v Wigan (H) Match Thread

[Carnero]

1 hour ago, DavesaRam said:

I was baffled why Thompson was put up front - surely midfield would be his place, and yesterday in place of Hourihane instead of NML. 

NML went off with a hamstring injury/tightness.

Edited August 6, 2023 by Carnero

[Van der MoodHoover]

41 minutes ago, Carnero said:

NML went off with a hamstring injury/tightness.

Thought everyone was superfit after a full Warney pre-season?

Or was NML one of the injured/late ones to that?

[EraniosSocks]

1 hour ago, HorsforthRam said:

Not saying the season is decided at all. I can accept that it may take a few games for OUR team to “gel” but a general caveat that all teams take 5 games to get going means it’s still a level playing field at the start for everyone. 

Google regarding players and how the sharpness they have said comes within 5-10 games. We are not going to win every game this season and I still think we will be promoted. Just stick with it, it’s derby you should know it isn’t a plain ride 

[angieram]

19 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Thought everyone was superfit after a full Warney pre-season?

Or was NML one of the injured/late ones to that?

He was playing internationally,  missed all the graft! 

[FKANorwichExile]

34 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Thought everyone was superfit after a full Warney pre-season?

Or was NML one of the injured/late ones to that?

I think he went in for a tackle and over-stretched. He stayed down and looked in some pain, but by that point he was out on his feet anyway. He'd be a real handful if he had more than 50 minutes of running in him.

[ram59]

Football is a funny old game, only 1 stat counts and that is the final score.

Having said that I've had a quick look at some stats from yesterday, our xg or expected goals was a very accurate 0.97, but surprisingly that was the second highest in the division, just behind Portsmouth on 1.1 and miles ahead of Barnsley, who scored 7, on 0.58. In fact, Port Vale actually had more shots than Barnsley at 13 against 12. Our total shots were 21 with 5 on target, 8 off and 8 blocked, equal highest with Portsmouth and at least 5 attempts more than the rest of the home teams.

If only we'd put away one or more of those 3 or 4 chances in the early part of the game and not given away 2 stupid goals, we would be in a slightly better frame of mind. I'd like to think that none of our team will make a back pass as poor as that this season and likewise with our keepers making a mess of a simple cross and under no pressure. 

[jono]

19 hours ago, MACKWORTHRAM said:

Agree with this. I was so disappointed in Bird today.

I openly criticised him last season. Felt he didn't offer anything, didn't contribute and you watch him play for 90 minutes and you don't know what he's done. He scored once last season which happened to be a worldie. But for a player some of our fans think is worth £3 million and capable of playing in the Championship. I expected a lot more.

Gave him a clean slate and was really impressed with him in pre season (I know it's pre season but you can only judge what's infront if you) I thought he looked lean, fit and like he had come back with a new purpose.

But today it was the Bird of last season. There were times he didn't look interested. Half heartedly closing people down. I don't know if I'm seeing something that's not there. But to me it seems like he's pretty disappointed that we haven't let him leave. (I can't remember who said it on here but in the Hull paper they said the words from Birds camp was he is keen to come to Hull. One poster rightly pointed out this would have come from him or his agent). If we could sign two midfielders who would contribute more in terms of goals etc I would happily let Bird leave. But we literally have nothing else. 

Today just confirmed to me what I already knew and what Warne will know. We're short. That midfield isn't right. I don't think we'll get one. But we need an enforcer. The one CDM who just sits there to allow Hourihane and another creative midfielder to get forward. We're crying out for it in my opinion. If we sold Bird I'd take Woods and hopefully then sign another midfielder who can chip in. 

I thought Collins was ok today. Hold up play was good. But again it was Collins of last season. Towards the end of the game he's in the left wing back spot. Just stay in the box. Ward whipped some lovely balls in that a centre forward should be getting on the end of.

I actually thought we were lucky not to be 3 down at half time. They were clean through again just after they scored and I'm not sure how their lad missed that header. 

But for all their play. Our mistakes gave them both of their goals.

I've seen people mention we don't have the personnel to play 352. I agree in part. I think the 3 at the back are fine. Wing backs are fine. But we haven't got the midfield or attacking options to suit it. Which I know Warne is keen to address.

I'm hoping we bring another 3 in on top of Waghorn to be honest. But time will tell.

