Massive weekend....

[mistaram]

[QUOTE=ramAnag;39202318]Well after 93 minutes, and largely before then, the adjectives that sprang most readily to mind were clueless, gutless, and directionless.
Then suddenly it’s 2-0 and we’re back in the top six.
So what’s the truth? The two late goals can’t disguise the fact that for the vast majority of that match we were inept and completely lacking in commitment against a poor and very cynical QPR side.
Can’t help feeling that if we do make it into the playoffs we’re likely to be embarrassed, but you’ve got to be in it to win it as they say and until the real Derby County stands up...who knows?
4/6 points is probably a fair return over the Easter programme. The luck that went against us on Friday certainly turned in injury time today and so the agony of expectation goes on. [/QUOTE

RA got to agree a shocking performance lucky we didn't lose How he can keep selecting Lawrence is beyond me Not far behind was Wilson who I thought was dreadful Not sure whether it was nerves or what it was but it was as bad as we've played all season Considering QPR had a completely novice defence who hadn't played together Two of them midfielder s we created nothing If and it's a big if we make the playoffs you definitely wouldn't fancy us would you Still in to Brizzle I've had to pay £64 for to tickets talk about rip off

[ManxRam]

Lawrence was poor again and Wilson was poor for 93mins. Bennetts first touch was woeful and malone was a liability.

Result was all that mattered but performance dire.

[mistaram]

Lawrence was poor again and Wilson was poor for 93mins. Bennetts first touch was woeful and malone was a liability.

Result was all that mattered but performance dire.

Spot on Manx but don't call Bennett MA thinks he's great Personally I fail to see what Lampard sees in him Any half decent side would have buried us inside the first 20 minutes

[ManxRam]

Ring in the changes for Bristol. Cole for Malone, Hudds for Johnson.

They will have to come at us so cool calm heads needed.

We will likely play on break so a quick break or flick could be the difference.

I'd also drop Lawrence and play Marriott whether in or 442 or with Waghorn wider.

No room for hiding players now.

[mistaram]

Ring in the changes for Bristol. Cole for Malone, Hudds for Johnson.

They will have to come at us so cool calm heads needed.

We will likely play on break so a quick break or flick could be the difference.

I'd also drop Lawrence and play Marriott whether in or 442 or with Waghorn wider.

No room for hiding players now.

Manx I would definitely drop Lawrence he's at best had three decent games this season Its not good enough to hit a worldy every six months and cup your ears like you don't give a suck what fans think I'm the first to admit he's playing in the wrong position but if that position is not available then no point playing him He's playing wide right He's got no left foot no trick to beat the full back so just gets pinned to the touchline Either move him or bench him it's like starting with ten men

[ramAnag]

Manx I would definitely drop Lawrence he's at best had three decent games this season Its not good enough to hit a worldy every six months and cup your ears like you don't give a suck what fans think I'm the first to admit he's playing in the wrong position but if that position is not available then no point playing him He's playing wide right He's got no left foot no trick to beat the full back so just gets pinned to the touchline Either move him or bench him it's like starting with ten men

Completely agree, mista. This ‘cupping’ the ears things is totally disrespectful. Amazed to see Bryson do it the other week and as an experienced 30 odd year old pro he should know better.
Lawrence is a bit of a conundrum...there is a ‘player’ in there but he’s not a wide player and his contribution yesterday was virtually nil.
Either play him where it suits his skill set or sell him imo.

Could have done with that near miss from Marriott going in yesterday...would have done wonders for his confidence.

[MadAmster]

From the sublime to the ridiculous.

I knew we were in for a tough day when Waggy was pulled back for offside in the 2nd minute. He was through on goal, one on one with their keeper......played a yard and a half onside by their right back IMO. It wasn't going to be our day.....

... and so it seemed. No urgency, no effort, not a decent pass...... and we were even worse than them. I was contentedly surprise we hit HT at 0-0 and figured we would get better and do 'em 2nd half.

We were better 2nd half but still vulnerable. As the game wore on we looked the more likely to score but they looked like they could do us on the break. We escaped a few times and so did they.

Then the ref finally stepped up to the plate. NINE minutes extra time. Derby seemed to realise they had a lifeline. No doubt in my mind about the penalty. The defender slid in, missed the ball and took Bogle out. Bogle didn't try to evade the "tackle" but you don't have to. Then a lucky rebound that saw us with 2 to 1 on their keeper, a crap pass from Marriott, only a slightly better shot fro Wilson but it went in via the keeper's legs.

Lucky, lucky Derby.

Hopefully this win gives them some wings and they fly into the playoffs but, based on that woeful 1st half performance we could still finish 9th.

Our Blackburn performance was good comapred to that.

