MK Dons (H) Monday 10th April, 3pm KO

[Jimbo Ram]

10 hours ago, Andicis said:

The reason he didn't get it today was poor refereeing. It's a penalty by the rules. Not interested in this soft penalty nonsense, pushing your arm/shoulder into someone's back is a penalty and always will be. Claiming Knight is diving is laughable.

Should have had last week’s ref when we won……only Duncan Ferguson has been critical of him, funny that 🤣

[SSD]

Having a night sleep to take everything in, 25+ shots and plenty of possession will win you most matches. Law of averages and all that jazz. You'd have to be very unlucky and/or really awful at finishing not to get 3 points. Since the start of 2023, we've heavily relied on Didzy's goals and even when he does score, the lack of goal contributions around the squad has been terrible, meaning Derby can't get over the line. I think that's been a long term problem for the past 4/5 years, even with a complete overhaul of the squad. Nowhere near enough goals. 6th most goals in the  league sounds decent on paper however with the amount of talented players on the field, who have proven to score goals at this level, we should be top 3 easily. It seems to me this team look absolutely knackered by 60mins, only against the poorer sides do Derby look like they can complete a full game without completely falling apart.

Defensively I think we've been solid enough this season. A few howlers here and there but we've had 20 clean sheets which is very respectable. As many posters have pointed out, the game management which was key to PW's success has vanished in the last 3-4 months and ultimately this, the fatigue in the older players (not enough rotation in my view), has put the brakes on our promotion push. We were talking about how we could go for an unlikely top 2 finish with the momentum the team built. Now we're struggling to even make the playoffs. 

If we've now built a solid relationship with the EFL, freeing the shackles on transfer policy, the manager has the summer to recruit some of his players. Only then I think it's fair to judge him. The squad we currently have is top 10, the lack of quality in depth around certain areas has been exposed. I think many supporters keep forgetting the teams above us have either had time to gel as a group and the managers have been with the team at least 2 seasons (Ferguson dips in and out at Boro). I'm still hopeful, with less EFL restrictions, we'll be challenging for the top next season. 

 

 

 

 

[Crewton]

I think the whole world of football fandom would be sniggering like that MK fan in the director's box if they one day fell out of the league. No-one really likes Franchise FC, do they?

However, they really shouldn't have had anything to laugh about yesterday. We really let them off the hook. I didn't see any of the penalty claims clearly enough to have an opinion but, like many, I thought the ref lost the plot early in the 2nd half after looking competent before that, but the loss of two points was entirely of our own doing. It's mostly on the players, but like others I didn't think Warne's substitutions improved us, quite the opposite in fact. 

Perhaps now it really is s*** or bust, the players and manager will really go for it, but I'm not convinced we have enough left in the tank to make it this season. I hope I'm wrong.

 

 

[CBRammette]

27 minutes ago, SSD said:

Having a night sleep to take everything in, 25+ shots and plenty of possession will win you most matches. Law of averages and all that jazz. You'd have to be very unlucky and/or really awful at finishing not to get 3 points. Since the start of 2023, we've heavily relied on Didzy's goals and even when he does score, the lack of goal contributions around the squad has been terrible, meaning Derby can't get over the line. I think that's been a long term problem for the past 4/5 years, even with a complete overhaul of the squad. Nowhere near enough goals. 6th most goals in the  league sounds decent on paper however with the amount of talented players on the field, who have proven to score goals at this level, we should be top 3 easily. It seems to me this team look absolutely knackered by 60mins, only against the poorer sides do Derby look like they can complete a full game without completely falling apart.

Defensively I think we've been solid enough this season. A few howlers here and there but we've had 20 clean sheets which is very respectable. As many posters have pointed out, the game management which was key to PW's success has vanished in the last 3-4 months and ultimately this, the fatigue in the older players (not enough rotation in my view), has put the brakes on our promotion push. We were talking about how we could go for an unlikely top 2 finish with the momentum the team built. Now we're struggling to even make the playoffs. 

If we've now built a solid relationship with the EFL, freeing the shackles on transfer policy, the manager has the summer to recruit some of his players. Only then I think it's fair to judge him. The squad we currently have is top 10, the lack of quality in depth around certain areas has been exposed. I think many supporters keep forgetting the teams above us have either had time to gel as a group and the managers have been with the team at least 2 seasons (Ferguson dips in and out at Boro). I'm still hopeful, with less EFL restrictions, we'll be challenging for the top next season. 

 

 

 

 

Your first para re goals scored is spot on especially from around team other than Didzy - its woeful. But Sibley doesnt get a run further up to get going 🤷‍♀️

20/21 scored 36 and 21/22 45. Not surprising really with the MM spiral of chaos hitting us. We need to hope the Oxford chap earns his money 

[Tamworthram]

Slightly off topic from the debate about whether we should have won or not, how poor the officials were or how ridiculous the time wasting was, what is it with Smith’s boots? Twice yesterday and twice against Ipswich he had to either take a boot off and put it back on again or just re-tie his laces. As an aside from this, I’ve not been Smith’s biggest fan (too slow on the ball and gets caught in possession too easily) but yesterday I thought he was outstanding.

