Derby County Preview

[Presty On Tour]

a win please, it's about time.

i don't get how we play as long as we take home 3 points.

[Ricky]

Derby have improved quite a bit in their recent games. I watched them play away at Newcastle and they were unlucky not to win. They also only got beaten by a last minute goal against Liverpool.

I dont think this will be a 3-0 or 4-0 game. Think it will be tight, 2-1 either way.

Now for the more tricky question. Anyone know if tickets can be bought on the door??

[Ricky]

Sorry guys, decided to answer my own question so phoned the ticket office.

Tickets are available on the gate tomorrow.

[Blueboy Downunder]

this is an absolute must win game for us, no doubt about that...about that, no doubt.

we have been on a bad run but to come back twice at citeh, we should be winning this game to get back on track. it will by no means be easy, as we have proved in the past with other low placed teams, but rovers at their best should be far too good for derby. a solid 3-0 win for us would be just nice, and who scores would also be nice if benni gets a couple to get his confidence up and the other goal....roque, but doesn't matter.

[thenodrog]

Another banana skin match. New manager syndrome again. Derby will have their tales up much the same as Wigan did so it's imperative that we select a team and formation that is both energetic and will stand up to early match intimidation (and even turn the tables) and which can effectively quieten the game and the crowd. Win the personal battles in the first 20 and then win the match.

Flair players can wait until the 65th minute.

btw has anybody noticed the link between our low yellow card count in recent weeks and our poor form? I quite like us being the big bad mean machine from up north..... it appears to equate to points.

[philipl]

I agree drog- ever since the City game at Ewood (where we did out muscle putty-soft opponents that day as well as playing them off the park) our foul count has consistently been lower than our opponents. I guess it took the Premiership opposition a few games to wake up to the fact that we are now softies but the referees are still living in a time warp behind. Certainly Graham Poll is. When the most high profile guy in the profession (and you can be sure every ref at whatever level is bound to look at Poll's column first) is somebody who is retired and therefore stuck in a world of reminiscences, it is no wonder refs go into our games with out dated pre-conceived notions.

On another theme where it would be nice to break with tradition, Rovers have now conceded the first goal in nine consecutive matches.

The key to tomorrow's match as 'drog points out is not to have a low profile low energy first half.

[thenodrog]

I agree drog-

.....The key to tomorrow's match as 'drog points out is not to have a low profile low energy first half.

Gulp.....

Also.... and I know it's a crappy tactic ......... but every time we are pummelling a team one of the opposition goes down requiring lengthy attention. I hate it but maybe we would have had a better return from Wigan and Citeh if one or two of our players had stayed down for some imaginary injury after opposition tackles to take the steam out of the opposition and the crowd.

In all honesty I am very proud of our players as (in true Sparky mould) we rarely do such BUT we get no bloody credit for our honest approach either do we? Not from opponents, not from the press / media and not from match officials so if you cannot beat em then maybe we should join em.

[philipl]

Yes, and as I've said before (beginning to sound like you now 'drog) if refs don't recognise we've cleaned up our act and halved our foul count, we should at least get value for our cards by getting the physical and psychic pleasure of kicking the whatsit out of the opposition knowing our red and yellow cards would then be well-earned and thoroughly deserved.

PS The Saturday HT Premiership scores couldn't be more perfect in terms of the teams around us not doing well.

[Plastic Head]

Draw.....

[G Somerset Rover]

Read today that we've only won two out of our last 20 away matches against the bottom three sides. Not sure if they meant teams that were eventually relegated or simply teams that were in the bottom three at the time. Either way a shocking stat that has to be changed tomorrow.

[thenodrog]

Read today that we've only won two out of our last 20 away matches against the bottom three sides. Not sure if they meant teams that were eventually relegated or simply teams that were in the bottom three at the time. Either way a shocking stat that has to be changed tomorrow.

Shocking indeed........ I wonder what that stat equates to in lost income over the years?

[T4E]

If only there was someone from Malta with enough time on their hands to work it out for us......

