Derby County (H) - We couldn't make it four... could we?

[Guest]

Genuinely looking forward to this, probably more so than I have for a home game in a long time. Derby not in great form, we're playing some really nice football. I'd absolutely advocate for the same starting eleven from Brentford/Stoke, against a team like Derby who'll play football like the Bees, I see no reason to come away from a winning team.

Predictions?

[chaddyrovers]

Same starting 11 as the last 2 games please Mr Mowbray

[roversfan99]

Has to be the same team and anything less than a win will be a great dissapointment.

[simongarnerisgod]

we should be buzzing and raring to go after a week off,im`e expecting 3 points from a struggling derby side,rooney can`t do f**k all from the bench!!!!!

[frosty]

Looking forward to this one, but then again I was looking forward to Luton at home earlier in the season after winning consecutive games. 

Bearing that in mind, and also what we did at Brentford last season after winning four in a row, it’s hard to be too optimistic but let’s hope for different this time around. 

They’re clearly not great and they’ve got one of the worst away records in the league. Let’s get at them from the start with ideally the same eleven as the last two games. 

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

we should be buzzing and raring to go after a week off,im`e expecting 3 points from a struggling derby side,rooney can`t do f**k all from the bench!!!!!

Wow, didn't realise they were signing him in January. The fact he is turning out in the Championship at 34, an age at which Ronaldo is still one of the two best players on the planet, goes to show he hasn't looked after himself enough. Not surprising really.

[Gary C]

Looking forward to this one. Keep the same side no need to tinker unless injuries are picked up in training. 

[tomphil]

Biggest headache for TM yet as he's zero point zero excuse to mess things around again, a big test of his resolve. Keeping faith in a winning team and formation should be a no brainer confidence should be high now.

Tough game

Rovers  2   Derby  2

[philipl]

We beat Derby when they had far more at stake than we did last season.

We shouldn't confuse their middling position for not being any good- they have excellent players who can hurt us.

Reiterating everything said above, have to keep the same players and formation. Perhaps bring Gallagher on a bit earlier and tell DG not to save himself.

Have a week's rest so the tiredness we saw in some payers' performance at Stoke should be replaced by new vigour against Derby.

We all know we should win this one and we all know what happens when we feel that way. That apart and throwing caution to the wind, Rovers to win 2-1, perhaps having to come back from behind again.

[oldjamfan1]

8 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Wow, didn't realise they were signing him in January. The fact he is turning out in the Championship at 34, an age at which Ronaldo is still one of the two best players on the planet, goes to show he hasn't looked after himself enough. Not surprising really.

I think this is a bit harsh to be honest. Firstly, Ronaldo is a freak and there won’t be many pro athletes that have kept themselves as fit as he has managed to do over a long career so It’s a bit harsh to judge Rooney to that standard.

And secondly Rooney played top flight football from the age of 16, missed very few games in his career for club or country, and when you compare him to other British/English forwards who broke through at such a young age, very few were still playing at the top level at 34. Giggs (another freak) is an obvious exception but look at the Owens, Fowlers etc. I would imagine Rooney has made more premier league appearances than most. Not to mention the number of caps he’s won. Without checking I would imagine his appearance stats are comparable with the likes of James Milner and Stewart Downing, both of whom have been held up as shining examples of players who looked after themselves, and both of whom are at a similar age. 
 

I’m no Rooney apologist but you don’t play 500+ games at that level without looking after yourself.

[Wegerleswiggle]

Same team, same passion. The only change that I think could be considered is SG in for DG, but I would probably give DG the first half at least. 

2-1 Rovers

Dack and Armstrong

[arealbrfcfan]

Of course we will beat them! We beat them with Wilson and Mount!

[Amo]

Hopefully Mowbray will pick the same XI and keep the momentum going. We all know,it's the hope that kills you supporting Rovers. Derby are in a bit of a slump but take nothing for granted in this division. 

[47er]

2 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I think this is a bit harsh to be honest. Firstly, Ronaldo is a freak and there won’t be many pro athletes that have kept themselves as fit as he has managed to do over a long career so It’s a bit harsh to judge Rooney to that standard.

And secondly Rooney played top flight football from the age of 16, missed very few games in his career for club or country, and when you compare him to other British/English forwards who broke through at such a young age, very few were still playing at the top level at 34. Giggs (another freak) is an obvious exception but look at the Owens, Fowlers etc. I would imagine Rooney has made more premier league appearances than most. Not to mention the number of caps he’s won. Without checking I would imagine his appearance stats are comparable with the likes of James Milner and Stewart Downing, both of whom have been held up as shining examples of players who looked after themselves, and both of whom are at a similar age. 
 

