Matchday Thread - Mansfield Town v Derby County (09/08 19:45)

[Donnyram]

2 hours ago, jimtastic56 said:

Went to the game last night and thought it was very entertaining. Sibley and Cashin looked like they could play at a much higher level. However as for Collins , I don’t think he will get more than 10 goals this season unfortunately. It takes him far too long to line the ball up to shoot.

Time will tell….. just my opinion from what I’ve seen.  He maybe “taking more time” because he’s still searching for his first goal for the club…… once that monkey is off his back he maybe more instinctive 

[BramcoteRam84]

My first game of the season last night as been at weddings the past two weekends. Player observations:

Wildsmith - Like him but still getting used to being sweeper keeper taking a few too many risks

Odouroh - Not ready yet

Cashin - made some daft errors over playing but recovered every time. Building on last season, stand by my prediction he’ll be one of best CBs in the league this season 

Stearman - worst player on the pitch, badly needed minutes looked very rusty so hopefully will stand him in good stead.

Foz - Typical foz, know what you’re going to get solid option

Smith - Got better as game went on. Calm head. Excellent option at this level. 

Tommo - struggled until Barkhuizen and Mendez Laing came on, moved inside alongside Smith (his rightful position) and finished game well, did play important role in first goal

Sibley - Excellent. Has to start Saturday

Dobbin - first half excellent struggled when they moved Bowery to CB. Like him causes problems and works hard.

Knight - Everywhere as normal

Rooney - What a debut, a serious serious talent who could be as good as Bielik. Possibly better. 
 

Subs changed the game, Barky and Mendez-Laing class at this level, everyone is behind Collins willing him to score. He will score he’s doing all the right things.

Overall - we didn’t deserve to win last night but we made 7 changes and used it as a test for the kids and they passed with flying colours and ground out a win helped by the big guns. We could barely put an 11 out 4-5 weeks ago. Massive progress.

All the players signed seem to be the right characters. They have talent but they are all grafters. That’s vital.

Its time to get very very excited about the potential of this squad. Once it clicks we will be on fire and have the potential not only to be promoted this season but be competitive in the championship next season.

I honestly don’t know how you fit everyone in the team in midfield and attack. Good players will be left out. We desperately need a right back. 

 

[jono]

3 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

 

 Cheers Roy. Loved both those goals. Lovely weighted pass from Tommo, first time cross. Ok so an OG but it was going in because we opened them up by moving the ball first time / quickly. The second was a beautiful 1-2 then : 

”Normous Monster Locomotive”  at full tilt, you can’t stop a train like him. Great ball in, great position and finish by TB 

Happy days 

Edited August 10, 2022 by jono

[DavesaRam]

56 minutes ago, jono said:

 Cheers Roy. Loved both those goals. Lovely weighted pass from Tommo, first time cross. Ok so an OG but it was going in because we opened them up by moving the ball first time / quickly. The second was a beautiful 1-2 then : 

”Normous Monster Locomotive”  at full tilt, you can’t stop a train like him. Great ball in, great position and finish by TB 

Happy days 

“Normous Monster Locomotive” - I like it!

[Ellafella]

2 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

In the two league game so far, this is how Sibley ranks per 90 minutes:
Tackles - 2nd (behind Dobbin)
Dribbled past - Joint 1st (never beaten)
Interceptions - 4th (behind Bird, Davies and Knight)
Fouls - Joint 1st (0 fouls committed)
Passes blocked - 3rd (behind Forsyth with1 block in 6 minutes of game time, and NML)

A big criticism from me in the past was him getting involved in games. An AM must get involved in play and he rarely did that. This season he has improved significantly - passing the ball more regularly than Hourihane and Smith, and only a little bit behind Bird.

What's the source of your data @Ghost of Clough

[Ellafella]

1 hour ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

My first game of the season last night as been at weddings the past two weekends. Player observations:

Wildsmith - Like him but still getting used to being sweeper keeper taking a few too many risks

Odouroh - Not ready yet

Cashin - made some daft errors over playing but recovered every time. Building on last season, stand by my prediction he’ll be one of best CBs in the league this season 

Stearman - worst player on the pitch, badly needed minutes looked very rusty so hopefully will stand him in good stead.