[joey_big_nose]

This is a tough game with Derby looking like they have belief now. I am not confident we will win. Two of our key performers are going to be knackered in Samba and Cruz. We need McCarthy and Bentley to turn up and Reid refind his form.

[winner]

Perfect game at the perfect time.

We needed a game against a team that we completely out match, in order to boost the confidence.

We have shown improvements against Man City and Chelsea in the last 2.

I think we will win 2-1.

[tchocky]

We'll either narrowly lose, or win 7-1.

[LeChuck]

matt le Tissier ? average player who never achieved anything in his career and someone who talks utter crap on soccer saturday !

the man is talking tripe

Watch the second goal in this clip (starts at around 18 seconds).

It still gives me goosebumps.

I'm not too sure what was so negative in that article either. Fair enough, he predicted a draw, but Derby have been threatening a decent result for a while now, and we're hardly on a winning streak. He did finish off his analysis with this:

I don't think there is too much wrong with Hughes' side though. I don't think it needs major surgery as I have read in some places.

Hardly damning stuff, is it?

Anyway, regardless of his prediction, I'll be disappointed if we don't win this. However, my gut feeling is a defeat. We always seem to gift teams at the bottom victories, and recently we've been getting battling results...but I think we may just find a team who's willing to battle harder than ourselves tomorrow.

[dopper69]

I'll go with a 2-1 win to Rovers.

Cruz and Pedersen to deliver the goods.

A shakey last 10 mins with Brad pulling off some great saves

[Paul]

In all honesty I am very proud of our players as (in true Sparky mould) we rarely do such BUT we get no bloody credit for our honest approach either do we? Not from opponents, not from the press / media and not from match officials so if you cannot beat em then maybe we should join em.

No, no, no, no!! I understand exactly what you are saying but we are all very proud of Rovers honest approach to the game. It would be a very sad day if we ever join the ranks of the professional cheats that inhabit certain teams. If we going to lose a game of football lets at least take some pride out of it. It woud be good to get more value for our supposed "physical" approach to the game though.

Derby is a game we should win. Our form has been terrible but there are signs the team is returning to our early season form. Derby are in deep trouble, new manager, holiday season results abound this year, Rovers have a habit of gifting points to lowly opposition, the press reports suggest their last two games have shown improvements.

We should win but will lose.

[Wolves_Rover]

No, no, no, no!! I understand exactly what you are saying but we are all very proud of Rovers honest approach to the game. It would be a very sad day if we ever join the ranks of the professional cheats that inhabit certain teams. If we going to lose a game of football lets at least take some pride out of it. It woud be good to get more value for our supposed "physical" approach to the game though.

Derby is a game we should win. Our form has been terrible but there are signs the team is returning to our early season form. Derby are in deep trouble, new manager, holiday season results abound this year, Rovers have a habit of gifting points to lowly opposition, the press reports suggest their last two games have shown improvements.

We should win but will lose.

I too have a sad feeling that we will lose, but would be even sadder to see our players cheat or deliberately crock opponents in order to get 3 points.

It's not fair play and I'll be damned if I ever support foul play.

[jim mk2]

One of my rare away trips today and I haven't seen them win on their travels in 5 years.

You've been warned.

[RoversFanUSA]

Rovers 4-1 RSC (2) Bents (1) MGP(1)/ them...Nelson(1) OG

[des]

its a game that we need and should win. will we I think so

[RoyRover]

This really is a game that we should win and need to win. Santa Cruz is on fire at the moment and hopefully his great goal scoring form will carry on into this game. 3-1 to Rovers, with Santa Cruz getting one and McCarthy to other two.

[Iceman]

I think we wil destroy derby.although the score might be 10-8 knowing our defence.we scoring goals but conceding to many.

[ihtd]

I am not really looking forward to this game, nopt with our track record of coming unstuck against teams who are bottom of the league, with a new manager etc. Got a feeling that Derby will be on the ropes for the whole match and then Kenny Miller will pop up in the 85th minute and nod in the winner for them.

Then again if we forget about all the crazy past history we have with struggling teams and play to our potential, we should win 2-0/3-0. A clean sheet is very important today as i think the Liverpool game in early November is the last time we kept one, correct me if i am wrong.