joey_big_nose

Ismael cited the size and pace of Derby as the issue and he felt Hedges would be better at coping than either Riberio or Pickering. And tbh, while we were well beaten on Saturday in other areas, Hedges seemed to handle BBD and his general defensive role well enough. I dont think Pickering or Riberio playing instead would have made much difference. Agree it must be very depressing for Pickering and Riberio. Ismael is a very physicality focussed managed, and I think he is not a fan of those two.

What's the injury situation here? My guess... Toth - out Wharton - out Kargbo - out Carter - back? Cantwell - back? Baradji - no idea With Cantwell if hes back I wouldnt be that adverse to giving him a go up top alongside a striker. We are running the two we've got into the ground, and Cantwell has a bit of physicality this season. Something like Pears Miller. Carter. McLoughlin Alebiouso. TGH. Tronstad. Hedges Mori Ohashi. Cantwell Means we at least have a recognised striker on the bench which i think we need to close games out.

Yeah, this is when things start to get real... only position where we have any depth is left back/ left wing back where we have four players covering that area... Every other position. I guess a few options at number 10 (Cantwell, Mori, Henricksson). But every other position if someones out then we're playing someone out of their preferred role.

Agree, but equally cant really think of anything else we could have done much better either. If we cant get in behind a team we really really struggle to fashion anything. You could see Derby were completely unfussed about giving vast numbers of corners and throws as they were so in control of set pieces.

Thats part of what makes him a good manager. Looks at every angle to minimise the oppositions chances, including slowing the game up and wasting time. His record of retaining a lead once his team gets ahead must be very good everywhere he goes. Struggles much more if his team goes behind, but we didnt manage to get anywhere near that today unfortunately.

Neither of the headers were on Hedges side. Obviously if we had some proper defenders that would be better, I was more saying using Hedges ahead of Pickering or Riberio.

He had a free header on the penalty spot which he did very poorly with. The way Derby were playing he had no space to work with and they completely physically dominated him. I dont think we have anyone in our squad who can physically compete with powerful centre back. Its the sort of striker we need to find in January. Gueye should be that player but I have to agree he just gets worse and worse and worse.

One thing that did look surprisingly okay was Hedges at LCB. If we did that again I could live with it. He was pretty decent defending on the deck and in the air, and as youd expect offered a bit driving forward with the ball. BBD was on his side and did nothing. That said might be that Derby just didnt really attack much in open play all game, relied on set pieces, so not really tested.

Well we came back into it way more in the second half than I thought. But Derby were the most defensively dominant team I have seen at Ewood this season, and they've bought the right sort of forward players who can work on not very much support to make the system effective. Despite a bad start I think theyll do really well this year. If we come up against sides who play like that every week we are buggered as we arent getting any change out of a side that plays that deep and is that physical. Even Alebiouso who has had every player hes come up against on toast was marginalised today. Luckily most in the Championship come out more and give more space. Despite our defence being ravaged by injuries it was the lack of any decent strikers in the air that did us. Must have had 20+ corners and long throws and made virtually nothing from them.

To be honest the attacking players are identical, all the changes are in defence/defensive midfield We miss Tronstads passing certainly. The main factor though is Eustace is a very smart manager , and has setup his defence and tactics really well to nullify our routess to creating changes.

Derby have managed to score two without conceding any chances to us at all... Their two big lads up front can work off very little so they dont put anyone forward, while i dont think weve fashioned anything decent despite pushing more and more into the attack. If we get a point in here it will be a truly amazing result.

I don't really understand why Mori isnt focussing on doubling up down the right with Alebiouso which worked so well against Bristol City? Henricksson is there but he doesnt have the right level of technique to make it work.

That would be mad? Why shackle our best attacking player in a back three?

Really strange selection, dont think anyone would have predicted it. I suppose what could be on our favour is Derby would have been prepping for 3412 but we've gone for a completely different shape. Looking at it I am wondering if we have gone 433? I can sort of see it working with TGH anchoring and Hedges and Henricksson either wide being physical and covering the ground? Also - I wonder if Mori will get a free role to create overloads which worked so well against Bristol City? Pears Alebiouso. Miller. McLoughlin. De Neve Henricksson. TGH. Hedges Ohashi Gudjonsen. Mori

Great shout! I will also be there.