Play off final and the forum buzz

[ronnieronalde]

I can't remember there being this much excitement in the build up to the QPR game. Some of the banter has been really first class. I'm loving seeing so many of you buzzing this way.

Why can't football and football forums always be like this?

Hope you all come back with an even bigger buzz, better banter and a new incredible memory that you'll talk about for years.

For the friends I've made  I hope it's a case of "When Keogh went up to lift the cup, YOU were there. "

[Alph]

I don't remember this much good will and positivity around Derby since the birth of the internet. 

Even under Mac there were quite a few "are we good enough" threads. You could always rely on Ninos to come up with some nonsense. Martin and Buxton divided opinion.

No doubt the second leg itself has played a huge role. The fact it was Leeds away, spygate, lost the first leg, beat 3 times already and had the most arrogant/deluded fans in the land celebrating in our faces helped. And the few lads who sat with the fans and the players celebrations at the end made us all feel like one unit. 

Some would say the players behaved unprofessional. Some managers would say it's not time to celebrate yet. 

But this is why we feel so positive about the team. It's why there's a massive love in. It's why if we do lose at Wembley you wont see a backlash or anything I don't think. When Mel Morris starts the bounce, Lampard has tears in his eyes, Lawrence plays through a tragedy, the loanees are fully invested, Waghorn is THAT ott fan... etc etc. You know the team want it like we do. 

[Mucker1884]

One phrase I've noticed more than any other over these past few days is "Whatever happens now..." blah, blah, blah.

Without wishing to focus on a negative, but should the worst happen on Monday, I hope we all stick to our word, and come out with massive smiles on our faces.

Anyone who expected this from the start need their head looking at!  This team has exceeded expectations this season.  Frank & Jody have exceeded expectations this season.  A few lows maybe, but masses of highs... extreme highs!

If they can now push on for one final high, fantastic.  But if they don't quite manage it, I'll still look back on this being an absolutely fantastic and enthralling season.

It's been an absolute blast!  Thank you, DCFC.

[jono]

Oh yes yes yes, both @Alpha and @ronnieronalde ????????

So Eloquently put, both of you. 

I am aching for us to win as much as anyone but even if we don’t, there is such a wonderful devil may care “We are Derby” running through the Club, the team and this forum. It is of huge benefit to everyone. 

Lose and we know everyone will have given their best, filled the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run and turned boys in to men. We’ll see sorrow but no recriminations. 

Win and so many wounds picked up over the last 5 years will heal instantly. 

We really can write some sporting history worth reading.

I’ m loving this and treasuring the feelings. It’s a perfect illustration of why I am a football fan Roll on Monday. COYR

[Boycie]

 

5 hours ago, ronnieronalde said:

I can't remember there being this much excitement in the build up to the QPR game. Some of the banter has been really first class. I'm loving seeing so many of you buzzing this way.

Why can't football and football forums always be like this?

Hope you all come back with an even bigger buzz, better banter and a new incredible memory that you'll talk about for years.

For the friends I've made  I hope it's a case of "When Keogh went up to lift the cup, YOU were there. "

Deep down I don’t expect the win, we have done brilliantly to just get to Wembley, if we lose then it will still have been a monumental effort.

Losing in the last minute is what really soured last time looking back. If we’d of conceded the goal in the first half it wouldn’t of felt half as bad.

As for the forum, we’ve always been a happy bunch in general, due to the fantastic work of the mods.  Mind you, winning does make it a lot easier ?

 

[Zag zig]

I’m loving the positivity too, outside my family there is only 2 or 3 Rams fans i know around me, so it’s great to listen to all the stories, barbs about opposition and general Rams chat. When we are doing well I get hooked looking in here.

We really can do this, I know plenty of Villa fans that are worried about our attack, their confidence comes from thinking they have a stronger defence than we do. Part of that comes from scoring 4 goals in their last home game.

Without being arrogant, Villa are beatable, people talk about their midfield with Grealish as the star; so what we have Mount in top form. We really are a close match, underdogs but a close match.

Lets stay positive, get behind the lads and roar them on to hopeful victory.

[Day]

Don’t want to be the party pooper here as I’ve enjoyed the past week, I remember @Ellafella writing a piece on what a great season it has been regardless of what would happen in the play offs, this was before the first leg.

The mood was fairly positive then, many in agreement and I was hopeful we may have turned a corner and scaled back not our ambitions but expectations.

Sadly not.

Straight after the final whistle Lampard was hammered from pillar to post, offered lifts to Chelsea, the we’re not good enough to go up discussions reignited by those that have been absent recently and failed to acknowledge the 2nd leg win at Elland Road in what was one of the greatest nights the club has experienced.

You’re only as good as your last game now, this isn’t just Derby it’s everywhere. You look at Bristol City forums and some want Johnson out, I’ve seen Leeds fans call for Bielsa to go, even Forest fans want O’Neill to pack his bags and he’s been brilliant since arriving at the club!

