Matchday Thread: Derby v Cambridge

[Andy_Faber]

And so the disappointment continues. Unlucky or something more serious? We currently have the fifth best away record and the sixth worst home record in L1. So much for the ‘advantage’ of playing in front of the league’s biggest stadium and crowds...just one home league win all season.
What’s the cause...do visitors, used to playing in front of far fewer fans, raise their game...or our lot actually intimidated by the ‘weight’ of home support and expectation?

I’m not interested in why rA I just want it sorting. I’ve been unable to go to the last two matches (watched on Rams TV) and gave my seat to a friend, he handed it back after Portsmouth as he said he couldn’t stand another 100 mins of that, he passed it to another friend who watches Mickleover Sports for the Cambridge match and he says Mickleover are more attractive and tactically astute. Pretty disillusioned with after-match interviews too.

[SithHappens]

I’m not interested in why rA I just want it sorting. I’ve been unable to go to the last two matches (watched on Rams TV) and gave my seat to a friend, he handed it back after Portsmouth as he said he couldn’t stand another 100 mins of that, he passed it to another friend who watches Mickleover Sports for the Cambridge match and he says Mickleover are more attractive and tactically astute. Pretty disillusioned with after-match interviews too.

Just make sure if (and im sure we will) start playing better, get promoted, even make the PL (i know i know getting ahead of myself), that you never offer either friend your ticket again. Used to offer my Brother in law ours when we couldnt make it, one time i did when we were on a particularly bad run a few years ago and he made a comment about not going because they were rubbish, never offered it again.

[ramAnag]

Just make sure if (and im sure we will) start playing better, get promoted, even make the PL (i know i know getting ahead of myself), that you never offer either friend your ticket again. Used to offer my Brother in law ours when we couldnt make it, one time i did when we were on a particularly bad run a few years ago and he made a comment about not going because they were rubbish, never offered it again.

Tbh Sith...I know your b-i-l may have been a bit tactless and ungrateful but why would someone who doesn’t share our/your commitment bother to go given what is all too often on display at the moment?
Apart from the narrow and unconvincing Fleetwood victory, ST holders have to go back to April 22nd, and another fortunate 1-0 against Burton, for our last home win.
It’s not all about winning of course but, and I admit I haven’t seen us for over a month, that gap at the top is widening again and our home form is catastrophic for a team with ambitions to be amongst the front runners.
The next two matches are against the team with the best home record in the league and the lowest ranked team in the division. That’ll tell us something and I’m thinking anything less than a minimum return of 3 points from those two matches and serious questions will have to be asked.

[Ramshank72]

League One football, it's ****. We're looking good for a midtable finish.


Is that acceptable?
I'm ok with it, I won't be next year.

[macstheman]

Sounds like I've not missed much!!

[ramAnag]

League One football, it's ****. We're looking good for a midtable finish.


Is that acceptable?
I'm ok with it, I won't be next year.

I’m honestly not sure why you’re ‘okay’ with a ‘mid table finish’. That’s going backwards.
PW said he regarded last season as a ‘failure’ and only last week he suggested he didn’t want us to have to travel up to Carlisle again next season.
If he’s going to share such raised expectation he surely needs to back it up with evidence of some progress. There’s plenty of time to turn this season round so it’s not all doom and gloom. Just one chance taken yesterday and things might look a whole lot different, but to me it’s the same two problems that were identified months ago...lack of a finisher and a leader.

[swaledale]

Perhaps because he is a realist? Whilst we are operating under an EFL approved business plan, we are reliant on free transfers or players with a low valuation. Funnily enough strikers that can get 15 plus goals a season are rarely available either on a free or for a small transfer fee!

So we are where we are, good to see we aren't leaking goals and I think we will start scoring and winning games, the margins as has been said are very fine, we could and should have won on Saturday. As for being pretty, well I'll settle for ugly and effective.

[Andy_Faber]

Just make sure if (and im sure we will) start playing better, get promoted, even make the PL (i know i know getting ahead of myself), that you never offer either friend your ticket again. Used to offer my Brother in law ours when we couldnt make it, one time i did when we were on a particularly bad run a few years ago and he made a comment about not going because they were rubbish, never offered it again.

Thanks and I respect your own decision but both fellahs were me by proxy, I saw both games and i can see their POV (albeit I’ve never seen Mickleover), plus I’ve walked out on gigs he’s paid me into in the past!

[Andy_Faber]

I’m honestly not sure why you’re ‘okay’ with a ‘mid table finish’. That’s going backwards.
PW said he regarded last season as a ‘failure’ and only last week he suggested he didn’t want us to have to travel up to Carlisle again next season.
If he’s going to share such raised expectation he surely needs to back it up with evidence of some progress. There’s plenty of time to turn this season round so it’s not all doom and gloom. Just one chance taken yesterday and things might look a whole lot different, but to me it’s the same two problems that were identified months ago...lack of a finisher and a leader.

Based on recent (and not so recent) form with dead ball situations I actually think delivery is as big a problem rA. Bizarrely Waghorn took most corners yesterday and he failed to beat the first man, then Sibley replaced him and did the same (from a free kick). Sadly I don’t think Hourihane is actually any better, his delivery is way worse than his reputation.

However, and agreeing with Swale, the defence looks more solid and (hopefully, PLEASE PW don’t tinker) more stable, clean sheets are essential when a teams otherwise as clueless as we are elsewhere

[ramAnag]

Perhaps because he is a realist? Whilst we are operating under an EFL approved business plan, we are reliant on free transfers or players with a low valuation. Funnily enough strikers that can get 15 plus goals a season are rarely available either on a free or for a small transfer fee!

So we are where we are, good to see we aren't leaking goals and I think we will start scoring and winning games, the margins as has been said are very fine, we could and should have won on Saturday. As for being pretty, well I'll settle for ugly and effective.

Hang on...last year we finished a creditable, if ultimately disappointing in the circumstances, 7th. Even you have to admit that we are in a better financial situation this year, with fewer restrictions, than last...so how is it ‘realistic’ to accept mid table or, by implication, unrealistic to expect an improvement on last season?

I agree it’s good to see that we are no longer leaking goals and I’ll accept that successful teams know how to ‘win ugly’...we aren’t though...at least not at home...and that is the point.