Err, we beat Burton on April 22nd ....

Jim Smith's brand of football was some of the best played by Derby County and our most successful period (post Clough.)

His switch to the 5-3-2 formation after a thumping defeat to Tranmere on Igor Stimac's debut provided the squad with a structure to succeed and really kick on from there.

On Jim Smith's heartbreaking sacking and flirting with different systems under various managers from Colin Todd, John Gregory etc... we were God awful and unable to find a system to really perform.

As a young pup back then I thought to myself 'why don't we just switch back to a 5-3-2 system considering that's what the team are used to and offered us the best success?'

Paul Warne (although no Antonio Conte) wants to possible stick to his principles and playing philosophy considering (like Conte) it's brought him the most success. Now, there comes a point where you either very quickly acknowledge it's not working ( and results pending get the bullet) or grind out the ugly bedding in period to get to 'a better tomorrow.'

Time is very clearly running out for the manager based on yesterday's inept performance, the baying of blood from the hounds of the home ground and the continual use of stats to highlight why 'it ain't workin'

Tough call to be made by Warne and personally I'd like to see a switch of formation, the new signings that are struggling ( Nelson, Bradley) to be taken out and gradually bedded back in to the side. Given our possible injuries at RB for Rooney to be given an opportunity, Cashin and Forsyth worked well last season ( our three at the back clearly isn't right now) and Edgar at LB.

Thompson to be given his opportunity in midfield if Bird is injured and attack with N M-L in his strongest position and Waghorn on the other wing.

Either stick with Collins ( who no doubt must
have felt good in pre-season) or drop him and his confidence in favour of Washington. Alternatively switch Waghorn and Washington. This should provide more energy in attack which was very clearly lacking yesterday.

Pray for another 'no matter how, just get it win' and that we kick on from there.

comment by Harper - Ram in Brisbane. meh. (U13926)
posted about an hour ago
I just want to watch some highlights. I refuse to watch when we lose, which is happening lots lately.

On a personal note, nz is going down the toilet ....


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I've heard it's improved vastly in the last month? 😉

comment by FinlandRam (U3621)
posted about an hour ago
Err, we beat Burton on April 22nd ....
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Whoops, one win at home since February 🤦‍♂️

The worst error a club can make is signing a poor goal keeper. The second worst is signing a poor central defender. Remmember Billy Davies and Clod, or how about Albentosa and Shackell's second spell, both so slow forwards could literally walk the ball past them.

Well those pale in to insignificance compared to Sonny Bradley. He has one asset, he is tall. His disrtibution is school boy standard but maybe that is an insult to school boys.The opposition can almost guarantee recovering possession once it goes to Bradley. He is slow which is a real handicap when the boss insists that all his midfielders should be playing in the opposition's half. Bradley is a total liability in the high energy pressing game that Warne wants. He has already cost us two goals in three league games. All we can hope for is that there are three more teams as bad as Burton so we aren't relegated.

A positive for me, and I accept that I'm in a minority of one, is that we can probably avoid being promoted.

I like L1. The Championship is fine but then people inevitably want further promotion which would be a disaster. Mid-table L1 just fine for now. But no lower!

comment by 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 HebridesRam (U2909)
posted 38 minutes ago
A positive for me, and I accept that I'm in a minority of one, is that we can probably avoid being promoted.

I like L1. The Championship is fine but then people inevitably want further promotion which would be a disaster. Mid-table L1 just fine for now. But no lower!
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No thanks Heb. I want promotion because the football is very poor in this league. It's alright for you cuz you don't have to watch it first hand. If we could go up to div 2 we could try and settle there and enjoy the football. Mid table in div 3 is not acceptable for most fans and I reckon DC would like the extra revenue.

Yes Spart you are right...Bragstad, Albentossa, Clod and now the creme de la creme of uselessness Sonny Boy Bradley.

Talking about Bradleys, BJ was in the box behind me, surely he would be better than some players.

The 2 goals Spart says that Bradley has cost us, was one of them supposed to be Oxford's first last night? That was Nelson's mistske, not Bradley.

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted less than a minute ago
The 2 goals Spart says that Bradley has cost us, was one of them supposed to be Oxford's first last night? That was Nelson's mistske, not Bradley.
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Yeah, but Bradley was on the pitch ...

I wonder if David Clowes knows what Wayne Rooney's phone number is?

comment by VC10Ram (U18980)
posted about an hour ago
comment by 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 HebridesRam (U2909)
posted 38 minutes ago
A positive for me, and I accept that I'm in a minority of one, is that we can probably avoid being promoted.

I like L1. The Championship is fine but then people inevitably want further promotion which would be a disaster. Mid-table L1 just fine for now. But no lower!
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No thanks Heb. I want promotion because the football is very poor in this league. It's alright for you cuz you don't have to watch it first hand. If we could go up to div 2 we could try and settle there and enjoy the football. Mid table in div 3 is not acceptable for most fans and I reckon DC would like the extra revenue.


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You are quite right. Mid-Championship then but then no flirting with promotion nonsense.

