Next season then...

[JfR]

3 minutes ago, kingsy1884 said:

We do play Bristol to be fair so still glimmers. Even then people are assuming we will get or if the playoffs anyway. 

It will be one of the biggest turnarounds in history. 

Also, Villa vs. Bristol is this Saturday, so there will be points dropped there

The following scenarios will be the overall results if Derby beat Bristol (big if) and all three of us win every other game (also big if):

If Villa win on Saturday:

Villa - 81

Derby - 78

Bristol - 77

If it's a draw:

Villa - 79

Derby/Bristol - 78 (down to GD)

It's Bristol win:

Bristol - 80

Derby/Villa - 78 (down to GD)

So at least our destiny is still mostly in our own hands, even if the other two become absolutely unstoppable outside of the one game we have against either of them and their meeting with each other.

Mind you, I'm not exactly brimming with confidence that we'll manage it, and how we're going right now, it wouldn't surprise me if this weekend we not only managed to lose to Bolton but Bristol and Villa found some secret loophole in the football rulebook for them to both walk away with 3 points.

[Ambitious]

It's a big summer for the recruitment team, regardless of what division we're in. I know I'm pretty hard on them, but they really need to step up. They need to find promotion calibre players for midtable/relagation calibre prices, not an easy task, but with the loanees going out we do lack technically good players in our team. If we don't recruit right, we become a team that could well be looking over our shoulder next season. 

Lampard is a steady, progressive manager. He's not a Bielsa or Wilder yet, so we need to have the talent in the side in order to keep us competitive. Although I am not a cynic, usually, I'm really hoping that the guys we pay can pull some rabbits out of the hat. 

[Inglorius]

7 hours ago, Ambitious said:

It's a big summer for the recruitment team, regardless of what division we're in. I know I'm pretty hard on them, but they really need to step up. They need to find promotion calibre players for midtable/relagation calibre prices, not an easy task, but with the loanees going out we do lack technically good players in our team. If we don't recruit right, we become a team that could well be looking over our shoulder next season. 

Lampard is a steady, progressive manager. He's not a Bielsa or Wilder yet, so we need to have the talent in the side in order to keep us competitive. Although I am not a cynic, usually, I'm really hoping that the guys we pay can pull some rabbits out of the hat. 

I can't see it personally but am happy to be proved wrong - our recruitment over the past few seasons has been generally appalling which has been compounded by the amount of money we have spent - it's not like we have been fishing in the bargain bin for players which could go some way to mitigate the random quality of players we have seen.

 

 

[Tamworthram]

10 hours ago, Rosythram said:

I can’t understand idiots who post a thread of this nature when we still have games to play.

when are  the so called DCFC fan base going to grow up?

pathetic in its extreme. 

Don't jump to the conclusion that the minority that post negative threads are automatically representative of the "DCFC fan base".

Having said that, you could argue that those doubting we have a realistic chance of reaching the play offs don't need to grow up. Rather, those that think we do need to wake up.

For me, it seems obvious. We have a chance but that chance is slim. We as fans can start talking about another season in the championship (it wouldn't be all that bad) but I wouldn't expect the management or players to voice the prospect. 

[r4derby]

There seems to be a growing number of fans that want us to build a team of cloggers and become defensive. While this can be effective, we tried that last season under Rowett. We finished 6th, but were only in the playoffs to make up the numbers, without any chance of making Wembley or Promotion.

And worst of all, I questioned renewing a season ticket as the football was just depressing. Football is about being entertained and enjoying yourself.

Lamps is trying to play a style of football that many will enjoy, and at least in the Championship we have a chance to win any game we play. Regardless of players that are here or how many we get rid of, as long as we try to play football in a positive manner and score goals, I will watch them and support. Too many seeking the ‘promised land’ without realising it may not be all bread and honey. 

I am gutted that we may not be in the playoffs this season, but if we’re going to perform like last season, it may not be a bad thing.

[toddy]

Can you imagine this side in the Prem?

There again we could buy 10 new players and still do a Fulham!

I think its far better to do a Wolves and go up with a very good promotional team and compete in the prem.

