Matchday thread: Bournemouth v Rams.

Well...someone has to do it.
Sorry, can’t see us managing any cherry picking today.
Hope I’m wrong and our committed fans have a great day on the south coast, but I fear we’ll be on the wrong end of a heavy defeat. 3-0.

1-0 to the rams. We're masters of building expectation before disappointment, today we'll make a good go of it before collapsing next week.
Each game seems to be the last hurrah!

4 hour trip down there having been picked up at Markeaton island by the Ashbourne branch coach. 2 pints and a pie later into the stands. Our fans were brilliant.... again. Theirs were crap and they can stick their happy clappers where the sun don't shine.

Less than average overall performance. The back 5 were our best performers. The other 6 starters did not have the best of days. Bielik and Bird lost the fight to control midfield to Cantwell who was excellent. Loz and Rav huffed and puffed without creating anything. Rav had one drive where he shunned the first 2 opportunities to shoot and when he eventually did go for the shot, a defender was right on top of him and the shot was blocked. Is his apparent failure to regularly translate his brilliance in training to a game down to an inability to make a decision? Ebiowei looks good on the ball, quick feet, good control. Not sure if he was carrying a knock but he looked liked he was nowhere the the running speed we've seen from him previously. Plange worked like a Trojan but got little good ball to work with.

Festy's control was better than it has been but, when he did go ogg on a run he was surrounded by 3 players and possibly held on too long. Kaz ran his heart out but was unable to provide a spark or have a shooting chance. Felt for Knighty who made several good runs down the wing, in space, expecting the ball but it never came, the man in possession preferring to pass back the centre halves. Not a bad tactic but one we over-use IMO.

The ref? Shocking. I'll start with the one huge call he got right, when he booked Christie for diving. That was a shock. I'd love the ref to explain why it wasn't a penalty. He and his officials are the only ones not to think it was nailed on. Totally inconsistent in his decision making other than all ours were and most of theirs weren't fouls according to him. He allows them to take a throw 15 yards away from where the ball went out of play and that led to their 1st and just how did their player manage 2 nutmegs inside our box... Rams fans can be excused for thinking there is a conspiracy to get us relegated as this poor standard of refereeing working against us in most matches is either a huge coincidence or......

I've just filled in the EFL survey, part of which covers the standard of refereeing. I have said that it's poor. I also suggested that, now refs are full time, after each round of games, refs get together regionally to go over the videos of contentious decisions. Obviously results can't be changed but things like wrongly given cards could be retracted (Curt's recent yellow for instance or Kelle's red earlier this season which should have been a yellow). Cards which weren't given but should have been could be given retrospectively and might remove players taking a chance. Incidents like Saturday's missed penalty and other errors could be used as training tools for tools like Saturday's ref.

Got back to the hotel at 22:10. Took an LTF for the return flight which, thankfully, was negative and then retired to the hotel bar till 02:30.

All in all a pleasant trip meeting family and friends and taking in a long trip to Bournemouth and back.

Immediately after the game "They docked us 21 points" was hammered out repeatedly and the entire squad and staff came over to the Rams faithful to show their appreciation. They all looked pretty emotional and Curt was close to tears. The current connection between players and fans is immense.

Back to RamsTV for me now until the Blackpool and Cardiff games.

DTID!!