Norwich City Vs Derby County

[Jimbo Ram]

It’s all about opinions. I went for a 5-0 loss and when I saw the team sheet thought my fears would be confirmed. Didn’t fancy Curtis up against their pace, thought Evans was playing in midfield and didn’t think Wazza was the answer up top. The key was keeping them out for that first 15 minutes when we were under the kosh and the penalty miss. We had that little bit of luck but the plan Cocu came up with ultimately worked. I am happy to say I got it wrong and chuffed to bits with the win ?

[Tiverton Ram]

Teemu Pukki looking like John Terry taking a penalty!

[BucksRam]

So I've woken this morning to still be buzzing about yesterday's game.  I'm under no illusion this was only one game in a very tough run to come but there was so much to appreciate.  A few thoughts in no order:

Cocu - brave to change the team and tactics.  Maybe he too is now learning about what it takes in this league. 

Marshall - great saves stood out obviously but he bossed his area and looked assured. We've missed that; the confidence it gives defenders shouldn't be underestimated. 

Byrne - best game so far.  Good going forward but, unlike often with Bogle, good in defense. Saved a certain goal.

Davis - showed his experience. Rock steady and organised everything.  Role model for Te Wierik to work toward. 

Buchanan - had his work cut out against a very good Aarons, but did brilliantly overall, linked with Joz well.  Removed any concern over Lowe's departure.

Knight - growing in stature week on week. Definitely best in the middle. Was everywhere and shows great desire.  Worked very well with a dogged Shinnie.

Jozwiak - showed a lot of endeavour and was, I felt deliberately targeted. Had a tough physical game. Still learning but he's exactly what we need on the wing

Whittaker - proved a handful the second he came on.  Needs to be more physical and hold the ball better but he's also still learning.  Definitely one for the future.

Rooney - had a tough role up front at his age but worked hard.  So wished his sliced left foot volley had gone in.  Still think he adds so much to the team with his experience and his ability to score those free kicks. 

Holmes - buzzed around but clearly not yet fit. Give him a couple of weeks. 

Lawrence, Waghorn and Bielik all to come back. Plus of course Ibe.  Oh, not forgetting Sibley, Hector-Ingram and (second half of the season) Duncan, together with whichever striker we get in. 

Maybe that's why I'm feeling the buzz this morning.  

[DarkFruitsRam7]

 

[Anag Ram]

3 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I've bought popcorn. 

What time's it on? 

 

[Ellafella]

55 minutes ago, gccrowdpleaser said:

Just watched the goal again. Really cute set up at the wall from Derby.

Having Evans and Bird on the end of the wall pushes Krul further to his right in order to be able to view the ball strike. It means Rooney knows he doesn't have to hit it too hard and can just concentrate on placement. No real pace needed on the ball.

Subtle but very important detail and obviously a set piece plan that has been worked on. 

Also very similar position to his goal vs Preston.  That one he hit hard to the keepers right and I'm sure that was in Kruls mind too. He'll have done his homework. The way Bird and Evans splits would give the impression that Rooney was aiming there so again keeps Krul to his right hand side.

 

Great highlights. Great commenatry by OB & Shane Nic. Lovely to see Cocu, Rooney et al with big smiles at the final whistle. That frank discussion on Monday clearly brought the Club back together. Now have to follow this up with getting a striker in and winning th enext game. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

9 minutes ago, Ellafella said:

Great highlights. Great commenatry by OB & Shane Nic. Lovely to see Cocu, Rooney et al with big smiles at the final whistle. That frank discussion on Monday clearly brought the Club back together. Now have to follow this up with getting a striker in and winning th enext game. 

I'm glad it worked.

I don't think we're just going to be "that worked, so that's what we're doing now" going forward but I hope the direction is going to be starting as a trypicle championship side (pretty much what we did yesterday for an underdog away team) and gradually working in the controlled passing, neat triangles, play it out from the back etc rather than the starting point being totally controlled possession and gradually gtting it good enough to work in the championship. We'll still ultimatly get towards the vision Cocu has for the side but going this way is a bit more practical, enables a few more round pegs and round holes and will get enough points on the board to give the freedom to work on things.

And we did this before things either got despirate or we sacked the manager.

[RamNut]

1 hour ago, BucksRam said:

So I've woken this morning to still be buzzing about yesterday's game.  I'm under no illusion this was only one game in a very tough run to come but there was so much to appreciate.  A few thoughts in no order:

Cocu - brave to change the team and tactics.  Maybe he too is now learning about what it takes in this league. 

Marshall - great saves stood out obviously but he bossed his area and looked assured. We've missed that; the confidence it gives defenders shouldn't be underestimated. 

Byrne - best game so far.  Good going forward but, unlike often with Bogle, good in defense. Saved a certain goal.

Davis - showed his experience. Rock steady and organised everything.  Role model for Te Wierik to work toward. 

Buchanan - had his work cut out against a very good Aarons, but did brilliantly overall, linked with Joz well.  Removed any concern over Lowe's departure.

