[Atomic]

What is it with referee's? We had an idiot last Wednesday and an idiot again today. If they really have to be awful why can't they be awful favouring us, just for a change?

It seems Slaven is determined to keep playing this 4-2-3-1. If he is going to do that we are going to have to start with Pereira and Diangana because we are going to be heavily reliant on our wide men to produce and Phillips / Edwards doing it once every four or five games isn't enough. Pereira looks Premier League class. He has that ability on the ball, the vision and weight of pass that Phillips / Edwards don't have. Krovinovic always looks a better player when Pereira is on the pitch as well, it takes that bit of responsibility off Krovinovic having someone who can play in tight spaces and and deliver clever passes. Diangana is different. Like Edwards he can beat a man but he has that little bit more variety to his game and at this stage is just that bit better quality.

I said at the start of the season I would play Townsend ahead of Gibbs and today Gibbs has cost us yet again. How many penalties is that he's given away in the last six months? Added to the fact that he doesn't ever close down well enough he's becoming a liability at times defensively but is one of those fans favourites and everyone overlooks it.

A mention for Nathan Ferguson today. He's only a kid and he was asked to play left back second half which must be alien to him and whilst he was far from brilliant he put a shift in and didn't let his team down.

A mention also for Sam Johnstone. Received loads of stick and some of it justified but today he saved us and pulled off a blinder for the penalty save.

Can't wait to see a re-run of the game to see if the ref really was as bad as he seemed at the ground.

[zippyandbungle]

Brave of Bilic to sub Gibbs with only 20 mins gone but he was having a mare. Thought Furlong did well.

Overall I think we deserved a point but I don't like anyone diving.

Thought Phillips was pretty poor and I would have subbed him at half time rather than Edwards. The amount of times he played the ball back to Ferguson but didn't move forward meaning that Ferguson had little option but to play the ball sideways or backwards.

Sawyers was better than on Wednesday but still was nowhere near his earlier performances. Livermore definitely the pick of the two.

I like Diangana but I've noticed he comes inside too much and leaves us bunched up in the middle. I'm all for a fluid 3 but we need width and quite often he was inside giving us no wide out ball.

The players need to practise shooting.

Johnstone had a very good game, no chance with the first penalty but great dive and save for the second. Collected a lot of crosses too.

This is pretty much where I am at the minute, I just hope the gelling isn't too far in the future.

Gibbs was injured

[beechyboy90]

I would have taken a point before the game and on the balance of the game I am still
Happy with the point.

Negatives;
We continue to make things difficult for ourselves don't think derby caused any real problems but that penalty was stupid by Gibbs
Gibbs injury will reduce the quality of our first 11 (despite today's stinker)
Controlling the game didn't really get many clear cut chances.
The 3 behind front man aren't getting into the box enough & might need freshening up.

Positives;
Still unbeaten got a good point from jaws of defeat.
Ferguson looking a really good prospect who needs tying to longer deal.
Semi and Bartley look a reasonably decent pairing.
Sam Johnstone had a blinder today and won us a point- looked like he point to prove.
Zohore knows how to take a penalty.
Periera looks a class act and premier league standard if we go up
Salven stule very pleasing to watch just needs more goals

[mulliganstired]

I think it's becoming more obvious by each game that we are a striker short and it's very worrying from what I have seen so far that big Ken and Austin are only a slight improvement on HRK.

Maybe play our wingers on the "wrong" side so they cut in more and get in the box - there was no-one to aim crosses at anyway, Zohore/Austin/HRK aren't really that type of centre forward as far as I can see.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Very concerned now with the team selection and subs. Another poor result based on balance of play. Thanks to Captain Marvel who can't convert a 2 yard open goal.


Off to watch some top class Rugby League now. Back later.

Nothing wrong with the team selection - and the subs helped rescue a point, again, like in the week, and at Luton.

It is endless bashing on Livermore for the sake of it, just because your mate isn’t in the side and on the bench.

The days of watching Brunt potter around in midfield are over thankfully.

[LiamTheBaggie]

A frustrating performance as we are lacking in creating chances until the introduction of Pereria.

Special mentions to Bartley and Ajayi as both were excellent.

The referee was abject and every single penalty call was incorrect. Wednesday night was bad but this was worse.

Zohore was ok but is in need of suppport at times - a number of occasions were he gets into promising positions only to have no support.

Glad we’re unbeaten and we move on again.