Enjoy this atmosphere, soak it in because on Monday we head into our biggest game of the season against a team packed with quality players.

There is a real possibility that we may lose, and any loss will kill this positivity dead regardless of how we play or the scoreline.

Saying that, in the 10 years we have been online I don’t recall a week like this, even the McClaren tenure didn’t come close. The difference being despite having zero expectations on his arrival, it soon became apparent we were one of the favourites for promotion and we sort of grew into that mindset.....I would argue we haven’t changed since!

This time we didn’t even confirm our place until the final game this season, many had written us off, even our own fans, underdogs after the Blackburn game. A month later we are sat here counting down the days to Wembley, the club have put graphics out with the word ‘Unbelievable’ because it was, nobody believed it would be possible for us to reach the final yet here we are.

If you was to try and compare it with the McClaren tenure it would be those first few weeks, the is this really happening stage. 

It really is the greatest feeling in football, forget Man City lifting the title having spent a billion pounds, the feeling of defying the odds, victorious  underdog cannot be beaten. 

Expectation, arrogance, self entitlement, all that does is kick you in between the legs so hard it makes you angry and wanting to lash out.

Off to make my breakfast now. 

 

[SaintRam]

34 minutes ago, David said:

 

Straight after the final whistle Lampard was hammered from pillar to post, offered lifts to Chelsea, the we’re not good enough to go up discussions reignited by those that have been absent recently and failed to acknowledge the 2nd leg win at Elland Road in what was one of the greatest nights the club has experienced.

 

 

I have to say, while there were a few regular posters (with whom I have no problem holding a different opinion), the "Frank got it wrong" (or some version of that) thread that started after the first leg was full of people I'd not seen post anything in 2 months ? 

The lingering minority who never talk at all when we're doing well, then flood in when something goes wrong to twist the knife, are one of my biggest bugbears with this whole forum lark.

 

[Wolfie20]

33 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

I have to say, while there were a few regular posters (with whom I have no problem holding a different opinion), the "Frank got it wrong" (or some version of that) thread that started after the first leg was full of people I'd not seen post anything in 2 months ? 

The lingering minority who never talk at all when we're doing well, then flood in when something goes wrong to twist the knife, are one of my biggest bugbears with this whole forum lark.

 

....and those posters who suddenly returned to give Frank a kicking after the first leg have now disappeared again.

C'mon - let's be 'aving you! Stick your moaning, whingeing heads above the parapet - you (and the rest of us) know who you are!

[RedSox]

According to the DET, SkySports Italia are saying the doubters on here won't need to be offering FL a lift, cos he'll already have got one from CFC as part of their unveiling of him as the new manager.  Ok, we all knew it would happen at some point, but now?  Really?  Hope it's just a lazy piece of journalism....☹️

[Phoenix]

6 hours ago, Alpha said:

I don't remember this much good will and positivity around Derby since the birth of the internet. 

Even under Mac there were quite a few "are we good enough" threads. You could always rely on Ninos to come up with some nonsense. Martin and Buxton divided opinion.

No doubt the second leg itself has played a huge role. The fact it was Leeds away, spygate, lost the first leg, beat 3 times already and had the most arrogant/deluded fans in the land celebrating in our faces helped. And the few lads who sat with the fans and the players celebrations at the end made us all feel like one unit. 

Some would say the players behaved unprofessional. Some managers would say it's not time to celebrate yet. 

But this is why we feel so positive about the team. It's why there's a massive love in. It's why if we do lose at Wembley you wont see a backlash or anything I don't think. When Mel Morris starts the bounce, Lampard has tears in his eyes, Lawrence plays through a tragedy, the loanees are fully invested, Waghorn is THAT ott fan... etc etc. You know the team want it like we do. 

I love the bit in the post-match interview with FL where he says 'now we have to prepare them for the match at Wembly' The moment he says it the realisation of what he just said creeps over his face into that excited grin. Top stuff.

[Van der MoodHoover]

3 hours ago, SaintRam said:

I have to say, while there were a few regular posters (with whom I have no problem holding a different opinion), the "Frank got it wrong" (or some version of that) thread that started after the first leg was full of people I'd not seen post anything in 2 months ? 

The lingering minority who never talk at all when we're doing well, then flood in when something goes wrong to twist the knife, are one of my biggest bugbears with this whole forum lark.

 

Well said, that man.

People should be consistent in their misery, or not miserable at all!

I believe I may have expressed some disappointment at the first leg outcome and aspects of the performance (not really appearing to go for it, being too easily pushed off the ball etc), but to imply that Frank was somehow a busted flush is the most unadulterated balls, bullpoop and poppycock....?

[Day]

5 minutes ago, HantsRam said:

Well said, that man.

