v Blackburn (A) Match Thread

[MACKWORTHRAM]

20 minutes ago, DB83 said:

You have an opinion. Paul Warne has a opinion. Malcolm Christie has an opinion. I have an opinion. 100 different people on this forum all have opinion. What’s your point?? People have different opinions… this isn’t new.

Spot on. I didn't Elder was bad tonight. Steady 6/10 for me. Wilson was a threat going forward but can't let Weimann have that header unmarked.

I thought Warne was spot on in his assessment of the game and it sounded like he watched the same game as I did.

He knows we didn't create enough in the final third and he knows we need strengthening there. Which we will do.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

Deliberately missing the point then.

It’s pretty hard to miss the point when you have no idea what the point is
How about we go back to the start and you try to explain yourself again, maybe in a different way so that people can understand it this time ? 
 

And if you can’t do this , and instead of berating people who can’t understand you, perhaps you could think about how you put yourself across ? 
 
very difficult for people of certain characteristics, very simple for the majority . 

leave it up to you to which group you belong 

[Simon Bradley]

At least we are not bottom what I have been telling self for last 2 hours as forest scum mates send messages also come September there will be a diff team to the one we started with tonite well I hope so definitely a keeper if we have to go all season with vickers and luthra I don't want to think how it ends hopefully new st and winger and a cb love Nelson ans cashin as a partnership but we not league 1 no more maybe warnes comment about having Nelson cashin and laing on bench could be a reality 

[rammieib]

2 hours ago, inter politics said:

Ebou, Ozoh, Kenzo as the 3, Osborn at LWB feels inevitable sooner rather than later 

Except this has a lack of creativity and no goals IMO.

Watching three centre half’s, two midfield bulldozers and wingbacks who inevitably will become full backs is not my idea of fun.

We are a very badly lopsided team with a desperate lack of quality.

[Matchday Fred]

3 hours ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

Dembele.

Dembele off to QPR

[rammieib]

45 minutes ago, MACKWORTHRAM said:

Just got back from Blackburn. Despite the result, cracking away day and our fans were brilliant.

I thought first 10 minutes we were slow out the blocks and they came straight on to us and we struggled. 

Ironically we took control and they scored. Pretty poor goal to give away. Their lad was quickest to react and I think Ozoh was half asleep. 

I didn't think we were bad in the first half. We just didn't pose any threat at all. Looked fine defensively. Kenzo our best player. Couple of chances to set people away. Kenzo put a lovely ball through for Jackson who was offside when he shouldn't have been and then Wilson passed it straight out for a goal kick when it was a simple pass to set Barkhuizen away. 

Second half we come out and we're on top and fully deserved the equaliser and at that point I thought we would be the team to win it.

The second goal was a catalogue of errors really. Their lad sent Elder and Collins to the shops. Inexplicable they both went to ground like that and even worse that Wilson was nowhere to be seen at the back post.

Then after that we just went to pot. The third goal was poor. I thought Vickers should have done better to be honest. It's dead centre of the goal. I'm not sitting here saying Zetterstrom saves it or anything. But I think a better keeper does.

The 4th goal we just gave them too much room. 

All 4 goals were avoidable.

We had glimpses of being a good side. Massively lacking in the final third though, which Warne knows and has alluded to many times.

NML gave the ball away so many times today and his decision making in the final third was poor. 

Jackson isn't a centre forward at all. He's an option out wide and that's where he should be.

Kenzo, Ozoh (second half) and Osborn were the standouts for me.

I thought Cashin and NML were poor.

Collins came on and spent most of the game out wide chasing the ball. He's a number 9. Stay between the posts. 

For me we need the keeper, centre back, left back, attacking midfield/Number 10 and a striker.

I thought Warne was absolutely spot on in his interview. Nice to score from set pieces but we didn't create enough in the final third.

No reason to panic yet. See what the rest of the window has in store.

Disappointed Radio Derby didn't bother to ask Warne about signings.

 

I think you should watch the highlights before commenting.

1) goal one - why has Wilson gone to the goal line and left their player at the back. Ozoh was weak in build up.

2) Wilson came across because the whole defence was positionally wrong. Cashin had gone walkabouts (again) and whole defence was pulled over including Wilson this time.

3) Not a single chance can Vickers save that. Not a single chance any Gk in the world saves it so let’s not hammer Vickers tonight.

Bit harsh to pick on NML. 2 assists. Played in wrong winger position. Took their players on (So did Elder as well).

Where we struggled:

- defence was positionally wrong all night. See above.

- No forward focal point. 

- Kenso only creative player on show with the ball and passing.

