Derby County

[kunye]

How do the fans see this one,me at the very best a lucky draw.
With post match comments that we had 70%+ pus of play ( all in our own half).
I am more concerned with our present plight than when we were struggling, and at least
making an effort from a lower position.

 

[Cottager58]

Irritating kick off time does nobody any good.

It's going to be all about confidence though, rosc. In his press conference today the Gaffer says they've been working on that .. and fitness! ... during the International break.

 

[Super Brian McBride]

It's possible we might have the spine of our team missing. McDonald has a 1 game ban. Johansen was struggling and Cairney may not have recovered.
On top of that we have the dilemma that their replacements haven't convinced much in previous games and we need to start taking 3 points from games.
Perhaps Jokanovic should take a gamble and throw in some youngsters who have been playing well for both club & Country. Give Derby the unknown factor to take into account.
Personally I think Madl could do the same job as McDonald, but that's not going to happen.
It's the late game on TV, so will the Ref be wanting to be the star of the show.

 

[Cottager58]

It's possible we might have the spine of our team missing. McDonald has a 1 game ban. Johansen was struggling and Cairney may not have recovered.
On top of that we have the dilemma that their replacements haven't convinced much in previous games and we need to start taking 3 points from games.
Perhaps Jokanovic should take a gamble and throw in some youngsters who have been playing well for both club & Country. Give Derby the unknown factor to take into account.
Personally I think Madl could do the same job as McDonald, but that's not going to happen.
It's the late game on TV, so will the Ref be wanting to be the star of the show.

..... Our posts crossed SuperBri so I've split mine to pick up your questions about specific players .....

So far as availability goes, we know that McDonald is suspended thanks to his fifth yellow. Jokanovic was quite excited that Ojo was back earlier than expected and training today. Piazon is also doing light work. However neither is up for selection. Doubtful is Kebano with "some hip problem" and he will be assessed before the game. No mention of the groin injury which has apparently been troubling Johansen for some weeks (according to the player that is). The good news from his presser is that "Tom Cairney is feeling better and we expect his knee problem is behind him”.

For Derby the interest will no doubt focus on whether the wannabee Martin plays. if he does, will be interesting to see the fan's reaction not least since a fair proportion of them on social media now claim that we "miss him". Whatever, an unenviable fact is that we've never beaten a Garry Rowett team!!

For us, the big question is who will replace McDonald? Will it be Norwood who was 'shafted' after Northern Ireland's World Cup knockout OR Cisse who hasn't played much at all and seems a yard off the pace OR will the Gaffer surprise us and play Odoi ?

Elswehere it's the recent conundrums. The CB pairing? Who up front between Fonte and Kamara - 'cos it will be only one starting this game? On the right will it be the the misfiring Ayite or the petulant Mollo? The left side may solve itself if Kebano is out but there's still uncertainty whether Jokanovic really fancies Soares. So, taking a punt -

.......................Button..............
..Fredericks..Kalas..Ream...Soares...
......................Norwood...
...........Cairney........Johansen....
...Ayite............Fonte.........Sessegnon..


Gone for Button over Bettinelli only because the Gaffer will.

 

[Cottager58]

It's the late game on TV, so will the Ref be wanting to be the star of the show.

The man on show is Darren Bond.

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We've seen Bond four times over this season and last ... and each game has ended in a draw!

v Leeds (0-0) away in August 2017
v Brentford (1-1) home in April 2017
v Wolves (4-4) away in December 2016
v Nottingham Forest (1-1) away in September 2016

The Wigan Whistler has a reputation for 'letting the game flow', although a fair few have interpreted that as 'missing obvious fouls'. In his 15 games so far this season he's flashed 54 yellows and 1 red.

 

[kunye]

Score predictions = Me Derby by 2 clear goals

 

[2whitestripes]

Score predictions = Me Derby by 2 clear goals

Why?
We are better than that for sure.

