Mansfield Town v Derby County

[Ambitious]

Not too botherd about tonight if im honest, got a good look at who played well, and the normal xi players looked very good. Its just the players that we dont expect to get too many games that let the team down imo

shows weakness in the squad though, that needs improving!

[WorksopRam]

shows weakness in the squad though, that needs improving!

I agree that we need a couple of players, but i'm not judging anyone from the first game of pre-season.

[EpidemicRam]

shows weakness in the squad though, that needs improving!

Yeah showed we have a massive lack of cover imo. But that swiss lad looked like he could fill a space on the bench, also thought theo should of burried the game tbh. But with a few more games he mind find a 'lethal' touch. Well we can hope anyway 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

[Ambitious]

I think we will be a lot better off for this loss as long as we look at this constructively.

There is a reason we didn't win the game, we need to look at them reasons and make sure it doesn't happen again.

We should not judge anyone, but we certainly can't turn a blind eye to this... even if it was down to shear lack of fight and effort, then that is a problem, as I said I wasn't there so I don't know, but we lost the game for a reason!

[BorneoRam]

Derby County Second Half: Morch (GK); Brayford, Galinski, Buxton, Jones; Coutts, HughHHughes, Bryson, Caton; Tyson, Bennett.

Second half team does look a bit weak tbf - What was Hugh H Hughes like? - I heard he was the nephew of the great Charles Charlie Charles

[Dimmu]

Yeah showed we have a massive lack of cover imo. But that swiss lad looked like he could fill a space on the bench, also thought theo should of burried the game tbh. But with a few more games he mind find a 'lethal' touch. Well we can hope anyway 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Theo "Lethal" Robinson? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' />

[weedram]

That was Mansfields 5th pre-season game and we're the 1st to score against them.

'disastrous' - come on people it was the first pre-season friendly and Clough was obviously just looking at different possibilities

[jg96ram]

Poor Tyson, looks like he needs a good w*nk before he'll get goals.

Does that mean he couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo or something slightly different? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ph34r' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':ph34r:' /> Like the lad personally, might be over-trying in his quest to prove himself as a Ram, never had great opportunities of what I saw last season but the ones he had he shot well enough. Don't see what all the fuss is about, yeah he was ex-forest, and he was a bit of a muppet with his flag waving; but he's a ram now, AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

Right rant over, carry on...

[Guest]

Pre season is about fitness and getting in the groove for the season when it really matters how we play. It is of course dissapointing we lost to Mansfield, however we had two different sides out and I am sure clough learned a lot about the weaknesses of the second string which will be important when the season starts. I'm not a fan of Tyson and the only way he can change that is if he starts scoring, to the poster above I think the fuss is that by all accounts he signed on a pretty good wage and has yet to score for us and he is a striker.......... ( we all think) If he had scored 10-15 goals no-one would care but he hasn't and thus the pressure is on him.

[jg96ram]

. I'm not a fan of Tyson and the only way he can change that is if he starts scoring, to the poster above I think the fuss is that by all accounts he signed on a pretty good wage and has yet to score for us and he is a striker.......... ( we all think) If he had scored 10-15 goals no-one would care but he hasn't and thus the pressure is on him.

I totally understand your point, but how many times was he played as a striker though? When I saw him last season he was trying too hard to score or being knocked into row-z by that forest midfielder to stop him from scoring. I think he needs one goal to settle himself, and then he can push on. He seemed prolific at forest a few years ago, with the right encouragement he could do a good job for us.

[Guest]

I totally understand your point, but how many times was he played as a striker though? When I saw him last season he was trying too hard to score or being knocked into row-z by that forest midfielder to stop him from scoring. I think he needs one goal to settle himself, and then he can push on. He seemed prolific at forest a few years ago, with the right encouragement he could do a good job for us.

He has never been prolific in the championship and at forest in league 1 he averaged 1 in 3. He was played as a striker enough times for him to get goals, when it was discovered he couldn't hit a barn door he was moved onto the left where some games he looked good, others he looked truly terrible. I don't think he can do a good job for us but that is just me.

[davenportram]

Cloug on the match

Derby County's pre-season campaign began with a 2-1 defeat to Mansfield Town on Wednesday night, with manager Nigel Clough admitting: "We got exactly what we expected out of the game."

Clough used the friendly to give 22 players 45 minutes each by fielding two completely different sides in the first and second halves in their first game of pre-season.

The Rams tasted defeat against the Blue Square Premier outfit at Field Mill despite leading 1-0 at the interval, with striker Theo Robinson on target from the penalty spot just after the half hour.

While Clough was disappointed to lose the game, he was happy to see his players get their first minutes of pre-season under their belts and avoid injuries - which were his two main objectives ahead of the game.

"It's good to get the first game out the way," he told Rams Player.

"We don't like losing, even in pre-season, but I think the second half side we had out there was a little too weak.

"We had a number of players on the pitch who didn't have a lot of experience at first-team level, but they'll be all the better for it.

"Before the game we talked about avoiding injuries and the players getting minutes under their belts, and that's exactly what we got.

"It's early days but it was a good, physical workout. It's all about getting back into the routine of heading, kicking and just playing football again, so it was good to get back into action.

"We're not going to get too concerned by pre-season results, it's all about building up to the first game of the season and beyond right now."

Attacking Outlet: Jamie Ward launches an attack for Derby in the first-half at Mansfield

Although Clough conceded Derby's second-half line-up was weaker than the first half XI, he is confident the likes of teenagers Will Hughes, Mason Bennett and Stefan Galinski will learn from the experience of facing a physical non-league outfit.

