West Ham v Derby County

[Gary Teale]

1 win in 16 says it all really. We have one good run every season then its back to the usual rubbish. 3 years into the job and I havent a clue where we are going. Everyone keeps telling me our keeper and back 4 are better than the last lot yet we still cant defend for toffee

[-JW-]

oh feck this im going to slash my fecking wrists.

[Mr Tibbs]

Trying not to be negative but hard after that, despite the obvious gulf in class and expected outcome of the game anyway.

Won't ramble but 3 annoying points:

1: Cheaply giving the ball away. Championship footballers should be capable of keeping the ball. This is our main downfall.

2: Frank Fieldings kicks, I've not seen us gain possession from one in the past 2 games. 70% of them are over hit and the remainder are swept up easy by the opposing team.

3: Attacking? Hoofed through out the game, played football in the 90th minute, surely this should be the opposite way round. Prison isn't a target man, play the ball to his bloody feet.

I thought we'd go down pretty easy anyway but that was frustrating. Feel for those that went. Lack of desire out there tonight. None of the players seem to want to keep the ball out of the net for me. After shipping a **** load of goals in recent weeks I thought we might try and correct where we have been going wrong, seems not.

Tuesday's massive IMO.

[Alph]

I honestly didn't think it was that bad. Well, i thought it was a bad game of football from two teams, but i thought we held our own pretty well.

Their first goal> silly tackle from B.Davies to give away a free kick. I'm sure he started off in a good position then got the wrong side of the player. Then dived in. The ball is cleared and one hopeful cross without looking and it's 1-1.

Second goal > Well, we started the second half like we were playing a friendly. Submissive and wasteful football. West Ham put us under pressure but nothing too much. Then a few loose touches we STILL don't win the loose ball..... but Nolan does. Cracking strike. Lesson is to wake up.

We didn't really wake up. We had a brief spell of spirit and then fell nicely into place.

3rd goal > Inside the area?? Dunno, but the game was over when Nolan scored.

We NEVER win the first ball because we're so weak and short. We NEVER win the second ball because we're too nice. How can you hope to get far (no matter how good you are) if your so nice and submissive.

I think in spells we did ok. We didn't make too many huge mistakes. We don't have to quality WHU do so it's understandable that 25yrd volleys could win the game for them.

But the submissive way we allow the second ball to drop to opponents is ridiculous. It doesn't make the whole performance poor, but it does throw away any good work you've already done.

Derby are too nice. And a bit thick if they can't understand that 'if you can't win the first ball, win the second'.

Hard work is a minimal requirement. They really need to engage brains a bit. The quality is there to atleast get us mid-table. But the way we go about using that quality is naive.

We're selling ourselves short. No way on earth do Leeds and Peterborough have better quality than us. Nor do they work harder. But i bet neither fall into place with a whimper. Or fail to do things they can/should be doing naturaly.

[Gary Teale]

What did Mr Clough think of the game? Is there an interview yet?

[NothernRam]

Any chances he will say 'We played OK'?

[Mr Tibbs]

He says ' We must do better '.

Genius.

[j.brayford]

Bet metgod does it the interview!!

[-JW-]

He'll probably criticise Cwyka.

[Gary Teale]

I think he may say "We should have booted it in the corners more second half"

[MrsRam]

My take on it? Had family round so didn't watch it like I normally do but well worked goal for us - cracking goal from Nolan - wasn't a penalty for me. We did lose it in the second half but I felt West Ham had some good 'old heads' and we didn't.

[CumbrianRam]

Derby County have to be better - Nigel Clough

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15906126.stm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[uttoxram75]

Defo not a penalty, if it was a foul (very doubtful), the contact was a yard outside the box.

[CumbrianRam]

Think Gareth Roberts played OK, he's been our best defender of late.

[CrimsonRam]

I think that defensively we will be a lot more sure based on that. They weren't too clinical but even if our midfield gives them too many chances the center half pairing seemed capable of dealing with a lot of it.

Against the majority of other championship clubs I think that the whole back line will be more than capable of they all stay fit.

[ram2767]

I though we were different today than I've seen all season. We had a presence in mid-field. But our last 20 minutes or so there was no heart, gave up too early on. Disgraceful really

[HenryKrinkle]

People have been asking for more bodies in midfield to allow Bryson to get forward, but he was anonymous today.

We gave away a soft goal. Their one prem class player scored a lovely strike - although we could have cut it out way before it got to him - for the second and then we capitulated.

Priskin took his goal well. Bailey looked rusty but can't blame him. Thought Greeny looked good first half.

Why oh why bring Conor Doyle on though? Surely ball bag would have been a better option??

[Day]

Did Bryson really play tonight? Learn summart new everyday on here

[CumbrianRam]

NC making plenty of excuses on the FLS.

[sunnyside]

On tonight's showing I'd have Pearo in midfield ahead of Davies and Bryson any day of the week. The former only plays for his set pieces and they were rubbish all night. Indeed West Ham's third goal came directly from another poor corner failing to clear the first man. The latter was totally anonymous except for giving the resultant penalty away.

Only plus I could see was Priskin's goal and the return of Green and more especially Bailey.

Well done to NorthernRam with the 3-1 prediction. I said 3-0 before the game so not as bad as I'd feared!