Realistic expectations for this season.

[MadAmster]

27 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

Personally I would have focused more on building cohesion and partnerships from the very beginning.

I think using four to five games as a time to experiment and a time to build fitness or gain minutes is the major misstep.

We have brought in 6 new signings so far and lost 5-6 regulars. We should have had an idea of what set up, tactics and key personnel we are relying on from very early on and worked on that for 50-60 minutes every game, so existing players can get into a rhythm and new signings can just slot in.

There is a huge difference between training together and playing together. The fact that our strongest XI and favoured set up is only being used now with two games to play gives credence to the thinking that we’ll start slowly and be playing catch up.

I don’t thank you can afford to do that in the Championship in our position. Hopefully it won’t be the case, but it is easy to see why that could be a concern.

Thanks for the comprehensive response. We shall see how it pans out over the season. We should be very good 2nd half if the season when our fitness keeps us going where others tail off. 1st half of the season might be a struggle if we haven't done enough ball and tactics work. December will be tough any road up looking at the fixtures. Whatever happens, COYR!

[ziggyram59]

If Warne doesn't get the right players in by the end of the transfer window I think we will be in a relegation fight all season, we need a good striker who can score goals in this division, the GK from Sweden hasn't signed yet and when he does it could take him time to settle to the club. If we finished 6th from bottom of championship I would be happy with that. Warne did well to get us promotion last season but I don't rate him has a championship manager. If we are struggling come January look to get rid of him and replace him. 

[Caerphilly Ram]

45 minutes ago, i-Ram said:

I enjoyed this response as much as did @LeedsCityRam initial viewpoint.

I recognise Warne’s strengths and qualities, and they are admiral ones. What’s not to like. However, ultimately his tenure as a football manager will always be judged on what he actually delivers. I personally still think that his, and his team’s, coaching and tactical abilities will hold us back in this league, but we won’t know that until he is given the chance. Could be an interesting next 5 months. Very interesting as Barry Davies might say.

Just to add, I’m really glad I am no longer in the ‘Commitment Club’ where I travel far and have to pay royally for many of the performances I did witness last season. And whilst it will incur the wrath of many (understandably) I am pretty happy that I have the simple option of a flick of the TV switch this season as to whether I do or don’t watch the team perform.

I often consider if my patience for Warne and his approach to football would be less were I paying out the same sums others are week in week out. I’m self aware enough to recognise my “remoteness” plays a partial role in how I feel, but my principal thoughts remain the same. 
I remember walking away from the 1-0 win at home to Fleetwood last year quite content that I’d seen a win thanks to Waggy’s finish and Thommo’s energetic performance, whereas others around me had been raging throughout the game and on their way out of the ground. 
As I said, it’s each to their own, I don’t mind what Warne brings, in the same way I didn’t mind what Rooney or Cocu or Rosenior brought before him. I’m not driven by “style” of football as others are I guess, or maybe I am and it’s a more rudimentary one 🤔 

[May Contain Nuts]

21 minutes ago, MadAmster said:

We should be very good 2nd half if the season when our fitness keeps us going where others tail off.

...and yet Warne teams are known for having a late season slump because the players have been worked into the ground by the end of January. There's no evidence to say that his Rotherham teams suddenly found an extra gear after 30 games or so. Their fans would say the opposite.

The only time it actually appears to have happened is last season, but I'd contend that was a bit of an illusion.

I think we managed to avoid a slump last season because our rolling cast of injuries forced us to change things up and  meant we had players coming in fresh having not featured a great deal earlier in the season, with the late addition and energy of Adams in particular keeping things ticking over as he did the physical work of 3 players,  and the short but sweet impact of Dwight Gayle covering up for the absence of Collins.

Even with a few more additions we're not going to have a massively deep squad, and we're going to have to exert ourselves to a greater degree this season just to compete. 

I don't know, you may turn out to be completely correct but I'm not seeing it.

This isn't me writing off the season, because if there's only thing I've learned in the past year it's that Warne is perhaps the flukiest Derby manager I've seen in my lifetime.  Last season the league was weakened by points deductions and general tumult for other teams. Already this season we have seen a potential relegation rival lose their star striker to heart surgery. Anything can happen!

Until the full transfer dealings are complete and until we've seen the true level of competition I'm struggling to commit any expectations to text, other than to say anything that isn't relegation is job done.

 

[CornwallRam]

We will be 14th at Christmas, but sneak into 6th on the last day. We'll win the playoffs and all be talking about getting 12 points this time next year.

