You might not realise it but Paul Warne's doing pretty well

[DiggerB]

Saw the thread title, saw RM5s Avatar, wasn’t hopeful 😂!

How Smith’s not in that team after scoring 1 and having a hand in the other 2 god only knows?

[Tamworthram]

1 hour ago, bcnram said:

The instructions to get the ball to the front as quickly as possible, and the ‘don’t be afraid to lose the ball’ inevitably mean losing possession more than retaining it. 
Fortunately, our manager appears to have seen the error of his ways, and hopefully starting to act like a proper football manager with his players looking after the ball. 

It’s not inevitable that you give the ball away more often than you retain it but it is more likely than just playing it safe.

[IslandExile]

4 hours ago, Brailsford Ram said:

Some on here temper their criticism by ending with the rider but ‘he is a nice bloke.’

I am one of those that have doubts about Warne's tactical approach but counter it by saying I like him as a person and that I find his interviews entertaining.

I say this to emphasise that it's nothing personal against the man himself.

There are different approaches to football and, quite simply, I'm not convinced by Warne's tactics or decisions. I hope I'm wrong.

[Abu Derby]

I agree that he is doing ok. I said before our first defeat that we’d be unbeaten for the remainder of the season and I see no reason to change my mind. 

[Beetle]

We are missing a creative player especially at home. We have not got the budget to buy a  quality creative player, never mind four or five that are good enough to play quick attacking passing game. I believe the manager would have got one in if he could.

We play league one football with mostly league one players, the team looks loads better with a proper right back. Defence looks organised.

The football from all teams is mostly dreadful in this division, and we are one of those teams. I certainly didn't think Pompey were up to much.

It is where we are at I'm afraid.

[Chester40]

3 hours ago, Blondest Goat said:

Tedious and patronising.  Cheers.

You've announced your new user name - but what was your response to the opening post?

[FlyBritishMidland]

Excellent post @Brailsford Ram and I echo a lot of what you say.  You’ve posted some stats about previous promotion seasons and I’ve thought about exactly that.  In my time supporting The Rams we’ve always started slowly when we’ve had a successful season.

As you’ve pointed out, Jim Smith and Billy Davies started slow.  There were even calls for Jim to be sacked, Billy had a bit more grace, probably because we’d just come out of the Three Amigos period.  Arthur had already had a full season before he got us up, which I’m sure wouldn’t happen now.

I get some fans concern about the academy, but that was decimated due to administration.  At the recent forum, Stephen Pearce talked about it being at least 3 years before the academy was producing players.  We’ve just put a new structure in place, let them do their job and I’m sure they’re keeping Warne informed.

We’re 7th, with a game in hand and just under 1/4 of the season gone.  Players now coming back, getting a bit more like a settled starting 11 and, in my opinion, improved performances since Lincoln in the pizza cup.  My glass is definitely half full.

Edited October 5, 2023 by FlyBritishMidland

[I am Ram]

To be honest i got worried about performances' and results, i want Derby to start the upturn like we all do. I went to Blackpool when we got relegated and was there the other night, I'm hoping this is is our turning point. I think Warne is adapting, at Blackpool tactical and motivational. We just need to sort the home form out, which won't be easy with most teams sitting in. Keep the faith UTR 

[Guest]

Very positive thread @Brailsford Ram but what do you think the reaction would be if you had created this thread after a (hypothetical) 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday?

I do expect us to win at Cheltenham (and am not really bothered whether we become the first team to concede a league goal to them this season along the way) and I haven't called for Warne to go (though I have criticised our style of play - though not in the Blackpool game).

As other posters have said, points temporarily shut people up. 

If (big IF) we were to do anything less than win at Cheltenham, we'd be talking about 4 or 5 points from 9 bookended by failure to beat two pretty ordinary teams. Just like it seems a bit daft to produce (or want produced) a new Paul Warne poll after every result, I'm not sure I'm for concluding that Paul Warne's doing a pretty good job on the basis of a very good result and a point off the play-offs after 10 games. My view on the poll was somewhere between Christmas/the full season, and I intend (!) to be measured in praise and criticism until he's had at least the former in which to do his thing.

[MackworthRamIsGod]

5 hours ago, sage said:

The criticism has died down for various reasons.

We are playing better football in the last 2 games, so some of people's concerns are being assuaged.

We've won 2 of the last 3, as BC says, 3 points shuts people up.

Also, many who weren't happy are tired of the kick back, especially post Carlisle when we didn't play well but won and those commenting got the result thrown at them.

From my point of view, I'd like some more control in games, but Nyambe and the return of Bird and Barks have improved matters. It wasn't personal for most critics, it was based on what we saw.

