Are we football snobs?

[LeedsCityRam]

10 hours ago, Eatonram said:

I saw the comment last night about Rotherhams first goal...."Park football goal", well perhaps so, but it was still a goal.

I like seeing Derby score and win more than anything....if its beautiful football like 2014 all the better. But I'd rather win ugly than lose beautifully.

In the championship, possibly more than many leagues across the world, there are a number of ingredients for success that must be there FIRST, and they aren't "skill and talent"...they are (choose your own phrase) Workrate/Fitness/Energy/Desire/pysicality/pace (including size) perm any three from six but workmate is non negotiable.

Bielsa understood this as clearly do several managers in the championship now. Until we have this we will always be vulnerable to the the teams that have it in bundles, even if we have "better players" (and that is questionable).

I could dissect the game last night in minute detail, but their game plan of high press and high ball into our box was going to lead to a goal sooner or later, once they had scored using "park football" and we had to chase the game, then conceding on the break was almost as predictable. We were soundly beaten.

It may be called the beautiful game......but give me winning any day of the week.

An interesting post.

Derby County have different expectations to most clubs around us...unlike Leicester, Stoke & other riff raff in this part of the world, we want to win whilst playing the right way. We dont want to win the Rotherham way..we want to win & win in a particular way. Its our identity & its a Clough thing (shared with a club down the road..)

We don't suceed by copying. We win by doing what we do but better. Much better. Over to you Wayne Rooney ?

[WestKentRam]

'Are we football snobs?' I certainly am.

Even before we started conceding I thought I just couldn't face watching Rotherham's 'style' of play each week, not helped by the constant barrage of inanities from their chairman the microphones picked up. Absolute torture to the eyes and ears.

I know we sometimes play as if we expect opposition defences to part like the Red Sea for us to stroll through and score, but the spectacle of players chasing down whoever has the ball like a pack of rabid dogs looked more like a game of survival of the fittest rather than football.

[Andicis]

I used to be more of one. I couldn't stand Rowett's football, and I felt at the time we had players that could have played decent football and been equally as good, if not better. Right now, I tolerate worse football. I don't think we have the luxury of football snobbery, points are needed on the board however we can get them. 

I respect how Rotherham play. They know they lack quality, so they battle and bully and do whatever they can. I think it has it's place. I'd hate to see Derby do it long term, but I can appreciate it where it's required. 

[plymouthram]

11 hours ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Good, well reasoned post @Eatonram but I couldn't watch Rovrum every week. Like you, I admire their industry and will to win, but having skilful and talented players who are also up for the fight too would be my preference all day long. Bielsa's side have more about them than just spirit after all. 

We were though, as you rightly imply, completely outbattled last night so we need to change something when we come up against highly physical sides like Rovrum. The young 'uns have come in for a lot of stick over their performance last night and while I concede, they were off their game, it really was a case of men against boys with literally no protection from the officials. It's no coincidence that we tend to look much better against sides who try to play football.

Well put, In the championship you need to adapt to playing differently against the Rotherham's and the good footballing sides. It's a learning curve for Rooney and company.  I personally think we will survive this season and Rooney, his coaching team will get better, wiser and more experienced for next season. Rotherham will lose more games than us come the end of the season. Even with 2 games in hand, they have lost the same as us (they could lose both games in hand), they have conceded more than us. I predict Wycombe, Rotherham and one other team to go down this season. You could pick out Birmingham, Wednesday, Derby, Forest, Coventry, QPR, Cardiff, Huddlesfield, Millwall, Luton, Barnsley or Preston all possible teams to get relegated. But my money would be on the Rams pulling clear and being safe.