[Sparkle]

I am expecting it to be tough at times which is mainly down to our limited budget but based on where we were it’s acceptable - for me it wasn’t acceptable watching the drivel we put out frequently last season against some of the worst opponents I can remember which was made worse by us having the best squad in the third division in my opinion but we did get over the line, mainly thanks to our supporters.

i will be less critical than last season but I am not expecting any change in how we play which is mainly without the football and hoping to get something off a set piece or on the counter attack but we look very short on goal scoring potential 

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

14 minutes ago, May Contain Nuts said:

...and yet Warne teams are known for having a late season slump because the players have been worked into the ground by the end of January. There's no evidence to say that his Rotherham teams suddenly found an extra gear after 30 games or so. Their fans would say the opposite.

The only time it actually appears to have happened is last season, but I'd contend that was a bit of an illusion.

I think we managed to avoid a slump last season because our rolling cast of injuries forced us to change things up and  meant we had players coming in fresh having not featured a great deal earlier in the season, with the late addition and energy of Adams in particular keeping things ticking over as he did the physical work of 3 players,  and the short but sweet impact of Dwight Gayle covering up for the absence of Collins.

Even with a few more additions we're not going to have a massively deep squad, and we're going to have to exert ourselves to a greater degree this season just to compete. 

I don't know, you may turn out to be completely correct but I'm not seeing it.

This isn't me writing off the season, because if there's only thing I've learned in the past year it's that Warne is perhaps the flukiest Derby manager I've seen in my lifetime.  Last season the league was weakened by points deductions and general tumult for other teams. Already this season we have seen a potential relegation rival lose their star striker to heart surgery. Anything can happen!

Until the full transfer dealings are complete and until we've seen the true level of competition I'm struggling to commit any expectations to text, other than to say anything that isn't relegation is job done.

 

 

How we stayed up 2021 when his Rotherham side had 5 games in hand to make up 3 points and we didn't win in 13 was a minor miracle. 

[Sparkle]

5 minutes ago, Gee SCREAMER !! said:

How we stayed up 2021 when his Rotherham side had 5 games in hand to make up 3 points and we didn't win in 13 was a minor miracle. 

Please stop, I totally erased the covid football out of my memory because it wasn’t football or entertainment, just the near destruction of our loved football club 

[LeedsCityRam]

2 hours ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

I often consider if my patience for Warne and his approach to football would be less were I paying out the same sums others are week in week out. I’m self aware enough to recognise my “remoteness” plays a partial role in how I feel, but my principal thoughts remain the same. 
I remember walking away from the 1-0 win at home to Fleetwood last year quite content that I’d seen a win thanks to Waggy’s finish and Thommo’s energetic performance, whereas others around me had been raging throughout the game and on their way out of the ground. 
As I said, it’s each to their own, I don’t mind what Warne brings, in the same way I didn’t mind what Rooney or Cocu or Rosenior brought before him. I’m not driven by “style” of football as others are I guess, or maybe I am and it’s a more rudimentary one 🤔 

I guess there's two elements to the style argument. Firstly & to your point, do people expect to be entertained if they're watching it in the flesh each week? Secondly, is that style effective to get results? Id say last season the first question was being asked by some folk (myself included as a ST holder & regular away traveller) but this season, I'm solely focused on the second i.e. I couldnt care less if its the most tedious football ever so long as we get results & stay up (my concern being that our style specifically from last season wont get those results). To expect results with style would be an unreasonable expectation this season IMO.

P.s. just re-read your earlier question & realised that the last sentence of my first post may have implied Warne wasnt a big enough name for a club of our 'stature'. To clarify, I strongly disliked our flirtation with celebrity managers & actively argued on here against both Lampard & Rooney being appointed (i was definitely in the minority both times!). Warne's profile in the game is not an issue at all.

Edited July 31 by LeedsCityRam

[RoyMac5]

4 hours ago, Sparkle said:

I am expecting it to be tough at times which is mainly down to our limited budget but based on where we were it’s acceptable - for me it wasn’t acceptable watching the drivel we put out frequently last season against some of the worst opponents I can remember which was made worse by us having the best squad in the third division in my opinion but we did get over the line, mainly thanks to our supporters.

i will be less critical than last season but I am not expecting any change in how we play which is mainly without the football and hoping to get something off a set piece or on the counter attack but we look very short on goal scoring potential 

I've missed seeing that, did Clowes say we have a limited budget? Although I understood Warne was 'notorious' for not spending on transfers?