[TheJacko2000]

Nothing wrong with the team selection - and the subs helped rescue a point, again, like in the week, and at Luton.

It is endless bashing on Livermore for the sake of it, just because your mate isn’t in the side and on the bench.

The days of watching Brunt potter around in midfield are over thankfully.

If Kanu had missed that chance he'd get crucified. Nothing to do with Brunt.


Line up totally wrong imo, and wrong players taken off.

[LiamTheBaggie]

What would you have done differently?

Edwards and Phillips were ineffective and can have no complaints about being withdrawn. The other was an enforced substitution otherwise Austin would have featured.

Not a lot wrong there in my view..

[Windmill Baggy]

If Kanu had missed that chance he'd get crucified. Nothing to do with Brunt.


Line up totally wrong imo, and wrong players taken off.

It wasn't as easy a chance as you seem to think. He also kept it down and on target, but the defender managed to block it and send it over. Without the block it would have been 2-1.

[johnnyg]

Hit it literally anywhere else into the gaping empty net in front of him?

Brunty would have scored it, wouldnt he Jacko. 

[nybaggie10]

A few observations from today's game:

1) I thought Sam Johnstone had a great game. Without his penalty save and it wasn't easy, we don't leave with a point. He gets his fair share of criticism but I thought he had a really good game today.

2) Zohore worked his socks off. Playing up front on your own is not easy and once again he had the confidence to take the penalty in a pressure cooker situation. He went the other way to what he did on Wednesday night. That's the sign of someone growing in confidence and we need him to be.

3) Krovinovic was missing today. Totally ineffective in the first half and I wondered if Bilic considered taking him off at half time and bringing on Austin and trying a 4-4-2. I think Austin and Zohore would be a real handful but you lose that extra body in midfield. The problem is you rarely see Krovinovic running beyond Zohore, so we're effectively playing with 5 in midfield and 1 up top.

4) I would play Pereira in Krovinovic's number 10 role. He' so comfortable on the ball and his passing is sublime. I also think he may be able to support Zohore (or Austin) better than Krovinovic in that number 10 hole.

5) Finally, a tip of the hat to Romaine Sawyers. The guy is brilliant, he hardly ever gives the ball away and his passing range and vision is as good as anything I've seen. Maybe I'm biased because he's one of us, but I love him already. He's an absolute gem.

[costa blanca baggie]

A few observations from today's game:

1) I thought Sam Johnstone had a great game. Without his penalty save and it wasn't easy, we don't leave with a point. He gets his fair share of criticism but I thought he had a really good game today.

2) Zohore worked his socks off. Playing up front on your own is not easy and once again he had the confidence to take the penalty in a pressure cooker situation. He went the other way to what he did on Wednesday night. That's the sign of someone growing in confidence and we need him to be.

3) Krovinovic was missing today. Totally ineffective in the first half and I wondered if Bilic considered taking him off at half time and bringing on Austin and trying a 4-4-2. I think Austin and Zohore would be a real handful but you lose that extra body in midfield. The problem is you rarely see Krovinovic running beyond Zohore, so we're effectively playing with 5 in midfield and 1 up top.

4) I would play Pereira in Krovinovic's number 10 role. He' so comfortable on the ball and his passing is sublime. I also think he may be able to support Zohore (or Austin) better than Krovinovic in that number 10 hole.

5) Finally, a tip of the hat to Romaine Sawyers. The guy is brilliant, he hardly ever gives the ball away and his passing range and vision is as good as anything I've seen. Maybe I'm biased because he's one of us, but I love him already. He's an absolute gem.

I made a point of concentrating on one player second half, and chose Krov. He seemed to be everywhere first half. Second half, he was always looking for a forward pass, but his teammates weren’t on the same wavelength. This guy is good.

[Atomic]

I made a point of concentrating on one player second half, and chose Krov. He seemed to be everywhere first half. Second half, he was always looking for a forward pass, but his teammates weren’t on the same wavelength. This guy is good.

He's better when Pereira is on the pitch with him because he is of the same level both technically and in terms of intelligence. When those two are on the pitch together they do make things happen.

[Droitwich Baggie]

After all the matches, I feel that we could have done better, and all those draws we should have won.
So why do I feel that we have lost so much ground?
We have to grind out results and start by stopping stupid goals and then attack in force.

[TheJacko2000]

What would you have done differently?

