wizzy s pocket ,in Jono s pocket , being outshone by hudds ,that’s ******* where ,, it’s horses for courses and we played with far more nouse than Millwall who looked great against them first half by chasing and closing them but at the cost of being totally knackered by half time ,,, chase them all over the pitch and you will be run ragged and worn down ,, play them as we did and they are very beatable ,, they leave gaps all over at the back and with a bit more quality in the final third we could easily have been sitting on a 3 or 4 goal lead ,,

we may lose at Fulham , we may sit too deep ,we may not go up but ffs rowett is doing a bloody good job ,give him as much money as we can and let him crack on ,, compare the response to our feb wobbles under rowett,compare our final day play off make or breaks v reading and Barnsley,compare our first legs v hull and v Fulham ,you could do that but where’s the joy in that if you would rather look for the negatives all the time and get on manager and players backs

 

January transfers window looking less like a disaster now CamJam has come into form.

[Sparkle]

Having re watched the game I must say how poor the officials were to Derby with two or three offsides given when we were through when they were clearly onside and how fortunate Fulham were in several 50/50 situations with the bounce of the ball.

well played Derby 

[ossieram]

5 hours ago, kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong said:

Definitely going to need something of a reshuffle of our old legs after their labours...

Need to keep our momentum up as well.

They've got a couple of days of rest where they can be pampered and have all the recovery treatment the club can give. Mel should treat them to a day at Bubbles spa where they can be rubbed up and down and have all the extras they want.

[Zag zig]

5 minutes ago, PistoldPete2 said:

January transfers window looking less like a disaster now CamJam has the team playing to his strengths.

More crosses like last night needed, there was only ever going to be one winner between him and that defender crumpling underneath him.

[Angry Ram]

Take that thanks... Yes frustrating how we sat back a little too much seconds half but sometimes that’s what you have to do.. As 86 points says, let’s enjoy the moment.. Monday will be massive.   My nails won’t last 90 mins there.

Davies - Brilliant 

Hudds - Brilliant

Cam - Brilliant 

Keogh - Brilliant 

Fozzy - Brilliant 

Fans - Brilliant (bar the ******* muppet is the SW corner who threw a half full bottle of beer that missed me by cams and nearly smacked a young lad in front of me. You complete and utter **** ***...)

Great atmosphere, did not hear any moaning where I was.. 

COYR

 

[BramcoteRam84]

I’ve watched the first half back, think we had 1 shot and Fulham had 3, however Fulham’s only shot on target was an outstanding turn and shot by mitrovic on the edge of the box, would’ve been unbelievable if he scored. Derby, not only scored, they would’ve had 2 1 on 1s with a slightly better pass and we’re denied 2 more 1 on 1s by horrendous offside decisions on Jerome, both definitely onside. There was only one team looking likely and sky commentary were even backing that up. I think some people get blinded by possession sometimes. It’s only good if you can open teams up, we cut Fulham open at will in the first half, they barely laid a glove on us.

I haven’t watched the second half back when Fulham improved but again from my recollection all Fulham’s efforts were outside the box, the only time they opened us up ironically was a route one long ball. As for Derby we had our chances, Fulham rode their luck massively were very lucky the ball fell for them when messing around with it at the back.

The only time I felt threatened by Fulham was the last 15 mins when we started to look leggy. This is a worry for the second half of the second leg, can we continue to keep our defensive shape?

Different ways of playing but this was an excellent performance from Derby especially first half and they 100% deserved the victory. This was not parking the bus.

Second leg will be difficult but we have a real attacking threat and playing away from home might suit us. We have a chance and that’s all we can ask for.

[Chester40]

I feel a bit sorry for @LittleEatonRam as a few weeks ago there were all number of posters massively throwing the toys out the pram. 

At that point I was saying give Rowett a chance but that I could see there were some issues. That made me a happy clapper as things had shifted so far against him.

Those rabidly calling out pro-Rowett fans after the Burton/Sunderland games have gone quiet now. LittleEatonRam is merely saying things haven't changed that much. A defeat on Monday and they will be back. 

If we win again, fans will be happy of course. But if we lose - the football's not great, the squad is ageing, there doesn't seem to be youth coming through..all valid points.

 I'm choosing to suspend reality in the hope we still go up! He is presenting the reality of the outcry if we don't....but rhat's fair enough for me and at least he is consistent, not jumping from hysteria to silence. I 

[Dimmu]

I don't get why people so easily complain about Vydra, he played like he always does. He did his job defensively and if Lawrence could pass better/make a better decision, Vydra could've scored two.

You shouldn't forget that he is an opportunistic second striker. Create chance for him and he'll deliver. (Otherwise, he is pretty useless, like yesterday)

[YouRams]

One of the best defensive displays I’ve witnessed at PP by Davies last night, wall! ?

 

[SKRam]

57 minutes ago, ossieram said:

They've got a couple of days of rest where they can be pampered and have all the recovery treatment the club can give. Mel should treat them to a day at Bubbles spa where they can be rubbed up and down and have all the extras they want.

Maybe take them abroad for some warm weather traini........ oh hold on we’ve tried that. No, pamper by all means, maybe a decent pad down south, so they can acclimatise to the London climate

[Anag Ram]

34 minutes ago, Dimmu said:

I don't get why people so easily complain about Vydra, he played like he always does. He did his job defensively and if Lawrence could pass better/make a better decision, Vydra could've scored two.

You shouldn't forget that he is an opportunistic second striker. Create chance for him and he'll deliver. (Otherwise, he is pretty useless, like yesterday)

My point was that I don't usually criticise Vydra because he rats with the best of them but in such an important game he seemed to lack commitment. 

He looked like he wasn't enjoying it.

[SKRam]

Think that’s the best I’ve seen Forsyth play. I am a big critic of his, but I bow to you regulars who promise me he used to be playing like that regularly. And Rowett clearly has faith. I’ve seen shocking displays from him but I only wish any player in a Derby shirt the best success so I am genuinely pleased for him, long may it continue. 

[alexxxxx]

1 hour ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

The only time I felt threatened by Fulham was the last 15 mins when we started to look leggy. This is a worry for the second half of the second leg, can we continue to keep our defensive shape?

this is what worries me the most about monday. our passing sharpness and control on the ball/first touch was really struggling near the end. you would expect that the onset of this could come a bit earlier on monday (although saying that, craven cottage pitch is a bit smaller - perhaps this well aid our tiring legs?).

[Dimmu]

1 minute ago, Anag Ram said:

My point was that I don't usually criticise Vydra because he rats with the best of them but in such an important game he seemed to lack commitment. 

He looked like he wasn't enjoying it.

1

You could be right, he might be one them who doesn't enjoy big occasions.  Usually, those athletes who need more support are and he seems to fit the bill... Years ago I made my bachelor thesis about how people react to pressure and how they can regulate their body under high-pressure situations so this topic is quite familiar.