Ultimately we were at game one and Berkhuisen was in our 11. If that doesn’t show an abject failure in the strategy of the club, I don’t know what does.

 

[Ambitious]

I thought we played well enough, but Blackburn was excellent. Eustace did a job on us - diagonals killed us and runners at the back post. He deserves a lot of credit. 

I know we’re both meant to be down there, but feel we will both be ok - Blackburn more so. 

[Gladys_was_the_Greatest]

Not a great start, but not really all that surprising. We are a new team and not the finished article. We all knew, in our hearts , this was going to be a tough division to come back to. Please let’s wait until the end of October before we get the knives out. Give it 10-12 games before we start the dog hanging. Last season was a great achievement but on this forum it was so toxic with people being really unpleasant. This is crazy, we all support the same club, have the same desire to see the Rams succeed. Hopefully by the end of the window we will have some extra experience, fire power and a goal keeper. If it’s not working after ten or twelve games then I imagine Mr Clowes will call time. I think a lot of wise heads knew we were going to lose tonight, we just are not ready yet. Hopefully we will be soon. Keep the faith etc. 

[Matchday Fred]

So pre-season actually was a good indicator of where we are after all, conceding another 4 goals. You have to be ready for game 1, not knowingly go into the first half dozen games undercooked. Cashin never going to be good enough at this level, nor Bradley, nor Tommo, Fornah, Barks.. I’d be tempted to,play Nelson and Nyambe at centre half with Fozz at LB, but 5 at the back is not the right answer. We need a keeper, left back, centre half, winger, striker rapidly. Waiting until end Sept not good enough.

Yes there will be a transition period as we get used to the pace and quality at a higher level. But there are too many big holes in the squad, tough to fill over one summer. Get the impression the coaching needs to be more classroom and ball, less cone and resistance band. We need to be more progressive and more comfortable when pressed in possession. No sign of coached development there, with all the emphasis apparently on miles in legs.

With season ticket sales, we can’t be far off the budgets of other clubs. Not clear why we can’t get the right players. We have all that lovely new Sky money, but as stated before that has already been bid out with players and agents wising up to the new money and asking for more. Same supply, additional demand, higher prices. Simple economics. Clowes needs to decide if he is prepared to compete at this level, whether he can afford it, whether Bhobats computer is just another complicating factor in recruitment (especially if it is always saying NO), or does he seek additional investment ? We’re all grateful for what he did, but time stands still for no man. 
 

For me the academy doesn’t deliver. Bhobat could look at the kids in the academy, whack their stats into his computer, and it will tell him that very few have the physical attributes to be top players. Without new investment, and with PSR constraints (which I don’t believe are the real constraints at the moment), the only way forward is either the academy delivering a stream of Champ ready players, or taking a risk on transfer fees for younger players who could be sold on at a profit.

Lots of thinking to be done, and risks to be taken. If you don’t have risk, youre not in business.

Edited August 10 by Matchday Fred

[BathRam72]

2 hours ago, Gladys_was_the_Greatest said:

Not a great start, but not really all that surprising. We are a new team and not the finished article. We all knew, in our hearts , this was going to be a tough division to come back to. Please let’s wait until the end of October before we get the knives out. Give it 10-12 games before we start the dog hanging. Last season was a great achievement but on this forum it was so toxic with people being really unpleasant. This is crazy, we all support the same club, have the same desire to see the Rams succeed. Hopefully by the end of the window we will have some extra experience, fire power and a goal keeper. If it’s not working after ten or twelve games then I imagine Mr Clowes will call time. I think a lot of wise heads knew we were going to lose tonight, we just are not ready yet. Hopefully we will be soon. Keep the faith etc. 

Hooray. Finally someone with some sense. My brother was sacking half the team after the first goal and I replied with pretty much this.

[Charliegeorge1962]

Its a big jump from league 1 to the Championship.

It is going to be a very long season with performances like last night.

 

 

[Castor]

Really, really disappointing last night, mainly because we didn't address the issues from pre season.

I know it's game one, but I thought Blackburn were poor. Would have taken it on the chin if we played a better outfit, they wasn't it.

A few points:

Kenzo is getting bullied off the ball way too easy.

Our press is poor, always a ball over the top as an outlet.

We have no midfield brave enough to take it out from the back. Ozoh needs to build up his confidence to break the lines more.

NML and Wilson look the only players capable of unlocking the defence. 

Doesn't matter who we had in goal last night, we would have still conceded many.

Honestly think our best hope is five at the back and to s******** a set piece, unless David gets his chequebook out and starts signing some better players we are in for a tough season.

