Preston (H) - Match Thread

[nick_d]

1 minute ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I would say about average - we’ve had some awful refs this season ?‍♂️

OK, fair enough, I haven't been to every game this season:)

[rynny]

1 hour ago, Coconut said:

Except it wasn't a foul

If that wasn't a foul neither were the the challenges by Lawrence, Bielik and the 2 by Bennett that were all shoulder to shoulder that he gave them a free kick for. Also the absolutely pathetic dive by Pearson that was given (even though the closest Derby player was a bout 5 yards away)

 

[Wolfie20]

So many positives from the game.

1. The return of Fozzy (don't think we'll see him at LB again) but he's gone some way to reducing the pressure on bringing a CB in January.

2. Tom Lawrence, despite not being on the scoresheet, having the best 45 minutes since joining Derby.

3. George Evans getting nearly a full game in midfield and showing he's far better than some posters were suggesting last season.

4. Another solid performance from Max Lowe.

5. Chris Martin bringing others into the game as we know Chrissie still can.

6. Krystian Bielik dominating play and looking every inch the player we thought we were getting. Based on his last few performances in front of the back four he is just what his former club are lacking in their midfield. My MOTM.

 

[rynny]

2 hours ago, Mafiabob said:

Disagree on the penalty, never in a million years. Bogle fell into him 

 

Bogle got 2 hands in the chest. Definite push, if it had been outside the box a freekick would have been given. 

[jono]

1 hour ago, Coconut said:

I'd wager in the opinion of at least 80% of objective, non-biased parties.

I think the issue is not any one decision which is an in the moment thing. It is consistency. There was a physical element to this game and on balance we didn’t draw well in the for and against stats for seemingly similar occurrences. 

[DavesaRam]

What a great performance. Apart from a couple of Roos moments, and Holmes's final passes, I don't think we can say anything bad about the players today. But I must ask what has Cocu done during the international break?

We were beginning to see signs of improvement, but there has been step change since Forest away! What struck me most was the speed of thought with the ball. For far too long we have had to control the ball, then think of what to do with it, then try to actually do it, by which time the players had been closed down and forced into a mistake. Today we were pinging the ball around like a pinball machine. Even when a pass wasn't very good, we were able to play it on as though we had meant the pass to be poor!

It quickly became obvious that Preston had come to try and stifle us, but that didn't work, did it? All they had to offer was hoof ball stuff, and it did cause a few concerns without actually leading to very much. They only had 4 or 5 chances all match, and we set 3 of those up for them. Their alternative was the usual Alex Neill agriculture. Victim No 1 was Mason Bennett, who sadly didn't manage to run the injury off, during which time Shinnie went off with a hamstring injury, although it may have come from another Preston knock. I didn't actually see it but several people near me saw the ref acknowledge the foul but played the advantage. What it meant was that we had used two subs up within 30 minutes, so game management was now going to be very difficult.

And although there is mixed opinion about the ref, he pull some pretty bizzare decisions all the way through the match.Their centre back was obviously in love with Chris Martin because he spent much of the game with his arms around our man, although Chris didn't seem to want to cuddle him back. He also should have waited till after the match to ask for Chris's shirt, instead of trying to rip it off him, also for most of the match. The ref was obviously trying tot let love blossom because he let it go on all game. And as with the Forest match, there probably should have been a red card for the foul on Bennett. I would agree about the possible penalty for the Bogle getting blocked off. I think Bogle was a bit too keen to go down. Not that he dived, as there was a collision. If he had carried on and tried to go round his man, he would almost certainly have been brought down. Not that there would necessarily have been a penalty - come on, this is  Derby County. At pride Park. He had words with Holmes after giving a number of soft decisions against him, possibly re persistent offending. So what about their left back, and their left midfielder, who spent the ewntire match bringing Derby players down? Or the blatant corner when a Lawrence shot cannoned off the defender? Or when Holmes was taken out by  atwo-man sandwich, right in front of the oaf, but he gave nothing. Moments later Waghorn  shoved a player off the ball, and it was a free-kick, when one of their strikers persistently shoved either Davies or Forsyth off the ball at virtually every opportunity. Barring donning a yellow shirt and scoring the equaliser, he couldn't have done much more to get Preston the draw they had obviously come for. Oh well, back to the match!

It seemed like Preston upped their game for the second half, with maybe the double substitution having an effect. But it could also have been a very cunning move by Cocu to change our game plan. It was pretty obvious for most of the game that apart from hoofball, Preston didn't have much to offer when they had the ball at their feet, so we simply let them have it. And in all reality, they didn't actually create that much. They had plenty of the ball, but Roos had very little shot-stopping to do. It was the same against Forest, who were kept mainly to long distance, high and wide.

