It seems like L1 refs are dragging Derby down to their level. The first 45 minutes were shockingly bad. To slow around the park, ball circulation too slow. One decent cross early on from NML that Roberts couldn't get on target at the far post. Improved effort and faster ball circulation 2nd half but still not enough. Best effort was the Hourihane/Didzy combo at the free kick which Blackman saved well.
Blackman. Should have seen red for taking Osula out. You might, just about, make a case for a yellow due to Will's lob past the keeper slowing things down and giving the defenders time to get back and cover...... but how that wasn't a free kick? Ridiculous. Ref was 40 yards away and can be forgiven to an extent but his assistant was in line and less than 10 yards away and he didn't give the foul. How many fouls, both in and out of the box, have been given to the opposition this season by the flag waver? These things even themselves out? Do they hell as like, not when you're Derby County they don't.
Smith? Was he fannying about or did he lose his footing? I thought the latter. Something that happened to Roberts, Bird, Sibley, Dobbin...... throughout the game. Wrong studs? I think so and that's not the first time this season we've had players unable to stay on their feet due to poor choice of studs. Although I prefer boots to be black, their colour is unimportant. However, getting the choice of studs right is imperative. Later in my "career" I always had 2 pairs of boots with me. 1 with "blades" underfoot and the other with screw in studs and I always had a set of short studs and a set of long studs with me. Guess which was the right choice for the conditions. if, during the warm up, I came to a different conclusion, I'd change to the right ones before kick off. I'm amazed at how often "pro's" get it wrong. They shouldn't. What you got right, Andy, was that the ref was right to issue a yellow. There was a defender (Cashin IIRC) right in front of him and Chester was moving inside as well. That cover removed any chance of a red.