 

We could have been 3 down at HT, but so could they ! Their goal’s actually came from one error (forced by a very good press) and then a peach of a cross. There were periods in the game where we performed well. It was an even game but they took their chances and we didn’t. 
 

it wasn’t great, not denying that, we were too slow with the ball at times but there is a long way to go. I also think Wigan had some hungry young players out to prove something in front of 30,000 

[Mucker1884]

On 29/07/2023 at 17:19, David said:

 

Big shout out, by the way, to the OP, for what was probably the most prophetically accurate opening post to a match day thread we've ever had! 

How very Nostradamic of you sir!  👀

[kevinhectoring]

2 hours ago, NorwichExile said:

. He'd be a real handful if he had more than 50 minutes of running in him.

we can make 5 subs. 

[Chris_Martin]

5 hours ago, DCFC Kicks said:

If it wasn't Chris Martin, and you just looked at the data, you'd say he was one of the best available out there in terms of free agents. If he's dropping down to L1 anyway, why not? We lack his sort of intelligence up top. He would have buried that chance Collins had early on. 

[Ghost of Clough]

2 hours ago, ram59 said:

Football is a funny old game, only 1 stat counts and that is the final score.

Having said that I've had a quick look at some stats from yesterday, our xg or expected goals was a very accurate 0.97, but surprisingly that was the second highest in the division, just behind Portsmouth on 1.1 and miles ahead of Barnsley, who scored 7, on 0.58. In fact, Port Vale actually had more shots than Barnsley at 13 against 12. Our total shots were 21 with 5 on target, 8 off and 8 blocked, equal highest with Portsmouth and at least 5 attempts more than the rest of the home teams.

If only we'd put away one or more of those 3 or 4 chances in the early part of the game and not given away 2 stupid goals, we would be in a slightly better frame of mind. I'd like to think that none of our team will make a back pass as poor as that this season and likewise with our keepers making a mess of a simple cross and under no pressure. 

From that same site, Wigan had an xG of -0.03 and Northampton -0.26. I'm not sure how you get a negative xG.

[ram59]

2 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

From that same site, Wigan had an xG of -0.03 and Northampton -0.26. I'm not sure how you get a negative xG.

Quite true, according to those figures, no team should have scored more than 1 goal yesterday and most shouldn't have scored at all. It makes a mockery of the whole concept of the xg stats.

Edited August 6, 2023 by ram59
correction

[Gabby'sThighs]

I watched the game back and had a different impression from Saturday.

Derby dominated the first 30 minutes of each half and created chances. No-one played particularly badly.
Two awful mistakes - which you'd like to think won't happen again this season, let alone two in one game. We should have had a pen and a free-kick on the edge of the box in the first half - Lord knows why they weren't given. (There was also that corner we should have had but that's splitting hairs...)

Subs came too late - Fozzie's good chance came on 67 minutes, Wigan scored from nowhere on 72', subs came on 79 minutes. Two or three subs at 60 minutes, straight after the equaliser, would have made all the difference, especially given how dangerous Kane Wilson looked.

It was also concerning that from 80 minutes onwards any build-up down the middle was abandoned and all they did was frantically knock it wide for the cross.

Cashin is being asked to do too much. Nelson looked pretty comfortable coming forward and played some decent attacking & cross-field passes. Cashin can't cross for s*** and gave the ball away too often.

I was pleased their heads didn't drop after conceding the way they did. It was a frustrating game and a disappointing result, but I'm still optimistic for the season. I don't think this is the crisis it's being made out to be.

[On the Ram Page]

1 hour ago, Gabby'sThighs said:

I watched the game back and had a different impression from Saturday.

Derby dominated the first 30 minutes of each half and created chances. No-one played particularly badly.
Two awful mistakes - which you'd like to think won't happen again this season, let alone two in one game. We should have had a pen and a free-kick on the edge of the box in the first half - Lord knows why they weren't given. (There was also that corner we should have had but that's splitting hairs...)

Subs came too late - Fozzie's good chance came on 67 minutes, Wigan scored from nowhere on 72', subs came on 79 minutes. Two or three subs at 60 minutes, straight after the equaliser, would have made all the difference, especially given how dangerous Kane Wilson looked.

It was also concerning that from 80 minutes onwards any build-up down the middle was abandoned and all they did was frantically knock it wide for the cross.