Knight - growing in stature week on week. Definitely best in the middle. Was everywhere and shows great desire.  Worked very well with a dogged Shinnie.

Jozwiak - showed a lot of endeavour and was, I felt deliberately targeted. Had a tough physical game. Still learning but he's exactly what we need on the wing

Whittaker - proved a handful the second he came on.  Needs to be more physical and hold the ball better but he's also still learning.  Definitely one for the future.

Rooney - had a tough role up front at his age but worked hard.  So wished his sliced left foot volley had gone in.  Still think he adds so much to the team with his experience and his ability to score those free kicks. 

Holmes - buzzed around but clearly not yet fit. Give him a couple of weeks. 

Lawrence, Waghorn and Bielik all to come back. Plus of course Ibe.  Oh, not forgetting Sibley, Hector-Ingram and (second half of the season) Duncan, together with whichever striker we get in. 

Maybe that's why I'm feeling the buzz this morning.  

Poor old Shinnie - didn’t merit his own paragraph. ?

(p.s. agree with everything except....I’d still like us to have kept Lowe, and I can’t see a role for wazza when everyone is available).

[Brammie Steve]

When you watch the match/ highlights watch Mr Cocu's expression at the end.

There's a manager who's 100% committed to his team!

[BucksRam]

20 minutes ago, RamNut said:

Poor old Shinnie - didn’t merit his own paragraph. ?

(p.s. agree with everything except....I’d still like us to have kept Lowe, and I can’t see a role for wazza when everyone is available).

You're right, Shinnie did deserve his own paragraph other than the dogged reference bit I thought that summed him up.  Broke their attacks down, got in their faces - did the dirty work very well. 

Wazza still has a place but concede he'll be benched more. 

[Wolfie20]

4 hours ago, minesahartington said:

So was i , perfect downward header dealt with amazingly. First thing that came into my mind. It’s almost up there

It was an excellent, win-saving stop but sorry, doesn't even come close to Banks' save from Pele.

[Jimbo Ram]

1 hour ago, RamNut said:

Poor old Shinnie - didn’t merit his own paragraph. ?

(p.s. agree with everything except....I’d still like us to have kept Lowe, and I can’t see a role for wazza when everyone is available).

Buchanan looks like he has more potential than Lowe. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Lowe go out on loan this window ?

[ossieram]

1 hour ago, Jimbo Ram said:

Wouldn’t surprise me to see Lowe go out on loan this window

I thought we'd already sold him to Sheff Utd!

[Jimbo Ram]

15 minutes ago, ossieram said:

I thought we'd already sold him to Sheff Utd!

?

[BucksRam]

1 hour ago, ossieram said:

I thought we'd already sold him to Sheff Utd!

What he meant to say was maybe they'll loan him back....?

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

3 hours ago, Brummie Steve said:

When you watch the match/ highlights watch Mr Cocu's expression at the end.

There's a manager who's 100% committed to his team!

100 percent relieved!

[RadioactiveWaste]

17 minutes ago, kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong said:

100 percent relieved!

I agree, I think there was a lot of releaf there. Changing things was a big risk to take, both football wise and trust/relationship with the squad wise after the meeting this week.

[Jimbo Ram]

35 minutes ago, BucksRam said:

What he meant to say was maybe they'll loan him back....?

No it wasn’t, I don’t want him back. My point was they might loan him out to a lower half Championship side...

[jono]

6 hours ago, Rampage said:

Even when he does very little, Wayne Rooney is worth his place on the pitch for a whole variety of reasons. Moaning about him on here is counterproductive. He is not fully fit. Not in the interests of Derby County to have a Wayne who might think that he is not wanted. Ask our young players, ask our transfer targets, ask the media, ask the opposition players. Just leave Wayne to enjoy it here and probably become our manager at some point.

Really like this post Rampage. So correct. Yes Wayne isn’t Wayne from 10 years ago. He looked every bit an aging championship striker never mind England’s all time top scorer. Some good bits, some bad bits, all a bit meh. If he really was that player he’d be fighting for his place and a contract like everyone else. .. then 86 mins in and he does what class does. I am honestly not sure that Cocu knows exactly what to do with him in the mix, but it doesn’t really matter. He does a good enough job on the pitch and a fantastic job off it, then throw in some magic every now and again. That game had determined but lucky draw, written all over it.

[Rampage]

8 hours ago, gccrowdpleaser said:

Just watched the goal again. Really cute set up at the wall from Derby.

Having Evans and Bird on the end of the wall pushes Krul further to his right in order to be able to view the ball strike. It means Rooney knows he doesn't have to hit it too hard and can just concentrate on placement. No real pace needed on the ball.

Subtle but very important detail and obviously a set piece plan that has been worked on. 

Also very similar position to his goal vs Preston.  That one he hit hard to the keepers right and I'm sure that was in Kruls mind too. He'll have done his homework. The way Bird and Evans splits would give the impression that Rooney was aiming there so again keeps Krul to his right hand side.

 

Well done gccr.....