Stuniverse

Sunday 16th April 2023 League One Promotion Run-in Ipswich Town MK Dons

Saturday 15th April 2023 Bristol Rovers v Derby County League One (42) Max Bird has served his suspension but, unfortunately, we still don't have him available as he picked up a minor leg injury in training. With five games to go, we have playoff qualification in our own hands for now. If, and it's a big IF, we can win all of our remaining five league games then we will make the playoffs. I think we have to accept that an automatic promotion spot is unlikely now, highly unlikely, but if we play as we know we can then we're confident of making the playoffs. I can assure our supporters that we're going to give it our best shot. After the way we played last time out, against MK Dons, the players who started that game deserve to go again but it's very much a squad game these days, even more so now we can make five changes, so the players on the bench have to be ready as we will need them. -- What an amazing game that was. Bristol Rovers made things very difficult for us but, we wore them down, and in the end we were too strong for them. In the first-half, we struggled to get much going, not through anything we were doing but because Bristol Rovers kept fouling us and slowing down the game - it's no wonder they picked up as many yellow cards as they did. We made some changes early in the second-half to give us some impetus and get more of a foothold in the game. That, plus the fact that Bristol Rovers couldn't foul us as much, with so many players on yellow cards, we wrestled control of the game. On 69 minutes, Haydon Roberts flew down the left wing, cut into the penalty area, and hit a fierce shot across the goalkeeper that nestled in the far inside netting (1-0). Three minutes later, after some superb passing in midfield, Lewis Dobbin released Simone Zaza, who calmly slotted the ball home (2-0). For the last 10 minutes we tightened things up and saw the game out, relatively untroubled.

Thank you, @Punch. Yes, indeed. I don’t want to jinx it with five games left in the season but yes. Some tweaks to the 4-2-3-1 tactics and players coming back from injury have made a difference.

Monday 10th April 2023 Derby County v MK Dons League One (41) We're 7th, one spot below the playoffs, and MK Dons are one place and two points behind us so this is a massive game in our chase for a playoff place. It's another game that we will try to win but it's vital we don't lose. Max Bird will serve the second and final game of his suspension. Other than that, our number one goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith is our only other absentee. -- We were brilliant from start to finish today and I'm so proud of all the players. It took only 15 minutes for us to take the lead, Ziggy Gordon burst down the right flank, charged into the penalty area to the byline, pulled the ball back low for James Collins, and the MK Dons captain Lewington diverted it into his own net. We created a few more chances in the first-half but MK Dons caused us a lot of problems and we had to thank our goalkeeper Keiren Westwood for a string of fine saves that preserved our lead. During the break, we gave the players more freedom by asking them not to work the ball into the box. And it worked, we were much better in the second-half and Keiren Westwood hardly had a shot to save. On 53 minutes we doubled our lead. Conor Hourihane curled in a free-kick, Curtis Davies's header at the far post hit the woodwork, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing volleyed the rebound and Cumming, in MK Dons goal, parried the shot into the path of James Collins, who scored. The noise inside Pride Park Stadium brought me out in goosebumps and the decibel level increased further on 59 minutes when Simone Zaza headed in Conor Hourihane's corner.

Friday 7th April 2023 Forest Green Rovers v Derby County League One (40) Max Bird is suspended for the two Easter games away at Forest Green Rovers on Good Friday and at home to MK Dons on Easter Monday, after reaching the yellow cards limit last time out. We aren't that far off a fully fit squad with Jake Rooney due to return to training tomorrow and Joe Wildsmith could be back within the next two weeks. -- A good win for us today that keeps us in contention for a playoff spot. In some ways it was an unusual game for us but, in other ways, it was perfect. Unusual because Forest Green had the ball quite a bit more than us and created more chances, but perfect because we worked their goalkeeper more than they worked Keiren Westwood. We took the lead on 31 minutes through James Collins, finishing off a wonderful move that involved Jason Knight, Conor Hourihane, and Lewis Dobbin. And then we added a second, seven minutes later, when Narthaniel Mendez-Laing sent in a great, low cross from the right and James Collins scored from close range. Collo almost had a first-half hat-trick but was denied by a great save by McGee. Although the stats say Forest Green had the better of it, I felt we always looked comfortable and Keiren Westwood didn't look like being beaten.

Friday 7th April 2023 Rams captain extends his stay

Saturday 1st April 2023 Derby County v Ipswich Town League One (39) We entertain Ipswich Town today who are 6th, in the final playoff place, and one place and three points above us with a better goal difference. We will be doing everything we can to try and win this game but it's vital we don't lose as we can't afford to lose ground with only seven more games after today. -- Once again I thought we played well, edging possession, creating about as many chances as Ipswich, although we didn't get enough on target which was disappointing. We got the opening breakthrough on 21 minutes when James Collins finished superbly from close range after a great run and low cross from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. Unfortunately, that was the only shot we got on target all game. At the other end, whilst Ipswich did have some efforts on target, Keiren Westwood dealt with them comfortably in our goal. That was, until Andre Wisdom mistimed a tackle in the penalty area and Chaplin converted the penalty. If only we could add a second goal once we get our noses in front. We had a few blows today. We lost two left-backs to injury with first Haydon Robertshaving to be substituted and then Ziggy Gordon. Hopefully their injuries won't be too bad. Max Bird also picked up yellow card that took him to the limit and Max will have to serve a suspension.