As Maynard Keynes wrote, when the facts change, I change my mind. 

Well said that man.

[Tyler Durden]

5 hours ago, Blondest Goat said:

Tedious and patronising.  Cheers.

Refreshingly honest of you to admit that about yourself on an open forum.

[norwichram]

Why do some posters on here keep stating that we’re in league one and we have league one players …

we don’t!!!

we are in league one - correct. No one has posted otherwise to my knowledge. 

most of our squad has played most of their careers in the championship .. so how the chuff are they league one if by league one we mean league one standard - hence defending the crap aimless zero structured football that we have seen them play for most of this season. 
 

we have a good team of good football players and I’m sick of people saying we haven’t thereby excusing the standard of play. Korey smith is a fine example. If Warne can unlock, motivate, formulate a strategy that can unleash this squads potential (in essence his job) then we will go up automatically. 
 

our bench the other night was awesome… chuffing league one my backside 

not arrogance or blinded by us being a big club for this league simple fact. Cashin is probably the most league one as most of his appearances have been in this league .. and he was as you close as you get to being a premier league player a month ago. 
 

this is why I want us to attack teams with purpose and skill - because quite simply we can. We are so capable of dominating this league. Play good footballers at home and not two sitting dm’s, rotate the squad wisely and the bobble hats will sell out.

mind you we are getting into flat cap and oversized cardigan season soon… 

DTID 

Edited October 5, 2023 by norwichram

[jono]

6 hours ago, Blondest Goat said:

Tedious and patronising.  Cheers.

Oh dear. Well that’s a blow to my self esteem. I thought it a mix of a rounded balanced opinion with sensible summary and some interesting tit bits of stats. You might not agree but I certainly didn’t feel patronised. 

[Gritstone Ram]

It’s a results business. Get the results and people are happy. 

[Eddie]

7 hours ago, bcnram said:

The criticism was all to do with the horrible football Warne had them playing, the constant giving the ball to the opposition to play with. The last two games have had far more control, and as a result more enjoyable to watch.

I don't expect us to be attacking or keeping the ball for an entire match, and I do enjoy a good defensive display as well, but some of the football we were dishing up was an affront to football. 

Why is giving the ball away (i.e. individual mistakes) the manager's fault?

[uttoxram75]

6 hours ago, oodledoodle said:

He's done well this week. Still plenty of room for improvement, especially at home. Hopefully the team grow in confidence and stature based on recent results. I'd still like to see us play on the front foot and start to dominate games.

Blackpool was a great result and I'm made up. But before Waggy scored, we were very much on the ropes and were very lucky not to concede when they hit the bar. I'm not getting too carried away just yet, and I do still stick to my opinion that another manager could get more out of this team. But if Warne gets enough out of them to take us up then that's enough for me.

Just for balance, we also missed 3 open goals.

[Van der MoodHoover]

29 minutes ago, uttoxram75 said:

Just for balance, we also missed 3 open goals.

Wilson had 2, was barkhuizen the 3rd (cleared off the line?)

[CongletonRam]

2 hours ago, norwichram said:

Why do some posters on here keep stating that we’re in league one and we have league one players …

we don’t!!!

we are in league one - correct. No one has posted otherwise to my knowledge. 

most of our squad has played most of their careers in the championship .. so how the chuff are they league one if by league one we mean league one standard - hence defending the crap aimless zero structured football that we have seen them play for most of this season. 
 

we have a good team of good football players and I’m sick of people saying we haven’t thereby excusing the standard of play. Korey smith is a fine example. If Warne can unlock, motivate, formulate a strategy that can unleash this squads potential (in essence his job) then we will go up automatically. 
 

our bench the other night was awesome… chuffing league one my backside 

not arrogance or blinded by us being a big club for this league simple fact. Cashin is probably the most league one as most of his appearances have been in this league .. and he was as you close as you get to being a premier league player a month ago. 
 

this is why I want us to attack teams with purpose and skill - because quite simply we can. We are so capable of dominating this league. Play good footballers at home and not two sitting dm’s, rotate the squad wisely and the bobble hats will sell out.

mind you we are getting into flat cap and oversized cardigan season soon… 

DTID 

 

An interesting post and a good read though I do have to take you to task on the part in bold.

Out of our first team squad of 26, a total of 18 have played the majority of their career at League One or lower level than that.

Out of the 8 that have played most of their career at Championship level(or above), none of them have stand out stats in the Championship. Add to that that one or two at the minute are having their best seasons for a long time. Look at Waghorn, after leaving Derby, he scores 3 goals in 51 games at League One level and he's now scored 6 in 9 games for us.