Edwards and Phillips were ineffective and can have no complaints about being withdrawn. The other was an enforced substitution otherwise Austin would have featured.

Not a lot wrong there in my view..

Livermore has to be one that comes off and Austin should have been introduced not Diangana.


Though both Diangana and Pereira should have started the game.

[baggie38]

People slag off Livermore because it seems the in thing to do. Things I took from yesterday were

Perreria needs to start games now. He and Krovonovic have a brilliant understanding and he made more chances in twenty minutes then we have the last 5 games.

Zohore is either not good enough or so shot of confidence in front of goal that it appears he isn't good enough. He really should of scored that one on one in the first half. For some reason from the angle he was at he shot with his left foot he needed to lean to the left and use his right to put it into the far corner. You don't need years of watching the sport to know that.

Phillips simply isn't good enough to see out 90 minutes and he plays far to narrow. I lost count of how many times he seemed to think he was prime C Ronaldo and take people on instead of passing it on to players who had made productive runs.

[the other AJ]

Special mention to the travelling fans who I thought sounded great and out sang Derby all game. Was really loud on Fox ( Aussie Sky) especially the cheating b$&@ds chant!

[KN22]

Livermore didn’t miss, a goal bound shot was deflected over the bar. I thought he did fine yesterday.

[Baggies]

For me the midfield is too flat for the starting wingers to have a chance. Edwards in particular did little wrong in the first half, he kept trying to bet his man and out a few balls into the box. The same thing happened to Diangana when he started mid week though. So far our wingers have only looked good when they have come off the bench and that might be due to them being fresh legs vs players who have played all game.

The issue is with the relationship between the central midfield 3 and the forward. Zohore isn’t very mobile, isn’t fast enough to make runs around the defender and has to have it on his left foot to do anything. Our midfield, possibly due to this lack of movement, don’t seem to do much quick, incisive passing and never seem to go for 1-2 pass and move, instead favouring a slower build up and then hoping somebody works out a brilliant pass through the defence.

Pereira on from the start might help as he isn’t a winger in the same mould as Phillips, Edwards and Diangana. He cuts inside more and doesn’t rely on beating a player on the outside, instead being able to cut inside any make things happen more centrally.

I’d consider him though in a role behind the striker. Krovinovic does not do enough of the attacking work to play in the forward line like he is at the moment. He is part of the reason why we aren’t scoring many goals. It would be a shame to drop him as he is a hard worker with lots of quality, but I feel he is being accommodated in that role.

[NJS]

Phillips gives poor support to his fullback.  Derby's most effective tactic was to sling balls down the wing and chase them.  A couple of times when Furlong was dragged inside, Lawrence was left completely unmarked.  On one such occasion they would have scored from the resulting move but for a great save by Johnson from a Waghorn.  So I would start Pereira in place of Phillips or at least give them 45 mins each.

Krovinovitch received some passes in really tight areas yesterday, took them well and managed to wriggle free and pass the ball to a team mate.  I think he's a talent but needs to improve his shooting skills.

Kudos to Ferguson, moved out of position but still held his end up.  Is Townsend injured?

On another point do we have another Lambert?  To me, Austin looked knackered just warming up at half time.  Hope I'm wrong: to get gulled once by a ex-Southampton striker is foolish but twice is downright embarrassing.

[gazberg]

He will get fit from playing, not from not playing.

[Jeb-Dog]

For me, when Hegazi is fit I’d shift Semi into Livermore’s position. I don’t think Bilic will do this but I don’t think that midfield 3 is working at the moment.

[frazzle]

For me, when Hegazi is fit I’d shift Semi into Livermore’s position. I don’t think Bilic will do this but I don’t think that midfield 3 is working at the moment.

I think Semi will be far better as a centre back than as a midfielder. Yesterday his pace at the back was really important for us.

[wbako]

I think Semi will be far better as a centre back than as a midfielder. Yesterday his pace at the back was really important for us.

I'm glad someone else has said this!

He has been a rock for us at the back (apart from that slip at Luton) and was quality yesterday. Why people would want to move him is beyond me.

When Hegazi is fit, he should come in for Bartley, in my humble opinion.

[Hull Baggie]

Gibbs was injured

Ah, thanks for clearing that up, I'd gone for a pee and when I came back we'd made the substitution, nobody around me said Gibbs was injured just that he'd been subbed off.
 I assumed it was due to his performance; misjudging heading the ball back to Johnstone that went out for a corner and then the penalty.