Derby County v Leeds Utd Match Thread

[SG90]

Tony Dorigo mentioned "We'll need the subs to win this game" & he was bang on!

We wouldn't have scored all night, had it not been for the changes.

Yep I agree. But I'm glad they were rested, rather than do the full 90.

[malcolmw]

Usually 64 in a game like that we would have came away with nothing. This squad is much better than last years, and that is being proven when we don`t play as well as we can, but still are getting wins.3 points are all that matters for now.

It was also scrappy because we were playing a team in good home form. They aren't a pushover.
I agree we are more resilient and composed than last year this time.
It's good to be able to win ugly. (Better than losing pretty )

[Irish Ian]

I didn't think Ampadu and Tanaka worked, Tanaka not used to playing further forward. Sure he'll adjust, but we may see Rothwell back next game. Also Solomon and James are two of our form players, dropping both of them cost us some sharpness and final ball quality.

I was thinking that these two will need game time together to gel, it seemed to me that Amps was cancelling Tanaka out at times.

However they could be a terrific midfield pairing for us once Rothwell returns to his cllub

[1964white]

I didn't think Ampadu and Tanaka worked, Tanaka not used to playing further forward. Sure he'll adjust, but we may see Rothwell back next game. Also Solomon and James are two of our form players, dropping both of them cost us some sharpness and final ball quality.

Agree, on the Ampadu/Tanaka combination. James & Soloman are our best wingers right now, & will start more often than not, unless injury occurs or their form drops off.

[1964white]

Yep I agree. But I'm glad they were rested, rather than do the full 90.

They needed the rest & we still got the right result in the end.

[Carrick Dave]

Yep I agree. But I'm glad they were rested, rather than do the full 90.

Worrying that their replacements couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity though, there were several chances created.

It would have been good not to have had to rely on Piroe & James at all, Joseph isn’t firing at Championship level and Ramazani is flattering to deceive atm.

[1964white]

We looked great in the first half except for that pesky little thing about putting the ball in the net. Second half we saw a lot less of the ball and things did indeed get scrappy. The subs made a huge difference. They put us back in control. Even when things got scrappy, though, Tanaka, Ampadu, Rodon, and Struijk remained rock solid. Derby's only shot on goal came from a corner; they got absolutely nothing from open play.

All in all, a very good performance away from home against an in-form (albeit inferior) side. This has been a good week.

So, you thought the game got scrappy, as the majority seem to think so, since my post.

I just wondered why no one else had mentioned my slight quibble!

[GreennWhite]

It was also scrappy because we were playing a team in good home form. They aren't a pushover.
I agree we are more resilient and composed than last year this time.
It's good to be able to win ugly. (Better than losing pretty )

Malcolm, i think sometimes some of our fans are too quick to put down our own players if things don`t go well during a game. You can`t have it all your own way in every game. While some say the standard in this league is not as good as last season, and that`s open to debate, apart from 2 or 3 teams there are no guaranteed 3 points in most games.
Like you said, they are having a decent run of form at home, so you have to work damn hard to get anything from them.

[1964white]

I worry we might miss Rothwell & have no faith in Joseph. But then worry is my default position & being brutally honest what do I know

Maybe I do know.

[Carrick Dave]

So, you thought the game got scrappy, as the majority seem to think so, since my post.

I just wondered why no one else had mentioned my slight quibble!

Nothing to do with it being as plain as the nose on your face Leon?

[1964white]

Malcolm, i think sometimes some of our fans are too quick to put down our own players if things don`t go well during a game. You can`t have it all your own way in every game. While some say the standard in this league is not as good as last season, and that`s open to debate, apart from 2 or 3 teams there are no guaranteed 3 points in most games.
Like you said, they are having a decent run of form at home, so you have to work damn hard to get anything from them.

You know me Greenn, I'm not putting our team down, and I don't think Malcolm is.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Agree. Goalkeeper change, Schmidt, Paddy, Guigavoluptuous, Ramazani to start in the cup.

Two more tough games to handle before we can think about the FA Cup. Any number of things/injuries could happen between now and then.

Ironically the relatively easy cup game is our only game in 15 days. Would have been nice if it had been one of the 4 in 10 days

But agree especially that Schmidt could do with a start at full back.

[1964white]

Nothing to do with it being as plain as the nose on your face Leon?

Well it was to me.

Good teams find a way of winning when not at their best & right now we have a resilient team.

[andrewjohnsmith]

He’s certainly curvy in all the right places

I don't think I've seen Guilavogui run yet. Probably unlikely he'll start a game except in an emergency. Useful for what he offers in closing games out. My guess is that he hasn't got the fitness for a start. But I might be wrong.

[weasel]

Played well today, second best player first half..

Not even the Stoke fog would have hidden his shortcomings. Still hoping to be proved wrong but have been saying that for a long time now.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Sorry Faaip, you defend him endlessly on here but he’s just not cutting the mustard.

Not scoring when he’s given starts against lesser teams, it’s not acceptable for a Leeds United striker irrespective of his relative youth.

It was promising from Joseph today. But he's still far from what we need right now.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Sorry Faaip, you defend him endlessly on here but he’s just not cutting the mustard.

Not scoring when he’s given starts against lesser teams, it’s not acceptable for a Leeds United striker irrespective of his relative youth.

It was promising from Joseph today. But he's still far from what we need right now.

[1964white]

Right now the only weak point in the squad is Joseph. He hasn't been the same player since he came back from international duty. U21 a very different story to the Championship and he doesn't seem to have any answers, right now.
Maybe a loan period would be good for maturity.

I never fell in the trap that Joseph was ready to start last season.

Mateo is still young & raw, even so I'm still unconvinced about him.

[The Subhuman]

Is it only me?

Did anyone think the game was scrappy at times during the second-half, we lacked our usual fluency, cohesion & composure.

We still created enough chances to win the game easily.

Awful game for me, no one stood out and Aaronson was well down my leaderboard till he scored and he shot to the top. First 20/25 we were good without creating and there was 5 minutes period in the second half

I'm not sure we get anything from that if they score first

[andrewjohnsmith]

Is it only me?

Did anyone think the game was scrappy at times during the second-half, we lacked our usual fluency, cohesion & composure.

We still created enough chances to win the game easily.

Not really. Derby had good passages of play. And that's to be expected from a not too terrible team playing at home.

If you look at the chances we were more than good enough for this one. And a 1-0 away win is always a decent result.