Oxford United v Derby County

[Ramarena]

52 minutes ago, therealhantsram said:

Is it strange that the interviewer didn't ask about JJ and whether this was his last game?

Yes, but either way we’ll find out soon enough.

[inter politics]

Through sickness and health, for better or worse, I love football and I love Derby County

[Jourdan]

5 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

Man says we can’t cope cope with their football at a time in the game when we couldn’t cope with their football… shock horror!

Just admit you were wrong and join us on the Pro-Warne Express.

We all make mistakes.

[DavesaRam]

Well a terrible start. Or was it? Wildsmith made  silly mistake when the striker was already diving, and an excellent free-kick from a soft free-kick. Get used to them, they'll be a feature of the match. But in reality we were still at least equal to them in those opening minutes. I noticed there was much talk form Oxford about our pressing and closing down, but it was they who were buzzing around anything in a white shirt at the start, but evidently it couldn't last. But the picture soon emerged of who was controlling the game, with Derby only coming short on end product. But so on top it was unreal. I noticed the ref clamped down on Nyambe for stealing about 4 yards for a throw, but let Oxford steal ten every time, until late on in the match. He gave them free kicks for next to nothing, but let lots go the other way. NML was hurled ot the floor just before half time but nothing was given, and he let them kick the ball away loads of times without reprimand. How many yellow cards have we had recently for that offence? The only surprise is that his surname isn't Simpson.

But actually none of that matters because of the relentlessness of the team, who found just a bit extra zip in the second half. I had a few moments when I thought this was going to be one of those nights when the ball just won't go in, around Wilson's miss, but apart from that momentary blip it felt inevitable that we would score again, so yet another rival, posing quite a threat on paper, have been made to look quite ordinary, although Oxford were a better "ordinary" than many others. But doing it is something we are getting rather good at.

I admit I was one foot into the Warne out camp a while ago, justifiably, but credit to Paul Warne for sticking with 4 at the back, because it works. Credit to him for being prepared to go that way, instead of insisting on reverting to his preferred 3 at the back. It takes courage to do that, but it is paying off. I worried when Bradley made his customary appearance - I often do, and for a few minutes while we made the adjustment we were wide open to the counter attack, but it did push us further up the pitch and the onslaught increased. Great substitutions, typified by Cashin being involved in our attacking moves from the substitutions onwards. He was virtually a midfield player. 

Highlight for me was the impact JJ had - suddenly we have a striker who knows the right place to be, and has the ability when the ball arrives slightly in the wrong place to make something of it. I really hope he can get a load of game time in, especially if he goes back to Arsenal early. I also hope we can hold on to him, because he could be the huge difference we are looking for in the next window. And it would budgetarily favourable as well (if such a word actually exists).

We have now entered a period where we don't need to worry bout who we have got to play. We can let them worry because they have got to play us, so the only difference between the teams we face will be the colour of the shirts.

And this feeling is reeeeaaaaallllyyyy good!

COME ON YOU RAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wistaston Ram]

I'm home and just cracked open a nice bottle of German Christmas beer in celebration.  Guess it has all been said, but nights like tonight make the life of ram all worthwhile, this was better than Port Vale last season. I hope I get my voice back tomorrow, maybe the beer will help.

[Ghost of Clough]

44 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

 

I liked the variety of players getting involved in the 3 goals, but also Hourihane's involvement in them all (even if one of them was a little tap to the side)...

Goal for Forsyth

Assist and goal for Cashin

Assist and two pre-assists for Hourihane 

Goal for Thompson

Assist for Collins

[Ramzabac]

17 minutes ago, RodleyRam said:

Got home a while ago, if just finished chewing my wife's ear off about the game. She has zero interesting in football but I think she recognised the need to nod along until the adrenaline wore off.

First 20 I didn't even think we were bad. Two goals from breaks that hit the right lines and bam we're staring down the barrel.

I was about 10ft away from the dugout and Warne was bouncing away to get them to force the pace of the game. The press was outstanding tonight and we moved the ball really well most of the game. He was urging them on and really positive throughout.

Cashin was outstanding in all departments, we have to find a way to keep hold of him in January. Bird looked more comfortable sitting deeper and Hourihane looked much better further forward. Fozzy, Nyambe and Nelson were excellent. Barks improved second half and Wilson, Collins and NML didn't give them a moments peace. Subs outstanding too. All in all jolly good.

Hopefully they can take that energy into Monday and hound Peterborough to death too.

