Derby County Preview

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Perhaps playing him in the right position helped too!!

Has to keep his place ahead of Samba at the moment.

I'd probably give Nelsen a day off if I had the choice. Not because I don't feel he could do a job for us because we all know that he'll give 100% every game but I feel that Zurab has played two superb games at centre half and Samba will have fresh legs after his suspension + being off today and it's obvious that Nelsen looks a bit low on confidence at the moment.

[LeftWinger]

I can't believe some people are saying we were lucky.

We've beaten a team that were denied a point by a late Gerrard winner the other day, and should've won at Newcastle.

We were quite deep late on - but we're low on confidence it's to be expected. With some better finishing we'd have won this a lot more convincingly.

We usually lose to the worse team in the league away - so looks like we've turned the corner.

Thought Bentley was superb today - particularly first half - and Jamie Redknapp is in love with him!!

[yellowsubmarine]

Anyone know what happened to Reidy?

[LeftWinger]

Anyone know what happened to Reidy?

I'm assuming he was just rested - been playing a lot recently after a long time out. I may of course be wrong.

[waggy]

zurab showed today why he should have been centre half at eastlands,hughes has to bite the bullet and drop either samba or nelsen

[T4E]

Nelsen was fouled for their opener then Miller dived for the penalty.

What game were you watching?! Nelsen got badly out of position for the goal, going for a ball that wasn't there to be won. He got squared up for the penalty which for a premier league defender is just a lack of basic technique. Whether Miller made the most of it or not is irrelevent, he should never have been allowed to take advantage of such bad defending.

He needs leaving out for a few games.

[Beta Ray Bill]

zurab showed today why he should have been centre half at eastlands,hughes has to bite the bullet and drop either samba or nelsen

Anyone fancy a back three of Zurab-Samba-Nelsen with Warnock and Bert as wing backs? Centre of Reid-Bents-ANother with Benni & Santa up front?

[T4E]

No.

[herbergeehh]

Bentley and partly Tugay created everything for us, again. Santa Cruz on the end of everything. Gamst Pedersen had another poor game, clearly low on confidence - illustrated when Tugay found him with a great through pass in the 1st half. He waited too long to pick out McCarthy (who was a simple cross away from a free shot) and then hit the 1st defender. His desperation to find his old self illustrated by his shot in the 2nd half, when McCarthy again was a simple tap away from a free shot.

I feel sorry for Nelsen, but he needs to be dropped now. Anyone know why Samba was rested? Reid in for Mokoena next match, please, lucky not to be sent off. To his credit though, he did well to stay unbooked for the remainder of the match after that.

In general, we should've killed the game off earlier. Not too thrilled to see those last three corners being conceded when we're only up by a single goal. Put Samba in for Nelsen next match, and Reid in for Mokoena. Treacy on the bench, please:)

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Anyone fancy a back three of Zurab-Samba-Nelsen with Warnock and Bert as wing backs? Centre of Reid-Bents-ANother with Benni & Santa up front?

It's bad enough having 2 centre backs at the moment!

A lot more fans would be more confident with just Zurab playing on his own

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Anyone know why Samba was rested?

His wife gave birth I think...

[blue phil]

I think it's only the fact that Nelsen is captain that is keeping him in the side . A rest is imminent even so I feel ....

What to do with McCarthy ! He set up Cruz's goal with a wonderful turn but still not at his best . I'd have liked Derbyshire to have been given more of a run out TBH .

I wonder if any serious offers come in for BM we'd be daft not to consider them ......by serious I mean around the £4 - 5 m mark .

[rebelmswar]

I wonder if any serious offers come in for BM we'd be daft not to consider them ......by serious I mean around the £4 - 5 m mark .

I think we would be foolish to let him go at that price, as Mark Hughes said he could find no one of comparable quality for that pittance.

[1864roverite]

Text from my mate at Derby says that savage was asked by a Rovers fan for his autograph as he went to board the team bus and was completely blanked !!

[No Nay Never]

Ryan Nelsen was the sole culprit for both derby goals today in my opinion, absolutely horrible defending for the first one, and lazy tackle for the second. Zurab is a must for our centre half partnership. Apart from that i thought Roque Santa Cruz and David Bentley shone

[Beta Ray Bill]

Ryan Nelsen was the sole culprit for both derby goals today in my opinion, absolutely horrible defending for the first one, and lazy tackle for the second. Zurab is a must for our centre half partnership. Apart from that i thought Roque Santa Cruz and David Bentley shone

Errrrr, what match was this? Can't remember Derby scoring two....

