Quote Originally Posted by swaledale View Post
I did hope that you may have a more realistic view of matters this season, but it seems you are again failing to look at the bigger picture and take into account the transfer and wage budget Warne has at his disposal. Stoke for example spent over £6 million last transfer window alone on improving an established championship team. Derby have spent less than half that and are changing a L1 team into a championship team, that takes time and money.

Whilst I wouldn't argue that some of Warne's signings are bang average, certainly for this league, it is surely unrealistic to think that shopping in the bargain basement as Derby were until recently won't mean that some signings don't work out as well as hoped?

Losing 1 out of the last 5 games is hardly relegation form, yes at least 1 win from those games would have been preferable (and by the way put us level with Norwich on pts, just to add context). But Derby have not been outclassed and at the moment are mid table, which is surely where most realistic fans thought we would be? Look at West Brom who can't get a win at the moment, dips in from happen.

If the atmosphere does turn toxic, then shame on those fans who it seems have forgotten there nearly wasn't a club just over 2 years ago! A little patience and a reality check is required, this is a very tight competitive division, those with more resources can not ony buy better players, but also afford to have better quality players to cover for injuries, whereas derby at the moment have to rely on players that are perhaps no better than L1 standard in these situations.
Bit harsh…and I completely agree with your final paragraph but, whichever way you look at it, 6/24 points in our last eight games is relegation form.

You’re right…we haven’t been outclassed and again, I agree, we haven’t had the same resources as other clubs and we are, largely, confined to the ‘bargain basement’.

I’m reserving judgement on PW, but you know as well as I do how things CAN go at PP. There is a, not entirely unlikely scenario, where things could get very tense on Saturday afternoon and see currently third from bottom Plymouth possibly going above us. I obviously hope that doesn’t happen but the ‘natives’ don’t always handle such situations well.