Paninistickers

There were lots there today as one offs for the cheap tickets. They can be excused. And actively welcomed. But the 15k or so of meek, beta, out of shape, over 60, low-income, 'vichai had a dream' blobs couldn't give a fig

Hundreds, if not thousands, of coaches and managers - professional and amateur - could get this set of players into the play offs. The first very simple basic with a poor or a struggling team is - no bias - identifying the 10 fastest/Fittest/strongest/tallest players. Anyone outside of that 10 has to be very very good indeed to get considered. It really isn't as hard as the management (who seem to fetishise the slowest, smallest, weakest players) is making this.

Not so sure. These are the types that say (and I've heard this line almost word for word) 'n'er mind, eh, we'll be 'ere next week won't we Kev?' see ya!'

Disagree. These drongos couldn't care less about the result, the cup wins, relegation. The reality thousands go because they like it; the routine, the camaraderie, a sense of excitement and for the want of anything else much going on in their lives

The absolute state of our fans when the camera does some crowd shots

He's only there in midfield so the manager can retain Bob Reid and so fulfil his self imposed compulsory quota of pedestrian, ineffective flyweights. Heaven forbid that Page start instead of Bob

BBC website description is of 'play off chasing Derby' Yet by, some distance, easily the worst team we've faced (based on the fact once you can write off, but twice?) in easily 13 years

Agree The professional competency at the club is just so beta. Rudkin is the ultimate beta male. Subservient, lacklustre, low-T. These pheromones are permeating every level of the organisation. There's no masterplan.

Funny, that I thought the reaction to the goal was a subsconcious, inadvertent piece of unity between players and fans. Nobody was interested. Nobody saw it as a success. A stench of failure, of depression, of aimlessness. It's just all pointless until the club goes bust and we get rid of this fool owning us

Derby won again! Wtf?! Probably the worst team I've seen us play easily in the last 15 years

How did Bob play tonight? I mean,.I watched the game. But didn't see him.

So he likes 8 players generally ... eight normal professionals plus three NPCs in Ayew, Bob and Thomas. Tonight he rolled the dice and went with two NPCs tbf It's brave, it's bold, it's innovative - - interesting even. But for me, after 28 games or so, it's not working.

More dreadful management tonight to bring him on as a replacement and rather than let him sit in midfield, let him get absolutely mullered at right back.

Where is that grotesque creature the podcaster? Not on the bench Absolute tvvat if the highest order

Totally agree, but, there were murmurings towards the end of that season that the players wanted a plan B and reacted to crowd pressure in games against (iirc) West Brom, Norwich and Brum to just go for it But you're right, Marti seems to set them up like a Sunday league boss. You can imagine the team talk 'Hamza, you're at left back, JJ and Skipp midfield, Jordan, you're up front son'

So long as Thomas isn't playing, I'm fairly happy. Like 3/10 happy as opposed to 0/10 when Thomas plays. If we got rid of the Reid playing with all the robustness of a game of tick and hopscotch in primary school I'd be better still.

Not as embarrassing as playing Luke Thomas

I caveat this observation that I choose to ignore body language evidence for Faes, who many claim 'looks arrogant' - which to me is an absurd basis to castigate someone. However, I do take some visual clues with Thomas. He looks embarrassed to be there. As did Ward. You can see his relief when he just about manages to do something right (remember his clumsy touch that accidentally set up bib Reid for a long range goal?) That panicked contorted back angle pass to his centre half to 'get rid of it'. That horrific arm stretch rugby tackle as he desperately tries to catch up with an opponent. And, I watch for this every game, Stephy never, EVER passes to him. I guess he knows it is a complete waste of time. You've gotta feel for the lad. It's cruel. Part of management is protecting staff, not just issuing instructions. As you say, for his own well being, he needs taking out of this.

Yes, you're right. The manager likes those with appalling running stats, weakness and airy fairy style. Skipp dropped for Soumare..

Great post. Well put points. The real unspoken, unprovable point is the Ian Bason IS the trust. Him and maybe a small group of 30 or 40 have run the Trust as a de facto (and well meaning) supporters' social club for 25 years. It's been an irrelevant clique for the vast majority that time.

Staggering that Derby won. I've no idea how they do it.

Just a hunch, but a little like Ward, he gives off the vibe of imposter syndrome. His presence on the pitch. You can smell the embarrassment. The fear. The 'i don't belong here' On a human level, even for Ward, I feel for them. It must do a lot of damage. It's well compensated, sure. But the self esteem issues must crush the soul.

...Which is why I'd be intrigued to see him line up for Shepshed or Barwell or Anstey Nomads. He just doesn't have any feature to set him apart from an amateur. There's some tough players at even senior league, level 9 sort of thing. , Most pros could dance around through speed alone. Or their touch sets them apart. Or their game intelligence is next level. I'm convinced if Thimas played at that level, he'd still struggle.

Tbf, bear in mind the power he was up against. 5ft 7 and 9 stone of pure, distilled far eastern power

Three things that are absolutely certain. Luke Thomas. Bob Reid. Jordan Ayew.