Saturday 1st April 2023 No clue ahead of the Ipswich Town press conference No clue here as to what I did wrong in the previous press conference.

Saturday 1st April 2023 Monthly Report Board Review Finances Dynamics Supporters Review

Tuesday 28th March 2023 Peterborough United v Derby County League One (38) We go to Peterborough to play our game-in-hand against a very good team who are 3rd, 12 points and four places above us. It'll be a difficult game but, with games running out now, we need to get a result to keep chasing the six teams above us in the playoff positions. -- We've been in need of a break in recent games, for something to go for us, and we found ourselves with a player advantage as early as the 6th minute when Onyedinma saw red for a reckless two-footed lunge on Ziggy Gordon. Fortunately, Ziggy wasn't injured. We went more Attacking, changed the shape, and created some good chances, only for Bergstrom in their goal to produce some sensational saves to deny James Collins, Tom Barkhuizen, Curtis Davies, Conor Hourihane and Simone Zaza. When we did get the ball past him, both Tom Barkhuizen and Conor Hourihane hit the woodwork and James Collins had one headed off the line. Then on 82 minutes we fell victim to the classic counter-attack and former-Ram, Jack Marriott, gave Peterborough the lead. We made some more changes and piled the pressure on, but Bergstrom was in fine form. Until 90 minutes when we finally scored. Bergstrom parried Conor Hourihane's free-kick, the ball fell to Simone Zaza who saw his shot blocked in the six yard box, bit Matej Vydra was in the right place at the right time to stab the ball over the line and we were level.

Monday 27th March 2023 Meeting with the Board -- -- -- I still have no idea what I did wrong at the Press Conference. Here's the full transcript...

Monday 27th March 2023 Stuniverse summoned to Board Meeting -- D'oh! That'll teach me to get complacent with Press Conferences and not read the instructions from the Board / Club in advance. I have no idea what I talked about that I was instructed not to comment on. Next time: read the memo! If there is a NEXT time...

Monday 27th March 2023 Pre-game: Peterborough United v Derby County

Saturday 25th March 2023 League One Round-up

Friday 24th March 2023 Academy Graduates sign as scholars

Saturday 19th 2023 Job Security

Saturday 19th March 2023 Derby County v Fleetwood Town League One (37) We will be without the suspended Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, but we are getting closer to a full, healthy squad with only our number one goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith and Eiran Cashin currently out injured. -- I'm starting to sound like a stuck record because we had more possession than Fleetwood, created more chances, but struggled to score. Fleetwood took one chance and that was enough. Curtis Davies did well to charge down Vela's shot but the ball fell to Morton, in a crowded penalty area, who tucked it away. We changed things around and went more attacking after that but were unable to beat Stolarczyk in their goal.

Friday 18th March 2023 Derby County - Youth Intake

Looking good for Rotherham, @Punch

You’ve hit the nail on the head there, @JaytheGreat. Scoring, particularly scoring a second goal when we go 1-0 up has been our downfall for most of the season.

Indeed. I didn’t even have time to notice the first yellow card (on Extended Highlights) before he’d received the second yellow. If I’d noticed, I would have told him to Ease Off Tackles.

Saturday 11th March 2023 Oxford United v Derby County League One (36) We played well against Shrewsbury last time out so I'm not expecting too many changes. We do have our top scorer James Collins available again so I have a decision to make there as he's not ready for 90 minutes yet. Unfortunately, Eiran Cashin sprained ankle ligaments in training so we will need to make a change in central defence. This'll be the first time we've come up against James Chester since he moved on in January. I'll wish him well when I see him, I just hope he doesn't have a good day against us. -- From hero to villain in two games. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was the best player on the pitch last week against Shrewsbury. Today he picked up a 63rd minute booking and then, two minutes later, made a totally unnecessary challenge from behind on the halfway line and received a second yellow. A player short, we were forced into changes at that point. Before the red card, it was a very tight game, one that I thought we were shading. But after the sending off, Oxford stepped up, we couldn't deal with their attacking threat, and they ran out worthy 2-0 winners.

Saturday 4th March 2023 Derby County v Shrewsbury Town League One (35) After the poor run of form we've been on recently, I thought we needed to change something. Starting with the system, I've gone for more of a 4-3-3 DM Wide today instead of our usual 4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide. I'm also going with a Low Block instead of a High Block. -- Well it worked. We completely dominated and controlled the game and were good value for our win, I thought. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was the best player on the pitch and sent over an excellent cross for Tom Barkhuizen to score the only goal on half an hour. Our usual inability to add a second goal remained an issue but, today, we defended magnificently and the clean sheet meant we claimed the three points.

Wednesday 24th 2023 My thoughts... I'm not quite sure what's happened and why but our consistently inconsistent form has suddenly turned into terrible form. I'm sure we are missing our number one goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith and top goal scorer James Collins through injury. Also, I signed 12 players since the summer transfer window closed (free agents couldn't be registered until 1st January) and that might be having an affect as that's a lot of players to integrate into the squad. And a long season may be catching up with our older players as we have aged 30 or older. We're in danger of dropping out of the playoff places if we don't start winning football matches again... Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

Wednesday 1st March 2023 Monthly Reports Board Review Finances Dynamics I'm not sure why Matej Vydra opposes me and this offers no clues... Supporter Review