On the other side of the coin, he felt there were a number of positives to draw from Derby's first-half display.

He said: "We looked quite sharp and created plenty of chances even before we went ahead.

"We looked a threat going forwards and with the chances we created, we deserved to be in front at the break.

"In the second half we had a number of youngsters out there and Mansfield were the mature Conference side we believed they were, so the physical element of their game was a learning curve for our younger players.

"It can be difficult, as we know from experience in our Burton days, and the likes of Will, Mason and Stef will certainly know they're not in Academy football anymore, if they didn't already."

Clough also added in his post-match interview that Frank Fielding, Adam Lezgdins and James Bailey could return to the squad in Saturday's friendly at Burton Albion after sitting out the Mansfield game with minor knocks.

http://mobile.dcfc.co.uk/runtime/derbycounty/article?articleId=2860500

Says pretty much what people in here are saying. Weak 2nd half team - learning curve for the youngsters.

[ramesses]

Pre-season results are meaningless. We had a poor pre-season last year and went on to have the best start to a season in over a century.

[ram1884]

Pre-season results are meaningless. We had a poor pre-season last year and went on to have the best start to a season in over a century.

someone talking sense at last... well said mate 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

[Stags70]

Hi All,

Reading your posts i would just like to add the following;

Yes we can understand your guys thinking that it would and should have been a walkover last night but if i could let you know what is happeneing down at the One Call, We are seriously wanting to win this tin pot league this year and get back to were we belong -Football League, Sir John has invested £2.5 Million of his own money over the past eight months and the good feelings and confidence in the whole club is finally being bought back to life, we have signed on some excellent lower league players this year which is beginning to show on the pitch, i thought last night we were excellent value for the win, our two centre halves were the best two on show all night imo.

Basically a lot of us were expecting at least a draw because of the qaulity in the squad, So watch out for us winning the conference this year...then you may look back and say " you know what i thought Mansfield looked half decent and with it being our first pre season game we didnt do that bad that night afterall"! By the Way Jake Buxton LOL must be the luckiest footballer in england, never rated him when he was here! god knows how he's managed to play in the Championship, Matt Green made him look daft - all too familiar!

Good luck in the League This Season!!

[Shake n Bake]

Hi All,

Reading your posts i would just like to add the following;

Yes we can understand your guys thinking that it would and should have been a walkover last night but if i could let you know what is happeneing down at the One Call, We are seriously wanting to win this tin pot league this year and get back to were we belong -Football League, Sir John has invested £2.5 Million of his own money over the past eight months and the good feelings and confidence in the whole club is finally being bought back to life, we have signed on some excellent lower league players this year which is beginning to show on the pitch, i thought last night we were excellent value for the win, our two centre halves were the best two on show all night imo.

Basically a lot of us were expecting at least a draw because of the qaulity in the squad, So watch out for us winning the conference this year...then you may look back and say " you know what i thought Mansfield looked half decent and with it being our first pre season game we didnt do that bad that night afterall"! By the Way Jake Buxton LOL must be the luckiest footballer in england, never rated him when he was here! god knows how he's managed to play in the Championship, Matt Green made him look daft - all too familiar!

Good luck in the League This Season!!

I was going to say good luck. But then you spoke badly of Jake, hope you go into liquidation.

[Stags70]

not meant to be a dig just a real comment, he is lucky

[davenportram]

Lucky but also had some excellent performances in a Derby Shirt.

[ramsbottom]

Hi All,

Reading your posts i would just like to add the following;

Yes we can understand your guys thinking that it would and should have been a walkover last night but if i could let you know what is happeneing down at the One Call, We are seriously wanting to win this tin pot league this year and get back to were we belong -Football League, Sir John has invested £2.5 Million of his own money over the past eight months and the good feelings and confidence in the whole club is finally being bought back to life, we have signed on some excellent lower league players this year which is beginning to show on the pitch, i thought last night we were excellent value for the win, our two centre halves were the best two on show all night imo.

Basically a lot of us were expecting at least a draw because of the qaulity in the squad, So watch out for us winning the conference this year...then you may look back and say " you know what i thought Mansfield looked half decent and with it being our first pre season game we didnt do that bad that night afterall"! By the Way Jake Buxton LOL must be the luckiest footballer in england, never rated him when he was here! god knows how he's managed to play in the Championship, Matt Green made him look daft - all too familiar!

Good luck in the League This Season!!

I would like to echo SnB's sentiments. While you're stuffing your face with £1 burgers at the Missed Call every week we watch a proper standard of football and we know Bucko doesn't look out of place so pipe down...

As for the result, who cares. It's pre-season, it's all about fitness & sharpness. If the fixture was played in three weeks time the score could've been different...

[chezzyram]

Pre season. Waste of time. Let's not bother. Bye the way we had a good pre season last time won first 4 games and then only finished 12th after massive highs a nd lows. Sense let's all talk sense. Pre season sucks.

I don't think anyone thinks pre season is a waste of time, but everyone seems to have differnt expectations of pre season games and what they should acheive. Tne more sensible people, IMO, realise that results are unimportant and that there is a bigger picture whereas others immediately seize on the result as a stick to do another bit of Clough bashing. I agree with what Clough says about the development of the younger players. In the Senior cup final against Buxton we fielded what is regarded as a very promising academy side ( except Hughes who was in the first team squad) and on paper they should have been too much for an Evostick league side. In reality though they played neat football but were completely outmuscled by 6ft opponents that they dont meet in academy games and consequently lost. The only way to give them experience is to play them in games like the one last night, irrespective of the result. I didn't go last night so cant comment on the overall performance but can see the points made that some of the experienced players might have done better.