Lincoln City (H), 7.45pm Tuesday 14th February.

[SKRam]

56 minutes ago, alram said:

two tough games coming up next, we will need a few positive results from those to keep the momentum up.

 

i know it sounds basic to say but the teams in the top half are winning A LOT of games, there is not many slip ups. even after our brilliant run, we are still not secure in the playoffs.

Tough games at any time. Gets to the stage where those who’ve been in poor form start kicking in to life to stay up. I’d never take any opposition lightly, specially when spoiling tactics play a part big time in this division. All needs dealing with. Could be a roller coaster end to the season. Perfect for any Ram ???

[TuffLuff]

My observations from watching the last two games 

1) much like last season our lack of January transfer business might bugger our season up. I know a lot would like a goal scorer or an attacking player, but I think the player we’ve not replaced is James Chester. Not that he’s an outstanding player but he’s a steady head with a bit of nous. Whilst Smith and the defence are generally playing well maybe we do lack that player who can fill a gap for a few games.

2) teams are now playing deeper against us and we don’t have an answer right now. How I’d describe our play is like ‘bad 5 a side’, in that you put the ball out wide to a player in space but positionally can’t do anything because we aren’t moving defenders around we are just passing into space. Therefore we have a lot of crosses that were quite aimless. This changed slightly with Sibley and Barkhuizen in fairness. Personally I think we need to play through the middle more and get Knight in and around the box.

3) I wouldn’t be too obsessed with an unbeaten run at the minute as it’s more about finding a pattern of play to counter how the opposition is now setting up. To me, we have 16 games left, therefore we have 6 to  just keep up with the pack and work out a plan B or C and see where we are at. If those above start creating a real gap then I don’t think we have to squad depth to keep up, and I think play offs are most likely now, but realistically you’ve got to expect that those above will have a drop in form between now and the end of the season and we need to be in a position to take advantage 

[DavesaRam]

Well it took the ref 10 minutes to t***, and then he twatted like a professional t***. It was the soft yellow on Collins for daring to challenge for the ball. But then I saw something completely unique - in all the years of being a Ram I have never seen a ref change his mind because of the noise of the home fans. And even more, he did it twice, firstly for the yellow card for House lashing out like a spoilt child not getting what he wants, and then again for the left back for his two GBH fouls on Mendez-Laing.

Derby had a poor first half, even though we created more chances! And on the odd occasions we weren’t sloppy and careless we looked the better team, but that was only for a few fleeting moments!

A few moments before the goal Lincoln caught us napping by taking a free-kick without the ref’s whistle, despite being told to wait for it. Their novel approach to the rules of the game was on show right from the start! And their goal: what was NMH thinking? They had one man back at half way while we had four players running clear. With almost the whole pitch to aim at, how on earth did he manage to get it to the Lincoln defender? Sloppy or what? With the Lincoln fans cheering at the replay of the goal because of how far offside it was, the ref was bound to be informed at half time. Soft peno to even things up, anybody? No chance! Hourihane was massively shoved in the area with a two-hander but nothing given. Our offside goal wasn’t evening things up, either. It was just a totally useless lino.

It was obvious early on that Knight was playing too deep, and that we were short in midfield. The latter serves to highlight Warne’s tendency towards stubbornness. He has found that a midfield two is lightweight and gets over-run, but persisted  with it last night, and he keeps doing the same with Collins and McGoldrick up front -that too doesn’t work. I fear this will continue. He likes to get the ball out wide and cross it, which is all we did last night until the red card. Its his signature style, but  he needs to have the right players to do it, and we don’t. Wingers who can cross, for instance, or a target man who will get on the end of crosses, and Collins doesn’t. The only tome he has gambled on a cross was on Saturday, and he scored!

Playing more through the middle, and to feet is m what got us going on our unbeaten run, because it works. How about it, Paul?

