That’ll be a NO then. Lol

A year ago we were 11th, 18 points away from second spot and heading nowhere at all, with a bloated squad containing players of variable quality and without any apparent method of playing that would bring those disparate individuals together. Surely none could dispute that there have been major strides in the right direction since then despite the difficulty in getting some of the higher paid players away in order to fund replacements. We now have one of the best defences in the division and have gone from mid-table mediocrity to challenging for automatic promotion, something almost none of us thought was possible at the start of the season. Some even thought we would be relegation candidates, most thought top-half and possibly sneaking into the lower play-off positions. Considering the overhauling of players and style that has occurred this season, Rowett has over-achieved hugely by any standards. Maybe that's his mistake.

JA606, AKA "Wrist Slashers Association" (Derbyshire branch).

Underachieved if you happen to have predicted us as Champions. Mind you, we may have a strong finish

comment by HebridesRam (U2909)

............, we may have a strong finish
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Like a good malt

Exactly

1 big difference between Villa and Derby apart from Villa having a lot more money to spend is the fact that the Villa fans get behind their team.

The Villa fans weren't too happy earlier in the season when they were near the bottom of the league.

I think the Rams fans are good, we turn out in big numbers and mostly give the team good support. The reason why there is apprehension is because some of us can see the deja view all over again.

The atmosphere at Derby home games is negative and has been for a long time. That’s why Rowett said it’s better to play away. The atmosphere at Villa Park is a lot better than Pride Park. Too many go to Pride Park to moan and get on the players back.

If the football on show was more exciting the crowd would get going. The ref got things going a bit in the last home game.

Come to think of it you are right Griff, my son was looking at his phone finding out about Captain Godfrey Meynell who won the VC in the North West Frontier in 1936. We had met his son at a funeral that morning, so you can see he was bored with what he was seeing.

We pay our money and want to be entertained, I had enough boredom when PC was manager.

I thought watching Billy Davies’ promotion team was more boring than Rowetts team but the atmosphere was better under Davies

I think it is the disappointments of the last few years that has worried fans. For me it is the getting rid of my favourite players. At the moment I haven't really got a favourite, maybe Nugent but he seems to have gone off, maybe Vydra but he's gone quiet. Perhaps I'll have to settle on Keogh.

comment by VC10Ram (U18980)

........... why there is apprehension is because some of us can see the deja view all over again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You mean our match tread creator has been here in a previous life VC?

Or did you mean Deja Vu?

*thread

comment by VC10Ram (U18980)
posted 34 minutes ago
I think it is the disappointments of the last few years that has worried fans. For me it is the getting rid of my favourite players. At the moment I haven't really got a favourite, maybe Nugent but he seems to have gone off, maybe Vydra but he's gone quiet. Perhaps I'll have to settle on Keogh.
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Things ain't that bad.

comment by GRouseR (U9675)
posted 23 minutes ago
comment by VC10Ram (U18980)

........... why there is apprehension is because some of us can see the deja view all over again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You mean our match tread creator has been here in a previous life VC?

Or did you mean Deja Vu?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He's punning, hence the 'can see the' part

I did mean deja vu but I like the one I came up with.

'....why there is apprehension is because some of us can see the deja view all over again.'

Can anyone explain what the similarities are this year to previous years, which might cause us to implode ?
We have a vastly changed squad of players, we play a different system, we are more resilient and don't appear to concede cheap or late goals and we have a different manager.
Why are we trying to convince ourselves that we are in a major slump and will this just become a self-fulfilling prophesy ?

The atmosphere at PP is one of tension born of previous seasons collapses.
It's just human nature, because a thing has happened at the same time and has happened for several seasons in a row it follows that when we see symptoms which are similar we assume it's the same thing coming back.
And because we thought we'd fixed it with Rowett and some experienced promotion winning players we get frustrated that we might not have.
Other clubs havent suffered our collapses so their fans aren't as tense at this time of the year.
Our season in on the cusp now and if we don't beat Leeds the atmosphere will become more tense.
It's up to the players to get us going. We are certainly good enough to put Leeds away. The bookies will have us as favourites. I guarantee you that any fan of Cardiff or Villa doing that predictor on the other thread will have put Derby down for a home win next Wednesday.
It's us who don't believe because of our previous.

It's all in the head. Can we as fans start to believe and relax a bit more and enjoy the football.

I doubt it.

I doubt it as well, Rameses.
Many people were pre-empting a decline before Christmas, when we were in the middle of our winning / unbeaten run

I think the 'modern game phenomenon' of building patiently from the back has a lot to answer for. Does my fckin head in!

I'm not one for hoofball but this sideways/backwards 'posession at all cost' bollox can frustrate many.

On many occasions we (and others) create very few chances/shots on target in a game.

It is not an entertainment business any more

Of course, none of this 'perennial bottlers' scenario would even be a thing if Keogh hadn't murdered us at Wembley.

#JustSaying

I think the fans have less bottle than the players. Some of the fans are so negative I’m glad they are fans and not players

Never give up, keep fighting and believing right to the end.

The only common denominator is the fans.