Didn't know there were so many Rams sitting silently with the home fans. We all did incredibly well to go undetected after a performance like that, it was tough to keep schtum and not join in the bounce! Great noise from the travelling fans tonight, even at 2 down. 

Great night to be a Ram!

Too right Rodley Ram, 4 of us must have been a couple of rows behind you in the home stand. Tbh keeping stum wasn't too hard as we always thought we were in control of the game after the first 15 minutes and the goals would come and we would get at least a point. even if we had lost, if we met them again in the play offs we would smash em. What a great performance. 

[rammieib]

Caught up on the thread, my only piece to add is that the Derby fans were excellent tonight. Even at 2-0 down, the support for the team was outstanding. Dont tell me that doesn't make a 1 to 2% difference to the players on the pitch.

[Comrade 86]

Just back. First thought... Match thread's gonna be an absolute doozy. Thank you fellow Rams, you didn't disappoint. And this on the same day that we discover Roymac hasn't got a willy too.

Time for a single malt and some group texts to Oxford supporting pals, I reckon.

[ariotofmyown]

34 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

Man says we can’t cope cope with their football at a time in the game when we couldn’t cope with their football… shock horror!

Erm, you also said "Could be 5 or 6 this".

Don't stop posting negative drivel early in a match though...you always end up wrong, which means we keep on winning!

[Amberram]

38 minutes ago, Ramarena said:

Cheers LCR didn’t expect that, I’m going to go back and read the rest of your post now.

I got to the end of the first sentence and stopped there.

 

One of my favourite films.

When his fag drops into his trousers

[Caerphilly Ram]

 

[Van der MoodHoover]

1 hour ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

25 points out of the last 27 available, it’s been a fun little run thus far. Warne and his staff have consistently mentioned the need to put runs together since they joined the club, nice to see it proving true. I don’t think this run will last all season, the key will be regaining momentum if and when we do falter. 

The results have been very good for 9 games. Yhe performances excellent for the last 2, patchy before that. 

 

[Ramslad1992]

What a team! The in laws got me a rather nice bottle of single malt for Christmas that I had decided to open when we got promoted. Tonight’s pretty much confirmed it so it’s open! 
 

I love this team, I love you guys …and girls (looking at you @RoyMac5) 

up the rams! Pompey were coming for you! 🐏🖤🤍

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Millenniumram said:

Man says we can’t cope cope with their football at a time in the game when we couldn’t cope with their football… shock horror!

Did you enjoy the darts too?

[Eddie]

22 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

The results have been very good for 9 games. Yhe performances excellent for the last 2, patchy before that. 

 

Didn't someone who knows quite a bit about football once say that the sign of a good team is one which manages to eke out a result even when not playing at their best?

What Derby seem to have the makings of, certainly at the moment, is a 'good team' - with the emphasis on 'team'. They are a unit - not necessarily the most gifted players individually (you wouldn't expect that - they are a side thrown together in a short period of time, playing in the third tier of English football, assembled on a shoestring budget under all sorts of restrictions - but they are fighting for each other, and the results themselves have been remarkable over the last couple of months.

[Millenniumram]

53 minutes ago, ariotofmyown said:

Erm, you also said "Could be 5 or 6 this".

Don't stop posting negative drivel early in a match though...you always end up wrong, which means we keep on winning!

If it carried on in the same vein as the first 15 mins it could have been, with the quality going forward that Oxford possess. Maybe no one should post at all until the game has concluded then if that makes you happy?

[Ramslad1992]

Coming back to win from 2 goals down away from home against a promotion rival and people are still bickering and arguing… 

ENJOY THE GOOD TIMES! this is one of them tonight… we’ve not had much to cheer about over the last few years. Enjoy it.

UP THE RAMS! 🐏

[roboto]

Away in Japan visiting family at the moment, so was asleep through the match. Woke up to the score notifications on my phone and saw Cashin had scored the winner.

Thought we’d given away a 2-goal lead and then nicked it, but further scrolling back through notifications showed a lovely comeback win from 2 down.

Ive read through all the pages here and was laughing to myself during the first half posts. Great belief by the team and some of the posters on here though and we win again.

EIEIEIO

[CapeTownRams]

Fantastic game and win.

Refs are human and make mistakes and fouls are often subjective - but he was just plain biased tonight.

 

I wish PW would just react really positively to the question about thanking and appreciating the traveling Rams fans 😳🤷 Never really seems appreciative and has to be prompted to say good things and thanks. Totally p@sses me off.