I need to vent my further reflections on here today as there is only so much Mrs C, bless her, can take!
I am normally an optimist where DCFC is concerned (although not of course during administration.) But, admittedly after only four games, I can see no grounds for optimism as long as PW insists on utilising a back three with wing backs. I do not for the life of me see why the likes of Bradley and Ward should be troubled by it as Luton I’m sure used a back three and Ward is a WB. Quite apart from anything else I thought the body language of both was pretty poor last night. Elder has not had much of a chance yet but I think he is used to playing as a WB. Last season Cashin was brilliant in a back four but seems half the player in a three. Wilson has yet to prove himself and gain fitness, rather like Elder but is a WB. I think Fozzie could adapt into a WB role but he can’t keep playing twice a week. I suspect Nelson is not accustomed to playing in a three and he and Bradley are prone to error and being caught out through lack of pace. The lack of a combative midfielder is not helping anyone.

In view of the above we should maybe not be surprised that the team as a whole seems to have no faith in or wish to adopt this system/formation/style, whatever you want to call it. It is so freaking predictable or the way we play it is. Wildsmith to Bradley, Bradley to Nelson on the right or Cashin on the left, one of those two then passes down the right flank or left as the case may be and someone is supposed to lump a cross into the middle. Any well-coached team can sort this out with little trouble as Wigan, Blackpool and Oxford have demonstrated. If someone should get adventurous and play into the midfield the oppo midfield are too quick, well-coached and/or aggressive not to be able to deal with it. (Burton in the first half nearly managed to suss us out but they collapsed in the second half and are not a very good side.)

Another conclusion which it may now be fair to draw is that we are very unlikely to be able to beat a well-coached footballing side if we persist with this system. Or could another striker and/or midfielder be all that’s needed? It would have to be a pretty damn good player to make the required difference and we are in no position to sign such a player or players unless on loan and even that would seem to be a tough ask.

If I am right that the players dislike and are not buying into the system then I think Hourihane as captain should ask to have a private word with PW and plead for a reversion to last season’s formation options. No need for an ultimatum, just a request. PW should bite the bullet, swallow his pride and ditch three at the back immediately. The players he has, whatever they have been used to with other clubs, should be able to cope.
Unless this change is made I can only see a difficult season with a top two place out of the question and a top six place highly unlikely. Before the start of the season I did not feel automatic promotion was a certainty as some believed but I did think we should end up in the playoffs. There is still time to turn things round but some drastic measures are needed.

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted about 4 hours ago
The 2 goals Spart says that Bradley has cost us, was one of them supposed to be Oxford's first last night? That was Nelson's mistske, not Bradley.
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Bradley's pass out of defence gave away possession for goal number 2. Not as bad as his back pass against Wigan though.

Maybe Derby's kit designers should have gone for a unique colour/design which they wear every game, so as to remove any chance of a misplaced pass?

Spart. Is this the same Bradley who was not even on the pitch when Oxford scored their second goal, having been substituted 13 minutes earlier? The curse of Mr Magoo strikes again!

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 56 minutes ago
Spart. Is this the same Bradley who was not even on the pitch when Oxford scored their second goal, having been substituted 13 minutes earlier? The curse of Mr Magoo strikes again!
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😆

If anyone requires one, I could meet at pride park with my Mob scooter trailer full or razor blades, we could have a mass wrist slashing at the next home game.

comment by Spart-Derby really are the best says red dog. (U4603)
posted about 2 hours ago
comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted about 4 hours ago
The 2 goals Spart says that Bradley has cost us, was one of them supposed to be Oxford's first last night? That was Nelson's mistske, not Bradley.
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Bradley's pass out of defence gave away possession for goal number 2. Not as bad as his back pass against Wigan though.
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The bad pass was for the first goal and it was not Bradley as he had just headed it to the passer who’s name is Nelson.

comment by FinlandRam (U3621)
posted about a minute ago
comment by Spart-Derby really are the best says red dog. (U4603)
posted about 2 hours ago
comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted about 4 hours ago
The 2 goals Spart says that Bradley has cost us, was one of them supposed to be Oxford's first last night? That was Nelson's mistske, not Bradley.
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Bradley's pass out of defence gave away possession for goal number 2. Not as bad as his back pass against Wigan though.
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The bad pass was for the first goal and it was not Bradley as he had just headed it to the passer who’s name is Nelson.
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Although to be fair, apart from one being a gentleman of colour and the other one not, they do look similar when wearing the same colour shirt as each other.

comment by Uncle Tom (U1899)
posted about an hour ago
If anyone requires one, I could meet at pride park with my Mob scooter trailer full or razor blades, we could have a mass wrist slashing at the next home game.
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Probably best to wait until after the game, UT

Brighton have apparently made several bids for Cashin £3m quoted, Derby want to keep him till the end of the season.

I think Cashin has had a poor start to the seasn, for whatever reason. He has a lot of credit in the bank from the last couple of years but if he was a new signing I think some fans would be saying they can already tell he is nowhere near good enough.

What a nerve! Brighton are rolling in it after recent sales and if we are to sell it should be for much more plus some loans including Cashin himself for the rest of the season. (I gather that a loan back would be part of any deal.) If true then it's no wonder his head may have been turned.

He would go there and be loaned out for a couple of years and then sold on like Clarke. Might mean he gets a leg up to a ‘bigger’ club eventually but he won’t be playing at Anfield et al. Brighton always seem to have a dearth of centre backs.

It’s always a shame when players like this leave thinking they really are getting a chance at prem level.

Anyway … might not happen.