Relegation rivals watch

[Ram-Alf]

10 minutes ago, LauraH said:

Had sneaky peak at the Royals forum - hobnob something or other - just to see how sentiment is and tbh there is VERY little activity on their Relegation thread and what activity there is seem to think they will turn it around. The small amount of contributing posters are very dismissive of our chances of survival. 

To be fare Laura the Reading support would seam to be dismissive of their team as their attendance has wained this last few years, 11,742 average att for 2021-2022

Edited February 10, 2022 by Unlucky Alf

[roboto]

12 minutes ago, LauraH said:

Had sneaky peak at the Royals forum - hobnob something or other - just to see how sentiment is and tbh there is VERY little activity on their Relegation thread and what activity there is seem to think they will turn it around. The small amount of contributing posters are very dismissive of our chances of survival. 

I know a couple of Reading fans, through work and through friends of friends. The concensus is that they have had terrible luck with injuries and have been hard done by, but now players are returning they will somehow magically start winning games.

They don't like it when you tell them that we've also had injuries, given debuts to a dozen teenagers, had more than 3 times the points deducted than them and we're still breathing down their necks.

Tin pot club with tin pot fans.

[roboto]

Edited February 10, 2022 by roboto

[RoyMac5]

Must just be me feeling more than a bit nervous then, still a long way to go. There's some cocky bar stewards on this thread! ? #COYR

[DCFC1388]

Reading do have players coming back like Swift & Joao but like us are a couple of injuries away from a crisis looking at their squad last night, although they lost Carroll & only appear to have the returning Joao upfront

The biggest difference between both teams though is the confidence factor which is huge in football. We showed last season with argubly a better squad in the last 15 games struggled due to lack of confidence.

[roboto]

7 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Must just be me feeling more than a bit nervous then, still a long way to go. There's some cocky bar stewards on this thread! ? #COYR

Most confident I've been with a Derby team since the 2014 Play Off Final... ? 

[Crewton]

6 hours ago, Marriott Ram99 said:

Festy I did think about as well but he was with Alsop in the players we can just about afford to lose for me. 

He was great vs Hull but as of now he's a player who will have one great game, one average game and one poor one. 

Davies, Lawrence, Bielik and Plange are the key players for this team in that order as of now I reckon. 

Knight, Bird and Thompson are all good as well but those are the 4 I think are key. 

Festy is a game-changer : a player who can break the lines, create panic in the opposition defence which brings opportunities for others, as we saw the other night. We haven't got many of those. I think he's going to be pretty essential to our survival chances, because we need wins rather than draws.

[RodleyRam]

Maintaining our recent form is going to be a huge challenge. Young players have natural peaks and troughs in form. Relying heavily on them will always be a big ask and our squad is threadbare to say the least. It's a 4 horse race, I don't think Barnsley or Peterborough have enough, so it's between us and Reading, you just have to hope their dire form continues and we can keep this run going to give ourselves something of a cushion. Fortress Pride Park is going to play a big part here... Let's make the home games count!

Edited February 10, 2022 by RodleyRam

[Wistaston Ram]

Too early to rule out Peterborough or Barnsley for that matter, particularly as they have games in hand.  They could both still string a couple of wins together, gain some momentum/hope and the pressure builds again.  We will go through a sticky patch or two, but hopefully we have the team spirit and support of the fans to get through it.

[Ghost of Clough]

8 minutes ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Too early to rule out Peterborough or Barnsley for that matter, particularly as they have games in hand.  They could both still string a couple of wins together, gain some momentum/hope and the pressure builds again.  We will go through a sticky patch or two, but hopefully we have the team spirit and support of the fans to get through it.

Barnsley - 0.5 ppg so far this season

Peterborough - 0.7 ppg so far

Reading - 1.58 ppg over the first 12 games. Since then, they've dropped to 0.53

 

All 3 sides need a massive turn around in form to stop us!

[BramcoteRam84]

1 hour ago, DCFC1388 said:

Reading do have players coming back like Swift & Joao but like us are a couple of injuries away from a crisis looking at their squad last night, although they lost Carroll & only appear to have the returning Joao upfront

The biggest difference between both teams though is the confidence factor which is huge in football. We showed last season with argubly a better squad in the last 15 games struggled due to lack of confidence.

Thing is they’re back. Swift came back against us, Joao I think is also back. They also did a swap deal with their captain Liam Moore (centre half) going to stoke with Tom Ince going the other way so there is the Ince factor. 
 

They have the players and squad to win games, fact their form is so atrocious is they’re not there mentally right now. Very similar to us last season. 

