Matchday thread: Derby v Luton

[Andy_Faber]

Hmmm Luton. Not even a league team a few years ago but now above us in the ladder. What went right with the Hatters? and are we bothered so long as we get three points?

Crystal Ball Glazing anyone?

[swaledale]

We are due a win, so I'm going for 2-0

[MadAmster]

Not expecting a high scoring game. 1-0.

[ramAnag]

Sad that in any other season this would be a match between two mid table sides battling for a top six place. 15 pts v 17.
Luton are relatively free scoring but have conceded twice as many as us so Andy’s stats probably point to a 2-3 defeat.
Let’s hope they’re wrong...1-1.

[swaledale]

Well I was half right we scored 2 goals, but our defence and keeper fall down on their duties, a draw which should have been a win!

Typical Derby its the hope that kills you!

[StensonRam]

If only we had someone who could cross a ball

[macstheman]

That's four points in Dusty Bin in a few days!!

[ramAnag]

Ultimately disappointing last night...both in terms of another two points dropped and the unnecessary nature of their goals.
Having said that there was much to be impressed about. Every player gave everything for the cause and the crowd were virtually all behind them with very little in the way of moaners and wrist-slashers.
Thought Morrison and Byrne were the standouts. Really impressed by Morrison...a real football brain and the skills to go with it and, imo, Byrne barely put a foot wrong despite being hugely disadvantaged, in terms of size, by a big and powerful Luton side.
The commitment was truly encouraging. Lawrence may be the official captain but the leadership from the likes of Davies and Shinnie was obvious.
Not sure about some of the subs...we seemed to lose our way when Morrison went off and lost any threat when Lawrence dropped deeper but overall, no lack of effort but please, please, please let’s do some work on free kicks, corners and basic crosses because, two obvious errors apart, that’s what let us down last night.

P.S. How annoying was their manager? I was sitting about thirty feet away from him...excitable doesn’t begin to cover it. Thought he might have some sort of condition.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Tourettes??

[MadAmster]

At full time I thought a draw was about the right result. Having looked at stats from multiple sources that verdict looks spot on. Possession at 50/50, shots at 9/10, shots on 3/3, corners 5/5, fouls conceded 12/14. Not much in it.

Great tackle from Knight, drove forward passed into the path of Lawro who took a touch, unchallenged, into the box and rifled his shot into the bottom left corner.

Long throw from their right, Lee B was unfortunate to only manage to head it on towards the far post where Onyedinma managed to bundle it over the line, Byrne having "lost" him. Why was there no defender on the far post?

Lee B to Bird to Lawro who cut inside his man and put a great pass into the box where Knight's movement had seen him stay onside and beat the defender to the ball and shoot, straight through the keeper's legs.

Long cross from the right which the 2 defenders, Jags and Byrne saw coming and could/should have got to it. However, they got the shout from Allsop who came and got nowhere near the ball and Adebayo headed home. Allsop should have stayed home and he would have had the ball easily. His immediate crouch with one hand on the ground showed he knew it was his mistake.

Looking at the 4 goals and how they were scored you might be excused for thinking we made our two although their player might have done better with Knight's tackle and their two were, for a great part down to us. That could lead you to think we should have won.

However, just before the end we got away with a point when that lob hit the bar. No blame on Allsop for that one, he was where I would have expected him to be seeing the way he's used as a "sweeper keeper".

My conclusion, the draw was about right.

My opinion on Ravel went up a notch last night. Still not the end product I'd like him to show but, once he was subbed off we lost shape and we lost composure.