I’m no Rooney apologist but you don’t play 500+ games at that level without looking after yourself.

I'm taking a risk here but I honestly don't think he will bw a success for Derby as a player. His career at Manu was over well before he left for Everton and he was a very ordinary player there and not worth his place.

We're a while on from that now. I can't judge him on what he did in the States because I don't follow it but I don't recall anything special.

Derby are one of those clubs who are always looking for a spectacular way out, much better to focus on a settled and balanced team that works hard imo.

[TBTF]

1 hour ago, Amo said:

Hopefully Mowbray will pick the same XI and keep the momentum going. We all know,it's the hope that kills you supporting Rovers. Derby are in a bit of a slump but take nothing for granted in this division. 

Once again we approach play off territory which normally prompts a nosebleed. Hopefully not this time and whilst not taking anything for granted against Derby I think the 2 away games to follow at Swansea and Bristol City will tell us whether it was the bad run that was the blip and we're actually decent or the last 7 days was the blip and actually we are bang average.  

It is hard to believe that with defensive and goalkeeper problems not sorted out last Summer and main striker situation still being a puzzle for Mowbray that we can emerge as genuine play off contenders and our pattern of results is symptomatic of the Championship ie many others will have the same comments about their own teams.

Fingers crossed but I am preparing myself for more snakes and ladders in the coming weeks.  

[47er]

Just now, TBTF said:

It is hard to believe that with defensive and goalkeeper problems not sorted out last Summer and main striker situation still being a puzzle for Mowbray that we can emerge as genuine play off contenders and our pattern of results is symptomatic of the Championship ie many others will have the same comments about their own teams.

 

This

[Admiral Nelsen]

Very much looking forwrd to this, big game too with tricky away games following at Bristol City and Swansea. Not saying that it'll necessarily have any bearing on our second half of the season, but it will mean that we'll have played all bar one of the top 8 teams away from home before Christmas.

Back on Derby, it looks like the weakest squad they've had in a few years, and they're short on personel, but they still have players capable of hurting any team at this level. A performance near Brentford levels should see us through.

Same team again, 2-0 Rovers.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Well, I fully expect us to lose. It's such a typical game that we end up losing. Hopefully things are different now. Its the hope that kills ya! 

[Bbrovers2288]

Could be wrong but I think we have a pretty decent record against derby 

[Mercer]

Said time and time again, confidence and momentum are hugely important in this league.  Consistency of selection also helps!

Barring injuries, Mowbray MUST start the same eleven.  It's as simple as that, no excuses.

Think Derby are a bang average team on a poor run of form.

Rovers to breeze this one by three or four goals to one.  Get your money on us and earn that Christmas bonus.

Edited December 2, 2019 by Mercer

[JacknOry]

Going for 2-1

Same two scorers too, Dack and Gallager. 

[K-Hod]

2 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Said time and time again, confidence and momentum are hugely important in this league.  Consistency of selection also helps!

Barring injuries, Mowbray MUST start the same eleven.  It's as simple as that, no excuses.

Think Derby are a bang average team on a poor run of form.

Rovers to breeze this one by three or four goals to one.  Get your money on us and earn that Christmas bonus.

Derby aren’t average, but they are on a poor run of form.

Where does this 4-1 prediction come from though? I can’t remember the last time we won by a three goal margin....

[BankEnd Rover]

1-1

[Guest]

My prediction is 1-0 to someone. I think it'll be a very possession based game, and one team either way will get the rub. Betting man would say that's us, with our form and theirs at the minute.

[bluebruce]

7 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I think this is a bit harsh to be honest. Firstly, Ronaldo is a freak and there won’t be many pro athletes that have kept themselves as fit as he has managed to do over a long career so It’s a bit harsh to judge Rooney to that standard.

And secondly Rooney played top flight football from the age of 16, missed very few games in his career for club or country, and when you compare him to other British/English forwards who broke through at such a young age, very few were still playing at the top level at 34. Giggs (another freak) is an obvious exception but look at the Owens, Fowlers etc. I would imagine Rooney has made more premier league appearances than most. Not to mention the number of caps he’s won. Without checking I would imagine his appearance stats are comparable with the likes of James Milner and Stewart Downing, both of whom have been held up as shining examples of players who looked after themselves, and both of whom are at a similar age. 
 

I’m no Rooney apologist but you don’t play 500+ games at that level without looking after yourself.

I wasn't saying he should be one of the top players in the world still. Just that he shouldn't be turning out in the Championship at 34 with his ability. You make a fair point about playing a lot of career games but I stand by that. Loads of players have managed up to and past his age and still played in the Prem, plenty of them with less footballing skill. He also has considerable star power which should sweeten any deal.

Edited December 2, 2019 by bluebruce