Derby v Stevenage FC - Match Day Thread

[OoooMarkWright]

Fantastic win. Delighted for Sibbo. The fans were brilliant in the 2nd half and we produced an improved performance.

BUT… I can’t understand Warnes selection today. We were so defensive. 3 at the back and 2 defensive minded ‘wing backs’ was poor. Playing just 2 in the middle when Bird has flourished in a 3 was crazy. We had zero runners getting in and beyond in the first half.

Fair lay to the lads for grinding out a win, but that first hour was proper pony. We could’ve made it easier with a more forward thinking midfield/defence. But, we got the 3 points and that’s all that matters. 

[Chris_Martin]

4 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Right. So now that your original argument, that their away form isn’t so good, has been disproved and doesn’t fit your agenda you’re changing tact to say their form is only good because of how poor the league is? Keep going and you might end up with something that convinces a few people that, whilst not the greatest game of football, everyone involved today doesn’t deserve a bit of credit.

 

I never said their form was good. The original post said they have one of, if not the best away form in the league. If the best in the league can only manage 3 games unbeaten, or 5 out of 10 wins. It absolutely proves how poor the league is.

[Chris_Martin]

4 hours ago, Animal is a Ram said:

Mendez-Laing has had the most productive League season of his career. 8g 14a beats his 16/17 season best of 8g 12a. Collins was on course for his best goalscoring season since 19/20. Warne took an unfancied McGoldrick and gave him his best ever season.

 

Oh come on. Even the most adamant warne fans would have to admit Mcgoldrick carried the team and warne last season. 

You cant seriously believe warne was responsible for how good McGoldrick was. 

Why was he unfancied? 

Do you think McGoldrick having such a good season was maybe down to the fact he was now playing against far worse teams than he had done for years? 

He was playing in the premier league 18 months before joining us. 

[Chris_Martin]

7 hours ago, Archied said:

Nope,,,, what’s embarrassing is a few fans more angry and annoyed when we win than when we lose , couple really showing true colours today

I think even you would admit I've been pretty consistent with my views win lose or draw. 

The standards of the club really must have fallen then if you think setting up so negatively and having 2 shots on goal in a 3rd division home game against stevenage isn't a bit embarrassing.

[sunnyhill60]

4 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

Happy to be corrected here, but I have it as:

We win all our remaining games, we finish on 105pts

If Bolton win all their remaining games... except the one in which they lose to us... they end up with 105pts.
If they overturn our current +4 GD advantage, they end up above us.

Therefore, Bolton can outdo us, regardless of how we do... which equates to it being not in our own hands just yet.

🤷‍♂️

 

If its down to GD as you state then it is in our hands still!

[Archied]

9 hours ago, Chris_Martin said:

getting the most out of the players and play football in a way we can all be proud of. 

Ah Got you ,,,,pleasing all of the people all of the time , neat trick if you can do it 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Archied]

8 hours ago, On the Ram Page said:

Todays game was one I thought beforehand would be very difficult and I thought we may get a draw. Stevenage are a typical hard tackling, aggressive side which Derby sides have struggled to play against for many a long year - N Clough, McClaren etc etc etc. we struggled at their place and were well defeated, having been bullied off the park.

News that Collins was not fit also made team selection extremely difficult, as he is the one who normally takes the brunt of aggression from the opposition defence. I can totally understand the team selection today, which I think was initially to standup to the bullying, aggressive tactics. Having 4 particularly strong defenders in Nyambe, Bradley, Nelson and Cashin set the tone, with Adams and Elder also being strong too. I think this initial part of the game, although not exciting, was necessary. Although not entertaining, I admired our courage and grit.

We did try to attack where possible in the first half, but it didn’t happen. Our passing, fluidity up front just wasn’t there. MNL wasn’t at the races in the first half and I don’t think Barkhaizen is particular effective when the opposition is aggressive. We had a couple of near squeaks 1st half but we played them very well - they were probably surprised by our performance.

The 2nd half continued in the same vein but we then became a little more adventurous and the Smith substitution improved matters, freeing Wilson to start attacking more. Not much in the game but I thought we deserved to win in the end due to our courage to stand up to them early on in the game.

Not sure Hourahane was totally fit to start but we seemed to be more mobile in midfield as a result. Everyone got stuck in today, so very pleased with the effort. Sure we will have more productive games going forward soon. We just had to get through today - it was so important that our confidence levels did not drop. Some of our opponents in the promotion race would have loved the 3 points we won today.

Warne has taken a lot of stick on here for his tactics and team selection - not sure what else he could have done under the circumstances he found himself in.

