Why do some people have to be so snide about this? The only observation that has been made is that when he plays we generally win, and the stats don't lie. Explain it away as any number of things, but no other player comes close, so it's not a false stat.
I would be tempted to play Huddlestone/Livermore/Meyler to match up with the energy Derby have in midfield - we've already been hammered at their place - we don't want to bring them back to the KC with an unlikely deficit to try and turn around. Something like McGregor Dave Dawson Davies Robertson Elmo Hudd Meyler Livermore Snod Abel Without some insurance in midfield, I don't trust our defence to keep a clean sheet. Which seems wrong considering our defence contains two experienced centre halves. Or Maguire!
I think we need to get at Derby from the off! We're not the team to go there and keep it tight! Someone would f'ck up! The pressure is on Derby to get a result! so I say put our most creative team out and get at them from the off! No meyler for me in that team. If we're winning at half time on tues then maybe?
Having watched Abel's goals on another thread I think Diame has to start and we just hope he turns it on. Some of the balls he played for Abel to score from were pure class and might be just the difference between us and Derby.
We played a new team on Saturday, one that had not played together ahead of Saturday's game and we won 5-1 with probably the best performance of the season. I can't see any chance of that now being changed.
But Diame is just as likely not to turn up. He can't manage 2 games in 4 days so I"d save him for the home leg
I hope you're right. We still do have a soft centre though, a team like Derby will be able to cut through us easily unless we show more mental and physical toughness. Rotherham still managed to get into some dangerous positions.
Agree with this - that's why I would play Maguire in front of the back 4. Bolster the midfield and make it harder for the opposition to walk through and into the penalty area. Derby won't be as wasteful as Rotherham were given half the chance.