[Kathcairns]

56 minutes ago, Crewton said:

Festy is a game-changer : a player who can break the lines, create panic in the opposition defence which brings opportunities for others, as we saw the other night. We haven't got many of those. I think he's going to be pretty essential to our survival chances, because we need wins rather than draws.

I think we need Festy as well, he runs at players, and they don't like that and if he beats them a few times they start to get nervous.

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Too early to rule out Peterborough or Barnsley for that matter, particularly as they have games in hand.  They could both still string a couple of wins together, gain some momentum/hope and the pressure builds again.  We will go through a sticky patch or two, but hopefully we have the team spirit and support of the fans to get through it.

Both of those are down. I think by matchday 36 they will both be bottom two and adrift, requiring to overhaul 2 or 3 sides to get out of it. By that stage the towel will be thrown in.

The next month is crucial for our own chances. I look at Reading’s next six fixtures against Coventry, Posh, Preston, Brum, Blackpool and Millwall and if the shoe was on the other foot, I’d be targeting 10 points at the very least from that lot.

I don’t think Derby can afford to be more than 7 pts adrift with 10 games to go to stand a chance.

[Jimbo Ram]

2 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

Both of those are down. I think by matchday 36 they will both be bottom two and adrift, requiring to overhaul 2 or 3 sides to get out of it. By that stage the towel will be thrown in.

The next month is crucial for our own chances. I look at Reading’s next six fixtures against Coventry, Posh, Preston, Brum, Blackpool and Millwall and if the shoe was on the other foot, I’d be targeting 10 points at the very least from that lot.

I don’t think Derby can afford to be more than 7 pts adrift with 10 games to go to stand a chance.

I think the key for us is to avoid injuries and suspensions. An injury to Curtis, Knight, Bielik or Plange will leave us very light…..

[Wistaston Ram]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Barnsley - 0.5 ppg so far this season

Peterborough - 0.7 ppg so far

Reading - 1.58 ppg over the first 12 games. Since then, they've dropped to 0.53

 

All 3 sides need a massive turn around in form to stop us!

I take your point that it seems unlikely that Barnsley and Peterborough will escape based on past form, but your figures for Reading indicate that form can change dramatically. Lets hope that our and the three teams' ppg continues at the same rate!

[Zag zig]

8 hours ago, roboto said:

Tin pot club with tin pot fans.

Tin pot trophy cabinet ?

[DarkFruitsRam7]

11 hours ago, TimRam said:

Probably been mentioned but that goal difference will come in useful.

Yep. If we’re 1 or 2 goals down we might as well go for it. If we get enough points to catch 21st, our goal difference will almost certainly be better than theirs regardless.

[plymouthram]

4 hours ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Too early to rule out Peterborough or Barnsley for that matter, particularly as they have games in hand.  They could both still string a couple of wins together, gain some momentum/hope and the pressure builds again.  We will go through a sticky patch or two, but hopefully we have the team spirit and support of the fans to get through it.

Barnsley have won 2 games so far this season, Peterboro have won 5 and that makes a total of 7 wins between them. Derby have won 9 and Reading have won 8, both clubs have been docked points and still look in a better position than Barnsley and Peterboro. I can not see them suddenly having a burst of good form. I'm writing them off and they will take up 2 relegation spots. Reading have'nt won a League match since November and have lost 6 on the bounce. Yes they could be due a win and their easiest matches on paper are this month, but March is Millwall, Forest, Bournemouth and Blackburn for them.

The Rams must close the gap either this month or in March, then the pressure will be on Reading. I expect Barnsley to be officially relegated by the start of April and possibly Peterboro mid-April, leaving one spot left to fill. Don't right off a team that could freefall and join the relegation battle, could be Birmingham, Hull or Cardiff.

[Zag zig]

If Reading don’t beat Peterborough, every Reading fan I know reckons they will implode; confidence is already so fragile.

[Marriot Ram99]

6 hours ago, Crewton said:

Festy is a game-changer : a player who can break the lines, create panic in the opposition defence which brings opportunities for others, as we saw the other night. We haven't got many of those. I think he's going to be pretty essential to our survival chances, because we need wins rather than draws.

We've played very well without him in the side as well and I'm still yet to be convinced on his end product and his ability to do some of the basics of the game properly. 

Raw talent and ability to beat players is there but think he is being abit overhyped after a few very good performances and a few average and crap ones as well. 

Wouldn't class him as a key player for us yet,maybe in a few weeks time if he keeps playing like he did vs Hull I'll change my mind but as of yet I think Davies, Lawrence and Bielik are our key men. And if Kazim doesn't hit form /fitness then Plange staying fit will be very important as well. 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Marriot Ram99