[blue phil]

I think we would be foolish to let him go at that price, as Mark Hughes said he could find no one of comparable quality for that pittance.

Maybe not , but money has to be generated from somewhere at Ewood these days . BM's price tag isn't going to head northwards - and how long is his fragile temperament going to last ?

Obviously if Roberts is on his way out as well a ready replacement would need to be in place ; that doesn't appear to be the case so the question is irrelevant really .......sorry I mentioned it

[Mr. E]

Finally a win.

But against any half-decent team the result would have been the same as our last games.

By continuing to play Nelson, when everyone can see he is costing us game after game, Hughes should take responsibility for the joke of a defense we have. If there is anyone who needs to be dropped, it's him. Having said that, that was a very soft penalty.

Warnock. He's good going forward, but who lied to him that he can defend? If he's getting beaten even by Derby's players than he should seriously reconsider his position. Same thing for Morten. If he can't even beat Derby's players, then he shouldn't be starting.

What Hughes did good was to drop Dunn and Reid, though Mokoena-Tugay really aren't the solution either. Tugay did well here though.

Benni was very hungry for a goal, and Santa keeps scoring. So upfront at least I think we're good.

Bentley's match-winner was a good goal, but MoTM was surely Friedel. He was at fault for Derby's goal, but his penalty save gave us the momentum to win. Some other very good saves throughout the game too.

Hopefully the big changes will begin soon.

[USABlue]

What game were you watching?! Nelsen got badly out of position for the goal, going for a ball that wasn't there to be won. He got squared up for the penalty which for a premier league defender is just a lack of basic technique. Whether Miller made the most of it or not is irrelevent, he should never have been allowed to take advantage of such bad defending.

He needs leaving out for a few games.

Fraid I agree with Philip, Nelsen WAS fouled. Nellie has been poor of late but I thought it was a foul first time I saw it and was more convinced in the later replays so Philip must have been watching the same game as me.

Agree the penalty tackle was bad though too he never had a chance of getting the ball, thanks Brad.

I thought we were poor overall, great in the first half but again failed to capitalise and I am sure we all saw the sucker punch coming. Second half I thought we deserved to lose. We seemed to play as if we had it won (which it turns out we did) credit to Derby for their effort. Thought Toogs was outstanding today. If I was Hughes I'd have had Derbyshire on for the last 15 at least. I'm thinking he's giving Benni as much of a chance as he can to get scoring again, just not quite going for him though. I can't really fault too much of his effort today though a bit more emphasis on team migh not have gone amiss. I hope his suitors were impressed enough to offer some good money.

[Cocker]

Anyone know what happened to Reidy?

Anyone know what happened to Benni too? Really annoyed with him today.

Poll not up yet but well done Bentley again. I pray we hang onto him I really do.

[T4E]

Fraid I agree with Philip, Nelsen WAS fouled. Nellie has been poor of late but I thought it was a foul first time I saw it and was more convinced in the later replays so Philip must have been watching the same game as me.

I would agree that it was atleast close to a foul - my issue is with Nelsen's positioning. What was he doing flying in trying to win the ball when holding his ground would've forced Derby to actually produce something worthy of a goal in order to beat him. Instead he was drawn towards the ball and left a huge gap which Oakley exploited.

He should never have been in a position where a clever foul on him was possible.

[Rovermatt]

what utter crap, just ask manure, who have now recently lost to bolton and wham, ask arsenal who lost at boro and ask Rovers who lost at Wigan !!!

None of these teams are rock bottom of the league, doomed since day one.

[philipl]

Did we lose at Derby? Did Newcastle and Liverpool have easy peasy walkovers against Derby?

Incidentally I don't say Nelsen wasn't at fault for the goal or the penalty but I am saying Nelsen was fouled prior to the goal and Miller took an almighty dive for the penalty.

Early in the second half going away from goal on the edge of the area Miller stuck a leg out looking for the Rovers player who had thankfully backed off him and took a dive again.

[den]

MOTM?

[des]

good game and a good win.

should scored at least three.

defence played ok, nelsen has to learn when he can win the ball and when he cannot, still it was a foul on him for there first goal.

midfield ok, we need someone like the axe, but who is better when he has the ball.

forwards played well both in the middle and out wide.

all in all we got what we should of got three points