Edited August 10 by Castor

[Simmoram2024Ramsrontheup]

Having had time to think about it, it was just a step up in class. My main concern was how erratic Cashin was. His positioning was all off yesterday. I honestly think he was trying too hard! I’d go 4-2-3-1 against Boro 

vickers 

nyambe Nelson cashin Osborn 

Ozoh Ebou 

Jackson kenzo NML

collins 

[FlyBritishMidland]

I thought we looked a bit like a rabbit in the headlights until they scored.  Then we started to get involved.  We played well the 1st 20mins of the 2nd half and deservedly equalised.  Play like that and we’ll be fine.  Then it all went a bit pear shaped.

We need something more up front.  We have lots of pace but a bit more presence in the box and a natural finisher.  Yates is obviously going to come in but we do need a bit more.  I was disappointed with Ozoh in the first half but he did get better, maybe because I might have had my expectations raised last week.

Defence was a bit of a concern and shows the difference between this league and L1.  Cashin showed his naivety.  He was caught out of position a few times and it happened last week too.  I think it was the 2nd goal, he was virtually in midfield chasing the ball.  Wilson is good going forward, but away from home we need Nyambe there but as he had barely trained you can understand why he didn’t play.

It’s the first game and nothing is won or lost in August.  In a perverse kind of way, I’m glad we got that result and performance now rather than in September.  It has shown the gaps we have and we have time to address them in the transfer market.  And Warne has the plan as he’s targeting the right positions.  COYR 🐏.

Edited August 10 by FlyBritishMidland
Jerry Yates, not Adams. What was I thinking?? It’s early!!

[kevinhectoring]

It was far from disastrous. The main question was, do we have enough players who can step up at this level ? The first 20 mins was a tough watch. But after that there were good signs. 

We could have had more goals. Elder and Wilson both looked good on the ball. But relying on them defensively in this league is a foolhardy gamble and has the potential to ruin Cashin as a player. We should have learned from the second half of last season how best to set ourselves up at the back with this squad. This formation is a road to ruin
 

At his age and with his talent  Ozoh has the potential to transform himself this season and to transform our fortunes. A lot will turn on whether Warne gets the best out of him. He’s the sort that Warne can fall out with and if Ozoh ends up in a Pogba  level sulk, we could pay a hefty price. I would like to see him start alongside Adams. As well as using our best defenders this season, we need to take our midfield seriously. 

[Van der MoodHoover]

8 hours ago, Boycie said:

Sadly no.

 But I don’t want members to get too down and say something that might prevent them accessing this fine forum.

Members up chaps! Boyce has spoke....

[Chester40]

The game could just as easily ended 1-0  to Blackburn and the take-away wouid have been the same.

You COULD feel we didn't look particularly fit and pre-season we didn't play with any shape and yesterday it showed.

You COULD think we look toothless up front.

You COULD suggest Warne is not good enough at this level and we looked tactically naive.

But it's one game, and we have a raft of new signings with more to come in vital positions.

First 20-30mins we looked totally out-matched and out-thought. Midfield especially Ozoh looked out of their depth and bypassed by a defence just launching it to a forward with no clue how to hold it up.

We then got into the game and deserved to equalise. We looked set to push on and going forward the midfield looked decent. 

We then conceded and the wheels came off in shocking fashion. 

Tbf, we carried on attacking which pleasantly surprised me.

Cashin was poor again. Wilson was good going forward but not defensively,  Elder was the same.

We need to just keep calm and learn our lessons, get the right players in and start to build some cohesion.

After 10 games we will know so much more. 

[Srg]

Weirdly, I was more positive from that than I thought I would be. Admittedly, I did expect to lose though.

We didn’t learn anything Warne hasn’t said… we need a striker, we need a keeper, we need a centre back, we need a left back. Yes it was concerning we seemed to just fall apart at the seems after their second, that was unlike us since Warne came in.

For positives, it was good to see us get ourselves in the game and control a large portion of it having gone 1 down. We were poor up until their 1st, but then we settled and started keeping hold of it. That was good. Actually think we looked the better side for around 50-60 minutes of the game, even if it was clearly a little toothless  

Kenzo looked really good. Stellar addition there. Will only get better too. Wilson played quite well too, which hints he can step up. NML and Barkhuizen were poor, Cashin having his early season struggles again and hopefully he will figure that out. 

Don’t think it’s worth some of the hand-wringing. Let’s not forget our usual away record at this level after all. Few additions, iron out of some of the sillyness and we should be ok. 

[WystonRam]

Had time to sleep on it before commenting. My detailed thoughts are, we weren’t very good.

[derbydaz22]

My biggest concern is how loose and easy to play against we looked a halve arsed press at times and far to much space in midfield and the edge of our box we need to sort this before Saturday against a better side in Boro.