[Spanish]

15 minutes ago, toddy said:

Can you imagine this side in the Prem?

There again we could buy 10 new players and still do a Fulham!

I think its far better to do a Wolves and go up with a very good promotional team and compete in the prem.

I agree.  The only thing is to achieve that you have to gamble and buy expensive players on big wages unless you have some sort of arrangement with an agent.  There are other ways to get promoted, which do appear to be a mystery to DCFC, but then you need to gamble that you are able to pick up the right players in the summer transfer window (again something we failed to do in our most recent experience of promotion)

[IlsonDerby]

18 hours ago, BaaLocks said:

Well we can't be relegated, if that is what you mean. But we're three points off the play offs - four accounting for GD - with six games to play.

Just to talk maths - Villa are tracking 1.575 points a game, meaning they will hit 72 points if they carry on at this rate. It means we would need to get 13 points out of 18 to pip them to the final slot. 4W, 1D, 0L would be enough.

OK, it's an ask but it's a long way from mathematically impossible. Let's not give up on the season just yet awhile.

We haven’t won an away game in 2019, we’ve only won 4 home games in 2019... we’re in mid April. I’m not giving up on the season I’m being objective and taking my tinted specs off. 

13 hours ago, BurtonRam7 said:

What an absolute joke this thread is. Last time I checked we were 3 points off the play-offs.

See above. 4 wins since Norwich away... 4 months ago. 

11 hours ago, Rosythram said:

I can’t understand idiots who post a thread of this nature when we still have games to play.

when are  the so called DCFC fan base going to grow up?

pathetic in its extreme. 

Idiots? Do you mean someone with a realistic view of where the season is going rather than having blind faith that we’re gonna suddenly win 6 games in a month having only won 4 in 4 months? 

Why don’t you grow up rather than resorting to personal insults??. Back up your enthusiasm with facts/reasons supporting it. 

[Dethorn]

16 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

 

More than just that:

• Selling Bogle
• Keeping Forsyth (after a 3rd serious knee injury) but getting rid of the 'not good enough' Cole and Lowe, and selling Malone
• Selling Huddlestone and keeping Johnson
• Considering Thorne more worthy of keeping than Huddlestone
• Calling Bennett (who clear is good enough at least as a squad player, especially for the wages he's on) not good enough
• Keeping Bird and Thomas 'in youth' when they'll both need to be playing competitive games next season

In the selling pile I was thinking of some who we would get something for.

Selling Malone and Keeping Forsyth was based solely on that - If we could get more money for Forsyth than Malone I would reverse that decision.

[Ghost of Clough]

10 minutes ago, Dethorn said:

In the selling pile I was thinking of some who we would get something for.

Selling Malone and Keeping Forsyth was based solely on that - If we could get more money for Forsyth than Malone I would reverse that decision.

Why do we need to sell the players we'd ideally want to keep? The wage bill is naturally being 'slashed' due to contracts expiring without selling anyone.

[cheron85]

1 hour ago, toddy said:

Can you imagine this side in the Prem?

There again we could buy 10 new players and still do a Fulham!

I think its far better to do a Wolves and go up with a very good promotional team and compete in the prem.

I've been saying for about 3/4 months I don't want to go up - People keep saying "well, we'd have loads of money to add the right players" but 1) how well did that work last time we went up? and 2) How well did it work for Fulham this season?

I think @IlsonDerby is right to create this thread and the people having a go at him should just ignore it and move on

We got completely outplayed by Blackburn this week - Blackburn... How do people think we'd do against Man City?

 

[BaaLocks]

42 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

We haven’t won an away game in 2019, we’ve only won 4 home games in 2019... we’re in mid April. I’m not giving up on the season I’m being objective and taking my tinted specs off. 

I get your point, on current form (last five games) we will get 66 points, sixth place is already on 65. The point I was making had nothing to do with the colour of my spectacles lenses, it was just to say that until it's mathematically impossible then it is still possible.

[IlsonDerby]

2 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

I get your point, on current form (last five games) we will get 66 points, sixth place is already on 65. The point I was making had nothing to do with the colour of my spectacles lenses, it was just to say that until it's mathematically impossible then it is still possible.

