Matchday Thread: Rams v Exeter

[MadAmster]

…yet regrettably he was pretty ineffective and his control of the ball a bit poor. And what was that silly tackle for s booking about?

A few good things from the lad but, overall, an average performance at best from Sibs. As usual, I don't just state the bleedin' obvious but look for (possible) reasons behind what I've seen. In this case, after 2 years of LB, LWB, LW, RW and even DM, it's the first time he's been played in one of his 2 preferred roles. Not at #10 as I had thought having seen the line up but as one half of twin strikers. Spotted that early doors and was happy enough as I still believe that strikers hunt in pairs (sure I've written that on here a time or three). He's either lost whatever Mojo he had or he needs to come off the bench for some cameos in one of the 2 roles and find his feet again. I hope it's the latter.

Now, where the hell did that performance come from? Cracking 1st half. 2nd half almost as good. Patience moving the ball backards and forrards and sidewards when necessary/wise. Some adventurous forrards passing (which wasn't always accurate) at speed when the opportunity presented itself. Nels and Cash the 2 worst culprits at that but both had some good passes as well and were solid at the back so I won't complain. Keeper and back 4 solid. MF 4 defended well and attacked better. The front 2 had the odd opportunity to have a go, all to no avail.

Floater from Waggy out wide to Foz who played a cushioned pass into Bord's path, low cross that nutmegged the defender and NML put it away with the outside of his right boot. Wonderful move. More of that through the coming games please.

Quality ball down the line from Foz to Wash who took the ball forward, cut into the box and put it away right footed just inside the post. 2nd good goal of the night.

Should have been the 3rd. Sibs from central in his own half, great ball to Barks, wide right. Cross into Waggy who nods it back to the near post where NML heads it back into the far corner. 2-0 for everybody in the ground except the ref's assistant who tghought he saw an offside. He didn't. Perfectly good goal wiped out thanks to yet another mistake by an official. How many's that this season? Way too many.

If we can keep on playing like that top 6 shouldn't be an issue come May. Top 2 isn't out of sight. The key word being IF

26 shots, 8 on target. We still need to improve our accuracy in and around the box but I'm not a greedy sort, this was a massive improvement on the previous 3 games. Consistency at this level and higher is what the team need to aspire to. Will it happen? We all hope it will. Time will tell.

[macstheman]

It's not wrist slashing as you so eloquently put it Swale, it's about the belief that this squad can be utilised in a way that best suits the players! As MA points out I think that is what happened last night! More of the same please!

[swaledale]

It's not wrist slashing as you so eloquently put it Swale, it's about the belief that this squad can be utilised in a way that best suits the players! As MA points out I think that is what happened last night! More of the same please!

Not by all but by many, some here and countless online who are completely over the top given what's happened and where the club is now. That coupled with nonsensical statements about finance and not needing defenders and I just have to laugh.


But lets look at the facts - it takes time to get a team playing together, especially when that team has been assembled from various clubs, so inconsistency is to be expected at the very least in the first quarter of the season.

Does Warne's selection and tactics seem odd and not productive at times? Yes, its clear he is trying to arrive at tactics and team selection that works which isn't helped by injuries. I'm inclined to think he may be OK in league 1, but would have concern if we ever get promoted!

But that is football, sometimes whatever a manager does, nothing seems to work or players are incapable of performing, last night seems better, but to be fair we should be beating that team.

As for its a pretty average league this season and we should be top, well it is, but we are an average team at the moment! Still think we will be top 6, just don't expect it to be all that pretty!

[MadAmster]

Lower the expectations so as not to be disappointed. Sensible Swale. On paper we should go up in the autos but, as we all know, the game is played on grass. Injuries and loss of individual form have hampered the side this season so far. Apart from JJ and Tommo, I think everybody is now fit and available. Now to figure out (PW not us) the best way to get the best out of the players. Last night was more of a 1442 and it worked. There are those online who say "it was only Exeter and they had lost their last 5" and that is true. However, last weekend against Wigan they managed 29 shots so there's more to them than we saw last night (3 shots, none on target).

[Ramshank72]

I'm inclined to think he may be OK in league 1, but would have concern if we ever get promoted!

