Derby County v Aston Villa Play Off Final, Wembley May 27 2019

[RamNut]

5 minutes ago, mozza said:

I'm still wide awake, can't sleep. 

You can sleep with a light on, but you can't sleep with a .......

[Millenniumram]

Right lads, the time has come. By the time I submit this lengthy load of balls no one will ever read it’ll be the day. The day of reckoning. This is the day that not only is the outcome of a seasons hard graft, but over a decades worth of working trying to get back to the top level rests on the outcome of this single game. All roads lead here, to 90 minutes at Wembley ladies and gentlemen and I am ducking bricking it, in fact that’s beyond an understatement! Imagine what it’ll be like in the morning! This is more than just a one off game, this is a rare spectacle of a chance at changing everything. The money that a win would bring would change us immeasurably long term, a loss would be devastating after how many times we’ve come so close. The pressure on such a such chance is enormous and makes it impossible to predict, despite what the Media will tell you who reckon villa have it wrapped up. It’s all about who can handle the occasion the best, who has that strength to handle to indescribable pressure of this match. Let’s just hope it’s us for once who can rise through the pressure and finally see our way back to the prem after all these years of fighting and failing at the last hurdle. Let’s hope it’s finally our turn to win promotion, because much of this will end up pot luck as any one off game of this magnitude is like. Let’s hope luck is with us this time.

Team for me:

Roos

Bogle Keogh Tomori Cole

Johnson Huddlestone 

Wilson Mount Lawrence 

Marriott

Bit left field formation I know, but this sort of occasion with all the pressure attached to it is almost certain to be a tight affair of small margins, so I think we need to ensure we’re solid with a strong base in there to make sure we’re not too open and suspect at the back, think 2 CDMS will add that extra bit of protection that may be vital in a nervy game like this to settle us down and build a solid foundation to work off. Having Mount further forward and Huddlestone in there should improve our counter attack threat too, and like I say in a battle like this it could be a counter that wins it. Rest of the team is mainly fairly obvious in terms of where they slot in, Cole the obvious cover and replacement for Malone, just have to hope he’s still got one more top class game in him. I worry about his pace and malones been a lot better than him recently but he knows Wembley better than anyone, and if this is to be the last game of his career, at such a famous venue, he’ll be desperate to put in one more top class performance and go out on a High with a victory. Let’s hope for all our sakes he does. Upfront is the real dilemma, you could make an argument for anyone really. Ordinarily I’d say go with your main man Waghorn in a game like this, he’s who we’ve built the attack around and thus the man you want leading your line in a game like this where one chance could mean everything. But Marriott has such an impact with doubts over Waghorns fitness he has to start for me. Harsh on Bennett too as well.

In terms of what we need to do to win this game, you’d think frank would have figured it out after our last two failures against villa. We need to close them down all over the pitch, and mark their dangermen like grealish out the game. Don’t let them have time and space to play their game. Get at them with that same fight, desire and aggression we showed in the second leg against Leeds, no scared pussy footing around like the first leg. Get into them! And ffs please stop crosses, we know how suspect we are to them, been our Achilles heal in many games, let’s not make this another ffs. Need the defensive organisation spot on too, one mistake leaving a gap could take this game away from us. Bogle needs to be right on his game to stop el ghazi as well, underrated player in their team of unreal quality attackers who all need stopping by us somehow, don’t want bogle pushing too high up and getting exposed. Need to make sure we’re patient in our own play too, we’ve been guilty often this season of panicking under pressure and resulting to lumping it. Villa will lap that up so we need to remain calm, play it on the deck properly and patiently without trying anything stupid that’ll leave us exposed, we need to just play our game that we know we can play. Don’t want us dropping too deep and inviting pressure like that first leg against Leeds either, that only ends one way and it isn’t good. Go out, play our game and take the game to villa. Give our absolute all in every challenge, every press, I want to see 100% desire in everything we do, movement, 100% concentration in every pass, every second of defending, every throw in, set piece both in defence and attack. We need 100% fight, Desire and concentration in everything we Do, every second of the match, cause there’s no second chances here. This is the all or nothing match everything rides on and you only get one shot to make your hard work count.