Cashin is being asked to do too much. Nelson looked pretty comfortable coming forward and played some decent attacking & cross-field passes. Cashin can't cross for s*** and gave the ball away too often.

I was pleased their heads didn't drop after conceding the way they did. It was a frustrating game and a disappointing result, but I'm still optimistic for the season. I don't think this is the crisis it's being made out to be.

As er my previous post, totally agree - I would urge everyone to re-look at the game on RamsTV and I am sure that some people will wish to review and retract their comments made shortly after the game.

[Gabby'sThighs]

Ha! I read about a million posts over the weekend so I probably subconsciously cribbed from yours... Definitely a good idea to watch the game again though.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Gabby'sThighs

[QuitYourJibbaJivin]

13 hours ago, Gabby'sThighs said:

I watched the game back and had a different impression from Saturday.

Derby dominated the first 30 minutes of each half and created chances. No-one played particularly badly.
Two awful mistakes - which you'd like to think won't happen again this season, let alone two in one game. We should have had a pen and a free-kick on the edge of the box in the first half - Lord knows why they weren't given. (There was also that corner we should have had but that's splitting hairs...)

Subs came too late - Fozzie's good chance came on 67 minutes, Wigan scored from nowhere on 72', subs came on 79 minutes. Two or three subs at 60 minutes, straight after the equaliser, would have made all the difference, especially given how dangerous Kane Wilson looked.

It was also concerning that from 80 minutes onwards any build-up down the middle was abandoned and all they did was frantically knock it wide for the cross.

Cashin is being asked to do too much. Nelson looked pretty comfortable coming forward and played some decent attacking & cross-field passes. Cashin can't cross for s*** and gave the ball away too often.

I was pleased their heads didn't drop after conceding the way they did. It was a frustrating game and a disappointing result, but I'm still optimistic for the season. I don't think this is the crisis it's being made out to be.

I completely concur, didn’t make it to the game due to family commitment but watched the majority on ramsTV. Th hysteria over the loss was way OTT in my opinion. We had 4 or 5 guilt edge chances and probably scored the hardest one of them all.

The individual errors for both goals was criminal, they’re the kind of glaring mistakes players make once a season, we just had 2 in the same game. I doubt it’s something that can even be rectified on the training pitch, it’s just a completely lapse of ability/concentration. 
 

The fans expectations has certainly ramped up this season, hope we find a way through to the next round tonight, 2 losses to start the season isn’t going to go down well with some.

[angieram]

3 minutes ago, QuitYourJibbaJivin said:

I completely concur, didn’t make it to the game due to family commitment but watched the majority on ramsTV. Th hysteria over the loss was way OTT in my opinion. We had 4 or 5 guilt edge chances and probably scored the hardest one of them all.

The individual errors for both goals was criminal, they’re the kind of glaring mistakes players make once a season, we just had 2 in the same game. I doubt it’s something that can even be rectified on the training pitch, it’s just a completely lapse of ability/concentration. 
 

The fans expectations has certainly ramped up this season, hope we find a way through to the next round tonight, 2 losses to start the season isn’t going to go down well with some.

Guilt - when you buy your partner flowers to make you feel better about snogging some random at the Christmas Party. 

Gilt, a gold or similar veneer laid onto a base metal to make it appear better than it is, hence "gilt-edged chance" 

My pleasure. 

[HorsforthRam]

Watched about twenty minutes from the first half back on RamsTV. I would agree that we weren’t as bad as I first thought. We did however feel “less composed” on the ball than Wigan. Thought they played quite well around our press without going anywhere. On the other hand, we struggled to recycle the ball across into the middle once it had gone wide to our wing backs 

[sage]

25 minutes ago, angieram said:

Guilt - when you buy your partner flowers to make you feel better about snogging some random at the Christmas Party. 

Gilt, a gold or similar veneer laid onto a base metal to make it appear better than it is, hence "gilt-edged chance" 

My pleasure. 

What if Collins felt guilty about missing his chance?

 

[CBRammette]

On 06/08/2023 at 16:18, NorwichExile said:

I think he went in for a tackle and over-stretched. He stayed down and looked in some pain, but by that point he was out on his feet anyway. He'd be a real handful if he had more than 50 minutes of running in him.

And prob not at derby. Think he needs careful game management to get the best out of him rather than run into the ground each match