People should be consistent in their misery, or not miserable at all!

I believe I may have expressed some disappointment at the first leg outcome and aspects of the performance (not really appearing to go for it, being too easily pushed off the ball etc), but to imply that Frank was somehow a busted flush is the most unadulterated balls, bullpoop and poppycock....?

Can’t agree with that, if fans have voiced concerns over the manager and team throughout the season, I wouldn’t expect them to stand by those now we’re at Wembley, reluctant to stray from any persona they may have built up.

It’s football, we all get things wrong from owners, managers, players right down to fans, holding your hands up and saying look maybe I was wrong is ok, you might get a bit of stick but you suck it up and on you go.

[Van der MoodHoover]

8 minutes ago, David said:

Can’t agree with that, if fans have voiced concerns over the manager and team throughout the season, I wouldn’t expect them to stand by those now we’re at Wembley, reluctant to stray from any persona they may have built up.

It’s football, we all get things wrong from owners, managers, players right down to fans, holding your hands up and saying look maybe I was wrong is ok, you might get a bit of stick but you suck it up and on you go.

if that's been happening, including the wins at Old Trafford, Southampton, good performances and not, then they are being consistent and so are most unlikely to stop because of one more good performance at Elland Road.

QED

[Alph]

Think people reserve the right to change their minds. 

But some are only ever around for the bad times. And some are only ever pointing the finger at people they most obviously don't like and they'll find a way to make that person at fault. 

Most will agree to disagree or will post that they said something wrong or they've changed their minds. Just some are almost trolls. Not many thankfully and the biggest trolls vanished with Rowett. 

[Archied]

My biggest frustration are the ones who seem to get more pleasure from losing or rather take pleasure from thinking they are in an I told you so position when most people are just hurting from a loss or some negative that’s happened , for me what I’ve found is it’s better just not to engage with that stuff , there’s a balance and it’s ok to express certain levels of negative and blaming but at times from some it’s just out and out vitriol 

[EnigmaRam]

I think it’s fair to say there have been some fantastic performances this season. There have also been woeful performances. A lot of tinkering at times and some bizarre team selections.

But I will say is that Frank has done what we wanted all the others to do. Cut the wage bill, reduce the average age of the squad, blood some of our fantastic academy prospects, increase the value of the players AND play attractive football.

I truly believe he’s done all that and STILL managed to get us to Wembley in his first season as a Manager. Whatever happens this season has been a success and I hope for many more to come!

[RadioactiveWaste]

I think this time it almost feels like it's come out of nowhere as a bonus, i'd resigned myself to it was an ok season with a couple of good cup runs, then, OK we made top six, it's been unarguably a good season but i don't think the team's good enough to go up, so see what happens, to oh well, we've not laid a glove on leeds and it's 2 nil now......form that and wondering about the cricket, to oh holy fornication we might do this.

There's hope, but not pressure, confidence without undue expectation.

I can only speak for myself, but I feel free to enjoy Monday and even if we don't make it, the exultation of Leeds second leg will long be remembered.

[Mos_Ram]

15 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

One phrase I've noticed more than any other over these past few days is "Whatever happens now..." blah, blah, blah.

Without wishing to focus on a negative, but should the worst happen on Monday, I hope we all stick to our word, and come out with massive smiles on our faces.

Anyone who expected this from the start need their head looking at!  This team has exceeded expectations this season.  Frank & Jody have exceeded expectations this season.  A few lows maybe, but masses of highs... extreme highs!

If they can now push on for one final high, fantastic.  But if they don't quite manage it, I'll still look back on this being an absolutely fantastic and enthralling season.

It's been an absolute blast!  Thank you, DCFC.

Exactly this!! And you know what, none of my mates can get their head round my perspective when I talk like this. I've got really close friends who support Sheffield United and Villa and they can't understand it, just by what is at stake. The play off second leg was my play off final, I'm just delighted to experience the actual final with this team. The weekend is going to special, whatever the result and if we don't succeed, you know what next season I will be more optimistic than ever.

The only downside, it's gonna be a long ol' summer whichever league we start the 19/20 season in!

 

[BramcoteRam84]

I think QPR there was lots of expectation. The way we finished the season in comparison to them, the way we destroyed Brighton in the home leg with one of the most dazzling rams performances in decades. It was ours surely, we only had to turn up!! 

This time, no expectations. Villa thumped us twice though we were injury hit both times and this is a different team. The semi final epitomised Derby this season, as equally capable of the slow, nervous insipid performance in the first leg as the confident swashbuckling fearless performance in the second leg. 

Who knows which way it’s going to go? Im therefore focussing on enjoying the day whatever happens but delighted and overjoyed we have an owner, manager, team and fans all as one and heading in an exciting direction again. I actually agree with Craig Ramage, something special is happening!