Foz - Typical foz, know what you’re going to get solid option

Smith - Got better as game went on. Calm head. Excellent option at this level. 

Tommo - struggled until Barkhuizen and Mendez Laing came on, moved inside alongside Smith (his rightful position) and finished game well, did play important role in first goal

Sibley - Excellent. Has to start Saturday

Dobbin - first half excellent struggled when they moved Bowery to CB. Like him causes problems and works hard.

Knight - Everywhere as normal

Rooney - What a debut, a serious serious talent who could be as good as Bielik. Possibly better. 
 

Subs changed the game, Barky and Mendez-Laing class at this level, everyone is behind Collins willing him to score. He will score he’s doing all the right things.

Overall - we didn’t deserve to win last night but we made 7 changes and used it as a test for the kids and they passed with flying colours and ground out a win helped by the big guns. We could barely put an 11 out 4-5 weeks ago. Massive progress.

All the players signed seem to be the right characters. They have talent but they are all grafters. That’s vital.

Its time to get very very excited about the potential of this squad. Once it clicks we will be on fire and have the potential not only to be promoted this season but be competitive in the championship next season.

I honestly don’t know how you fit everyone in the team in midfield and attack. Good players will be left out. We desperately need a right back. 

 

@BramcoteRam84could I tempt you to turn that excellent summary into player ratings - see the Derby County V Mansfield PLayer Ratings Thread. 

[Ghost of Clough]

7 minutes ago, Ellafella said:

What's the source of your data @Ghost of Clough

Whoscored

[Ellafella]

1 hour ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

My first game of the season last night as been at weddings the past two weekends. Player observations:

Wildsmith - Like him but still getting used to being sweeper keeper taking a few too many risks

Odouroh - Not ready yet

Cashin - made some daft errors over playing but recovered every time. Building on last season, stand by my prediction he’ll be one of best CBs in the league this season 

Stearman - worst player on the pitch, badly needed minutes looked very rusty so hopefully will stand him in good stead.

Foz - Typical foz, know what you’re going to get solid option

Smith - Got better as game went on. Calm head. Excellent option at this level. 

Tommo - struggled until Barkhuizen and Mendez Laing came on, moved inside alongside Smith (his rightful position) and finished game well, did play important role in first goal

Sibley - Excellent. Has to start Saturday

Dobbin - first half excellent struggled when they moved Bowery to CB. Like him causes problems and works hard.

Knight - Everywhere as normal

Rooney - What a debut, a serious serious talent who could be as good as Bielik. Possibly better. 
 

Subs changed the game, Barky and Mendez-Laing class at this level, everyone is behind Collins willing him to score. He will score he’s doing all the right things.

Overall - we didn’t deserve to win last night but we made 7 changes and used it as a test for the kids and they passed with flying colours and ground out a win helped by the big guns. We could barely put an 11 out 4-5 weeks ago. Massive progress.

All the players signed seem to be the right characters. They have talent but they are all grafters. That’s vital.

Its time to get very very excited about the potential of this squad. Once it clicks we will be on fire and have the potential not only to be promoted this season but be competitive in the championship next season.

I honestly don’t know how you fit everyone in the team in midfield and attack. Good players will be left out. We desperately need a right back. 

 

^ Post of the season so far. It's so good, I could have written it. I entirely agree especially with "its time to get very very excited about the potential of this squad. Once it clicks we will be on fire and have the potential not only to be promoted this season but be competitive in the championship next season." 

I thought that after the Charlton game. Once we get some oil into the bowels of the machine it will fire like my 2L air-cooled VW engine in the back of my camper van and we will metaphorically pull uphill in 4th gear without a millisecond's hesitation. We just need to be patient, sit back and await the feast. I'll know it's coming when I see Collins thump one in from 18 yards and rip! the net from it's rigging. I thnik it may happen on Saturday v Barnsley although the heat may subdue football that day...but it's coming. 

[Ellafella]

Just now, Ghost of Clough said:

Whoscored

OG and Barkheuizen. ?

[Crewton]

2 hours ago, Premier ram said:

Was at the game last night , Louie Sibley must start on Saturday

I've only seen the 11 minute highlights on the OS, but he looked like he was doing exactly what he was doing when he first came into the first team squad 2 years ago. Hopefully, he's getting a fresh start and a burst of confidence from the 'new' manager.