And the cheating: their number 15 should have had two yellows for diving, one with no Derby player near him, plus another for simulating an injury during the goalkeeper scandal, and as many as 8 Lincoln players could have been on cards.

We need to get out of this league pronto!

Edited February 15, 2023 by DavesaRam

[Sparkle]

I missed the game as I am away but I have just watched the highlights - we didn’t seem to create much ? We’re Lincoln good? We’re we crap? 
if you watch the highlights and based on the highlights Sibley, Barkhauzen and Hourihane looked the more productive players with a busy Knight 

[jimtastic56]

49 minutes ago, Crewton said:

He had to be badgered into booking him in the first half by our players for what was a clear professional foul. When he made an even worse challenge on McGoldrick, the ref really had no choice but to card him again.

That said, I don't think he was responsible for the worst officiating mistakes last night, he was just weak at controlling their timewasting.

McGoldrick was banging the floor like he had been shot for the 2nd foul. Our lads crowding the ref. Warne knows a bit about the “Dark Arts” . Got to meet fire with fire.

[Crewton]

1 hour ago, jimtastic56 said:

McGoldrick was banging the floor like he had been shot for the 2nd foul. Our lads crowding the ref. Warne knows a bit about the “Dark Arts” . Got to meet fire with fire.

Yes, he made sure the ref knew he'd been fouled, but in this case only Knight actually reacted, and none of our players ran towards either the ref or House. In this division, that's pretty rare.

[minesahartington]

17 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

Interesting to see so many people saying Cashin had a poor game when WhoScored has him second to Hourihane (who presumably gets a high mark because of his goal?). Was Cash objectively poor, or maybe just not up to his normal high standards?

By these stats, Sibley was comfortably our third best in terms of impacting the match, despite having fewer minutes than anyone else. Collins doesn't come out of it looking great.

A lot of people on here agreeing with the MotM performance given in the ground for Fozzy. 

 

Cash was very poor uncharacteristically. Out paced a few times, poor passes etc Bit of a shock but hopefully out of his system now

[SKRam]

Ok had time to digest and calm down…. We all have our opinions. I’m on my fourth pint in Mcr (Derby colours obvs) ….. I thought Roberts and Cashin were having proper off days. As many have alluded to, we are still in a magnificent position considering what EF ducking L have thrown at us. Bolton knocking ten in two is eye catching especially five at Boro (pity it’s not the middles). No need for panic and we have the capability despite some believing we’re lacking the striker PW was after. We’ll never know what and why he didn’t get his target(s). I’m a happy Ram, that’s always the case anyways, tough Saturday challenge, if we’re good enough, we’ll win, from my Leeds Ram( it’s true, Conor) to the far flung corners of the UK… including @Inverurie Ram we still believe. Our management have come to our club fully aware of the restrictions in place ….. Let’s keep the faith as we always have Rams. Raise a glass and believe. 

Edited February 15, 2023 by SKRam
Keep not have

[Jourdan]

Come the end of the season, we’ll have played close to 60 competitive games.

I think that is something worth factoring in before we rip apart the squad and the manager for drawing at home. The kind of draw that happens at every level, even to the elite of the Premier League.

We do have a strong group of players for this level, but we don’t have the squad size or depth to have a plan A, B and C and to be a opposition crushing juggernaut impervious to injuries or dips in form.

So of course there’ll be times when players dip below their usual standards. Of course there’ll be times when we miss a certain player and don’t look the same. Of course there’ll be times when Warne and his team of coaches get selections or tactics wrong. Of course also there will be times when the opposition get their tactics right and stop us from doing what we do well as Lincoln did last night.

I think credit has to go to Warne, the coaches and the players that they’ve set standards so high. We’ve lost just twice in 18 league games and there is widespread frustration and disappointment and even a draw feels like a loss.

I know it stems from people feeling like automatic promotion was in our grasp, but honestly it was always a long shot and it was very much reliant on one of the teams above us imploding. That hasn’t happened. What can we do?

