This year's scapegoat

[Rammy03]

14 hours ago, LazloW said:

I think it’s fair to say that a lot of ‘fans’ have been storing this up for a year. Most of the usual suspects were cowed by the massive levels of positivity and togetherness last season and knew that their usual brand of utter b’llcks would not be tolerated.

The shackles are off this season and you can already sense the knives being sharpened. The very fact there is a thread debating who the scapegoat will be tells you something (even if started with good intentions).  

The previously toxic atmosphere at Pride Park disappeared last year. I hope it continues this season, but I fear a few poor games and it will get grim again.  We obviously need a bogey man to distract us from the odd misplaced pass. Frankly, I’d be more than happy spending another season focussing our negativity toward the Efl; a common foe, rather than digging out kids for not being up to our lofty standards.

Playing devils advocate, if some of the players we saw last night aren't good enough then why should fans pretend that they are? Obviously I don't condone abuse but there is nothing wrong with constructive criticism and pointing out that a player isn't up to it. I'm all for giving players an opportunity but there comes a point where they have to start showing something. This is Derby County and standards of the football club shouldn't be lowered for the sake of keeping a 'positive' atmosphere.

Either way, last night was irrelevant in terms of how we will do this season because it was a friendly. That lineup won't play together again and some of them won't play for us at all. 

At the end of the day as fans we can only ask that the players give everything for the shirt. The players did that last season and it was a huge factor in the togetherness and positive atmosphere. Long may that continue.