I'm not being negative, just giving some interesting stats.

I am firmly behind Warne, not because I like his dour brand of football, but because I am of the opinion that he is still dealing with a squad that is capable of challenging for the play offs though that may not be good enough for supporters. He was clearly unable to bring in some of his targets over the summer, most noticeably a striker.

I think we have a team that is capable of moments. We are not good enough to dominate teams when they are happy to sit back. We lack guile and we look lethargic at times. I must add there that the signings of Fornah and Nyambe are potentialy the best we have brought in.

Edited October 5, 2023 by CongletonRam

[Guest]

4 hours ago, jameso said:

Very positive thread @Brailsford Ram but what do you think the reaction would be if you had created this thread after a (hypothetical) 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday?

I do expect us to win at Cheltenham (and am not really bothered whether we become the first team to concede a league goal to them this season along the way) and I haven't called for Warne to go (though I have criticised our style of play - though not in the Blackpool game).

As other posters have said, points temporarily shut people up. 

If (big IF) we were to do anything less than win at Cheltenham, we'd be talking about 4 or 5 points from 9 bookended by failure to beat two pretty ordinary teams. Just like it seems a bit daft to produce (or want produced) a new Paul Warne poll after every result, I'm not sure I'm for concluding that Paul Warne's doing a pretty good job on the basis of a very good result and a point off the play-offs after 10 games. My view on the poll was somewhere between Christmas/the full season, and I intend (!) to be measured in praise and criticism until he's had at least the former in which to do his thing.

And IF the referee at Bolton had not got three crucial decisions wrong we'd have been three points better off than we are now and IF the referee at Bristol Rovers last season had awarded us a free-kick instead of a penalty against White, as he should have done, we'd have reached the play-offs before we went to Hillsborough where we'll never know what the result would have been, IF Curtis Davies correctly had remained on the pitch and the penalty correctly hadn't been given. IF the game-in-hand against Northampton had not been postponed and we had won it we would be in the play-off places now and not outside them. 

But IFs mean nothing in football because we can't reverse the decisions that were given against us.

Warne has emphasised today that we will not be underestimating Cheltenham but we know in any League the unexpected result can happen, such as Wednesday losing at FGR at the end of last season. We should beat Cheltenham but if your bigIF comes to fruition then let's deal with it then. The fact is IF that happens we'll be three points worse off than we hope we will be. But IF it doesn't we'll all be enjoying Saturday evening. The IFs from the past are irreversible and we shouldn't be negatively dealing with IFs in the future that may or may not happen; we are going to Cheltenham hoping and expecting to win, IF we don't then deal with the reality then. The uncertainty of the outcome of this season is enough to live with without having to deal with unknown IFs ahead.

I think the squad we have is unlikely to see much change in January and Paul Warne will probably be the head coach until at least the end of the season. Support from the fans as we try to get up will help the management and players in their endeavours if we able to help them with that. 

And as for your original question, IF I hadn't started this thread today and IF your hypothetical 1-0 defeat occurs, then I simply would not be starting one next Sunday when a new poll may reveal that the number of fans wanting Paul Warne sacked instantly has now shot up to 50% because I simply have never believed that you can physically push water uphill.

Those old enough to remember will tell you that when Arthur Cox started down a similar route to Warne, there were rumbles of discontent when we finished seventh in 1985. There was anguish the next season as we fought and achieved promotion in third place in the 45th game. There were fears as to how we may fare back in the second tier but we won the League the next season and went back to the top division. I have no expectation of that happening next season whatsoever but the current mood is familiar.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Brailsford Ram

[sunnyhill60]

7 hours ago, jameso said:

Very positive thread @Brailsford Ram but what do you think the reaction would be if you had created this thread after a (hypothetical) 1-0 defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday?

I do expect us to win at Cheltenham (and am not really bothered whether we become the first team to concede a league goal to them this season along the way) and I haven't called for Warne to go (though I have criticised our style of play - though not in the Blackpool game).

As other posters have said, points temporarily shut people up. 

If (big IF) we were to do anything less than win at Cheltenham, we'd be talking about 4 or 5 points from 9 bookended by failure to beat two pretty ordinary teams. Just like it seems a bit daft to produce (or want produced) a new Paul Warne poll after every result, I'm not sure I'm for concluding that Paul Warne's doing a pretty good job on the basis of a very good result and a point off the play-offs after 10 games. My view on the poll was somewhere between Christmas/the full season, and I intend (!) to be measured in praise and criticism until he's had at least the former in which to do his thing.

Looking at a single game is ridiculous. Look what happened at Bolton. We lost but it was not down to our performance.