I prefer to look at the positives. We are one point closer to the magic 80 point mark and probably only need 7-8 wins and a handful of draws to be sure of the play-offs, something that looks very achievable.

If we replicate our recent home form - 6 wins and two draws in 8 - we probably only need two away wins to make sure of a place in the top six.

I don’t see any reason to be frustrated or any reason to panic. We are right on track and if somehow we continue to waver, let’s not be despondent.

Warne and the players are giving it absolutely everything and we still have so much to play for.

[Jimbo Ram]

One loss in 18 league games, what a disaster. The wins and unbeaten runs of other teams around us after a loss and draw for us have created a bit of pressure and I think top 2 is now beyond us. Still well-placed for a play off spot. Just seen the highlights of last nights game, why was McGoldrick’s winner ruled out?

[Brammie Steve]

I didn't expect to see the Rams commit the schooboy error of kick and rush where the whole team dashes forward leaving the goalie stranded to face a lone attacker resulting in a freak goal!
I was the unfortunate goalie in our office team when the other ten kept rushing into the opposite half and it's not pleasant!

Well done to Wildsmith for restricting their goal tally to one!

[angieram]

Ederson  just booked for time wasting in the 37th minute - this ref has a bit more bottle than the one last night! 

[FlyBritishMidland]

8 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

From skimming through this thread, some... I repeat "SOME"... comments appear to suggest that the respective writer(s) have forgotten:

1/  Just where this club was, 12 months ago.
2/  Just how our squad was looking, just a week or two before the season started.
3/  Just how young some of these now-regular players are, and how much learning they still have to do.
4/  Just how galling terms like "Criminal", "Awful", "Worst game in a Derby shirt", and even the lesser "Not good enough" can be, when referring to those referred to in point 3 above.

 

Yes... I know... It's a forum... Opinions matter.

But still, eh!  ?

And you could add the age mix of the squad (young, old but lacking in between) and that a lot of these players are playing more games than before in their careers.

Regardless of tactics, a lot of players were below par in the same game and it was an off-night for us.  But that happens sometimes and is inevitable over a season.  And it may happen again.  We still have an extremely good chance of the play-offs and other teams around us will also have an off-day or 2.

[Just Visiting]

Hi everyone, Lincoln City fan here. Just been having a read of your forum, I find it interesting to see what other fans think after a game whether we win, lose or draw (I recommend it if you don't do it, but don't take things too personally!).

 

Here are my thoughts on the game for what it's worth. I thought we were the better team up until the sending off (although that could be my red and white tinted glasses) and worthy of our lead. We were solid on the wings, in the centre and looked dangerous on the counter. As for the red card, I thought the 2nd yellow was correct (and was a really unnecessary challenge by House, especially as he avoided the temptation of another one about 3 seconds earlier), but the 1st yellow was 50/50. Not sure the ref was going to give it until the Derby players and 20,000 fans changed his mind, although I could be doing him a disservice and maybe he was just taking his time.

After that the game totally changed, we just defended and had fewer chances going forward. We did employ some 'game management' by breaking the game up and slowing things down, but we were adapting to the situation. It's not a standard 'dark arts' game plan as some are suggesting and the thing is, everyone does it nowadays (showing my age!) when the time is right. Do you honestly think Derby wouldn't do the same if you were a goal up and down to 10? I don't like it but we've had teams do it against us plenty of times, and for me, a team needs to be able to overcome it when they have to if they want to win. Didn't see the management telling our goalie to go down on ifollow but yeah, it was obvious what he was doing and again, it's the kind of thing teams do nowadays (personally I don't like any team doing it). 

Both goals looked offside and your one at the end was not clear either way - but I'll go with the lino's decision on that one ?. Thought it was certainly an entertaining game overall (could go on but think that's probably more than enough of my thoughts!).

 

 

 

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, Just Visiting said:

could go on but think that's probably more than enough of my thoughts

Well at least we have something we can agree on.

