Pre Season Friendly v Girona (H)

[RamNut]

1 hour ago, Taribo said:

Ok I’ll bite;

a) he didn’t really attempt to challenge for the ball or chase down like others in our squad would.

There were at least a few occasions when he ran to pressurize the defender, only to turn around and discover that none of the others were partaking in the press. 

It would be strange to come away from that thinking that chris was the issue. 

[sunnyhill60]

6 minutes ago, RamNut said:

There were at least a few occasions when he ran to pressurize the defender, only to turn around and discover that none of the others were partaking in the press. 

It would be strange to come away from that thinking that chris was the issue. 

I have a massive regard for Chris Martin but I have no expectation he could be anything  more than a fringe contributor this season. If he is happy with this then fine, otherwise I am sure Burton Albion would be a suitable place to continue his career. We have moved on and if we are to progress we need to find alternatives.

[DCFC Ram]

Selection-wise v Girona, I guess that Cocu is having to manage what is a very odd pre season - made worse by the ridiculous weather just now.

[Maestro]

10 hours ago, JfR said:

They beat Real Madrid 2-1 at Real's ground last season, so if we pull one back we're as good as Real Madrid

[Sparkle]

I didn’t watch the game and the positive for me is that the manager is having a good look at what we have and who can break through. Clearly Davies isn’t match fit and neither is Marriott Carson Thorne or Holmes 

[RoyMac5]

6 hours ago, Taribo said:

Ok I’ll bite;

a) he didn’t really attempt to challenge for the ball or chase down like others in our squad would.

b) like the ones Waggy was doing last season you mean?

c) pretty sure a few our our players could fall over with a gust of wind too if they wanted.

d) the keeper saved it, it was neither a great save nor a great free kick.

Goodnight x 

a) He did close their back line down - most of the time on his own. What would the point have been to do a headless chicken style Nuge?

b) Waggy isn't anywhere near as good on the ball as Martin, he has different strengths.

c) and yet we had few chances last season for Harry to take freekicks. BTW when you're being studded from behind then 'falling over' is understandable. There was no real ward-robing last night

d) it was a decent freekick, on target and well-saved

Good morning x

ps what did Waggy do in 15 minutes? ?

[Papahet]

Max Lowe deserves the start at huddersfield

He looks quality, even last pre season he looked decent. Malones positioning is shocking, why does he come so central (like a CB) when we are out of possession? Which allows there RB/Winger a free hit at getting a ball in the box 

[RoyMac5]

4 hours ago, sunnyhill60 said:

I have a massive regard for Chris Martin but I have no expectation he could be anything  more than a fringe contributor this season. If he is happy with this then fine, otherwise I am sure Burton Albion would be a suitable place to continue his career. We have moved on and if we are to progress we need to find alternatives.

Do you seriously think Waghorn or Marriott would have looked better last night, with the lack of service from wide and no runners from midfield, nor not much passing. Although there were a couple of good moves in the game only one fullback got forward much and Anya and Whittaker wide were pretty ineffectual.

[Srg]

7 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

I didn’t watch the game and the positive for me is that the manager is having a good look at what we have and who can break through. Clearly Davies isn’t match fit and neither is Marriott Carson Thorne or Holmes 

Davies looks like Davies, which is not good enough for how we want to play football.

There was a moment after Keogh and Evans came on where Keogh moved forward with the ball and delivered a pass into midfield, the possession recycled and Evans did the exact same thing.

That, for me, epitomised exactly what we want from whichever centre backs we employ - and the reason that Davies is never going to be first choice. We all know he can head a ball and if we want a backs to wall job, he's the best we have, but stylistically, he's not the man for the job week in, week out.

[Srg]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

Do you seriously think Waghorn or Marriott would have looked better last night, with the lack of service from wide and no runners from midfield, nor not much passing. Although there were a couple of good moves in the game only one fullback got forward much and Anya and Whittaker wide were pretty ineffectual.

[RoyMac5]

3 minutes ago, Srg said:

Unable to formulate a decent reply...

Thought so.

[Srg]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

Thought so.

What's the point? You can't take any constructive criticism of anything Martin ever does on board. There's no point replying to anything you put with a well-reasoned, thought out response because it's like talking to a brick wall with a mural of Chris Martin's mug on it. I'll go with memes instead.

[EnigmaRam]

Anyone know where Bennett was? Is he injured?

[Ghost of Clough]

2 minutes ago, EnigmaRam said:

Anyone know where Bennett was? Is he injured?

No one had played more minutes than Bennett in pre-season before last night (level with Evans), so at most he was only going to start on the bench. With giving Anya and Whittaker a chance to start that left us with 2 to choose from Bennett, Lawrence and Jozefzoon. We chose the latter two due to minutes played. He'll be back in the starting lineup vs Rangers.

[Ram8]

I wonder if it’s the same culprits who can’t see the quality of Chris Martin, who also criticise Tom Huddlestone ?

In other words, those who are blinkered to ‘Rolls Royce’ Footballers ! 

[Edtheram]

Mitchell - Average game, didn't look composed on the ball, did well at times.

Lowe - Class above the rest with his pressing and attacking play, will be pushing Malone for a start.

Davies - Average, looks a tad lost at times and isn't comfortable being made to pass the ball.

Buchanan - Looks a good footballer but hasn't got the physicality for championship football currently.

Bateman - Average, out of position a lot and hes not going to be pushing Bogle for a start and isn't better than Wisdom.

Bird - Average, nice passes here and there but didnt impress me with his limited passing, Knight and Sibley are better.