[Ram Logan Josh]

5 hours ago, ilkleyram said:

In the early days of BBC commentary they used something similar - published a diagram in the Radio Times and during the commentary somebody next to the commentator would shout out the number of the square that the ball was in.

might be a useful job for Lineker

^^ This is where the phrase "back to square one" originated.

 

[Ellafella]

13 minutes ago, Ram Logan Josh said:

^^ This is where the phrase "back to square one" originated.

 

Apparently Victoria Coram Mitchell has squashed that particular apocryphal tale 

What is the origin of the phrase "back to square one?" | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk (theguardian.com)

[LeedsCityRam]

4 hours ago, sage said:

Not shirking a tackle and doing the defensive side of the game are not the same thing. He has a specific skill set. The things he does well he does well but the things he does badly he does very badly. He doesn't read other teams runs and shows poor defemsive judgement. 

I'm not sure you could start him in a midfield 3, especially away from home. Like Knight he is a good player in search of a position. 

He is doing better this season. He has come on against tiring League One teams and started against a League Two team so I'd be amazed if he wasn't. 

 

Agree with a lot of this & would also add there were times last season when he was struggling to hold onto the ball at all. Too lightweight/poor body shape & all too often a heavy touch. There have been improvements in this regard though, seems to have bulked up a little & retention of ball in final 3rd much better. Decision making seems better/more fluid too...hard to prove but a change in manager may have helped him relax a bit.

I would definitely start him against Barnsley as we're likely to have more of the play & it'll be instructive to see if he has the same impact from the start. I do like Korey Smith but he isnt the type of player to open up a defence. Fleetwood away a different kettle of fish but happy with Sibley to start so long as the basics (defensive shape/not getting easily provoked/holding the ball properly) are covered even if we can't expect him to constantly make a match winning impact.

Edited August 10, 2022 by LeedsCityRam

[sage]

3 hours ago, LeedsCityRam said:

Agree with a lot of this & would also add there were times last season when he was struggling to hold onto the ball at all. Too lightweight/poor body shape & all too often a heavy touch. There have been improvements in this regard though, seems to have bulked up a little & retention of ball in final 3rd much better. Decision making seems better/more fluid too...hard to prove but a change in manager may have helped him relax a bit.

I would definitely start him against Barnsley as we're likely to have more of the play & it'll be instructive to see if he has the same impact from the start. I do like Korey Smith but he isnt the type of player to open up a defence. Fleetwood away a different kettle of fish but happy with Sibley to start so long as the basics (defensive shape/not getting easily provoked/holding the ball properly) are covered even if we can't expect him to constantly make a match winning impact.

Would you keep the current 433 or move Hourihane deeper to make a 4231?

[LeedsCityRam]

21 minutes ago, sage said:

Would you keep the current 433 or move Hourihane deeper to make a 4231?

I'd stay with 433, on the basis that its more fluid & feel Hourihane would be wasted further back. He was very influential in building moves left side on Saturday & believe his presence also gets the best out of Barkhuizen.

There is insurance centrally with how narrow the full backs play but we will be vulnerable to the long ball into the channels. Both Hourihane & Sibley will need to be mindful of defensive shape without the ball (was encouraged by Hourihane's work rate Sat in that respect) but between those two, the 2 wingers & Collins, thats a lot of attacking outlets for Barnsley to cope with Sat. 

[RoyMac5]

 

[kevinhectoring]

9 hours ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Rooney - What a debut, a serious serious talent who could be as good as Bielik. Possibly better. 

Wow 

[Ram Logan Josh]

On 10/08/2022 at 15:35, Ellafella said:

Apparently Victoria Coram Mitchell has squashed that particular apocryphal tale 

What is the origin of the phrase "back to square one?" | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk (theguardian.com)

Yebbut, who are you going to believe, a fiercely intelligent professional poker player and quiz show host, married to a fiercely intelligent comedian, or me a numpty Rams fan?

[Ellafella]

11 minutes ago, Ram Logan Josh said:

Yebbut, who are you going to believe, a fiercely intelligent professional poker player and quiz show host, married to a fiercely intelligent comedian, or me a numpty Rams fan?

You mate of course.

[angieram]

Lots of positive comments between players on this post. The players seem to be bonding nicely!