[Sufferingfool]

I think that is a fair reflection ‘Just Visiting’. We did not play well and Lincoln defended very well. When it looked for a second that we had nicked all 3 points I felt elated but also that we had got away with one! Overall the ref was equally erratic for both sides and managed to lose both sets of fans early on with his decisions. I’m confident we won’t be so wasteful with the ball on Saturday and am looking forward to what the rest of the season brings….it’s been great so far.

[Ellafella]

5 hours ago, DavesaRam said:

Well it took the ref 10 minutes to t***, and then he twatted like a professional t***. It was the soft yellow on Collins for daring to challenge for the ball. But then I saw something completely unique - in all the years of being a Ram I have never seen a ref change his mind because of the noise of the home fans. And even more, he did it twice, firstly for the yellow card for House lashing out like a spoilt child not getting what he wants, and then again for the left back for his two GBH fouls on Mendez-Laing.

Derby had a poor first half, even though we created more chances! And on the odd occasions we weren’t sloppy and careless we looked the better team, but that was only for a few fleeting moments!

A few moments before the goal Lincoln caught us napping by taking a free-kick without the ref’s whistle, despite being told to wait for it. Their novel approach to the rules of the game was on show right from the start! And their goal: what was NMH thinking? They had one man back at half way while we had four players running clear. With almost the whole pitch to aim at, how on earth did he manage to get it to the Lincoln defender? Sloppy or what? With the Lincoln fans cheering at the replay of the goal because of how far offside it was, the ref was bound to be informed at half time. Soft peno to even things up, anybody? No chance! Hourihane was massively shoved in the area with a two-hander but nothing given. Our offside goal wasn’t evening things up, either. It was just a totally useless lino.

It was obvious early on that Knight was playing too deep, and that we were short in midfield. The latter serves to highlight Warne’s tendency towards stubbornness. He has found that a midfield two is lightweight and gets over-run, but persisted  with it last night, and he keeps doing the same with Collins and McGoldrick up front -that too doesn’t work. I fear this will continue. He likes to get the ball out wide and cross it, which is all we did last night until the red card. Its his signature style, but  he needs to have the right players to do it, and we don’t. Wingers who can cross, for instance, or a target man who will get on the end of crosses, and Collins doesn’t. The only tome he has gambled on a cross was on Saturday, and he scored!

Playing more through the middle, and to feet is m what got us going on our unbeaten run, because it works. How about it, Paul?

And the cheating: their number 15 should have had two yellows for diving, one with no Derby player near him, plus another for simulating an injury during the goalkeeper scandal, and as many as 8 Lincoln players could have been on cards.

We need to get out of this league pronto!

Superb analysis @DavesaRam. ?

[Tamworthram]

49 minutes ago, Just Visiting said:

Hi everyone, Lincoln City fan here. Just been having a read of your forum, I find it interesting to see what other fans think after a game whether we win, lose or draw (I recommend it if you don't do it, but don't take things too personally!).

 

Here are my thoughts on the game for what it's worth. I thought we were the better team up until the sending off (although that could be my red and white tinted glasses) and worthy of our lead. We were solid on the wings, in the centre and looked dangerous on the counter. As for the red card, I thought the 2nd yellow was correct (and was a really unnecessary challenge by House, especially as he avoided the temptation of another one about 3 seconds earlier), but the 1st yellow was 50/50. Not sure the ref was going to give it until the Derby players and 20,000 fans changed his mind, although I could be doing him a disservice and maybe he was just taking his time.

After that the game totally changed, we just defended and had fewer chances going forward. We did employ some 'game management' by breaking the game up and slowing things down, but we were adapting to the situation. It's not a standard 'dark arts' game plan as some are suggesting and the thing is, everyone does it nowadays (showing my age!) when the time is right. Do you honestly think Derby wouldn't do the same if you were a goal up and down to 10? I don't like it but we've had teams do it against us plenty of times, and for me, a team needs to be able to overcome it when they have to if they want to win. Didn't see the management telling our goalie to go down on ifollow but yeah, it was obvious what he was doing and again, it's the kind of thing teams do nowadays (personally I don't like any team doing it). 

