Dominated that and came away with nothing and I doubt it will be the last time we say that this season, just like the Blackpool game crap defending costs us! Let's remember that we had Faraoni, Anya and Deeney out today but still it's not like we struggled, we had them penned in most the game but sure thing 3 attacks and 3 goals! Do we have a defending coach?! If so can we sack him now please! Manu - Did well when called upon but not much he could do for the goals Belk - Pretty poor, he doesn't win many tackles and gives away a lot of fouls by just going through the player and his passing is hit and miss but i will say the ref gave a lot of 50/50's against him. Angella - Not his best game but did okay Ekstrand - Brilliant, by far the best of the 3, calm on the ball, won almost every header Cassetti - Put in some decent balls in to the box when given the ball McEachran - Did very well, his vision is by far his best asset. One sloppy-ish pass but unfortunately that led to the 2nd goal Iriney - Does his job getting stuck in but he gives away a lot of stupid FK's, could have easily been sent off McGugan - Apart from a complete wonderstrike he was pretty poor. His FK's were all over by miles and he didn't get involved much (We miss Abdi) Pudil - Contender for MOTM, up and down the wing all day and put in some great balls but nobody on the end of any, great start to the season by Daniel Fabrinni - All the skills in the world but no end product, started well but faded as the game went on Fessi - Worked hard, nice finishing for the goal and didn't fall over as much but I do wonder why he gave up on the ball for the 3rd goal Murray - Bright spark when he came on, beating players and knocking the ball around nicely Acuna - Don't remember him mentioned once after he came on That's the way I saw things! We need Abdi back in my opinion but that doesn't look like it will happen soon and the quicker we can get Thorne in the better! 8 points behind Burnley and possibly 9 behind QPR soon too, I'm not ruling out this season at all but we need to get in gear soon or the top 2 could be out of sight although I expect Burnley to drop at some point but Leicester, Forest, Reading all look very useful so even Playoffs wouldn't be easy! Where are the ones saying we'd walk this league?
Derby score their fair share of goals as it is. We really didn't need to gift them two on a plate! (Was 2nd offside) Attacking wise was ok but maybe we didn't have enough efforts on goal - both FF and McGugan took theirs very nicely. Certainly missed Anya's pace to get behind a solid defence. Eustace did a job as expected in midfield although though Murray was very useful after coming on. I am not sure if it would have made any difference today but we do look worse at the back without Doyley!
An entertaining match, but a needless defeat is my overall feeling from this. Derby are a bulk standard Championship side, nothing more than that. We beat ourselves today by constantly giving the ball away in deep positions when players were not even under any pressure. The second goal just before half time was a complete nonsense. We were lucky Almunia was on form or else this average Derby side could have had 5!!. He made two one v one saves from Ward and Sammon. Ward also should have scored but fired a great chance wide. If we defend like that, as a team, we are not going to even be in the playoffs this season. We are all tricks and flicks but as brittle as a stick. The intricate passing is lovely on the eye but is too easily defended if it is not 90% perfect as we tend to play one pass too many, always looking to score the goal of the season. With the players we have, we should be able to manage a game like this. They had players like Eustace and Forsyth in their team, that couldn't even get a place on our bench. We are far too na*ve at times, and don't play the percentages enough.
Crap game, both teams were flat and gave the ball away constantly, officials were shockingly bad That's the type of game we should be winning 2-0 or 2-1, but yet again we are gifting goals to an opposition who don't look like scoring themselves Sean Murray needs to be starting, McEachran was ineffectual and McGugan was poor apart from his stunning goal
I went into the game thinking that we were going to lose but coming out of it I was disappointed we didn't get anything. Derby were nothing special, in fact they were just solid nothing more. Hughes did not impress me at all, have heard a lot about this kid and all he did was chase Forestieri and not get near him. Was it me or were the Derby players going to ground fairly easily? It felt like the Charlton game on New Years Day where it went **** up but then we had a young defence today was just a defensive nightmare. We were incredibly sloppy and created the chance's for Derby which hurts more. McEachran was our best midfielder today, the kid looks class I hope we can nick him from Chelsea. It would have been a different result had Angella not been in the way of Acuna's (I think it was) shot from the right. Nice to see John Eustace was doing everything in his power to get our players sent off.
Doyley, Anya, Deeney, Abdi and Faraoni are all key players who if fit would have started today. Deeney in particular was a big loss. Derby played a high-pressing game against us to stop us playing it out of the back and forced us to go long. When we did that there was no one there and as well as both Forestieri and Fabbrini played today they can't be expected to do the job that Deeney does for the team. In fact, I don't think anyone can. Faraoni and Anya would have had an absolute field day down the wings today also. Regardless of the depth of our squad with those players missing it would have been a huge ask for us to get anything out of today's game against an in-form Derby. I have no doubt that had those players been fit (or even just one or two of them) we would have won comfortably.