[Will Hughes Hair]

2 hours ago, LeedsCityRam said:

I guess there's two elements to the style argument. Firstly & to your point, do people expect to be entertained if they're watching it in the flesh each week? Secondly, is that style effective to get results? Id say last season the first question was being asked by some folk (myself included as a ST holder & regular away traveller) but this season, I'm solely focused on the second i.e. I couldnt care less if its the most tedious football ever so long as we get results & stay up (my concern being that our style specifically from last season wont get those results). To expect results with style would be an unreasonable expectation this season IMO.

 

This is exactly where I am at. There’s practically no scenario where I see Warne leaving and I fully expect him to sign a contract extension.

For me he’s a budget Alex Ferguson in that he’s not a great tactician but his sides are well drilled and he relies on hard work, team spirit and individual skill to get him over the line.

Long term is that enough? I feel a lot will come down to recruitment and for the first time in a very long time I think our approach is clear and likely to yield results. This at least gives Warne a chance.

[Tyler Durden]

I don't think that Warne is nearly as fireproof as some may think he is and would be interested to see how Clowes reacts to a potential scenario of us being bottom 3 around Xmas time. So far he's had it pretty easy - go and recruit a manager with a proven track record of getting a team promoted from League 1, piece of cake.

Warne will be nearer the end of his contract than the start of it this season which makes him vulnerable. Curious to see if Clowes stands by his employees or if he thinks they're going to take his business down then sentiments are cast aside and changes made.

[Simmoram2024Ramsrontheup]

Heart - 14th 

head - 18th 

on the preseason showing - 10 points 24th 

[CBRammette]

Think the gap to the relegated parachute payment EPL teams has widened in the two years since we were up last. Ipswich did outstandingly last year. I also think fans generally (not just ours at all) show less patience and social media is a free for all. So I think we will have a difficult season made to feel worse by those with zero patience for a rebuild. Not saying fans shouldnt discuss issues and problems but the viciousness generally now in football when things dont go perfectly is an unwelcome development. It wont be great but if we can stay up and consolidate our finances next season and play some decent football at times (behave) then that would be ok for me. 

[Ram Logan Josh]

3 hours ago, Will Hughes Hair said:

For me he’s a budget Alex Ferguson

....

Long term is that enough? 

Err, for most of us, probably yes!

 

[Tombo]

I think realistically we stay up, in the end probably more comfortably than it will have seemed at times. So by a good few points in the end but it will be a rocky one and we'll have to keep our heads through the sticky spells where we may spend some spells in the drop zone.

Of course, some fans heads have monumentally fallen off their shoulders before pre season has even ended, so that bodes well for how we'll handle losing more games than we will win

One thing I'm looking forward to in a bizarre way is enjoying draws again. Having them mean a point gained rather than 2 points dropped. I thoroughly enjoyed last season and the promotion but it was exhausting going into every game and thinking "we HAVE to win, we simply NEED all 3 points". It isn't realistic and PW was always quick to point out how much of a lie this was.

I'd like some late equalisers or late winners that feel like we've actually achieved something rather than "lucky escape"

Edited July 31 by Tombo
Fixed errors writing in the future perfect tense

[secretsquirrel]

I think it will be a slow start as we will see incoming loans at the end of august but will improve as the season goes on to end up around 15th.

First 8 games are pretty hard,would people feel better if we drew all 8 or won 3 but lost 5?

 

[Tamworthram]

1 hour ago, secretsquirrel said:

I think it will be a slow start as we will see incoming loans at the end of august but will improve as the season goes on to end up around 15th.

First 8 games are pretty hard,would people feel better if we drew all 8 or won 3 but lost 5?

 

Tough but good question and largely would depend on the nature of those results. Three good wins and five narrow defeats sounds better than eight games where we managed to somehow hang on for a draw but showed very little going forward. On the other hand, eight draws where in many of them, we were perhaps a tad unfortunate not to win, would be better than three narrow wins and five hammerings.

Luckily, we don’t have to choose.

[Van der MoodHoover]

On 29/07/2024 at 23:15, Simmoram2024Ramsrontheup said:

I think a slow start , maybe 1-2 points from the first 3-4 games , usual Warne Out stuff , pick up in October have a little purple patch from November-January = as high at 12th slip up a bit before a steady end to the season finish 18-19th.

You're describing almost every season under Nigel Clough....

[Simmoram2024Ramsrontheup]

24 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

You're describing almost every season under Nigel Clough....

Tbh, if we play like we do in preseason I can’t see us getting a single point.