Also a shout out for the referee today, who was not intimidated by the pre-match comments, and Ibthought refereed he game vey sensibly and well on the whole.

we now have a week to work on a formation and tactics for another difficult game on Saturday.

I for one, was pleased with todays showing.

 

 

Quality post and sums up yesterday perfectly 

[Mucker1884]

9 hours ago, DB83 said:

If we win all our games that includes us beating Portsmouth, and if Bolton win all their games (except against us) that would also include them beating Portsmouth, so under the scenario you’ve described Bolton would finish top and we would finish second ahead of Portsmouth.

For some inexplicable reason, I completely ignored Portsmouth's role in all this.  I looked purely at us v Bolton for 2nd place.  I was clearly wrong/stupid to do so.

Thanks for correcting me.  😁👍🍻

[Archied]

4 hours ago, Chris_Martin said:

I think even you would admit I've been pretty consistent with my views win lose or draw. 

The standards of the club really must have fallen then if you think setting up so negatively and having 2 shots on goal in a 3rd division home game against stevenage isn't a bit embarrassing.

Yep your consistent to the point of non stop peeing on fan’s enjoyment of winning and being in the promotion shake up though I think yesterday’s performance from you has shown your hand and many just see you as hilarious, plenty un convinced by warne have enjoyed yesterdays win and given credit on here 🤷🏻‍♂️,

I just see a wind up merchant at best and once you see that you don’t get wound up anymore and just get on with enjoying supporting my team ,

 

[Mucker1884]

9 hours ago, Animal is a Ram said:

I keep watching the goal, and I don't understand how it happens. My dulled brain can't comprehend the few seconds between it leaving Mendez-Laing's boot and it nestling into the back of the net. 

 

From my seat far far away in the NE corner... along with my failing eyesight... I'd have put my house on my assumption that it was NML that had scored from the tight angle.  I couldn't fathom how it could have been any different, given that short time between pulling the trigger and hitting the target.  I was more than nonplussed when the PA called out Sibbers!  🤣

 

In my defence, when we (NML again, was it?) hit the hoardings before the back of the net, I was one of the few around me who wasn't fooled into jumping up and celebrating a goal!  I was quite proud of my failing eyes, on that occasion!  Those around me just looked like a bunch of numpties!  🤣

Edited February 18 by Mucker1884

[ck-]

11 hours ago, Jourdan said:

a good manager showing tactical flexibility and finding a way to get results.

Pay the same way regardless of how the game’s going: no plan B

Change the game to match the circumstances: doesn’t know his best formation. 

He can’t win can he?

I took a long time to warm to Warne - I didn’t really like the David Brent like aspects of his interviews. But that seems to be happening less, and his interviews now are interesting to listen to with some real insight.  

What I especially like is that he has fostered a never say die attitude amongst the players, and we seem to have a character that I’ve not seen in Derby teams for a while. We are able to recover from setbacks in a way that we haven’t in previous seasons. Lose a game? Pick ourselves up and win the next. Come up against a team of thugs? Stand toe to toe and then bring out the flash of skill to take the win  

It’s not always pretty but I can usually find something to enjoy in a game. 

[Ambitious]

I didn’t watch the game, and when the team was announced I was more than a little disappointed in our approach, but it was clear that Warne thought we just needed to do a job without a striker to call upon.

In the end we won the game thanks to a player who I would have absolutely had in from the start as he’s at least proven to score goals when given the opportunity in attacking positions.

We did a job against the team who specialise in ‘doing jobs’. A huge three points, more so with Bolton drawing. Barnsley will be a tougher challenge but hopefully we will have a striker to call upon by then, depending on match fitness & EFL approval. 

Edited February 18 by Ambitious

[Tamworthram]

16 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

I didn’t watch the game, and when the team was announced I was more than a little disappointed in our approach, but it was clear that Warne thought we just needed to do a job without a striker to call upon.

In the end we won the game thanks to a player who I would have absolutely had in from the start as he’s at least proven to score goals when given the opportunity in attacking positions.

We did a job against the team who specialise in ‘doing jobs’. A huge three points, more so with Bolton drawing. Barnsley will be a tougher challenge but hopefully we will have a striker to call upon by then, depending on match fitness & EFL approval. 