Oh and Craig Forsyth is a right odious little ****. Pleased we haven't got the likes of him in our side, lose or not.
Hardly anything for Forsyth, but a big applause for Eustace. The announcer had to pause and wait before reading out the next name
We need to learn how to defend. same mistakes every game. Belkalem is terrible. I would love to be proved wrong but just cant see it. He was rubbish at Blackburn and not even that good today. Even McGugan had to tell him to stop jumping into their forward with his shoulder. Iriney is just to slow. Once he went off and Murray came on we just looked more lively. yes we play nice football but just seem to have the knowhow in this league. All those wetting themselves saying we would walk the league before a ball was kicked need to look at themselves. All those moaning at McGugan should actually watch him. he is a very good player. Great goal and great pass for the first. very frustrated after watching that.
Disappointing result considering all three goals were from our mistakes. Didn't play at our best, but didn't play badly either, its just frustrating to be the better team in the second half and then to see Derby with only their 2nd or 3rd chance of the half win the game. Credit to them for being clinical (Ward was unmarked but that was a good header), and what a goal by McGugan but missed chance here today. They're a solid outfit but Watford gifted them the win. IMO the midfield without Abdi is too unbalanced. McGugan is a difference maker but all too often he tends to drift out wide, which is a problem if we are hit on the break. Murray though was pretty handy when he came on. No question we missed Anya and Deeney today. I thought the majority of the team had a decent game. McEachran was solid if unspectacular, Pudil was very good as was Forestieri (minus the couple of stray passes), with Belkalem the weak link though he is still adjusting to English football. Tough loss, one that I hope is a wake up call. Too often we have the ball in good areas and there either isn't anyone on the end of it (Pudil's cross today, where was someone to tap it in?), or not enough movement. Sometimes you have to be a little more direct, though without a 'real' striker it wasn't necessarily possible. The ref on the other hand was abysmal. Not just the stop start nature, but the fouls that weren't given and incorrect calls on both teams for throw ins and corners etc. Good to see Eustace getting a good reception, just a shame we let Conor Sammon score the winner Onwards and upwards. Its a tough loss. Some enforced changes today didn't help, but Zola needs now to keep a consistent eleven moving forward. I though Forestieri really stepped up in the absence of Deeney, and hopefully he can be that little bit more consistent moving forward. Tough November on paper with Leicester etc to come, just hope we can move past these errors and press on. Going forwards today we were decent. The timing of their 2nd goal was crucial, and lets face it they could have made it 3 just after the break. So disappointing to control the second half, look the more likely to win and then get nothing. On another note, Dyche's Burnley side continue to pick up points. Im starting to think - even with a small squad - they might be the surprise team, while its good to see some progress on the East Stand, can't wait for the new stand
Poor? You're entitled to your opinion, but arguably he was one of our better players. Created one goal and scored the other and was constantly driving at the Derby defence.
When was the finishing in question today?? I thought we took our goals well. We lost the match because sloppy passing in the middle which opened us up not once but twice today. We cant afford plays like this, these lapses of concentration on simple passes, we need to get the basics right! For me Forestieri is just amazing one minute and a complete villain the next. He must be very difficult to play with as his creativity, ability and determination wins the great balls, scores great goals and produces offensive play that are up there with some of the best footy you can watch. Then the next minute, he is away in another world, thinking of how he is going to design his plate of food later now doubt. Slaps in a god awful pass right in a very position that leads to a very soft goal. What do you do with him?
Didn't attend today, but it sounds like a similar match to others but on this occasion it ended in defeat. We do need a natural finisher and miss Abdi, but surely the defensive 3 need more support from those in front of them.
I don't see how finishing is relevant to the performance or result today. How many clear cut chances did we have that we should have scored?
