Room for Improvement

[sage]

Cocu is trying to improve our current squad and not just the youngsters.

What do you think each player could improve in terms of skill set or understanding of the game?

 

[Van der MoodHoover]

Roos could learn to catch overarm.

[Tyler Durden]

Roos the appropriate time when to catch or punch a ball

Lawrence the ability to chase the ball when out of possession without giving away incessant petty fouls invariably resulting in a caution 

Waghorn how to be less profligate in front of goal and become more composed and choosing the right option when in a 1 on 1

 

[richinspain]

Although you're question is a perfect setup (see above posts ?), I'll try to be serious. I think that as a team we need to learn to be more dynamic in attack. Better movement off the ball and better decisions being made by the man in possession. I would have said better execution of that decision as well, but for professional footballers they should be more than proficient already and even though they can practice more I don't think any of them will improve sufficiently to become the David Beckham of Derby. If however their decision making improves their current ability should be more than good enough.

Defensively, obviously we have to learn how to defend balls into the box. Every corner or free kick against us is an invitation to score. Personal errors also need to be reduced. Players are always going to make mistakes at some point, but we do seem to go through phases where at least one player makes an absolute humdinger of a balls up. We've had the added misfortune this year that nearly all of those have been punished, and usually at a point in the game where it has been catastrophic.

[G STAR RAM]

Dont want this to sound controversial or negative but I dont think he has improved any of the players that were here before he came.

He has obviously nurtured the youngsters well.

Maybe it is easier bringing players through in the style they you want them to play rather than trying to teach old dogs new tricks.

Areas I would specifically ike to see us improve:-

Roos - command his area and catching more rather than punching 

Bogle - stop crosses. Learn when to bomb forward and when to stop.

Lowe - as above

Lawrence - should be creating more goals for his team mates

Waghorn - finishing. Despite his tally this year he has been very wasteful with chances 

All players...look forward with first touch rather than backwards

[Rampage]

I would like to know which established players you think have improved this season. I am not asking about the youngsters. I can only think of one and he is on loan from Brighton

 

[Van der MoodHoover]

1 hour ago, richinspain said:

Although you're question is a perfect setup (see above posts ?), I'll try to be serious. I think that as a team we need to learn to be more dynamic in attack. Better movement off the ball and better decisions being made by the man in possession. I would have said better execution of that decision as well, but for professional footballers they should be more than proficient already and even though they can practice more I don't think any of them will improve sufficiently to become the David Beckham of Derby. If however their decision making improves their current ability should be more than good enough.

Defensively, obviously we have to learn how to defend balls into the box. Every corner or free kick against us is an invitation to score. Personal errors also need to be reduced. Players are always going to make mistakes at some point, but we do seem to go through phases where at least one player makes an absolute humdinger of a balls up. We've had the added misfortune this year that nearly all of those have been punished, and usually at a point in the game where it has been catastrophic.

Don't you come on here ruining things with your considered detailed analyses.......?

[Rev]

46 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

All players...look forward with first touch rather than backwards

This every time.

Far too often the players don't even look around them to see what's on and what isn't, and just return the ball backwards.

Sibley's refreshing simply because he's pretty comfortable taking the ball on the half turn, the others don't seem to want to do that.

[1967RAMS]

Can’t think he has improved any player who wouldn’t naturally improve with maturity ( young uns). We are a shadow of the team who finished last season. I reckon they would beat us by 3 clear goals. It’s not his fault obviously but he is trying to bring his style of play to the club. He can’t do this IMHO without buying at least 4 players. If Mel is insistent on playing the youth, he would be better employing their coaching staff too as first team coaches. He is so hamstrung at the moment. Putting youngsters into positions and formations they don’t shine in, just to fill quotas. I’m confused also with the clubs mixed messages, either go for the youth or don’t. I can’t see why giving Forsythe a new contract makes any sense. He’s never going to improve and isn’t young. 

 

[Derbyram1983]

44 minutes ago, 1967RAMS said:

Can’t think he has improved any player who wouldn’t naturally improve with maturity ( young uns). We are a shadow of the team who finished last season. I reckon they would beat us by 3 clear goals. It’s not his fault obviously but he is trying to bring his style of play to the club. He can’t do this IMHO without buying at least 4 players. If Mel is insistent on playing the youth, he would be better employing their coaching staff too as first team coaches. He is so hamstrung at the moment. Putting youngsters into positions and formations they don’t shine in, just to fill quotas. I’m confused also with the clubs mixed messages, either go for the youth or don’t. I can’t see why giving Forsythe a new contract makes any sense. He’s never going to improve and isn’t young. 