Well actually it was thanks to three players. A fantastic pass from Smith (I groaned when he came on but apart from getting caught in possession, as he is prone to do, early on - but I’ll forgive him as he hadn’t got up to speed, I thought he had a good game and was instrumental in our more attacking approach), NML and Sibley. I feel a little bit smug as I said to the folks sitting next to me “I’d bring Sibley on for Barks” and even got into a light hearted “row” as one of them just thought he’d get booked - that was the less mature Sibley from long ago. But I guess if none of you heard me say it then it didn’t happen. 🙂

[Archied]

19 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

I didn’t watch the game, and when the team was announced I was more than a little disappointed in our approach, but it was clear that Warne thought we just needed to do a job without a striker to call upon.

In the end we won the game thanks to a player who I would have absolutely had in from the start as he’s at least proven to score goals when given the opportunity in attacking positions.

We did a job against the team who specialise in ‘doing jobs’. A huge three points, more so with Bolton drawing. Barnsley will be a tougher challenge but hopefully we will have a striker to call upon by then, depending on match fitness & EFL approval. 

Obviously it’s all hindsight but my gut is if we had put the team out that went on to nick the game from the start Stevenage would have battered and bruised them to the point of not being able to finish strong and win the game , we did things the other way round yesterday and I reckon that caught them on the hop and ducked them , 

[jono]

10 hours ago, Barney1991 said:

It was telling in his interview when he mentioned the Derby and the fans have made him enjoy playing football which is telling to how Cardiff treated him. Reckon he’s one player who will be pushing for a permanent transfer 

What I liked was the bubbling enthusiasm and the way he said “me and I” rather than the usual pre scripted and instructed  PC “we” That and the honesty that he recognised he’d been caught napping a couple of times and he needed to get sharper. That’s real. Really hope we can sign him properly. 

[sage]

My thoughts on reflection are, it was a poor team selection in terms of lack of threat from wing back, reverting to a 2 in CM and stringing 3 across a front line which jammed up the space in front of the wing backs. We needed to be strong but trying to beat Stevenage at their own game seems ridiculous as they play it every week. We had no attempts at goal first half and were lucky they didn't score from theirs and be awarded a penalty.

Bringing Smith on for Wilson and Bird to revert to their best positions and for a midfield 3 to assert control, whilst a front 2 allowed the wing backs space changed the game. Then later as they seemed to tire and their subs seemed a drop in quality, only one team looked like winning in the last 15 mins.

A draw would have been a fair result but I'm delighted with a win. I think the lack of a CF finally brought back that backs to the wall response from the crowd which along with superior fitness and bench carried us through.

I think the lack of tactical acumen from Warne was balanced out by achieving a high level of physical and mental resilience in the squad.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 18 by sage

[ram59]

7 minutes ago, sage said:

 

I think the lack of tactical acumen from Warne was balanced out by achieving a high level of physical and mental resilience in the squad.

 

 

 

 

It could be argued that he was tactically aware.

Football is now a game consisting of 15 outfield players, 10 starting and up to 5 'finishers'. There are some games where you need to tough it out against a physical opposition before bringing on your more lightweight players. Sibley and Smith played key roles in the goal, had they started the game, they probably would have been battered into submission.

Statistics seem to back up this theory, Derby substitutes have scored more goals than any other team in this league.

In rugby union when England were at their peak, they would bring on their 'finishers' in the second half, players that were arguably better than those they replaced.

[sage]

Just now, ram59 said:

It could be argued that he was tactically aware.

Football is now a game consisting of 15 outfield players, 10 starting and up to 5 'finishers'. There are some games where you need to tough it out against a physical opposition before bringing on your more lightweight players. Sibley and Smith played key roles in the goal, had they started the game, they probably would have been battered into submission.

Statistics seem to back up this theory, Derby substitutes have scored more goals than any other team in this league.

In rugby union when England were at their peak, they would bring on their 'finishers' in the second half, players that were arguably better than those they replaced.

I would agree that Sibley is a better sub than starter, especially against strong teams, but the team/formation from 60 mins to 75 should have started the game.

 

[Curtains]

7 minutes ago, sage said:

I would agree that Sibley is a better sub than starter, especially against strong teams, but the team/formation from 60 mins to 75 should have started the game.

 

Having said that we could have lost the game if we started that way but who knows. 
Warne ultimately got it right by bringing Smith and Sibley on when he did .

No one knows if Barks may have scored as football isn’t an exact science 

PS I was calling for Sibley at HT and until he came on but I didn’t think Smith would be a revelation he was and Wilson moving position was decisive with Nyambe going off. 

Edited February 18 by Curtains
Added

[JPRamFan]

When Owen Bradley commented when Sibley came on, that he hadn't scored at home for two years you knew it was inevitable he would. Great finish.