Disappointing to lose what was a pretty even game especially when after McGugan's goal it seemed only one team could win it. Derby are a good side so there is no shame in not playing them off the pitch, especially when missing 3 of our most influential players in Abdi, Anya and Deeney. However, the worry is that once again we didn't play how we know that we can for the fourth home game running. Charlton was a fair point against a side who are close to the bottom three, we could have had a penalty but they missed a great chance with a minute or two left to win it. Doncaster we were better than a side who will be happy with 21st place but were reliant on a dodgy penaty to win it. Wigan was a flat, even game in which they had a perfectly good goal ruled out. Away from home performances have been better minus Reading 1st half and Blackburn. It feels like again we have a top side who will be in the top six come the end of the season but if we want to improve on last year and get automatics we have to play at more like 100% more regularly. Currently we're 7th and I think our point total is a fair reflection on how we've done, could have got a point today and beaten Blackpool but were fortunate to beat both Doncaster and Wigan. Therefore we have to step things up if we want to get top two. There is no need for panic as we are capable of doing better, 7th is a much better place from where to launch a run of good form than from where we came from last year. We have also played 8 of the other 12 members of the league's top 13. Our next games are against teams placed 14th, 3rd, 16th, 21st and 24th. Give them time and remember the side lost three of their most important players last year in the summer in Chalobah, Vydra and Hogg. Things can get better and I think they will do, plus they're not especially bad right now, there is no shame in being 7th, 2 points of 4th, with 5 points more than at the same stage last year when we ended up 2 points off 2nd. I do fear however we will look back at the quality of last season's division compared to this season and think we really missed out not going up then.
This. Its tough to take, and despite having been on top for most of the second half with Derby deep and time wasting, you can't make three crucial errors that lead to goals and expect to come out of a game with anything. We did well to fight back twice, but we shouldn't have had to. The tempo just isn't there at the beginning of games, and we often give ourselves more to do.
Who the **** would that be? Why would there be any players that are 'deadly at finishing' be available?
Never seems to want the ball, likes to think he's playing left wing, shoots when he should pass, passes when he should shoot,offers barely any support defensively... When he does shoot (bar the goal) all high or wide. He didn't test the keeper at all. But nevertheless I'm in his debt for his goals. Cassetti is such a ****ing whiner, needs to get on with it sometimes. Thought Pudil was our best player by a mile today, Fabbrini seems to have worked on his decision making a bit too. Nearly there with him. Whys everyone slagging belkalem off? Only defender who made a tackle today. There first goal was a gift, as was there second and also there third. Our first was well worked and Mcgoo's; well what can you say. The second the sloppiness is gone we'll **** every single team. Can I see it going though? That's a whole different question.
It just wasn't good enough. No presence up front, very little troubled their goalkeeper, we gave the ball away far to much and giving 4 free kicks away in our own half during injuary time was just ridiculas. Never mind, move on to the next game
To the guy ranting and raving in the Vic Road at half time because the Derby fans had the gall to carry on chanting, you sir are a prize ******. To the guy who shouted 'Forestieri, you are ****ing ****', I wish ill upon you. To the fans that left even before the injury time board went up, you don't deserve a successful football team.
agreed about cassette. Agreed about Pudil. The rest is what makes forums so great. We all saw the same game but have different opinions. 100% correct cut out the stupid mistakes and we will be ok.
Second half once Iriney went off I thought we started to play with a quicker tempo and was attacking well at times. Just missed having a fox in the box to finish off some of Pudil's crosses who I thought had a really good game. Murray has to start for me, out of all the midfielders this season he has impressed me the most, always wanting to get on the ball, has the most energy and attacking wise very direct. McEachran was a positive for me today, again always busy and generally very good on the ball. We do miss Hogg's energy and keeping & showing for the the ball moving in midfield. Not been impressed with Iriney yet, seems to slow for me and I'm sure will get a red card or 2 this season. At the back Ekstrand gave the ball away too much at the start of the game and Belkalem was a weak link today! McGugan was poor today despite his class goal which showed his quality. He's in and out of games too much I think and someone else who posted which i agree with is that he tends to play basically as a left winger for most of the game. Fabrinni is another luxury player we have along with Fessi & McGugan.... needs to learn to pass the ball quick, stop going to the floor so easily. Ability wise he's a quality player but he needs to be more effective. Today showed how we missed Deeney's presence upfront because any long ball was too easy for Derby defence.
I find McGugan overall actually a pretty damn good player. He was running round a lot and trying to win balls; when he did he either made a good pass or an attempt on goal; both are fine, as his finishing is pretty good. (You don't score if you don't shoot) If only he FK's were that little better today...
Sometimes I ****ing hate the championship. Refs need to make it clear they won't tolerate niggling fouls and time wasting early on in the game otherwise teams get away with so much, it completely ruins our play and makes it a **** game to watch. Also, what is the point of linesman in the championship? They never do anything. Zola said in his interview their second goal was offside, which it did look. It's a joke. Can't completely blame the ref though. 2 goals gifted to them from ****e play. We claim to be a passing team, it doesn't work when you can't pass. Belkelem was awful & Ireney and Fabrinni look like players who need an extra 20 seconds on the ball then they get in England. Too many of our players seem to lack any kind of end product. Please Zola change the formation. At home at least. Every home game it's the same old struggle because teams know exactly how to play against us. It's a shame Anya wasn't fit. He would of torn Forsyth a new one. He was terrible.