[Derbados]

Yesterday was bizarre, we played very well first half and should have been out of sight by HT, few things i took from the game - 

Our finishing is woeful, as is our decision making in the final third, it’s laughably bad at times, don’t get me started on set pieces (finally scored from a corner though!)

Didzy aside, the current crop of strikers are the worst I’ve seen at Derby, Connor Sammon would walk into this team at the moment, that’s how bad they are.

NML had an absolute stinker and should have been taken off, what’s the point in being able to run and take people on if every pass or shot thereafter is absolute garbage. Gave up for their goal, inexcusable. 

You can see the players absolutely gas out at about 60 mins, some beforehand. Nowhere near fit enough as a team to play Warnes style, fitness training wise pre season under Warne is going to be horrific for the players! 

We lack any leadership or presence, we need some ‘orrible hacker in the midfield areas that can break up play and start smashing people in to Row Z and calm things down on the ball. 

We are desperate for athletes in this team, we need at least 3-4 mid 20’s players to compliment what we have, which I’m sure Warne will address in the summer.

[Caerphilly Ram]

50 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

Slightly off topic from the debate about whether we should have won or not, how poor the officials were or how ridiculous the time wasting was, what is it with Smith’s boots? Twice yesterday and twice against Ipswich he had to either take a boot off and put it back on again or just re-tie his laces. As an aside from this, I’ve not been Smith’s biggest fan (too slow on the ball and gets caught in possession too easily) but yesterday I thought he was outstanding.

I also thought he had a very good game, was playing the role of that sitting midfielder very well, covering the back 3, breaking up play and moving the ball on, doing the simple bits very well that laid a platform for our better attacking play (and subsequent woeful finishing). My one criticism is that he, like NML, put in a very tired effort in the build up to their goal. Another example of the limitations within the squad, I think the Korey Smith of a couple of years ago gets a tackle or block in as their man pulls the ball back from the byline. I just watched the highlights again from yesterday, he drops back as NML goes to close their man down, but once NML is beaten Smith’s effort just isn’t enough to get there to stop the cross. 

[kevinhectoring]

16 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

Called it last home match. Constantly diving trying to buy fouls. If we are going to be criticising referees every week, lets also criticise players that are making their jobs harder by trying to con them.

Knight is smarter than that. His trick is not diving and conning the ref, in Joswiak rag doll fashion. Instead he cons players into fouling him. Refs have little option but to give the foul and invariably they do. His brain is as quick as his feet

But the ‘pen’ yesterday was not that. Nor was it simulation. Strong call by a ref who probably got all the penalty calls right 

[Dcfcsr92]

16 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Lol. You mean for all of the 10 minutes he got at LWB? 😄

Whilst White did what exactly that Bird couldn't have done better?

I really like sibley he worked hard, he just lost the ball alot yesterday, bird he needs to release the ball quicker and he needs to tackle harder its like he scared to tackle and and heading the ball he doesn't challenge, he just jumps with no intention to header the ball

[Sparkle]

Wildsmith - nothing to do bar pick the ball out of the net 

Rooney - ok but again up the pitch too much when 3 at the back 

Cashin - tying to do too much 

Roberts - did well but again too far up the pitch when 3 at the back 

Smith - played well - no idea why he was subbed off 

Hourihane - tried but not his day 

knight - again caught waiting for contact in the box rather than taking a decent chance to shoot

mendiz Lang - did some things excellently and some things badly but still our main creative player like it or not 

Barkhauzen - shame his shot didn’t go in when he hit the post otherwise a average game 

McGoldrick - tries his best 

Collins - blindingly obvious that he is better with a partner up front - came close a couple of times to scoring 

subs - I didn’t see them improve on the starting X1 

[MadAmster]

Ref was crap but does seem to know the rules better than most fans. Two shouts for penalties for handball, neither were. One saw the arm tucked up against the body, the other... well, it was Collo who handled. The 3rd shout was for the Knight incident. That's a 6 and 2 threes issue to me. As many refs would have given it as wouldn't have. This one didn't. Why? IMO he thought that Knight veered off course to invite the challenge. He did change course. Nowt the defender could do will have been the reasoning. I'd have given it. The defender caused Knighty to go down. It was far more a penalty than the one Plymouth got against us... whilst watching on RamsTV I said immediately "It's a penalty and he won't give it".

2nd game on the trot we limited the opposition to just 3 shots. Nothing much wrong defensively. Going forward we lack bite and a decent last pass in the final third. Players trying overly intricate stuff. Overhitting crosses. Wrong choices. Missing the target when hitting it is a much easier option. Choosing to shoot low when the keeper is coming down to smother a shot, give it a bit of air and in it goes.

Ref way too lax on time wasting and on "injuries". Getting rules wrong as well. Cash and Collo collided and needed treatment. Ref let Cash stay on but Collo had to leave the field. Wrong. Should both have been allowed to stay on...

The rotund bint aint started to clear her throat as yet but I think we are now likely to miss out on the playoffs. Pompey at home and Wendy away in the last 2 games of the season means we'll have to get max points in the next 5 games to have a chance. Our toothless tigers up top will ensure we don't...

