Is Mr Nigel Clough tactically good enough at this level and should he go?

[davenportram]

That's an interesting point.

Looking at the list of our available midfielders, we don't appear to be blessed with an overabundance of cover in the defensive midfield stakes. Especially if we really are intent on selling Bailey.

Coutts looked capable alongside Hughes, but not alongside Babies.

[Brammie Steve]

An advantage of being an old (expulsion of waste bodily gases) is that you've done most things and seen pretty well everything else.

[size=3]Mon[/size] [size=3]Apr[/size] [size=3]3[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Newcastle United[/size] [size=3]Home[/size] [size=3]Lost[/size] [size=3]0-1[/size] [size=3]Wed[/size] [size=3]Apr[/size] [size=3]5[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]West Bromwich Albion[/size] [size=3]Away[/size] [size=3]Drew[/size] [size=3]0-0[/size] [size=3]Sat[/size] [size=3]Apr[/size] [size=3]8[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Sheffield United[/size] [size=3]Away[/size] [size=3]Won[/size] [size=3]4-0[/size] [size=3]Sat[/size] [size=3]Apr[/size] [size=3]15[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Huddersfield Town[/size] [size=3]Home[/size] [size=3]Won[/size] [size=3]3-0[/size] [size=3]Sat[/size] [size=3]Apr[/size] [size=3]22[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Manchester City[/size] [size=3]Away[/size] [size=3]Lost[/size] [size=3]0-2[/size] [size=3]Mon[/size] [size=3]May[/size] [size=3]1[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Liverpool[/size] [size=3]Home[/size] [size=3]Won[/size]

[size=3]1-0[/size]

When the Rams lost to Newcastle at the BBG it was a match we felt we would win by a hatful.

At the end people just stood around in shocked groups, many openly crying!

Then we lost our penultimate match at Maine roadand it seemed things just couldn't get worse.

Oh and then we only went and became League Champions for the first time. Courtesy of Nigel's dad!

Like I say, it's a funny old game.

Wonder what would have been posted if we had had the internet on Tuesday April 4th 1972. Plenty of things about April fools I suppose.

[davenportram]

I would guess that if Gjokaj and Freeman sign then Naylor won't be playing that much. Best thing we could do with him is get him out on loan and get some experience at someone else's expense.

He only came on because Oconnor and Hoganson are injured

Plus he is a centre half so way ship him out because of a bad game at full back

[Guest]

I never said we defended well. I said the original back four played well. That is the difference. Naylor had a shocker and we ended with a midfield of Jacobs Coutts Bavies and Bennett who offered no protection.

But this midfield got good ratings as well from you, you gave Coutts - 7, Bennet - 7, Jacobs - 6, Bavies - 5, which are all well above average.

[StaffsRam]

Coutts looked capable alongside Hughes, but not alongside Babies.

Coutts and Hughes are forward-thinking midfielders though aren't they?

I think we need someone who can just drop in, in front of the back four and sit there for 5/10 minutes just to take some of the pressure off of the back four. I'm not sure we've got that many who can do that have we?

[davenportram]

Id say 5 is average and 6 is just above average

[StaffsRam]

He only came on because Oconnor and Hoganson are injured

Plus he is a centre half so way ship him out because of a bad game at full back

Naylor needs game time. I'd be hoping that he's not one of our first choice centrebacks, and I'd hope that O'Brien is the first line of cover. Given that, Naylor's game time is going to be limited, at a time when we need him picking up experience. Get him out on loan - if we need him, we can recall him.

[RIMBAUD]

He only came on because Oconnor and Hoganson are injured

Plus he is a centre half so way ship him out because of a bad game at full back

indeed - and he looked ok at RB

[davenportram]

Naylor needs game time. I'd be hoping that he's not one of our first choice centrebacks, and I'd hope that O'Brien is the first line of cover. Given that, Naylor's game time is going to be limited, at a time when we need him picking up experience. Get him out on loan - if we need him, we can recall him.

True.

[Guest]

Id say 5 is average and 6 is just above average

And 7 ?

[sage]

But this midfield got good ratings as well from you, you gave Coutts - 7, Bennet - 7, Jacobs - 6, Bavies - 5, which are all well above average.

I'd say 6 is average. 5 is below average. As i have stated several times, the BALANCE was wrong as we had no-one who could tackle and track back. I though giving Naylor 3 might have helped explain things for you.

[VulcanRam]

I would guess that if Gjokaj and Freeman sign then Naylor won't be playing that much. Best thing we could do with him is get him out on loan and get some experience at someone else's expense.

When Naylor came into the team back end of last season he was a right back, and looked fine. Freeman's a left back and Gjokaj is a centre half. Naylor's problem last night is that he is so one-footed he got done every time the winger went outside him. There was one moment when a simple left footed clearance would have done, yet he lunged at it with his right foot and missed by a mile, allowing the winger a free run into the box.

[Guest]

I'd say 6 is average. 5 is below average. As i have stated several times, the BALANCE was wrong as we had no-one who could tackle and track back. I though giving Naylor 3 might have helped explain things for you.

5 is average, given that you could have given a nought, but beside the point.

Naylor was one player out of 11, we conceded 5 goals, when was the last time we conceded 5 at home to a lower league team.

If they couldnt tackle and track back, then they are not doing their job, if they cant defend they are not doing their job, therefore we did not as a team or individually play well in the second half, where we scored 2, and they scored 5.

