'Twas Almost a Year a go

[dcfcdavecov]

So i typed out a great thread, but then i got logged out and it was all lost. Truth is, it was brilliant, but i canna be ****d to type it all out again.

So, to summarise the greatest thread that ever was started.

Derby County 4 - 4 Ipswich Town

Derby's starting line-up that night:

01 Grant
02 Smith
03 Forsyth
04 Bryson
25 Buxton
27 Whitbread
16 Davies
19 Hughes
18 Sammon
09 Martin
10 Ward

And ze bench;

11 Russell
12 Jacobs
13 Deeney
14 Eustace
20 Bennett
28 Hanson
29 Lowe

I have absolutely no doubt that this team is far more equipped for a top two place this year. Just look at the bench! We only added Wisdom for Smith, Dawkins and Bamford to that team.

I have completely discounted Thorneinho, because it makes me cry talking about him - and i think he'll play a similar amount of games to last season.

Just look at the bench, though. We win tonight, and we will be 7 points ahead of last season.

[Toggles]

Looking at that bench...

I thought we might have seen Hanson appear on the bench by now. by all accounts he had a decent pre-season, and was mooted by some that he may be an option to replace 'he who is too upsetting to mention'?

The loan of Omar scuppered this I guess. In the main I am happy with our loanees, but it is stifling some of our youngsters in getting a chance.

Derby are making noises about being very pleased with our u18 & u21 sides, but the brightest prospects seem to have a loan player in front of them in the pecking order.

If they are not going to be good enough, then fair enough, but I am worried Hanson, Lowe, Bunjaku, to a few will stagnate without opportunity to play competitive games

EDIT: Just seen Dawkins in injured for tonight. Will we see Claero on the bench? I hope so, whilst not the prospect Ibe seems to be, it does look like he would be good enough to challenge for a place in a Championship side.

[Rapid]

rule 1 dave - always 'copy' the text if you typed a lengthy post out allowing you to paste it when it's logged you out...I almost expect it to happen.

[RamFromCornwall]

Deeney was still here a year ago?! I think that fact alone is enough proof that we have come on leaps and bounds in a year.

Ratty, if the fact that this time last year, we had Saul Deeney to rely on as our back-up keeper isn't enough to convince you that we have improved and improved a lot then nothing will!

[dcfcdavecov]

Ah Deeney, the back-up keeper who was not good enough to be back-up keeper when a back-up keeper was needed - so we had to loan one.

[RamFromCornwall]

Ah Deeney, the back-up keeper who was not good enough to be back-up keeper when a back-up keeper was needed - so we had to loan one.

Must be quite depressing as a keeper to be a back-up, but when the first team keeper gets injured or suspended your club is forced to bring in emergency loans and you still remain a back-up.

Long gone are the days of our keeper worries where we'd have to loan in some **** from another club for a month. So refreshing to have two very good goalkeepers in Grant and Roos, who I think has a great future. Brad Jones still remains the worst keeper I've ever seen play for Derby and that is no exaggeration.

[swaledale]

Deeney must have had something on Clough to have ever been signed for the club!!