I honestly thought we could do it but then I looked at our form for 2019 and realised it ain’t happening. The lens comment is probably more aimed at others calling this thread pathetic etc

[BaaLocks]

19 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

I honestly thought we could do it but then I looked at our form for 2019 and realised it ain’t happening. The lens comment is probably more aimed at others calling this thread pathetic etc

I didn't tbh but I thnk we've given it a good run for Frank's first year. But I am really putting all my wishes on next season - that has to be our year.

[RamNut]

2 wins in 10. 10 points from 10 games......we had to go on a run of consecutive victories but we conceeded too easily at brentford and fell flat at blackburn.

for those who want to keep believing thats fine, but you probably believe in santa claus, tooth-fairies, and the loch ness monster too.

 

 

 

[ramit]

Why is our scouting scope so narrow?  imo, the only English signings we should do is for young players from the lower leagues.  Wage demands for English players is way too high, compared to the quality on offer.  There are clever signings to be made, but you have to spot them to get them and a top Europe scout can do that.

If Frank is adamant about playing a high tempo, short passing game, he won't find affordable players in England capable of doing that.  Our recruitment needs to improve dramatically.

[Spanish]

3 minutes ago, ramit said:

Why is our scouting scope so narrow?  imo, the only English signings we should do is for young players from the lower leagues.  Wage demands for English players is way too high, compared to the quality on offer.  There are clever signings to be made, but you have to spot them to get them and a top Europe scout can do that.

If Frank is adamant about playing a high tempo, short passing game, he won't find affordable players in England capable of doing that.  Our recruitment needs to improve dramatically.

this has been a problem for years for us

[Abu Dhabi Ram]

19 hours ago, Dethorn said:

GK:  Carson/ Roos 

RB: Bogle/ Wisdom 

LB: Malone/Lowe/Forsyth/Cole 

CB: Keogh/ Davies 

CM: Huddlestone/ Bird/ Holmes/ Evans/ Thorne / Johnson

RW:  Thomas 

CF: Bennett/ Marriott /Martin / Waghorn

LW: Lawrence/ FloJo

 

Strike out = not good enough

Underline = sell

Bold Italics = keep in youth

(IMHO)

So I think in cheap transfers and loans and youth we need

2 RB

2 CB

3 CM

2 RW

1 LW

Oh my 10 players that is bad

 

Why do we always go back to selling our young players with even a slight amount of potential? I remember the let's sell Hughes for x ammount, or Hendrick. Well that got us a long way didn't it? We cannot be trusted to buy players!

Bogle has made a good start, but let's keep him and introduce more young players.

I really think the way forward is to build a young pacy squad with players from the academy, this is supplemented by a couple of signings, but no more. 

[ilkleyram]

15 minutes ago, RamNut said:

2 wins in 10. 10 points from 10 games......we had to go on a run of consecutive victories but we conceeded too easily at brentford and fell flat at blackburn.

for those who want to keep believing thats fine, but you probably believe in santa claus, tooth-fairies, and the loch ness monster too.

 

 

 

Whaaaaat? Santa ain't real? Destroy my life Ramnut why don't ya. Thanks a bunch.

[Van der MoodHoover]

45 minutes ago, RamNut said:

2 wins in 10. 10 points from 10 games......we had to go on a run of consecutive victories but we conceeded too easily at brentford and fell flat at blackburn.

for those who want to keep believing thats fine, but you probably believe in santa claus, tooth-fairies, and the loch ness monster too.

 

 

 

We could find posts predicting a turnaround going back literally a couple of months......easier run of games after the tough run over Christmas etc etc

repeatedly it hasn't happened on a sustained enough basis.

The most recent one was "we've got a 2.5 week international break with Mount coming back fit and raring to go and we can have a rest"

1 good performance, one ok but disappointing result and once again we have petered out and been run all over by a lower mid team. The squad have shown very little endurance or fighting spirit and that is a bit disappointment - and I'm sure Frank will feel that too.

There is still a chance, but that chance has been diminishing for weeks if not months and we still show NO signs of being able to arrest our patchy form... So the likelihood now would appear very slim indeed.