A big shout-out goes to Forsyth, as you would never know he had been out injured for a year, neither would you know at was an acl injury. And Chris Martin - what a player. No goals, no absolute standout moments, but an absolutely standout performance, with his chasing down, (yes, even at his pace it is still chasing down!), and all those little one-touch lay-offs as if he had dictated where the player was going to be as he hit the pass. And Tom Lawrence - he was closing down and blocking passes from the start, and was up and down the pitch all game. This is the Tom Lawrence we bought for all that money. Has he turned a corner as well?

That was a very satisfying Saturday afternoon. I started the season hoping we could achieve mediocrity becaue of getting Franked, but the progress which Cocu is beginning to make apparent makes the rest of the season look quite inviting! So instead of getting spanked by Forest, we were close to beating them, and we can go to Fulham hoping to get something out of the match instead of just hoping we can hold on for a bit.

COME ON YOU RAMS!

[nottingram]

Bielik is absolutely quality isn’t he, looks like he is barely trying but is so dominant.

I was worried with him and Shinnie as neither struck me as much of a ball player, but he is beginning to look top class in that regard as well

[rammieib]

59 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

What I am looking for a fair ref that cracks down on bad tackles and liked what happened to Bennett even after dangerouse challege and even his shirt was not just pulled but he pulled down to the ground that finnished even should been stright red card poor ref and bad performance. 

fair enough b4, you answered the question. I'm just wondering which will come first... you saying a ref had a good game or Derby winning promotion!

Keep up the great support.

[Biley66]

What’s David prutton saying? Merchant banker

[Steve How Hard?]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but the ironic thing about the Bogle penalty appeal is that the ref gave a foul against him in the 1st half for something not too dissimilar. Conclusion- the ref bottled it. Imho.

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

First half was the best football we have seen under Cocu, second half we managed to keep the result, makes a very nice change. Bielik in midfield is the key, come January if we create the  chances we had today and some fall to Rooooney we should do better than 1-0. Could be interesting.

[Raich Carter]

2 hours ago, rammieib said:

Generally speaking, were talking about one or two decisions in the game, both judgements and so on.... that shows the ref was decent overall

Decent? He completely lost focus a few times but in particular when they had a player injured and then subbed whereas we had to wait for play to resume in between. I watched him literally jump when he realised he’d been chatting on the half way line whilst they faffed about. 

He also took so much time over set pieces into the box trying to be the centre of attention. 

I’m not arguing about the Bogle decision as I couldn’t see it clearly but the ref was poor today for me. 

[jono]

@DavesaRam

great report. ? Agree with all of it. We obviously went to the same match ?

[jono]

3 hours ago, Paul71 said:

I thought holmes worked his socks off today.

He did. Hit the bar, chased every ball. He’s an engine room. Ran out off puff in the last 10 as a lot was going through him towards the end. He got battered and buffeted all match but stood his corner and just got back up.  I think a lot of us see his tricky feet and chasing down but there’s a warrior of character there. 

[BramcoteRam84]

The first 45 was right up there with sone of the best performances in recent years. We played a few games like that under Frank between October and November last season but last time we consistently played like that was Mac1

Kelle - couple of clangers today but got away with it

Lowe and Bogle outstanding

Curtis was Curtis.

Fozzy - like a new player. Good game and I’m happy with him

Bielik looking class, he will go far in the game.

Evans slotted in well - good player still a blow to lose shinnie

Holmes was much better.

Lawrence - best run of performances since he joined the club. Could be our key man this season.

Martin still class

Waggy should’ve had a hat trick but played well 

Gutted for Bennett, always gets injured when he’s playing well.

masses of positives today. If we can repeat those performance, especially away from home could be a really exciting second half of the season

the first 45 mins today is how Cocu wants to play, there is a plan to what he does and he’s getting closer to finding the balance.

Signs are really positive

[ramit]

Liked the interview with Cocu, he's becoming more relaxed in his role as he sees the team responding to his style of play

In comparison with some earlier interviews, he was positively effervescent

[Ellafella]

15 minutes ago, ramit said:

Liked the interview with Cocu, he's becoming more relaxed in his role as he sees the team responding to his style of play

In comparison with some earlier interviews, he was positively effervescent

Yes; his post-match is getting better; looks to be enjoying it now. 

[Ambitious]

2 hours ago, rynny said:

Bogle got 2 hands in the chest. Definite push, if it had been outside the box a freekick would have been given. 

I had a perfect view of that, it was absolutely baffling to see it not given. You could see both arms of the defender push Bogle to the floor. Angles help, but it was as clear as day from my perspective. I’m just glad it didn’t cost us. 

[Dean (hick) Saunders]

3 hours ago, rynny said:

Bogle got 2 hands in the chest. Definite push, if it had been outside the box a freekick would have been given. 

Right in front of me. No pen end of....

[TigerTedd]

Took my daughter to her first game today. She’s 3.

had a big smile on her face at the start (that may have had something to do with the twix I gave her). Got a bit scared when we scored. Fell asleep a bit towards the end of the first half. And said she wanted to go home at the start of the second half.

all in all though, she said she enjoyed it and will go again.

she is a ram, she hates forest.