 

[Cottager58]

Better performance. But ... but ... front three - Ayite, Fonte and Sessegnon - ineffectual. Kamara an improvement for Fonte when he replaced him, in that at least he gave their backs something think about. However, showed his lack of experience (ability?) and like the others mentioned never in the box when needed. Can't remember how many balls went across their goal , in the second half especially, and the nearest players were de la Torre or Norwood.

Pleased that the Gaffer took SuperBri's advice on playing youngsters. Both Edun and de la Torre justified their game time. Why oh why Edun was taken off baffles me - if anyone should have been subbed it was Sessegnon, who had a mare!

Ref Bond keeps his record then with 5 draws on the trot. How on earth he missed giving a penalty though?

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[kunye]

Agree C58 an improved performance,but we still failed to press our advantage with any change of plan,
must somewhat disagree re: Kamara slow and cumbersome, DLT should be given more game time,
and promote another youngster into the C/F role,Fonte
i am afraid will not fit the bill.
So glad i was wrong with my prediction.

 

[Fulham COYW]

Agreed it was an improved performance and again with a striker we would have won it comfortably. Was impressed with Edun and DLT and remarkably we did not miss McDonald as much as I thought we would.

When Martin came on I thought the story was written but in the end he hardly had a touch and the story in the end was the same as the rest of the season - we need a striker.

 

[Fabulous Fabio]

The game was on Sky Sports so got to see a full match for a change and have to say I wasn't at all impressed. Our attacking players provided very little, Fonte, Sess and Ayite all anonymous. Says a lot about them that our best player going forward and our biggest threat was our right back, thought Fredericks was brilliant and a constant threat, quite rightly named MOTM.

Not at all surprised our goal came from a free kick, it's hard to see where the goals are going to come from in open play. A lot of passes and possession without any real end product, and even when a decent pass or cross was made theres nobody there to get on the end of it. The only thing this game did for me was make it even clearer our need for an out and out striker. Fonte and Kamara aren't going to get us where we need to be, close to £15m(?) spent on two strikers that cant score goals.

 

[Super Brian McBride]

It's so frustrating, none of our strikers have a strikers instinct, and for me that's down to coaching.
when our FB/winger takes the ball to the bye-line and takes on their fullback, our striker should be busting a gut to be in the middle between the penalty spot & the 6 yard box tracking the run of our winger for the cross.You can't expect a winger to pass the ball back to the 18 yard line from the bye-line where our strikers are standing static. I expect our striker to be in the box crating havoc by movement towards the ball or being ready in the middle of the 6 yard box to contact a low hard cross or get a header in, he should then be backed up by the attacking midfield busting a gut to get between the 18 yard and penalty spot in line with the each post.
This gives options to the winger when crossing and that he needs to be coached that he has near post far post and middle areas to cross into.

It's basic football tactics and we don't seem to teach them. It drives me nuts.

 

[Cottager58]

It's basic football tactics and we don't seem to teach them. It drives me nuts.

This match analysis looks at our 'tactics'. Or one aspect of them at least - it focuses on Fonte.

[takes a little bit of time to get to the actual examples, but worth the wait]

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If an American fan using a TV recording of a game can spot these issues surely our coaches and match analysts, with the array of cameras/technical stuff available to them, can do at least as well. You've got to assume they do. So the question has to be exactly what SuperBri said.

 

[kunye]

Comes back to plan A tactics only ,if the tactician
cannot or will not change the tactics then maybe we should change the tactician.
Constant draws and losses are of no use at all.

 

[Cottager58]

Comes back to plan A tactics only ,if the tactician
cannot or will not change the tactics then maybe we should change the tactician.
Constant draws and losses are of no use at all.

No question that the results are not good enough. Equally there are question marks over Jokanivic's reluctance to opt for Plan B, when the occasion demands during a match. Nonetheless, we are talking about a squad that is fundamentally the same as last season and proved that it has the capability.

Pretty much everyone is saying the problem is that the opposition have sussed us out, especially at the Cottage. Believe the issue here and now is coaching/teaching the correct tactics within Plan A to combat that.