Matchday Thread: Hull v Rams

[SithHappens]

Could tonight's game have a bearing on how things pan out. Brizzle haven't yet secured a play of spot whilst Leeds need to win to keep the fight for the top spot alive.
Will City still needing something from the last game work in our favour or would it be better if they'd already grabbed a top six and were more relaxed in a less tense atmosphere??

Bizarrely i think I want leeds to win tonight so city still need a win. Makes me feel a bit dirty though.

[ramAnag]

Bizarrely i think I want leeds to win tonight so city still need a win. Makes me feel a bit dirty though.

Compromise. Draw tonight means Leeds still behind Burnley and Bristol still with it all to play for on Saturday.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Compromise. Draw tonight means Leeds still behind Burnley and Bristol still with it all to play for on Saturday.

let Leeds win to ensure Brizzle try v Preston, but then lose to Plymouth on the last day by less thaan 15 goals to deprive them of the title. Ironic that Knight and Bird may yet hold our fate in their hands!

[MadAmster]

Yates' apparent lack of goal success? IMO, partly down to a lack of good service, partly down to him being asked to do all manner of stuff away from the opposition's penalty box, partly down to him not being a 20+ goal a season striker.

Could he become more productive? Indeed he could IF he was played alongside a target man. IF he spent less time all over the park (and in the current situation, it's often he HAS to be elsewhere rather than he wants to be) and more time looking for those runs, the darts into space to be fed a succulent pass from our #10... all things he hasn't had.

I think there is a top scorer in there provided we change style/formation and play to his strengths. That change would lessen some other areas on the park and then we have to assess the overall impact on the team.

Whatever JE decides, I think the strong defensive unit will be the basis he works from. Clough did exactly that. We did have some high scoring games under him but we also had a plethora of 1-0s.

A duo of Salvesen and Yates might work but then Yates would be the hold up man as his first touch/control is better that that of Lars.

I lean more towards Jerry being thanked for his services and moved back to Swansea than us paying 750K for him. Will JE agree? Time will tell.

[Geoff Parkstone]

If he is only 750k then I'd be inclined to acquire him as he seems to be the only dquad member that doesnt suffer from protracted injury spells. I thought he was bought by Swansea for quite a bit more than 750k (? 3m??) so that a healthy discount.

Whilst on subject, and touching wood we stay up, I'd like to see us buy Phillips but I'm not sure many of the other loanees have proved themselces except Armstrong, who is out of our price bracket I'm sure. jackson and Harness occasional moments but not enough of them - Ozoh looked good but then long term sicknote. Also give Matt Clarke a (new) contract / extension pretty much sorting the defence with Langas plus Nelson and Rooney hopefully back too fit for a week or two anyway.

[ramAnag]

If he is only 750k then I'd be inclined to acquire him as he seems to be the only dquad member that doesnt suffer from protracted injury spells. I thought he was bought by Swansea for quite a bit more than 750k (? 3m??) so that a healthy discount.

Whilst on subject, and touching wood we stay up, I'd like to see us buy Phillips but I'm not sure many of the other loanees have proved themselces except Armstrong, who is out of our price bracket I'm sure. jackson and Harness occasional moments but not enough of them - Ozoh looked good but then long term sicknote. Also give Matt Clarke a (new) contract / extension pretty much sorting the defence with Langas plus Nelson and Rooney hopefully back too fit for a week or two anyway.

Bit premature, but agreeing with you about Clarke, Phillips and Armstrong. Don’t think we have a hope in hell of hanging on to Armstrong and although I too would like us to hold on to Phillips I think he’s valued at about 3.5 million with, by our standards, astronomical wages. Can’t see it unfortunately.

[MadAmster]

Clarke. Contracted to the end of the season by DCFC and on ?15K a week. He cost ?750K in the January window. Free agent if we go down. IIRC. If we stay up I'd hope we'd had the foresight to have an option we can trigger. Failing that, we hold talks before he gets to the tunnel post match Satdeh.

Phillips. Contract expires this summer. He'd be on a free, we can afford that. It appears his Liverpool contract is ?65K a week. I found a site claiming we're paying him ?45K and that's well above anything we are currently paying anyone else. Busting that wide open for Phillips would likely cause ructions we can do without. Likely no ructions this season as he's not "ours".

Armstrong. Likely to be in Everton's PL squad next season. There's a rumour that that is his aim but if he is to go out on loan again, he'd love to come back here. The site claims we are current paying him ?1200 a week.

Here's the url for the site giving the current wages. https://www.capology.com/club/derby-county/salaries/

[ramAnag]

Clarke. Contracted to the end of the season by DCFC and on ?15K a week. He cost ?750K in the January window. Free agent if we go down. IIRC. If we stay up I'd hope we'd had the foresight to have an option we can trigger. Failing that, we hold talks before he gets to the tunnel post match Satdeh.

Phillips. Contract expires this summer. He'd be on a free, we can afford that. It appears his Liverpool contract is ?65K a week. I found a site claiming we're paying him ?45K and that's well above anything we are currently paying anyone else. Busting that wide open for Phillips would likely cause ructions we can do without. Likely no ructions this season as he's not "ours".

Armstrong. Likely to be in Everton's PL squad next season. There's a rumour that that is his aim but if he is to go out on loan again, he'd love to come back here. The site claims we are current paying him ?1200 a week.

Here's the url for the site giving the current wages. https://www.capology.com/club/derby-county/salaries/

Wow…there are some real surprises there and who the hell sanctioned giving Ben Osborn that contract?
Sure you’re right and even though I do think highly of Phillips there is surely no way we can countenance having one player being paid so much more than everyone else…any ‘ructions’ would surely be entirely understandable.

[swaledale]

Wow?there are some real surprises there and who the hell sanctioned giving Ben Osborn that contract?
Sure you?re right and even though I do think highly of Phillips there is surely no way we can countenance having one player being paid so much more than everyone else?any ?ructions? would surely be entirely understandable.

What did you think he would be on? Probably took a drop to come here. I know he hasn't been the player we hoped this season, but at the time he represented solid championship experience and able to play in a number of positions, experience and versatility is worth a good wedge.

I doubt Clowes would "bust" the wage ceiling for Philips, some smart recruitment can get at least two very good championship players for that salary.

[ramAnag]

What did you think he would be on? Probably took a drop to come here. I know he hasn't been the player we hoped this season, but at the time he represented solid championship experience and able to play in a number of positions, experience and versatility is worth a good wedge.

I doubt Clowes would "bust" the wage ceiling for Philips, some smart recruitment can get at least two very good championship players for that salary.

Tbh I hadn’t really thought about it prior to MA’s revealing post. Now, admittedly with the benefit of hindsight, I fear he’s another for the bad buys column.
Agree about Phillips. Been a good acquisition but horrendously expensive. Might be facing a bit of a reality check now his LFC contract is ending.