Derby away 26/09 match thread

[champs95]

What I will say. We look such a better side without Downing, Graham and Bennett. Who where all painfully slowing us down. Downing being the worst offender. Everytime I mentioned this last season I was told he was key. I was told his passing was brilliant. I was told he was our best player. I felt we desperately needed a change of plan. Abd now we have finally got fast players encouraged to play football, with the emphasis of young players. A load of pointless stats where often thrown at me about Downing. Which never included the final score, or league table. Now we have finally moved on from these sites of players, we finally seem to be heading somewhere. I'm not getting excited yet. We have just played 2 very poor sides. One will finish rock bottom. In Dec it will be time to see where we are. But its started ever so well. The high press, the style of play. The passing (not backwards or sideways ala Downing, but progressive passing forwards) and a wonderkid who plays football with a smile. Who has given the whole club a huge lift. Other players have reacted to young Dolan and he has improved everyone around him. You dont get that effect with Bennett, Downing etc.

[seventwo]

I've been reading positive things about Breretons performance, except in front of goal, were Derby that bad!?

[seventwo]

I'm really very impressed with the change in tactics, formation, attitude and an unchanged team.

Let's see what happens when we lose one and / or he has more selection options.

[AucklandRover]

I cant really add anything other than I was completely wrong. And I'm more than happy to be eating my words. Johnson has really stepped up. Those forward 3 are really hard to play against. I always felt Holtby was going to be key in us having s good season. I still feel they need another CM incase Johnson struggles or gets injured
But we are destroying teams. And its fantastic to watch.
This Dolan has got to be signing of the season. Maybe worth getting him on a good contract more than £300 a week!! Or we could risk losing him.
If they could get shut of Dack then now would be the time. He doesn't get in this side now.

I wouldn't risk losing Dack, Champs. He would thrive if Holtby's passing continues at that level.
I even think the system could be adapted to incorporate using Gallaher as a pivot, with the other five quick players moving around him.
Mowbray has ALWAYS argued that flexibility is the key.
Different opposition teams provide different challenges.

[champs95]

We do also need to balance the books every so often. So someone may need to leave to allow to be able to sign someone. Still maintain we need a LB. Bell I thought was the only suspect one at the back yesterday. William's really is reading the game so well at the back. In this current run of form it would be hard to drop him.
Dack I feel would be too slow in that forward line. While it's good to have options, we dont want to be moving Arma nor Dolan. And Brereton is really starting to prove his doubters wrong. I dont even see where Gallagher fits in. But he really will need to massively up his game and start adding goals to his effort. Injuries, loss of form etc will mean a squad is needed, and true, having SG & Dack to come in the side would be useful. I just struggle to see where Dack plays? Up front? If the current 3 are in good form and doing what they are now, then he wont get in. I wouldn't play him in Mid. Holtby is a better passer. And hes starting to get stuck in now aswell. But while I get you tend to just focus on the matches, this pandemic is killing us behind the scenes financially. A sale my need to happen for us to get maybe 2 more in. Johnson would need to carry on playing like this and not get injured until Travis returns. That's a huge ask. That's not Evan's game. And not sure about Davrnport. I still think they need a CM. And a LB.
Dack could be a luxury we could afford to lose. Especially now this Dolan kid has turned up and lifted everyone

[AucklandRover]

If we tried to sell Dack now, though, we wouldn't get half what he was worth before the injury.
I don't think the same style of play will produce the goods against every team, anyway.
As you say, the last two opponents have been weak. We played almost equally well against Bournemouth, but conceded three goals. That's where someone like Evans is useful, because he is a genuine "holding" player.
As for Gallagher, a team needs an alternative to quick, small players. It's a waste of time having Brereton as a No.9. It's not his game, and doesn't utilise his talents. (The last couple of games have demonstrated that all the critics of Mowbray's use of a "wide forward" were wrong. Brereton caused panic and often left other players with lots of space in the middle.)
If we're nil-nil with half an hour to go, the ability to bring on a target-man type might be very useful.
We have to accept that the "high press" comes with a compromise or downside. If the other team has good passers and quick counter-attackers, it is easy to get caught short at the back.
I am reasonably confident that Buckley could slot into the current style quite smoothly. What has impressed me about him is that he is eager to have the ball, and he has an eye for a positive pass.
Davenport is definitely more of an Evans type.
The great thing about our midfield is that it provides lots of options. In addition, we have two players who can do the "utility-man" job - Rankin-Costello and Bennett.
At the back, we are still thin. Bell was much improved, but I still have my doubts.
All the same, given the financial situation, we might be looking at loans only.
We seem to be able to call on six front-line defenders: Nyambe, Lenihan, Ayala, Bell, Williams, Rankin-Costello.
It's a bit of a waste of R-C, really, but he seems happy to slot in.
Then we have a host of Academy centre-backs and Lewis Thompson, who might come through this season as cover at left-back.
Is it adequate? Perhaps we'd get away with it if Williams is willing to cover or replace Bell, but - as I said - "thin"!
Then there's the keeper. How high is the risk of not getting a second-string? For me, the problem is, how good is that person going to be, anyway, if he's cheap and willing to sit on the bench all year?
A PL Under-23 keeper is surely not on. He'd be unlikely to get a game, so what would be the point for the parent-club? I think the most likely scenario is someone who's in his late-30s and isn't playing, anyway!
As Saxo said, it will be interesting to find out how we cope against teams who play ten men back (and are willing to give away lots of free-kicks!).

[Despair]

Greetings from very sunny Bruges on day 2 of our road trip. Off to Blackburn's twin town Altena today.

IF we play as well as we have shown we can get a result anywhere in this league.

Just had a thought 72, I’ve got a very early pic of the wife stood alongside the town road plaque stating so, as we passed through it without knowing of it 👍. On our usual travel down to Alps in our little red Escort .
More carefree times them 👍

[seventwo]

The Bernese Oberland has always been my favourite destination.