Derby County v Birmingham City Match Thread.

[Kernow]

Well, that turned into a pretty comprehensive win didn't it? In truth, we were the better side for the entire game. Our second half was much better than our first, but I didn't really understand the negativity surrounding our first half performance, especially some of the opinions about players such as Holmes. We were far from our best, but we weren't awful, we were a tad unlucky and a tad sloppy when it came to the final ball and in front of goal. I feel the opinions of some people are swayed far too heavily on the result. We had chances in the first half but didn't take them, Birmingham took their one chance. Swing that around and Keogh scores after two minutes, and Birmingham put their chance wide it'd have been all positives, regardless of the performance.

The second half though, we demolished them effortlessly. We looked dangerous every single time we went forward and Birmingham looked like they didn't really know how to cope with us, like many teams have looked of late. As soon as the first goal went in, there was only one winner. Everything I'd read about Birmingham this season suggested it was going to be a very tough game. Either they had an off-day or we played them perfectly because they didn't look a threat and they didn't look solid at the back. One of the easier wins we've had this season and if anything, the 3-1 scoreline flattered Birmingham, could easily have been more.

It's good to see Davies back, like he hadn't really been away. It was also great to see Holmes in a proper league situation, thought he had a really good game. There have been worries about what happens when we're missing Mount etc., but if Holmes is his understudy then I'm happy with that. Huddlestone oozes class, he makes every game look like a kick around in the park. Lawrence has improved a lot, Bennett had a really good game after coming on and Jack Marriott just continues being Jack Marriott.

All in all another pleasing victory in a game we absolutely dominated. We're going to take some stopping.

[Woodley Ram]

7 minutes ago, McLovin said:

Special credit for myself and @Carl Sagan for pointing out months ago that Wilson should be playing in the midfield 3 and that Holmes was brought in to eventually play in a 3 man midfield ?

Umm and special praise to me for remembering to wipe my &^%$ this morning, well done but self praise is no praise 

[Gritstone Ram]

I think the turning point was when the ball boy threw the ball at Campy and he left it and got booked. Well done ball boy excellent throwing.

[Dimmu]

Didn't think about it earlier, but they've really done brilliantly lately. Not only 11 unbeaten but to do it with Camp in goal is damn impressive.

[gazram80]

1 word

Impressive !

[Alph]

What a second half. First wasn't bad it was just disrupted by stupidity and casual play on too many occasions.

Second half was like a hot knife through butter. 

Picking a MOTM is tough. Our backline is very busy. Bogle was so sloppy at times in the first but back on track in the second

Huddlestone... There were at least 15 Birmingham players around him at one point. I think even Monk was tugging his shirt. He shrugged his shoulders and, hands still in his pockets, prodded a ball into the path of Bogle to turn defence into wide open attack. He can't be arsed to be a good player. He just is, alright?

Wilson and Holmes came to play. Chucked their jumpers down for goalposts and messed around for an hour and half. Daddy Lampard told Holmes to come in for his tea but Harry stayed out late. They came for fun and took the points. 

Lawrence. ANOTHER mature performance. He's not such a luxury right now but a clever playmaker. A transformation. He's taken his Ronaldo poster down and gone and helped his Dad in the garage. 

Marriott. Sent from the future to score goals. Armed with a laser targeting system designed in the year 2103 he can't return to his family until Derby beat Manchester Uni - er, Chelsea. Until Derby beat Chelsea 

[Mick Harford]

Highlights

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/championship/11543957/Derby-3-1-birmingham

[DJFern94]

This is the kind of game we would have lost last season. Well done Frank. 

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

Goals.

https://www.skysports.com/football/Derby-vs-birmham/392726

[Cam the Ram]

29 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Very complimentary on the Bluenose thread https://www.smallheathalliance.com/read.php?1,2582417,page=6

 

[TimRam]

1 minute ago, Cam the Ram said:

Good series that was.

[Mafiabob]

Forsyth MOM for me..... Holmes was a different player 2nd half.

Thought we were decent all game without really getting out of 2nd gear, apart from 15 minutes in second when you hit the Turbo button on OutRun..... we are a bit good.

Birmingham were awful, very surprised how they played, hadn’t a clue how to cope 2nd half 

[Sparkle]

Well this intresting season continues- we start with two wingers in central midfield and by the end of the game people have good confidence in full home debut man Holmes and to top that Mason Bennett gets an important and first goal of the season and again Forsyth gets not one but two assists - yes there were things wrong but let’s just ignore them UTR 

[Chester40]

32 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

Very complimentary on the Bluenose thread https://www.smallheathalliance.com/read.php?1,2582417,page=6

 

Interesting how we say how negative this forum is....Lee Camp coming in for major hammer on there!

[Sexydadbod]

15 minutes ago, Woodley Ram said:

Umm and special praise to me for remembering to wipe my &^%$ this morning, well done but self praise is no praise 

Hey it could be worse, I could talk about myself in the third person and call myself a lion like Ibrahimovic lol!

[admira]

Another compete performance with everyone doing their bit. I wasn’t concerned at half time as it was clear we were the better team. Impressed with Holmes today and Marriott proved again how important he is going to be this season. Now on the way back to Ipswich a happy man! 

[Millenniumram]

Absolutely awesome performance in the end that. Don’t get the game of two half’s thing, we were still the better team in the first half, turned it up when we’d equalised as you’d expect as we gained confidence, but we hardly deserved to be down at half time. It was only our own poor defending and lack of concentration at the start that led us in to half time behind. As I say, we fix all this early goals conceded poo and we’ll be firing. That’s the only concern for me, we always give ourselves a mountain to climb, which won’t always be possible like it turned out today.

This team has such much quality I’d actually argue it’s stronger than even the 13/14 team when properly firing. Special mentions to Huddlestone as per for running the game, and for Holmes who is a properly good technical footballer, wonderful to watch. Wilson was much better second half too, as was Lawrence.

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

Crazy to think how far we have come since scabbing a win at Reading then being absolutely hammered by Leeds. So pleasing to see a squad (managers and coaches included) working hard and translating it to the pitch.

[Mafiabob]

1 minute ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

Crazy to think how far we have come since scabbing a win at Reading then being absolutely hammered by Leeds. So pleasing to see a squad (managers and coaches included) working hard and translating it to the pitch.

Love to have that Leeds game now..... totally different result 

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

2 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

Love to have that Leeds game now..... totally different result 

We definitely played them at the wrong time before Bielsa's mad tactics had knackered them all out.