Shinnie - worked hard and is clever like Byson, made some nice passes and did well in his role.

Dowell - tad quiet but when on the ball looked classy, put him in the team which ended the game and he would of been doubly effective.

Whittaker - Something there but just no better than what we have.

Martin - Stranded on his own and made to run which isn't his best suit but did some nice flicks and passes, behind Waggy and JM.

Anya - Took on a couple of players but other than that very quiet, needs to be moved on.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ravas - Average, made a good save from a free kick.

Malone - The usual with Scot flying down the left and helping with attacks, good work rate and defensive work.

Keogh - Strong as ever, suited best to a passing side and composes the back 4.

Evans - really like him at CB, can win a header and tackle but has a great range of passing, one to watch this season.

Bogle - Class, if he stays then we have the best RB in the league IMO, silky player.

Huddlestone - Calms everyone down and dictates play, what we missed first half.

Sibley - Did well, works hard and has quality, will be in the 18 for sure.

Knight - Looked good all preseason, offers a lot, another one for the 18 come match day.

Lawrence - Impressive display, running at players and choosing to shoot and pass at the correct time.

Jozefzoon - looks sharper and fitter than last season, still think he can do more in a Derby shirt.

Waghorn - Didn't get too many touches but had a couple of good opportunity's and positioning was good.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Need a GK, CB, CM, RW. If we can get those positions covered by loans or perms then i think were in store for a good season. The team played well and when the side which ended the game came on we dominated with how we played. Cocu spoke well after the game, he sums games up a lot better than boring Frank. He speaks like a winner and knows whats needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rambalin]

16 minutes ago, EnigmaRam said:

Anyone know where Bennett was? Is he injured?

Cocu said he had some tiredness to in his muscles because of the way he plays and not worth risking.So him and Roos were rested.

Carson only started training on grass yesterday so way off a game and he did not mention Marriott or Thorne but he was not asked about them.

[Ghost of Clough]

Just now, Edtheram said:

Bird - Average, nice passes here and there but didn't impress me with his limited passing, Knight and Sibley are better.

They also play in different positions. It's like saying Holmes is better than Huddlestone or Lowe is better than Bennett

[Tamworthram]

30 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

a) He did close their back line down - most of the time on his own. What would the point have been to do a headless chicken style Nuge?

b) Waggy isn't anywhere near as good on the ball as Martin, he has different strengths.

c) and yet we had few chances last season for Harry to take freekicks. BTW when you're being studded from behind then 'falling over' is understandable. There was no real ward-robing last night

d) it was a decent freekick, on target and well-saved

Good morning x

ps what did Waggy do in 15 minutes? ?

Not intending to knock Martin, he did pretty much as well/badly as any one else for the first period (except for Anya who seemed to have a good game) but:

D) it may have been on target but it was only a routine save for the keeper. The attempt did not require "good" save.

[Srg]

8 minutes ago, Edtheram said:

Mitchell - Average game, didn't look composed on the ball, did well at times.

Lowe - Class above the rest with his pressing and attacking play, will be pushing Malone for a start.

Davies - Average, looks a tad lost at times and isn't comfortable being made to pass the ball.

Buchanan - Looks a good footballer but hasn't got the physicality for championship football currently.

Bateman - Average, out of position a lot and hes not going to be pushing Bogle for a start and isn't better than Wisdom.

Bird - Average, nice passes here and there but didnt impress me with his limited passing, Knight and Sibley are better.

Shinnie - worked hard and is clever like Byson, made some nice passes and did well in his role.

Dowell - tad quiet but when on the ball looked classy, put him in the team which ended the game and he would of been doubly effective.

Whittaker - Something there but just no better than what we have.

Martin - Stranded on his own and made to run which isn't his best suit but did some nice flicks and passes, behind Waggy and JM.

Anya - Took on a couple of players but other than that very quiet, needs to be moved on.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ravas - Average, made a good save from a free kick.

Malone - The usual with Scot flying down the left and helping with attacks, good work rate and defensive work.

Keogh - Strong as ever, suited best to a passing side and composes the back 4.

Evans - really like him at CB, can win a header and tackle but has a great range of passing, one to watch this season.

Bogle - Class, if he stays then we have the best RB in the league IMO, silky player.

Huddlestone - Calms everyone down and dictates play, what we missed first half.

Sibley - Did well, works hard and has quality, will be in the 18 for sure.

Knight - Looked good all preseason, offers a lot, another one for the 18 come match day.

Lawrence - Impressive display, running at players and choosing to shoot and pass at the correct time.

Jozefzoon - looks sharper and fitter than last season, still think he can do more in a Derby shirt.

Waghorn - Didn't get too many touches but had a couple of good opportunity's and positioning was good.

 

Unusually, I agree with pretty much all of this.

Couple of points in addition... Looked like Dowell was being asked to play as the defensive midfielder last night, certainly more than against Burton. This was interesting because it was something Dowell himself remarked on in an interview the other day about playing as a '6' for England u21s and it being another feather to his bow. His usage will be interesting this season.

Similarly, Shinnie we was lead to believe was going to be holding midfielder but it looks like he's being utilised all over the place at the moment. He has more dynamism than I was expecting and looks to have a good first touch too.

Lowe is ever impressing on the ball, and whilst he is starting to fill out a bit, I do still worry about him in the air. Think we would lose something yet further defensively with him - as much as I like him. So would need to watch out there.

Also think you're a tiny bit harsh on Bird... although that attempted header for their second didn't cover himself in glory.