Very impressive second half from Will Hughes, something to be delighted about, I imagine him raising bums from seats in the future. Lets hope they are black and white ones. Would have liked to see him play between the midfield and front two though, maybe for a few minutes. A great eye for a pass and not flustered. Great qualities for a Lad his age.
Ward was very lively and looked our only threat first half. Not supplied nearly well enough by Doyle and Brayford down the right, the latter was not as explosive going forward as previous occasions I have seen him play. Our best option came from our left where Will Hughes was finding space and time to have a run at Huddersfield. Which was key to the game being recovered IMHO.
Second half Ward spent far too much time out wide and not in more dangerous areas through central channels. Sammon to his credit supplied some great flick ons in the second half, only to see them run through to the keeper, because the other forward was too far away. We were not having much success out wide, the final ball was lacking in quality. So if you are going to go narrow and hit the big man, then Ward should have been on his left or right shoulder. And to be honest he should have never been further away than 6-7 yards because Sammon draws defenders to him very well. Big guy, lots of aggression and a will to win the ball. We have been crying out for a player of his ilk for a while now. I have high hopes for him.
O'Conner was getting beat quite regularly on Saturday in the air. He is a very well built lad, but not quick to react to a sharp run. And does not impose his presence nearly well enough yet when a ball in to his player to mark looks ominous. However he does have a cool head and is determined. Keough, I thought looked like a class act. No panic, good positioning and made some great tackles. Maybe someone could refresh my memory on which of our defenders produced the back heal clearance when the Terriers forward looked clean through? I clapped that tackle til my hands hurt, but cannot for the life of me remember who made it.
Derby fans were worth the admission fee alone on Saturday. Second half in particular. The rest of the stadium was very quiet and for almost 15 minutes solid the Fans sang NC's Barmy army to try and urge the team towards them. the Huddersfield fans who I attended with were talking about our support all the way back to the car.
Sadly, not enough to create a comeback, it just needed some better ideas coming on to the pitch I felt. We never really tested a Keeper who looked a little short to me. Hard shots to top corner I doubt he'd have got near.
Anyway to the Rams fans there on Saturday for making the day worth while.
One bottle of Cider before the game Saturday Never again.
Thoughts- On what I saw.
posted on 17/9/12
Have you thought of doing a "Ten Thoughts" report, as made popular previously...?
It seemed to my untrained ear that we were lacking a cohesive shape up front, not really a front two, not really a 'one in the hole' formation, and things just petered out as we fell between the two stools: would you concur?
I'd hate for Sammon to contract Hulseivitus, whereby he gets so tired of having no support and making runs and the ball never arrives that he stops doing those things and concentrates instead on trying to 'win' free-kicks.
posted on 17/9/12
Hughes looks a brilliant prospect, didn't realise how young he was until after the game - great potential there! Ward was your most dangerous player on the day, really got at Jack Hunt and forced a few balls into the box.
I didn't think the away support was anything to shout about really. Out of the 2 teams to come to us so far you were probably the quietest - I won't say who the loudest were as it would upset you.
posted on 17/9/12
SDS I've been to three games this season so far, the first half against Sheff Wed was okish.
The second half, Nigel's tactics, he got wrong!!
Ive said on here after the game, I was fuming!!
Then we played Bolton, which we should've got something out of the game. I was there and we played some really good stuff, we just needed that bit of luck, which we didn't get.
Then I went to Wolves, I'm not joking you, we were all over them, we played some excellent football. Wolves weren't playing too bad either. We just played better and deserved the 1-1 we deserved to win that game but we didn't. It sounds to me that it was down to the international break, why Derby played poorly. I've said on another thread, and I didn't go to Saturdays game, cause I was at an all nighter, also i brought my red dog ticket, so spent a lot of money this weekend, but having listened to it on radio, we didn't create anything for us to have a pop at goal. Lets just hope its a blip. I will give him 12 games and I'll look at the situation then. Good article by the way, and thanks SDS for filling me in on the game.
posted on 18/9/12
Terrier1987Cas
You're probably right about our support. But for me, that is an improvement on what I've been used to. If you visit Pride Park in February, you will see what I mean
I can't remember who wrote the "ten thoughts" articles, so I'm not sure how to read that comment? The shape of the front two first half was Sammon through the middle and Ward running into corners to recieve the ball. I dont really see the purpose of having a really good finisher of the ball running away from goal. Id want him running in on it. Like I said Brayford wasnt as explosive going forward, can only assume this was lack of confidence in Doyle.
Wassa, I would have been shouting onto the pitch, in fact I was, for the front two, if thats what they were, to get together!
posted on 19/9/12
Like i say SDS Derby are playing some good stuff,top ten now
posted on 19/9/12
The author the ten thoughts articles was Count somebody or another..
posted on 19/9/12
Ah yeah, Count G.
I had alot more than 10 thoughts from saturday, unfortunately "war and peace" articels dont seem to go down that well these days.
Wassa
Yeah, a great result, however it appears we have to get off to a flyer to secure results at home but we cannot seem to be as clinical away.
If we hold out any aspirations to make a play off place that away form and mentality is gonna need to improve in a big way.