Anyway: Stoke

[Andy_Faber]

I think the squad are responding to having 10 teammates on the pitch now that Rooney isn't playing.

yes that is the scouse elephant in the room - when does Rooney pick himself again? SURELY Schteeve has had a word with him and told him bringing himself on with 5 mins to go and 3-0 up in the playoff final is all we need from him from here onwards

[swaledale]

I don't think he will play again, not while he is interim manager anyway, I don't think he can handle playing and coaching and he is desperate to demonstrate his suitability as manager, so barring an injury crisis I think we have seen the last of him in a Derby shirt.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I don't. Imagine if we sneak into 4th round of cup, drawn away at Manchester United or Everton, I can see him on the bench.

But my opinions are irrelevant anyway as I'm both senile and infantile at the same time 🙄

[MadAmster]

Tyrese Campbell will be missing for Stoke which is good news as he's a tricky little devil down their right.

John Obi looks not to have recovered from his injury. Fletcher and Thompson are both "hopeful" they say but by no means definite..

James Mclean is on 5 yellows. I believe he misses the game which is a good thing IMO.

The 2 goals they conceded midweek against Cardiff both came from balls that went over the defence to unmarked players at the back stick. Exactly the place where we never seem to have a forward....

We miss Davies and Shinnie but that's it.

On paper we have a much better chance than we do on League positions. It won't be the 4-0 drubbing we gave them last year but our first home win of the season might well be on the cards.

Wis to move inside to take the CH slot. McDonald to take the right back berth. Bird to replace the suspended Shinnie although my choice would be Knight there. Lawro in the middle of the the three instead of Holmes



The team I would pick:
Marshall
McDonald Wisdom Clarke Buchanan
Bielik Knight
Waghorn Lawrence Jozwiak
Kazim

8 out of 11 names right, 9 if count Knight as a positional change.

Byrne in for McDonald
Bird alongside Bielik
Knight in for Waghorn

[Geoff Parkstone]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[ramAnag]

8 out of 11 names right, 9 if count Knight as a positional change.

Byrne in for McDonald
Bird alongside Bielik
Knight in for Waghorn

Think I preferred yours. Not sure about Bird when the going gets tough. Hope I’m wrong.

[swaledale]

I don't. Imagine if we sneak into 4th round of cup, drawn away at Manchester United or Everton, I can see him on the bench.

But my opinions are irrelevant anyway as I'm both senile and infantile at the same time 🙄

I won't rise to the bait, don't want to be accused of spoiling a thread about football.

Yes in that scenario I could see him playing but one would hope that by then a permanent new manager would be installed.

[Andy_Faber]

Jeez its like pulling teeth but where did our all-time hero Cloughy say to start - at the back. Another game without conceding. another point closer to Forest, another point closer to 'safety'. My big worry actually was Ibe who didn't look lie a footballer at all even on such short acquaintance. Hey ho, we go again

[ramAnag]

Seven of our 13 points this season have come in the 5 games under Rooney. The only advantage he’s had over Cocu has been having Bielik back on a regular basis so it seems he must be doing something right.

As mac, I think, said...our aim is to stay in touch until we can strengthen and/or the takeover happens. We seem to be doing that, but Swansea will be tough.

[AdiSalisbury]

It's painful. Stoke were so poor today. We couldn't score against cardboard cutouts.

We need a manager with a plan ASAP, or we are going down by January