If the balance is wrong, they did not follow instructions unless Clough told them not to track back, so therefore how can they have played well ?

[StaffsRam]

Naylor's even further down the list at RB - Brayford will be first choice, and it's O'Connor's preferred position as well.

[Brammie Steve]

Cheer up everyone!

here's another part of the 1971-72 season's stats:-

[size=3]Sat[/size] [size=3]Feb[/size] [size=3]26[/size] [size=3]FAC 5[/size] [size=3]Arsenal[/size] [size=3]Home[/size] [size=3]Drew[/size] [size=3]2-2[/size] [size=3]Tue[/size] [size=3]Feb[/size] [size=3]29[/size] [size=3]FAC 5 replay[/size] [size=3]Arsenal[/size] [size=3]Away[/size] [size=3]Drew[/size] [size=3]0-0[/size] [size=3]Sat[/size] [size=3]Mar[/size] [size=3]4[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Wolverhampton W.[/size] [size=3]Home[/size] [size=3]Won[/size] [size=3]2-1[/size] [size=3]Sat[/size] [size=3]Mar[/size] [size=3]11[/size] [size=3]Division 1[/size] [size=3]Tottenham Hotspur[/size] [size=3]Away[/size] [size=3]Won[/size] [size=3]1-0[/size] [size=3]Mon[/size] [size=3]Mar[/size] [size=3]13[/size] [size=2]FAC 5 2nd replay[/size] [size=3]Arsenal[/size] [size=3]Neutral[/size][size=3]*[/size] [size=3]Lost[/size] [size=3]0-1[/size]

My brother and I can still recall that 2nd replay at a neutral ground (Filbert Street) Brian Clough was so confident that he said "any closer and we could have played in my back yard"

The previous games had ended so finely balanced and there were no penalty shoot outs, only endless replays which could really destroy a challenge for the title.

One of our players passed the ball back from the centre to the goalie only for us all to watch George Graham calmly walk the ball into our net. Brian Clough never forgave that player.

His name...John McGovern, scorer of our single goal in the Liverpool match which won us the league. If General O'Pinion had raised his ugly head above the parapets, McGovern's career would probably have been over!

Football mirrors life sometimes.

[sage]

5 is average, given that you could have given a nought, but beside the point.

Naylor was one player out of 11, we conceded 5 goals, when was the last time we conceded 5 at home to a lower league team.

If they couldnt tackle and track back, then they are not doing their job, if they cant defend they are not doing their job, therefore we did not as a team or individually play well in the second half, where we scored 2, and they scored 5.

If the balance is wrong, they did not follow instructions unless Clough told them not to track back, so therefore how can they have played well ?

I have given them praise for what they did well and criticism for what they did badly. The problem was the BALANCE of the team was all wrong. Round pegs in square holes and a freak result. You will note that pretty much everyone who went has said the same thing.

[Duracell]

Have some of us woken up the right side of bed today?

[davenportram]

And 7 ?

You says they were all well above average ratings, just saying they werent.

[Ramshankered]

After last nights result, I've decided I can no longer stomach being a Derby fan and henceforth will be supporting Man Utd.

Can I change my username to Manshankered please?

[PBW Ram]

I went to bed livid, not ONLY with the manager cos like most have said, when you're three up with 25 to go you fancy you've earned the right to give the back up lads 25 minutes.

After the Chesterfield game I wrote a post saying Naylor was incredibly incredibly poor and that was at right back, I wrote that it put him back 15 games. Then I deleted the nasty bit it cos I'd been saying all pre-season like everyone else it was only a friendly and I didnt want to be a drama queen. I was really surprised to see him on the bench after such an awful awful display. He looked scared to put his foot through a ball and even his 5 yard passes were short.

I dont think we'll see him in the first team squad for a few weeks at least.

I can't and won't panic or start slating all and sundry cos I've seen league cup games like that before though and NC and Crosby have even been involved in one of those as players. Don't forget me, you, and everyone in the crowd thought we'd already won it when they were cheering for Bucko to take the penalty off Theo.

Moments swing games and Theo had a big moment.

You can only get experience of these kind of games and hopefully not repeat it again. As a player NC and Crosby went to Coventry and found themselves 4-0 down inside 20 minutes, NC got a 12 minute hat trick they pulled it back to 4-4 and Nigel Jemson had a chance to square a ball to leave NC with a tap in, the greedy ******* took it himself ended up putting in straight in the keepers hands and Coventry scored from the clearance to make it 5-4 and they were out. 20 years later I still remember it like it was yesterday...and it still narks me. The ginger striker from Cov got a hat trick as well so NC didnt even get his match ball.

That's what NC should be saying for the next three days. It was a freak game and there wont be another one like it for 10 seasons.

My point, Theo ***** his penalty like he did in the shooot out and we're home and dry and celebrating major plusses. He didn't, we aren't and this will hurt for a while longer as we totally shot ourselves in the foot. I think it's easy to say NC made a mistake bringing Bryson and Roberts off too early, but I think any of us would have done the same thing.

One thing is certain, any days off to chill and get ready for the Wendies is totally out of the window. I'd imagine they will work their balls off for the rest of the week. You can't concede 5 goals at home and that is the biggest worry for me, that we didnt have the sense or the ability to just to shut up shop totally even at 5-4.

Totally gutted and shocked but still looking forward to the league campaign. Just hope the confidence isn't totally shot cos the young lads need picking up for Saturday. A big signing might just do the trick.