 

He’s improved wisdom, Evans has looked good in limited matches, Lowe has been the best he’s been for us. Lawrence and waggy have had their best seasons for us. He’s worked well with what he has. We’ve only ended the season with two signing of his signings available abd they’re loans. He’s been dealt a bad hand and had performed well in my eyes. 3 good signings + next season and I think we’ll be performing consistently next season IMO 

[hintonsboots]

The main attribute our manager should be focusing on is pace. In Bogle and Lowe we’ve got two really quick young full backs, but they must be judged on preventing crosses into our box, as well as the attacking side of their game. I remember Nige saying he sold Dean Moxey because that’s something he didn’t do well enough.

We definitely need a new keeper, I wouldn’t even bother to salvage Roos.

[Sparkle]

Stop the crosses into our box especially from our right hand side

stop giving away stupid free kicks 

stop the totally unforced errors 

run at the opponent and be brave with the ball 

shoot on sight 

[europia]

Based on the last few games, it's Room 101 .....

[Alph]

Bogle to show more of the urgency that Lowe shows

Lowe to show more of the composure that Bogle shows

Bird to be braver/confident and more positive. Looks like a very very good player that limits himself to tidying up. 

Sibely to be cloned. His attitude is spot on imo. He shows very little respect for opponents, he's fearless, he takes on responsibility and just takes the game to the opponents. He can improve by having infinite energy to be everywhere 

Knight, find out what position suits you. 

Lawrence to keep going with his graft and simplicity, stay away from the hero role. Been saying it ever since seeing him frustrate Rhodes at Blackburn. We have had quite a few hints of a more mature player and it feels like we might be getting somewhere again? The chance to shine comes along naturally when you do the basics right. 

Marriott, play sometimes. 

Bielik, put the good boots on that make you look like a Polish international rather than the bad boots that make you look like a Polish-ed turd. 

Everyone, stop ignoring good passes that have a chance of going wrong. Stop choosing bad passes that have no chance of going wrong. 

Whittaker, get some composure, get hold of the ball, get settled. Look like Andi Weimann at his worst. 

Keepers to catch. If they can't catch then learn to punch good. Figure out where the goal is in relation to your position. Own your area and if anyone gets in your way from either side then remember, you have hands, a voice and you only need to be touched to win a FK. 

Malone, less caffeine. Stay up later on Friday nights. Buy heavier boots. Listen to UB40. 

[oldtimeram]

He could encourage Roos to take up another profession

[sage]

Bogle has 3 main areas to improve. Closing down the winger trying to get a cross in, attacking crosses at the back post and not ball watching. The latter two being the most serious. 

If Wisdom wants to be a regular CB in England he has to massively improve the percentage of headers he wins. He isnt massively tall but neither was Bucko. I think the main issue is his reading of a cross or long ball.

Evans needs CB game time, maybe a few U23 games.  He doesn't have that CB defend at all costs mentality or enough awareness of danger. Because he is decent on the ball he is worth persevering with for another season. Also needs to win a few more heads. He will never dominate but loses so many.

Lowe has many plus points to his game but like Evans and Bogle he doesn't seem to have that none shall pass mentality and more importantly doesnt pay enough attention to the 10 yards behind him.

Forsyth isn't going to improve much now, but when at LB id like to see him underlay the LW now and then. Whilst not as quick as he used to be, he's strong and can hold off markers.

 

 

 

[IslandExile]

Supporters to get behind Cocu who will lead us to the promised land ? 

Instead of acknowledging the poor hand, nigh on impossible hand, he was dealt this season and yet still going on to moan about him, his tactics, the results.

And, to think, we accuse Leeds fans of feeling 'entitled'.

[Andicis]

2 minutes ago, IslandExile said:

Supporters to get behind Cocu who will lead us to the promised land ? 

Instead of acknowledging the poor hand he was dealt this season and yet still going on to moan.

And, to think, we accuse Leeds fans of feeling 'entitled'.

How are Derby fans entitled? I've seen one fan in the entire forum say they want Cocu out and he got shut down pretty fast for it. 

[IslandExile]

6 minutes ago, Andicis said:

How are Derby fans entitled? I've seen one fan in the entire forum say they want Cocu out and he got shut down pretty fast for it. 

Without restating what Cocu has had to face this season, there are still many, a vocal minority, on here that seem to think we should be performing far better than we are, and getting better results, with the players we have available. And that why we are not doing so is somehow down to Cocu.

[Andicis]

1 minute ago, IslandExile said:

Without restating what Cocu has had to face this season, there are still many, a vocal minority, on here that seem to think we should be performing far better than we are, and getting better results, with the players we have available. And that why we are not doing so is somehow down to Cocu.

Which I'm definitely part of. Outside of immediate frustrations after the game, and looking at it as a season we've been decent, but I'm not sure it's classed as entitled to want a bit more. How long do you think Cocu should be given as a time frame before you expect more tangible evidence that we're turning into a force that can challenge? (not loaded, genuinely curious)