It's the first time I have seen a ref give "the right amount" of added time for timewasting on top of the usual for subs and injuries. More should follow his lead.

Wilson and Lawrence still not good enough yesterday. The MF was too static giving the back 4 no outlet which is why they were so often put inder pressure and hurried into errors. Back 4 and MF all tried to take time they didn't have and lost the ball a lot. Ball circulation tempo was way too low. Passing choices were poor and/or overhit/underhit. Hopefully we will be back on song for the rest of the season.

I can understand some not rating Bennett. He jumps for balls, he tackles, puts himself about. Marriott/Waghorn/Nugent keep their feet firmly planted on the ground, none of that silly jumping in the air for balls for them...... For the first time in his career he has gone above 20 appearances for a season, 25 to date. His previous best was 16 in L1 for Burton Albion. The succession of injuries has kept his total number of appearances down to 107 so far since his debut in October 2011. That's almost 13 games a season on average. Little wonder his development has been slower than people would like or expect. His development has also not been helped by being played as a winger so often as opposed to being a striker which is his "natural" position. I have also seen him when he was but a lad at Moor Farm and I was enchanted by him on my many weeks there between 05 and 09. I am glad DCFC have had patience with the lad, he finally appears to be showing some of what I saw all those years ago. Under FL he has started to look like he can make the grade at this level. He isn't there yet but history has meant he is now where he should have been aged 17. He will be with us again next season and I hope he can kick on and up his "footballing age" closer to his physical age. I hope this goes some way towards explaining my "love affair" with MB.

[mistaram]

Completely agree, mista. This ‘cupping’ the ears things is totally disrespectful. Amazed to see Bryson do it the other week and as an experienced 30 odd year old pro he should know better.
Lawrence is a bit of a conundrum...there is a ‘player’ in there but he’s not a wide player and his contribution yesterday was virtually nil.
Either play him where it suits his skill set or sell him imo.

Could have done with that near miss from Marriott going in yesterday...would have done wonders for his confidence.

RA agree there is a player in there but the same as Bennett how long do you wait Not sure you would get many takers if we tried to sell him He played really well against Rovrum but but ok at Brentford then against Blackburn Bolton Brum QPR non existent Yes Marriott looked lively when he came on for to get him in the team somehow

[ManxRam]

It's fine having a soft spot for a player though my opinion is somewhat different. If next season Mason Bennett is getting near or in the starting XI the squad will not be strong enough.

To be fair his attitude and enthusiasm are top drawer and he won a couple of good headers.

His first touch however is poor for the standard he is playing in, it noticeably let him down against QPR and against Brum we had a great chance to counter 3 on 2 and the ball bounced off of him again.

Goal scoring record for an attacking player, well let's not even go there.

[MadAmster]

It's fine having a soft spot for a player though my opinion is somewhat different. If next season Mason Bennett is getting near or in the starting XI the squad will not be strong enough.

To be fair his attitude and enthusiasm are top drawer and he won a couple of good headers.

His first touch however is poor for the standard he is playing in, it noticeably let him down against QPR and against Brum we had a great chance to counter 3 on 2 and the ball bounced off of him again.

Goal scoring record for an attacking player, well let's not even go there.

Yes I do have a soft spot for Mason and, if all you (not you personally Manx) look at are the stats (which aren't all that good now, are they?) then you could be forgiven for thinking he'd probably be better off playing for the Neptune Rams.

I like to think that I look further than the end of my nose (again, no slight on anyone in particular) and see reasons why. If the reasons why are that a player CAN'T do certain things then I would be in the same camp as most of my fellow posters with regard to Mason. FL obviously sees something in Mason. He must be doing it frequently in training or he wouldn't have appearance figures in the mid 20s this season. He wouldn't have played well if he CAN'T do it but he has. He is given a job to do and he does it. It's not even the job he wants. He wants the #9 shirt or to be one of the two up top. The fact he is getting decent crosses in, defending well, tackling etc and still gets in the XVIII is testimony to him doing what is expected of him by FL.

Even I will say that I would have expected more than 2 goals from 25 or 26 appearances but when you take into account the few starts he has had, that number looks a little better.

He can count himself lucky that successive managers have kept him on the books as many counterparts have been let go at clubs all over the country with less injury problems than Mason has had. They too must have seen something in him and gven him another chance. He is NOT where he should be in terms of his development, I totally agree with that but I also understand the reasons why. At the start of this season I said this was last chance saloon for him. He has done well enough, in my eyes, to get another visit to the saloon next season.

This season will have given his confidence a boost and he has taken a step in the right direction. Next season will be another pivotal one for him. I for one hope he takes the bull by the horns and validates the faith FL has in him.