Again the bottle goes!

[KingCharlieGeorge]

I think last night's performance summarizes why we are where we are still and others with arguably weaker squads have gained promotion. Could you see Wolves, for instance, when in a position to drive a nail into a coffin, bail out and fail? We repeatedly do it, cannot seem to go the extra yard or press home the advantages we create with previous good performances. if anything, this is the Derby Way: make it hard for ourselves.

i remember last year thinking that one of the top teams will slip up, but they never seemed to. the same the year before with Burnley Hull and Middlesboro - we would get a good result and put pressure on them, and they always seemed to respond positively and pull out a result when needed to ease pressure again. We do not seem to be capable of doing this. The opportunity to put a decent gap between us and 7th again tossed away.... depressing

Absolutely agree with this. Hopefully, Rowett will sort the players' mindset out eventually, but it has been a long-term problem.

[swaledale]

It has been ever thus, before Clough, changed for 3/4 of a season with McClaren, there are prob many reasons, one being that if some of these players were able to play consistently then they would not be at Derby but in a lower to mid premier league team, there is a reason they are at Derby.

Tactics are a concern, against a negative but solid team like Ipswich we should have been more on the front foot, Rowett seems to take time to make changes when IMO he should have made radical changes in personnel and tactics at half time, cannot understand when its obvious its not working why managers wait and hope we will get lucky?

Against Boro though it was different as the game was open and end to end which suits us if not the nerves of the fans!

All in all though its typical Derby and indeed typical of the rest of the clubs apart from Wolves who seem odds on for automatic.

[DCFCArmy]

He did change it at ht... brought on martin for nuge,, we should have kept nuge on and gone more gung ho,, ipswich wouldnt have been able to handle it imo, esp vyds and weimanns pace.

[macstheman]

The concern is that 'is our inability to change tactics and the direction of the game a case of GR being a one trick pony or an imbalance within the squad to facilitate such a change?'.
To me it is a LOT of both. Without Hughes we have zilch midfield creativity so that is immediately self restricting. With little quality balls from the wide areas that further limits the options. Having said that managers need to be inventive and take risks. They have to utilise every facet that their squad, however limited, can provide and certainly having 3 defensive minded players on the bench does make you wonder about GR's mindset.

[MadAmster]

The concern is that 'is our inability to change tactics and the direction of the game a case of GR being a one trick pony or an imbalance within the squad to facilitate such a change?'.
To me it is a LOT of both. Without Hughes we have zilch midfield creativity so that is immediately self restricting. With little quality balls from the wide areas that further limits the options. Having said that managers need to be inventive and take risks. They have to utilise every facet that their squad, however limited, can provide and certainly having 3 defensive minded players on the bench does make you wonder about GR's mindset.

That seems like a balance bench to me, mac. 7 players. 1 keeper, 3 defensive players and 3 attacking players.

[Manofpride]

When we are at home do we really need two holding midfielders? surely not, it leaves us with just four with any attacking threat.
Away it maybe suits are smash and grab style.

Agree with that eddy!

[mistaram]

Probably right MoP trouble is we don't have any decent attacking midfielders