Both goals looked offside and your one at the end was not clear either way - but I'll go with the lino's decision on that one ?. Thought it was certainly an entertaining game overall (could go on but think that's probably more than enough of my thoughts!).

 

 

 

 

Can’t really argue with that fairly reasonable summary.

I agree every club, including Derby, resort to the dark arts of time wasting when circumstances dictate however, it did seem to to be lowered to a new low yesterday. I’ve never seen the coaches telling the goal keeper to go down (I know it wasn’t technically time wasting but rather designed to stop the play in order to allow your substitution to be made) in full knowledge that the keeper is the only player that doesn’t have to leave the field after treatment. I also found it somewhat bizarre when two of your defenders went down only for one of them seemingly to argue with the ref when instructed to leave the field after treatment.

[Ellafella]

49 minutes ago, Just Visiting said:

Hi everyone, Lincoln City fan here. Just been having a read of your forum, I find it interesting to see what other fans think after a game whether we win, lose or draw (I recommend it if you don't do it, but don't take things too personally!).

 

Here are my thoughts on the game for what it's worth. I thought we were the better team up until the sending off (although that could be my red and white tinted glasses) and worthy of our lead. We were solid on the wings, in the centre and looked dangerous on the counter. As for the red card, I thought the 2nd yellow was correct (and was a really unnecessary challenge by House, especially as he avoided the temptation of another one about 3 seconds earlier), but the 1st yellow was 50/50. Not sure the ref was going to give it until the Derby players and 20,000 fans changed his mind, although I could be doing him a disservice and maybe he was just taking his time.

After that the game totally changed, we just defended and had fewer chances going forward. We did employ some 'game management' by breaking the game up and slowing things down, but we were adapting to the situation. It's not a standard 'dark arts' game plan as some are suggesting and the thing is, everyone does it nowadays (showing my age!) when the time is right. Do you honestly think Derby wouldn't do the same if you were a goal up and down to 10? I don't like it but we've had teams do it against us plenty of times, and for me, a team needs to be able to overcome it when they have to if they want to win. Didn't see the management telling our goalie to go down on ifollow but yeah, it was obvious what he was doing and again, it's the kind of thing teams do nowadays (personally I don't like any team doing it). 

Both goals looked offside and your one at the end was not clear either way - but I'll go with the lino's decision on that one ?. Thought it was certainly an entertaining game overall (could go on but think that's probably more than enough of my thoughts!).

 

 

 

 

That’s the point - we don’t. We are a footballing city and we certainly don’t sink that low. I was embarrassed for your fans last night and had we not had a very weak referee { there’s a glut of them these days} your team’s s*** housery, as directed from your technical area, would have seen more of your players booked. This isn’t bitterness speaking but frankly it was a disgrace; and a pity because your team did play well and I was impressed by your support. We all love football and sporting endeavour - your team sank below the acceptable line on that score last night which for me spoiled the positives; you wouldn’t have got away with it had there been decent officials strong enough to apply the spirit of the laws of the game. Well done to you otherwise. 

[i-Ram]

16 minutes ago, Ellafella said:

That’s the point - we don’t. We are a footballing city and we certainly don’t sink that low. I was embarrassed for your fans last night and had we not had a very weak referee { there’s a glut of them these days} your team’s s*** housery, as directed from your technical area, would have seen more of your players booked. This isn’t bitterness speaking but frankly it was a disgrace; and a pity because your team did play well and I was impressed by your support. We all love football and sporting endeavour - your team sank below the acceptable line on that score last night which for me spoiled the positives; you wouldn’t have got away with it had there been decent officials strong enough to apply the spirit of the laws of the game. Well done to you otherwise.