Derby County v Millwall

[RamNut]

16 minutes ago, SuperDerbySuperRams said:

FYI Preston 3-0 up at Millwall after 25 minutes... 

Table starting to look worrying.

Currently 5 points adrift of bristol city in 6th who are winning at half time at norwich. We now need norwich to peg them back. 

Ipswich and millwall was five precious points dropped. 

 

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

2 minutes ago, RamNut said:

Table starting to look worrying.

Currently 5 points adrift of bristol city in 6th who are winning at half time at norwich. We now need norwich to peg them back. 

Ipswich and millwall was five precious points dropped. 

 

We really do. If Bristol win there then I think that’s that. Come on Norwich! 

[Inverurie Ram]

18 hours ago, DavesaRam said:

I had to leave the match early on Wednesday due to work, and missed the winning goal. I have actually plowed all the way through this thread, and I haven't seen stuff like this for some time. 

There are a number of observations which i was thinking about, like the lack of movement not only up front, but also in midfield as well, and  no one wanting to take responsibility or show initiative with passing the ball forwards, and a lack of passion. But in my mind there are other issues as well.

We are being stifled by our insistence on playing out from the back. because virtually every team has the antidote. As soon as Roos gets the ball, the opposition put three, sometimes four players across our penalty area and we are screwed. Sometimes a player becomes available, but often times Roos looks to roll or play the ball out to one of our defenders before seeing that they are marked, and then changes his mind. After several episodes, he finally realises that there is nothing on and looks to play the ball long, which he should have done as soon as the opposition four take up position in front of him. The alternative scenario is that Keogh, for example, actually gets the ball, and then finds that all his outlets are marked by the same three or four opponents. We then have a load of sideways-to-sideways passes until an opening appears. There is something to be said for patiently working an opening, although not a  lot in my opinion. But what it does do is make sure that once we start to move away from our own penalty box, the opposition are all in position, so forwards progress is blocked off. Several times the crowd were yelling for the quick long ball to an as yet unmarked Derby player, until the opportunity has gone.

Another factor is highlighted by Keogh and Bogle charging forwards until just over the halfway line and stopping suddenly, as if they had run into a glass door. Keogh was famous for his adventurous forwards runs, but started the season under instruction to stay in his own half. So he used to get tot the halfway line and often would lose the ball because instead of playing his natural game, he had to stop and think what to do next. He has shown a bit more freedom recently, but it hasn't been the marauding forwards we used to know and love - as soon as he gets into the other half, he has this over-riding urge to get rid of the ball.

The same has happened to Bogle - if he ever goes surging forwards, it ends in a sideways pass at or near the halfway line. Gun-ho has become gung-gone. It all emanates from our good patch, because we were letting silly goals in, so frank and Jody put the brakes on our full-backs bombing on, and Keogh charging forwards, and we have never really got back to where we should be.

Add-in that "sideways passes" rarely get played in front of the intended recipient, but to the side or behind them, meaning that they have to break their stride to get the ball, and any momentum has been lost. We also have the Huddlestone and Bryson pirouette which means that forwards momentum turns into sideways or backwards.

All of this was on display on Wednesday night. Even with the poor display, it was clear that we had the ability to take Millwall apart, but it never happened. Although lacking in skill and finesse, Millwall were really well organised, and as soon as a Derby player had the ball, you could see Millwall players peeling off and going across to pick up a Derby player. This wasn't just the line of players \cross the penalty box, it was all over the pitch, so even if we did move into position to receive the ball, there was a man on us almost immediately.

And although we were poor, the ref, and the "yellow flag" assistant were on another level. I didn't see the "Marriott penalty shout, but i did see the one on Harry Wilson. He ran onto a ball from Tomori and was breaking through the second line of defenders when he was given an almighty shove, which threw him off balance. He had the choice of going down, or try to make something of the opportunity. HE chose the latter, but never got enough balance to do any more than scuff his shot. Whether he went down or not, it should have been a penalty, but we had been given so little from the ref that he probably opted to try and get a shot off. Someone said earlier in the thread that in situations like that, if the player tries to stay on his feet, a penalty should be given. Not on Wednesday.

One of our players was booked  in the second half (Bryson?) for pushing a player off balance to break up an attack. The push was much milder than the one on Harry Wilson, but yellow card it was. This was only minutes after Keogh had been pushed and pulled off balance over a thirty or forty yard run, eventually losing his balance and putting the ball out of touch. Millwall throw, ????? !!!! Keogh then got booked for telling the truth, because he was clearly telling the ref that he was a jackass.

It is pityfull that once more we are talking about the ref affecting the game, and in this case there could have been one, or possibly even two penalties. However, the reality is that the penalty shouts were irrelevant, because we should have taken Millwall to the cleaners.

Very good post @DavesaRam.

At least you got to miss the Derby mistake and every one in the ground and everyone watching at home on Sky or whatever, knowing perfectly well that Millwall would break away and score and go on to win the game 0-1.

[DavesaRam]

19 hours ago, Carnero said:

We?

All right, I was talking about the ref, which I have kept quiet on for a match or two because it appears that to criticise the ref is an unforgivable sin in some people's eyes. Although I have had support for my views in the past, a mild hint in the Hull match thread drew out some ref-bashing. Maybe I am voicing the views of more than just a few, but am the only one prepared to open my big gob. However, if anyone thinks that the match officials on Wednesday night were beyond reproach, that is up to them. In the end, forums like this one are all about opinions, and opinions are one of the things which makes football great!