[Crewton]

Whatever it was, it wasn't "shoulder to shoulder" - it was clearly shoulder to shoulder-blade at best. Notice also the referee's position - 30+ yards away directly in line, view of contact blocked by the defender so he couldn't see the point of contact. "I've seen them given" is an understatement. Of course, we should have buried one of our many other chances and stopped them scoring, but that doesn't mean that the incident above was insignificant.

[G STAR RAM]

1 hour ago, kevinhectoring said:

Knight is smarter than that. His trick is not diving and conning the ref, in Joswiak rag doll fashion. Instead he cons players into fouling him. Refs have little option but to give the foul and invariably they do. His brain is as quick as his feet

But the ‘pen’ yesterday was not that. Nor was it simulation. Strong call by a ref who probably got all the penalty calls right 

He isnt though, referees are beginning to see through it, hence why his dive against Ipswich was also ignored by the officials.

[kevinhectoring]

53 minutes ago, Crewton said:

Whatever it was, it wasn't "shoulder to shoulder" - it was clearly shoulder to shoulder-blade at best. Notice also the referee's position - 30+ yards away directly in line, view of contact blocked by the defender so he couldn't see the point of contact. "I've seen them given" is an understatement. Of course, we should have buried one of our many other chances and stopped them scoring, but that doesn't mean that the incident above was insignificant.

Yes this is the angle to look at it from. The contact occurs because, as jules is catching up with him, Knight unnaturally throws himself to his left. 

“You’ve seen them given” is about as much as you can say. It was a good decision.

I’d have been incensed if this was given against us and I can’t imagine how many chapters it would inspire from the pen of@DavesaRam

[Crewton]

6 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

Yes this is the angle to look at it from. The contact occurs because, as jules is catching up with him, Knight unnaturally throws himself to his left. 

“You’ve seen them given” is about as much as you can say. It was a good decision.

I’d have been incensed if this was given against us and I can’t imagine how many chapters it would inspire from the pen of@DavesaRam

You must have been incensed quite a few times this season then?

BTW, are players supposed to run in straight lines, or should defenders not get so close when they have no chance of winning the ball cleanly or of avoiding contact?

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Crewton

[kevinhectoring]

42 minutes ago, Crewton said:

You must have been incensed quite a few times this season then?

BTW, are players supposed to run in straight lines, or should defenders not get so close when they have no chance of winning the ball cleanly or of avoiding contact?

 

Jules was running in a straight line and was absolutely skinning Knight for pace. And Knight threw himself to his left as Jules began to overtake him. Knight can run on whatever line he wants but if he’s changing direction to cause the contact it affects the ruling 
 

From the angle first shown on TV (not from the corner flag) it certainly does look like a pen, I agree. But the ref saw it from behind the two players which I think explains the decision. 

[MadAmster]

1 hour ago, Crewton said:

You must have been incensed quite a few times this season then?

BTW, are players supposed to run in straight lines, or should defenders not get so close when they have no chance of winning the ball cleanly or of avoiding contact?

 

Nowt to stop a player putting his body between an opponent and the ball. That's why I'd have given it. Also why I said it wouldn't get given by half the refs while the other half would.....

[ram59]

46 minutes ago, MadAmster said:

Nowt to stop a player putting his body between an opponent and the ball. That's why I'd have given it. Also why I said it wouldn't get given by half the refs while the other half would.....

As I've previously said about the penalties given against us this season, Knight was going away from goal and looking for any kind of contact and I applaud referees for not buying these penalties. However, I crave consistancy in these decisions and the only consistancy that we've seen lately is that most of the ones against us are given and all the ones for us aren't given.

[kevinhectoring]

1 hour ago, MadAmster said:

Nowt to stop a player putting his body between an opponent and the ball. 

That’s knight’s usual trick. Yes it’s a foul.
 

But not what happened yesterday. He’s being utterly roasted by Jules the flying Scotsman and he hurls himself onto the rails just as he passes. And way after he has lost control of the ball 
 

Look slowly at the replay from the corner flag and please stop posting your reveries 

[kevinhectoring]

5 hours ago, Derbados said:

NML had an absolute stinker and should have been taken off, what’s the point in being able to run and take people on if every pass or shot thereafter is absolute garbage. Gave up for their goal, inexcusable. 

He was knackered after Friday. And he was up against Jules and Lewington. Jules is as fast as NMl and it’s to NML’s credit that he made it to the bye line so many times.

Problem is, it’s such an effort to get there and he gets there by such a small margin that his cross is rubbish. Oh and anyway we don’t have players who will score headers in open play even if he gets lucky and hits a good cross. 

Every manager we come up against looks at the videos and sees NML is a threat and our main ‘outlet’. If his team has a fast LB or LM, then the NML threat is contained as it was yesterday. This is not hindsight - NML should not have started yesterday. Barks prefers the right and he and Knight link well. That should have been our starting line up. And if you introduce NML after 65, that’s a sea change for the defence to weather as they tire. 

Warne has told us we have a problem with old players and fatigue. Happened yesterday with Hourihane at 60 and NML was suffering all game. He needs to try making subs that are proactive not reactive.