If you’ve made it to the end of my ramble then I salute you, mainly wrote it to get the nerves off my chest! Better go to bed in a minute, it’s an early start for a long and nerve wracking journey and lead up to the match. And then there’s the match itself. duck me I don’t know how I’m gonna survive tomorrow. Just hope this is finally it after all these years of near misses, finally the match that sees us up to the prem. COME ON YOU MOTHERDUCKING RAMSSSSSSS!??????

 

 

 

[Comrade 86]

Tried to go to bed early. Complete waste of time. Got up as driving GF nuts. Not a tough brief tbh. 'I don't see what all the fuss is about' she keeps bleating, 'it's only a game of football'. Sadly, no beer in the house. No liquor either. Been trying to keep it real in the run up to the game. Might just make a start on her two bottles of white wine though. When she finds I've drunk them and starts whining I'll just tell her I don't see what all the fuss is about as it was only Pino ducking Grigio!

COYR

[RamNut]

4 hours ago, mozza said:

I'm still wide awake, can't sleep. 

Actually........i only achieved 3 hours and 15 minutes of sleep. 

I'll regret that when i'm driving back. 

[cosmic]

Feel sick already. Might be the fact I’ve only had 4 hours sleep though. Boarding my flight soon. Cannot bloody wait for 3pm. 

[S8TY]

COYR !!!! .......................Need a Beer to settle the nerves!! 

Have a safe trip all Rams Fans

[Van der MoodHoover]

The dogs just woken me up for her morning poo.

But I've been asleep since 11 and snoring like a rhino since about 11.15 according to mrs Hants so that's normality ??

[Anag Ram]

Just going for a run then a spot of gardening to release some adrenaline.

Train to London not til 11.

No beer for me in case we're one short.

[Eatonram]

Nerves JANGLING all night FFS COYR

[Day]

[Kinder]

Bloody hell, that was the worst night’s sleep I can remember.  43 year olds shouldn’t get this excited!  Kinder Jnr was up half the night as well.

[Lander]

Quick shower, nervous poo and off to my dads to start the journey, buzzing!

[Gisby]

Here we go, cars cranked up and all ready. Good luck everyone and safe journey. COYR. 

[mozza]

Glad I wasn't the only one.. 

[i-Ram]

6 hours ago, 86 points said:

Tried to go to bed early. Complete waste of time. Got up as driving GF nuts. Not a tough brief tbh. 'I don't see what all the fuss is about' she keeps bleating, 'it's only a game of football'. Sadly, no beer in the house. No liquor either. Been trying to keep it real in the run up to the game. Might just make a start on her two bottles of white wine though. When she finds I've drunk them and starts whining I'll just tell her I don't see what all the fuss is about as it was only Pino ducking Grigio!

COYR

Come on. We all want to know. Did you liquor in the end?

COYR

[Rambalin]

Drove down yesterday anyone coming down the M1 there is a 50mph limit between junctions 13 and 16  due to roadworks then it was 60mph the rest off the way.

Was busy between 13 & 16 yesterday so good luck everyone 

[eccles the ram]

It's finally here! Just seeing all those rams fans with flags,scarves etc on the M1 just gives you such a buzz. The Rams are coming. Wembley and Aston Villa we are ready for you. Are you ready for us? COYR

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Have a good one chaps and ladies, see you down there. 

Up The Rams. 

[sheeponacid]

Cmon eeeewe Raaaaammms..today's going to be a black & white Rams day.

Safe journey all....

[Rampage]

Bias in favour of Villa is quite marked. Can only work in our favour. 

What I want from today is:- 

1. Rams to play exciting attacking football. Advert for our Club.

2. If they kick us then kick them back.

3. No injuries or sendings off

4. A bit of luck in our favour

5. A win for us. COYR