I share that concern, he is definitely proven at this level (although at a club with much less expectation, however much justified), but don't see him being cut out at a higher level. Reminds me a bit of Paul Jewell in that respect, couldn't hack it under the extra expectation. There's a reason this guy is managing at the level he is.
However, we only need him to get us out of this league, on a low budget, so hopefully he can do that over the next 18 months. I see people giving him so much time, for me, this season is just rebuilding, but next year there's no "it hasn't clicked/its not my team/I need time" excuses, so I would be very vocal at this point next year if we are looking as we are now.
I don't think we're top 6 contenders this year, but, as others have said, we should still expect him to get the best out of the group he's got, and that hasn't yet been on show with any consistency.

[swaledale]

I share that concern, he is definitely proven at this level (although at a club with much less expectation, however much justified), but don't see him being cut out at a higher level. Reminds me a bit of Paul Jewell in that respect, couldn't hack it under the extra expectation. There's a reason this guy is managing at the level he is.
However, we only need him to get us out of this league, on a low budget, so hopefully he can do that over the next 18 months. I see people giving him so much time, for me, this season is just rebuilding, but next year there's no "it hasn't clicked/its not my team/I need time" excuses, so I would be very vocal at this point next year if we are looking as we are now.
I don't think we're top 6 contenders this year, but, as others have said, we should still expect him to get the best out of the group he's got, and that hasn't yet been on show with any consistency.

I'd agree with that, this is his first full season, his first proper transfer window and still operating under a tight budget he deserves at least this season to show improvement and he will get it unless things go badly wrong!

At the end of this season, there's a decision to be made, if we make top 6 and the team is performing but miss out on promotion, then stick with him. If on the other hand we don't improve and finish in the bottom half of the league, then there's a decision to be made on his future.

For all we know there might be a minimum league position break clause in his contract which can be activated at the end of the season.

For all the talk of moving him on, who would we bring in and what would be the cost? Derby have to be realistic and so do the fans, at the moment we are a "big" club in name only.

[ramAnag]

I share that concern, he is definitely proven at this level (although at a club with much less expectation, however much justified), but don't see him being cut out at a higher level. Reminds me a bit of Paul Jewell in that respect, couldn't hack it under the extra expectation. There's a reason this guy is managing at the level he is.
However, we only need him to get us out of this league, on a low budget, so hopefully he can do that over the next 18 months. I see people giving him so much time, for me, this season is just rebuilding, but next year there's no "it hasn't clicked/its not my team/I need time" excuses, so I would be very vocal at this point next year if we are looking as we are now.
I don't think we're top 6 contenders this year, but, as others have said, we should still expect him to get the best out of the group he's got, and that hasn't yet been on show with any consistency.

‘However, we only need him to get us out of this league, on a low budget, so hopefully he can do it over the next 18 months’.

Always seemed a strange rationale to me. A little like saying, ‘he’ll get us up...and then we’ll sack him’...isn’t it?

Nothing against PW but, he has a reputation for getting clubs (well Rotherham) promoted.
Unfortunately he has no reputation for keeping them up which is one of the reasons his managerial win % - he lost more games than he won at Rotherham - is so average. Isn’t it the case that the only time Rotherham have managed to retain their Championship status has been after PW left and hasn’t that always been a bit of a ‘fly in the ointment’?

[Ramshank72]

It is strange, the nature of the beast I guess. How often does a manager see out their contract other than those retiring? They either get sacked (even if labelled mutual consent!), or move to another job.
All managers know the axe will eventually fall, so if I was PW, I'd do exactly what he did at Rotherham - leave on a high, step up the ladder (even though a League lower, admittedly)

[ramAnag]

It is strange, the nature of the beast I guess. How often does a manager see out their contract other than those retiring? They either get sacked (even if labelled mutual consent!), or move to another job.
All managers know the axe will eventually fall, so if I was PW, I'd do exactly what he did at Rotherham - leave on a high, step up the ladder (even though a League lower, admittedly)

I’m sure it’s happened elsewhere, RS...but I honestly don’t think I can remember it happening at Derby before, although it probably should have with the ‘poison dwarf’.
In many respects it’s short-termism at its most blatant.
‘Get us up and then toddle off...that’s the brief’. Doesn’t seem like the greatest incentive to me and I can’t imagine that it will do wonders for PW’s self esteem if even those who, perfectly reasonably, want to see him given more time are also suggesting (again perfectly reasonably) that he’s only good enough for League One.

[SithHappens]

Personally I reckon a manager that's equipped for league one will likely do well in the championship, its that step to the PL that they struggle with. Colin is a great example.